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Managing Your CravingsGoing for the 3 Increases: Increase in Health, Increase in
Happiness & Increase in Energy
Strategies for Success in Weight ManagementBy: James J. Messina, Ph.D.
It starts with the Neurotransmitters
Serotonin – triggers cravings for sweets NPY - triggers a desire for pancakes and
waffles in the morning Galanin - triggers cravings to sweet-and-
creamy or meat-and-potatoes by mid-afternoon
Endorphins – triggers eating desserts pleasurable
Eating to boost one’s mood
Feel sad, down, disappointed, low…?
Carbohydrates: starches, pasta, or sweets, raise levels of serotonin in the brain
Carbohydrates boost mood but we need to eat them in moderation!
Craving differences between men & women
Typically women crave - sugar-fat mixtures: ice cream, chocolate, cookies, pies, doughnuts & cake
Typically men “prefer” protein-fat mixtures - steak, meatloaf, potatoes and gravy, or hamburgers
These cravings have existed since the cavepeople…
Researchers at Rockefeller University theorize that these are age-old craving differences between men & women
These cravings were useful in days when:cavemen needed to maintain high levels
of muscle mass to huntcavewomen needed to maintain body fat
stores in the event of pregnancy
Cravings are mood related
Women have reported feeling bored, lonely or depressed when they indulged in their desired food
Men associated giving in to cravings with feelings of happiness and relaxation.
Less than 40 percent of cravers said they were hungry when they experienced cravings
You are born with a “craving” set
Each person is born with a unique nerve chemical profile & set of cravings
This fact is not a license to bingeYou can’t change your genetic makeupYou can coax these neurotransmittersEven small changes in balance of nerve
chemicals can have far-reaching effects on your mood, energy levels & appetite
PMS and Over Indulging Cravings
Cravings amplify during the two weeks prior to a woman’s period, probably because fluctuating estrogen levels have a domino effect on brain chemistry, sending many appetite control chemicals into a tailspin
But overeating sugar, salty or high-fat snack foods, or caffeine will only make PMS symptoms worse
Give in to it or let the craving pass
Sometimes a craving may pass after about 15 minutes
Repeatedly resisting cravings may set you up for bingeing
Many dietitians recommend giving in when you’ve got it bad, it takes 100 calories of a craved food to quell the yearning e.g.Eight Nacho chips, 14 Gummi Bears or one fun-size package of M&Ms.
Timing of Cravings
Skipping breakfast or lunch can cause blood sugar to drop - leading to afternoon cravings
3-6 pm is prime time for cravingsNever let more than four hours go by
between meals or snacks
Chocolate the Most Craved Food
Taste of chocolate on the tongue is likely to release endorphins in brain producing euphoric or pleasurable feeling
Sugar in chocolate may raise Serotonin levels & soothe gloomy mood & relax you
Creamy taste of chocolate may soothe need for fat fueled by Galanin
Aroma of chocolate may affect brain chemistry
Nothing curbs chocolate craving but chocolate:for crave-prone times
Plan: Late afternoon snack: 3 to 4 Hershey’s Kisses, not entire bag or Five
dried apricots dipped in chocolate or Slice chocolate angel food cake topped with raspberries
Plan: In the evening snack:Two cups of oranges, bananas & strawberries
dipped in 1/4 cup dark chocolate syrup or cup of fat-free chocolate cocoa
Steps to control cravings: 1. Listen to your cravings
They’re telling you somethingCravings for sweets are an unconscious
effort to raise Serotonin or NPY levelsDesire for creamy or fatty foods ice
cream to steak may be a basic need to satisfy Galanin or Endorphin levels
Steps to control cravings: 1. Listen to your cravings
Willpower won’t work with these powerful brain chemicals, so work with them instead, by using nutritious foods to calm cravings and boost mood
If mid-afternoon you crave something sweet, turn to fig bars, graham crackers with peanut butter, air-popped popcorn, or a raisin bagel with all-fruit jam
Steps to control cravings: 2. Cut back on sugar and caffeine
These quick-fix solutions only amplify or aggravate cravings in the long run
Steps to control cravings: 3. Give in to it
If the craving doesn’t go awayEat the desired food instead of stuffing
yourself with everything but kitchen sink Stop short of a bingeBuy single-serve food packagesServe a reasonable portion and eat it
outside of the kitchen
Steps to control cravings: 4. Create a ritual
Make eating treats specialInstead of eating a half-gallon of ice
cream in front of the freezer, spoon some into a nice bowl, sit in your favorite chair, eat slowly and savor each bite
Steps to control cravings: 5. Exercise
People who exercise report fewer cravings than non-exercisers due in part to the mood altering Endorphins released during physical activity
Exercisers tend to feel more in control of their bodies & may be less likely to binge