Food cravings will strike all of us at one time or another. What we must learn is how to cope and survive the craving without over eating and having “productive burps”.
One of my suggestions that you may have heard before – follow the 4 Ds.
Delay – wait 10 minutes before eating what you are craving. This prevents impulse
consumption/over consumption.
Distract – get busy during the 10 minutes. Exercise, do a crossword, knit, take a bath,
anything to get your mind off the craving.
Determine – How important is it really for you to have this food? Is it worth having to
-
walk an extra 10 minutes today, or not meeting your weight loss goal for the month?
Decide – If you stay have the craving and must eat, then decide what is a reasonable
amount, eat it slowly and really enjoy!
From our last support group, this is the list of food cravings and what you may really need. I compiled this list from different web sites and nutrition books. This is not meant to take the place of medical advice. If you feel you are deficient in a nutrient, please see your doctor and discuss it with them.
| If you crave… | What you may need is… | Food sources include… |
| Chocolate | Magnesium | Raw nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits |
| Sweets | Chromium | Broccoli, grapes, cheese, dried beans, chicken |
| Phosphorus | Chicken, beef, liver, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, beans, grains | |
| Bread | Nitrogen | High protein foods – meats, fish, nuts, beans |
| Fatty snack foods | Calcium | Dairy products, greens, broccoli |
| Ice | Iron | Meat, fish, poultry |
| Soda | Calcium | Dairy products, greens, broccoli |
| Salty foods | Chloride | Sea salt, fish, goat milk |
See you next month at support group – Amy Carmeli, MS, RD, LD
11. December 2009 at 10:24 pm
Thank you Amy, I have been waiting on this list.
16. January 2010 at 7:06 am
I have rediscoverd a special treat from childhood ….in Europe it is called hot milk tea (no tea… just water, cream, sugar & vanilla)
my gown-up version has saved me many times… 3 parts boiling water,1 part 2%milk, sweetner(stevia)and extract ( peronal fav almond)
low cal high flavor perfect for a cold weather treat
18. January 2010 at 11:34 am
sounds yummy! I am going to add it to my recipe collection! Thanks Stephanie.