Sunday, January 4, 2009

Control Those Cravings

I saw this article today and wanted to pass it along... I have added some comments under some paragraphs in italic... Happy New Year...

Control Your Cravings
The key to weight loss that lasts past the Chinese New Year is kicking those stubborn little urges to the curb.
By Adam Campbell, Women's Health More on this in Health & Fitness

Nobody likes a nag. But try telling that to the bag of snack-size Snickers bars that won't stop calling your name, or the oh-so-salty French fries that keep pummeling your willpower. A craving is like a little devil, constantly encouraging you to indulge. And dieting only turns up the pressure: A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that 91 percent of women reported experiencing food cravings when they weren't on a diet; once they started restricting calories, that figure went up to 94 percent. And we all know that giving in to urges is a ticket to nothing-in-my-closet-fits hell.

Not only that, but it discourages us and leads to a lot of negative self talk.

The good news is that, unlike, say, your mom's constant probing about grandkids, these unhealthy tormentors can be fended off. The reason: Cravings are all about blood sugar. If your levels stay consistent throughout the day, your eating patterns will too. It's when you starve yourself for hours that cravings call. "Your blood sugar can fall too low after just four hours of not eating," says Valerie Berkowitz, M.S., R.D., director of nutrition at the Center for Balanced Health in New York City. So you search the fridge, the food court, even the seat cushions for simple carbohydrates that will give you a quick boost. Trouble is, the resulting blood sugar spike triggers your pancreas to release insulin, a hormone that not only lowers blood sugar but also signals your body to run through the craving cycle over and over. In about half of us, insulin tends to overshoot—that's what sends blood sugar crashing. "This reinforces the binge because it makes you crave sugar and starch again," Berkowitz says. In other words, giving in to a carb craving only leaves you wanting more.

I have also found that adding good quality flax oil to my foods or smoothies helps keep my blood sugars nice and steady... 2 tbsp a day is what I currently use. I often will put ground flax seeds into my salads, on top of fruit or in oatmeals or cereals as well.

So how do you stop yourself from reaching for that Snickers? By following these seven steps designed to stop 99 percent of cravings before they start—and help you muzzle the 1 percent that never seem to shut up.

1. Ramp up your resolve One reason most diets fail is that long-term goals can be deceptively difficult: When the plan is to watch what you eat for the next six months, chugging one caramel latte with whipped cream seems like a minor slip. To avoid that kind of thinking, commit to eating well for a fixed amount of time that you're 100 percent confident you can manage, even if it's just a few days. "Once you make it to your goal date, start over," says Mary Vernon, M.D., chair of the board of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians. "This establishes the notion that you can be successful and gives you a chance to notice that eating better makes you feel better, reinforcing your desire to continue."

I personally follow an 80/20 plan. All week I eat clean foods and pick a Saturday, Sunday or sometimes both days to indulge in something I want. But on Monday, I am back at it with my smoothies. I am a huge fan of smoothies and juices.

2. Find meaningful motivation If the main purpose of your diet is cosmetic—i.e., to look amazing in boy shorts—you're unlikely to stick with it for the long haul. The solution: "Arm yourself with additional motivators," says Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D., of the University of Connecticut. He suggests keeping a daily journal in which you monitor migraines, heartburn, acne, canker sores, and sleep quality in addition to body measurements and the number on the scale. "Discovering that your new diet improves the quality of your life and health is powerful motivation," Volek says.

Amen on this one. Focus on how good you will feel because you will if you stick to this...

3. Move on after a mistake Okay, you overindulged. What's the next step? "Forget about it," says James Newman, a nutritionist at Tahlequah City Hospital, in Tahlequah, Okla., who followed his own advice to shed 300 pounds. (That's right, three hundred.) "One meal doesn't define your diet, so don't assume that you've failed or fallen off the wagon," he says. Institute a simple rule: Follow any "cheat" meal with at least five healthy meals and snacks. That ensures that you'll be eating right more than 80 percent of the time.

Kiss it, bless it and move on. Your diet should not consume you- you are human- just try and be aware of what situations or events trigger you to want to eat poorly. Avoid those situations if possible or replace your old habits with new ones...

4. Roll out of bed and into the kitchen Sure, you've heard this advice before. But consider that if you sleep for six to eight hours and then skip breakfast, your body is essentially running on fumes by the time you get to work. And that sends you desperately seeking sugar, which is usually pretty easy to find. The most convenient foods are typically packed with sugar (doughnuts, lattes) or other quickly digested carbohydrates (McMuffins, cinnamon buns). Which brings us to our next strategy.

5. Restock your shelves How many times have you driven to the store in the middle of the night to satisfy a craving? Probably not nearly as often as you've raided the fridge. You're more likely to give in to a craving when the object you desire is close at hand. So make sure it's not: Toss the junk food and restock your cupboard and fridge with almonds and other nuts, cheese, fruit and vegetables, and canned tuna, chicken and salmon. And do the same at work. "By eliminating snacks that don't match your diet and providing plenty that do, you're far less likely to find yourself at the doughnut-shop drive-thru or the vending machine," says Christopher Mohr, Ph.D., R.D., president of Mohr Results, a fitness and nutrition consulting firm in Louisville, Ky.

Part of my work is to help others find better options for the foods we all love or once loved. If you are struggling with finding better choices at the grocery store or confused about what is good and what is not, let me know. I am happy to come out and go through the store with you or help restock those shelves of yours...

6. Think like a biochemist Cookies made with organic cane juice might sound like something your yoga teacher would eat, but they won't help her fit into her Lycra pants. Junk food by any other name is still junk. Ditto for lots of "health foods" in the granola aisle. "Natural" sweeteners like honey raise blood sugar just like the white stuff. "If you're going to eat cookies, accept that you're deviating from your plan, and then revert to your diet afterward," Berkowitz says. Kidding yourself will only get you into trouble.

Very true. Just because it is in a natural foods grocery store like Whole Foods doesn't mean it is good for you. HOWEVER, I would rather you start buying these more natural food items since most of them do not have artificial colors or flavorings or trans fats. I would much rather have Anne's Naturals Cheddar Bunnies for my kids then the Cheezy Puffs you get at the gas station or regular grocery store.

7. Spot hunger impostors Have a craving for sweets even though you ate just an hour ago? Imagine sitting down to a large, sizzling steak instead. "If you're truly hungry, the steak will sound good, and you should eat," says Richard Feinman, Ph.D., a professor of biochemistry at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. "If it doesn't sound good, your brain is playing tricks on you." His advice: Change your environment, which can be as easy as stretching at your desk or turning your attention to a different task.

That is the first time I heard that one. In addition, I have also read that if you crave sugar shortly after a meal, it may have not contained enough protein and too much carbohydrate. See if you can balance out those meals. And by the way, protein does not always have to come from an animal source!!

2 comments:

ALiVE ONE said...

Hi Sheralle. Thank you for your comment. I appreciate you taking the time to respond. I am hoping to keep updating it more often with articles that may help... be well.

ALiVE ONE said...

that was interesting post....