After only a few days of dieting I always get really bad cravings for either sweets or salty foods. Why does this happen and is there a way to help avoid these cravings?
Marjie Gilliam: Dieting can lead to overwhelming cravings, often because they require avoiding certain foods rather than allowing for all foods and placing the emphasis on portion and serving sizes. Most people can only go for so long before they miss their favourite treats and resent not being able to have them. Binges and cravings soon follow, as does in most cases, weight gain and feelings of guilt, stress and failure.
This yo-yo pattern of eating is unhealthy both emotionally and physically. Far better to make all foods a part of your own personal plan of success, and simply cut back on the amount that you normally consume.
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We can easily talk ourselves into craving certain foods simply because we recall how good they tasted or how good we felt when eating them. Making a connection between comfort and pleasure and a particular food or beverage can influence otherwise healthy eating choices, leading us to eat for reasons other than hunger. So-called mindless eating includes snacks that we have while watching television or at the computer for example, which can really add up to serious weight gain over time.
Some experts believe that cravings are brought on by nutritional deficiencies, such as vitamin and/or mineral imbalances, or if calories are reduced too drastically as with crash dieting. Another theory related to cravings is that low levels of certain “feel-good” chemicals like serotonin trigger us to seek specific types of foods, often carbohydrates, in order to boost energy and mood.
These foods do increase serotonin, but only temporarily. As the effect wears off, in order to avoid the unpleasant “crash” the person may seek out the same foods to feel better again. Just as foods can alter the way we feel, beverages that contain caffeine can have the same effect, increasing alertness and mood, but only for short time. Once the desired effect wears off, the person may find themselves in need of a second, third or even fourth cup. Over time, do your best to replace processed foods with unprocessed ones, and re-train your taste buds to enjoy the flavour of the foods you eat without the need to cover them up with extras like butter, sauces, salt and sugar.
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©New York Times News Service 2009