Crack the Code on Cravings: What Your Cravings Really Mean

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Introduction

Have you ever caught yourself making a statement of need when, in reality, what you coveted was truly a want? You might have said something like, I need a glass of wine after such a long day! when what you really meant was I want a glass of wine to relax after my long day. Never in human history has it been so difficult to differentiate between a want and a need as it is today.

So, of course, it’s easy to become confused by the cravings we feel. Developed throughout our evolution as human beings, cravings were designed to tell us which nutrients our body is deficient in so that we can remedy the imbalance through the consumption of food. However, in today’s world of plenty, where every food item is available, and we’re constantly bombarded by innutritious options, it becomes almost impossible to hear our bodies over all the noise.

When it comes to our day-to-day lives, we seem to have an easier time being clear about what we want. Many of us have some kind of idea in our head of what we’re looking for in life, be it a loving, supportive partner, a fulfilling and lucrative career, or even simple daily contentment.

But when it comes to our food choices, we have a harder time discerning what we really need. We know we should pick the healthy food, but sometimes we just can’t shake that craving for a so-called forbidden food.

A food craving is defined as an intense desire for a particular food (or type of food) that is difficult to resist.1 And almost everyone has had them. Research confirms that about 97 percent of women and 68 percent of men have experienced cravings at some point.2

Yet when you look at articles and books about cravings, none of them teaches you what they really mean. Most resources offer ways to conquer your cravings and suppress your desires without ever giving any real insight as to WHY we experience these cravings in the first place.

So many people view cravings as a sign of weakness, like their body is betraying them, but I want to share with you a radical new approach: Cravings are actually important messages from your body.

That’s right: cravings are not a bad thing. They are one of the most natural ways your body speaks to you about what you need and how to stay in balance. Once you start to see your cravings in this light, you will be 99 percent more informed than most diet experts today.

When we’re unable to stick to a diet or a lifestyle, we’re taught to see that as a personal flaw or failure. Diet advocates claim that, if we want to lose weight and improve health, we have to control our cravings and eliminate certain bad foods that get us into trouble. However, it’s almost inevitable that banning foods helps them to find their way back onto our kitchen shelves and into our mouths, along with feelings of guilt, shame, and sadness.

I believe that we’re perfect and whole just as we are right now and that we’re meant to live in peace with our bodies. When I began coaching and introduced this concept to my clients, it was often a big a-ha moment for them. Clients who had been punishing themselves for years, their minds cluttered with negative thoughts and fears of losing control around food, were now given permission to get curious about their cravings and stop blaming themselves for falling off the wagon.

You might be wondering how I have come to have this perspective. For years, I was a macrobiotic teacher, and I was very rigid about what I ate. Macrobiotics is an entire way of living: More than just a diet, it’s about learning the art of balancing every area of your life to be in line with your body’s and nature’s rhythms. In my teachings, I recommended eating whole and natural food, free of processed and artificial ingredients in order to live in harmony with the natural order of life.

I remember one day, driving home from a national macrobiotic conference, I stopped my car at a gas station and walked out with a box of Pepperidge Farm cookies. Then, I sat in my car and devoured the whole box. It was like an out-of-body experience. I couldn’t believe what was happening. I thought to myself, Whoa! What’s up with that?

I had spent years living a macrobiotic lifestyle, eating whole grains and fresh vegetables and avoiding dairy, meat, and refined sugars, and here I was, inhaling an entire package of highly processed cookies. It was clear to me that I had been ignoring messages from my body.

Your body does not want to be shushed. The longer you work to curb your cravings, the louder your body will scream out for what it truly needs. And all bodies are different! You can’t solve your cravings with what worked for your mom, your best friend, or your partner. Your body has a specific message just for you. The question is: Are you willing to listen?

Instead of denying your cravings, the goal should be to deconstruct them and learn what they mean. It’s time to take a critical look at what you crave so that you can find innovative ways to nourish yourself each and every day. This isn’t a one-day-at-a-time attitude—it’s a lifestyle change that will ensure you approach food every day in a way that will feed and fuel your body!

From now on, when you experience a craving, your goal will be to honestly ask yourself: What does my body want, and why? This book will guide you through the simple and practical ways you can deconstruct your food cravings to discover what it is you’re truly craving, from both your food and your life.

So why do we have cravings, and where do they come from? Why is it so hard to avoid ice cream and potato chips? Why can’t we just control ourselves?

