We all have cravings from time to time, and we try to rely on our willpower to help us make good choices. However, the mere thought of certain foods can start the salivating and then you feel like you can’t think about anything else until you satisfy that craving! Those craving foods are different for everyone: salt and vinegar potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, nachos, soft and chewy baked pretzels, NACHOS with melted cheese, Swedish Berry candies, Cadbury chocolate, everything bagels with garlic and herb, NACHOS with melted cheese and ground beef, chocolate cupcakes piled high with buttercream icing, NACHOS with melted cheese, ground beef and guacamole, vanilla dip doughnuts with sprinkles, french fries…you get the picture.
It’s All Sugar
Potato chips break down into SUGAR
Maybe you noticed that all of those examples are essentially sugar. Yes, that’s right…all carbohydrates break down into sugar in your body. I’ve heard people say they don’t have a sweet tooth, but then go on to list the foods that they prefer to eat: rice, crackers, bread…those are all carbs that break down into sugar. SUGAR.
It’s completely normal to have cravings. However, it becomes a problem when those cravings start to take over your thoughts and cause you to repeatedly make unhealthy choices. Have you ever found yourself just finishing a snack (probably a carb) and shortly after thinking about the next snack you’re going to have, where you’re going to get it, where you’re going to eat it? And likely it’s some sort of carb or form of sugar.
The Origin of Cravings
High carb foods start the blood sugar rollercoaster
When you eat a carbohydrate-rich food, and it breaks down into sugar, the sugar goes into your bloodstream. This signals your pancreas to release the hormone INSULIN. Insulin is a storage hormone and it puts the sugar into your cells. You see, it’s actually not good to have too much sugar circulating in your bloodstream (you do want a bit of sugar circulating in order to keep you alive): it causes inflammation and can damage the lining of your veins and arteries, so insulin’s job is very important.
If you eat a snack or meal that’s high in carbohydrate, this results in a lot of sugar being released into your bloodstream at one time. In turn, this causes your pancreas to release a lot of insulin (if everything is working properly). The sugar is then rapidly ushered out of your bloodstream and into your cells. When all of this happens quickly (as it does in the case when you eat a high carb food), you’re suddenly left with low blood sugar.
Low Blood Sugar = Cravings
Low blood sugar causes you to feel lethargic and brain-foggy, and in the case of diabetics, it can be life-threatening. When your blood sugar is low, your body will encourage you to eat in order to get your blood sugar up within a healthy range. Your body knows that the quickest way to do this is with carbs…and so the cravings hit. Then, you eat a high carb food to satisfy this craving, and the whole thing starts again: high blood sugar, insulin release, and storage of sugar, low blood sugar and cravings. You might feel some immediate energy when you first eat the carb, but then your energy plummets with the low blood sugar.
Willpower Can’t Help You
So you can see how hormones are involved in cravings. These hormonal signals are very strong since the main purpose is to keep you alive. Of course, the original intent was to have you eat natural carbohydrates like fruit and starchy vegetables. However, for most of us, when we’re hungry and our blood sugar is low, those easily accessible and tasty doughnuts and potato chips are what our taste buds seem to prefer. These lead to weight gain and poor health if eaten regularly.
Your willpower doesn’t stand a chance. It usually isn’t strong enough to overcome the hormone signals.
So What’s the Solution?
If you balance your blood sugar with proper food, you can avoid the low blood sugar issue that leads to the cravings in the first place. One of the easiest ways to do this is to eat High Fat Low Carb. If you don’t flood your body with high carb foods, you won’t start the roller coaster of high-then-low blood sugar that causes the cravings.
Start With Breakfast
Low Carb Breakfast
Beginning your day with a low carb breakfast can make a huge difference in how you feel and in reducing your cravings. You won’t feel hungry an hour later, you’ll have more even energy levels and be able to think more clearly. You’ll be able to make healthier choices for the rest of your day if you’re not experiencing those low blood sugar cravings, and will be able to keep your weight in check.
Click HERE if you’d like to receive the link to my Better Breakfast Recipe Book. It contains several easy recipes for low carb breakfast options and I regularly add new recipes.
Continue with a High Fat Low Carb Way of Eating
Continue to eat low carb throughout the day for blood sugar balance, fat loss, and more energy. If you want to know how you can eat High Fat Low Carb in a safe way that you’ll be able to sustain long-term, click HERE to book a free call with me. We’ll figure out if my 12 week CHANGE Method will work for you.
You might also like: Better Breakfast part 1, Is Cereal Making You Exhausted and Fat? or Calorie counting is Not the Answer