Week 17 Weigh-in: New Series (Cravings)

Thank God for another week. It had been hectic this past few days such that I had been extricated from my daily routine, I had attended to everything as they came. I mean this past week had been without a proper planning just because it was not working and many things are being undone at the close of the day (when I retire to bed nightly).

I decided to start my series on CRAVINGS; this is a strong desire for something such that unless it is satisfied it could jeopardize other things. Food cravings on the same page is the strong desire to eat a particular food or a food group, if not satisfied the person could either go hungry on other essential foods or could overeat other foods. It is quite unfortunate to know that cravings tend to the wrong foods especially sugars, it is really rare to see someone crave veggies or fruits, we tend to crave ice-cream, chocolate and simple carbs. We also crave foods we normally will not eat.

Craving is not hunger, in fact we normally crave after our bellies are filled with real food because we know that cravings will never satisfy the hunger in us or sometimes we first satisfy our cravings and then eat.

Cravings can be controlled and it is in your mind that this magic could happen. Expect you are pregnant where it is claimed that you may really find it hard to survive without satisfying your cravings (I don’t know how true that is, lol), I don’t think there is any desire to eat a particular food that cannot be controlled and put to check.

Cravings can be really strong to be candid because I have had to deal with it over and over again, I am able to overcome it momentarily only for it to come back stronger than before, other times I simply forget about it and these tips below had helped me.

1. Delayed Gratification: When a craving goes from my head to my throat to my mind (that is the order I feel it travels), I don’t go out desperate looking for it. I give myself sometime by preoccupying my mind with other things or eating real and healthy food. Most times I eventually forget about it but if it comes back stronger then I find space for it in my calorie range or believe it is my day to splurge.

2. I make plans to eat it some other times but not immediately. I had a post where I spelt out what I craved the previous day but I have nearly eating almost all of it by planning it into my days, and because it is no more a craving when I eventually eat it, I am not likely to overeat such food.

3. I talk about the craving to someone I know will not get it for me. Someone who will likely talk me out of the craving, someone who may likely sneer at me.

4. When the food is highly unhealthy, I ask myself what I will benefit from eating it, when I realized it’s not going to add value to my body I forget about it.

5. I looked for a healthier version or something close but healthier e.g. unsweetened yogurt for the sweetened version, fruit smoothie for ice cream. I also could prepare it in a healthier way like less oil, less sugar and complex carbs.

6. If I realize that my craving is emotional in nature (which is, most times), I face the problem by talking about it and if after all the above, the craving keeps hanging there then,

7. I simply eat it!!!

My next post will be on what other writers say about cravings and then I draw my conclusions from there.

Weigh in sounds nice yesterday with a 167lbs popping from my scale, I had not seen that number in a long while. I can confidently tell you that last week, there was so much consciousness with food, I had a 36 hours abstinence (spiritual reasons) last week and I think it paid off both on the scale and spiritually too. For I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power. (Philippians 4:13 TLB)

I feel ashamed to say I had not been working out, my time seems to be running to a place I can't explain (Can you help me find it?). If my videos are transferred to my computer before tomorrow, I will definitely start exercising again, I need the change. I know my weight automatically rises when a new exercise plan starts but when there is a will there is a way. Watch out for the next post in a couple of days God's willing.