Cravings happen because our bodies are trying to resolve underlying imbalances through food—an easy and socially acceptable way of getting our needs met. Our inner regulatory system is searching for a way to soothe our emotions, give us more energy, lift our moods, release stress and tension, and find a way to maintain health and happiness.

Just as your body knows to reach for a sweater when you’re cold or to grab a cool glass of water when you’re thirsty, it also knows which foods it wants from moment to moment, whether for physical or emotional reasons. Many of us reach for cheese or salty chips to release tension after a long, stressful day or for something comforting like chocolate or pasta if we’re feeling sad and lonely. If we need an energy burst, we might drink a cup of coffee to get through the day.

Afterward, our bodies usually crave something more grounding to soften the crash from the sugar or caffeine. We might experience cravings for animal protein, like eggs, steak, or chicken, which can then leave us feeling lethargic and heavy. Trying to find a happy medium can be a vicious cycle, as we often bounce from one extreme food to another. Sometimes it can feel like there’s no way to get off of the cravings rollercoaster.

I want you to consider this idea for a minute: Maybe we’re not the ones to blame. Maybe not only is the diet system flawed, but the entire food system.

We’ll delve more deeply into the food system flaws later, but for starters, keep in mind that food is not just a tool we use to survive and thrive, but a business in today’s society. That means that there are companies out there who dedicate all of their money and research into discovering exactly how to keep everyone coming back for more. To further complicate matters, nutrition itself is an ever-evolving and often-confusing science. On every subject, there are at least two studies that completely disprove each other.

The reality is, there’s a missing piece in most popular diets: the individual. Our bodies are unique, reliable bio-computers that rarely make mistakes. They send us critical pieces of information, sometimes in the form of cravings that are meant to help us understand what’s missing from our diet or lifestyle. Even with the best of intentions, discipline, and self-control, diets are not sustainable. That’s why bio-individuality is the only thing that really works.

By operating with the knowledge that bio-individuality is the only constant when it comes to nutrition, food and health become much more approachable concepts. If you have a desire to learn more about your body, you’re halfway there. In this book, I’ll support you in taking a closer look at the foods, deficits, and behaviors in your life that are the fundamental causes of your cravings. You’ll learn to interpret these cravings as signals to assist you in uncovering irregularities and regaining balance.

This book is divided into four sections:

In the first section, At the Heart of It All, I’ll give you insight into bio-individuality—a fundamental idea that there’s no one way of eating that works for everyone. This is important to understand because your individual needs are based on your unique makeup, not on any theory or diet book. This section also includes an overview of the two main types of cravings we experience—physical and emotional, what triggers them and what we can do to naturally balance them without beating ourselves up for having them.

In the second section, Physical Cravings, I’ll cover the various causes of non-emotional cravings and foundational nutrition concepts that will help you to understand your unique dietary needs. We’ll also explore how different foods affect your mood and energy level. Ever wonder why comfort foods make you feel so warm and supported? We’ll cover that and more.

In the third section, Emotional Cravings, we’ll dive deeper into the emotional causes of cravings, such as non-food cravings, the food-mood connection, and how media and culture influence our appetite. Have you ever heard someone joke that, when they’re lonely, chocolate becomes their new best friend? How about you? Do you tend to have cravings when you’re bored or stressed? This chapter will show you why and how to address these kinds of cravings.

Finally, in the fourth section, The Support You Crave, I’ll share tips and techniques on how to best support yourself with this newfound knowledge and learn to trust your body again, right now. I’ve also included some fantastic recipes in this section for addressing specific food cravings. Sweet cravings? Salty cravings? Crispy cravings? I’ve got you covered. Also, all recipes have dietary indicators.

 Vegan

 Vegetarian

 Gluten-Free

 Dairy-Free

You’ll also notice quotes about cravings dispersed throughout the book. These are real-life experiences from Integrative Nutrition students and graduates as well as friends of mine. I’ve included them to show you that you’re not alone on this journey—almost everyone struggles with cravings in their own specific way.

The goal of this book is to empower you to deconstruct your cravings and eat consciously. Even more importantly, I want to encourage you to get curious about your body and the way you react to emotions and experiences. Most people aren’t aware of the spectrum of emotions our bodies are capable of and choose not to tap into the vast knowledge the body houses.

You might come across some ways of looking at cravings that are completely new to you. I challenge you to read this book with