Cravings: Why You Get Them and How to Handle Them

The short version

• Cravings are normal, and they often fade with time, sometimes within 15 to 20 minutes.
• Regular meals with protein and fiber, and enough sleep, can reduce them.
• Strict bans often backfire. Small, planned portions of what you love usually work better.
• Change your surroundings. It's easier to avoid a craving than to fight it at home.

Where cravings come from

• Being underfed. If you've eaten too little, your brain pushes you toward quick energy. It's often behind the 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. crashes.
• Habits and cues. If you have popcorn at every movie or dessert after every dinner, your brain learns to expect it. This is usually the biggest reason.
• Emotions. Stress, tiredness, boredom. See emotional eating.
• Short sleep. It makes high-calorie food much harder to resist.
• Hormones. Many people get stronger cravings before their period.
• Food cues. The smell of a bakery, ads, or just seeing a bag of chips on the counter.

And no, craving chocolate doesn't mean you're short of magnesium. There's no good evidence that cravings signal specific deficiencies.

How to reduce them over time

1. Eat regularly. Long gaps often lead to overeating later.
2. Have protein and fiber at every meal. They keep you full and steady.
3. Have a real breakfast or lunch if you crash in the afternoon.
4. Get enough sleep. See sleep.
5. Shift your environment. Keep trigger foods out of the house, or at least out of sight. If they're in a high cupboard or the garage, you'll have time to think.
6. Break the cue. Brush your teeth after dinner, or move your evening routine out of the kitchen.

When one hits: urge surfing

Think of a craving as a wave. It builds, peaks and passes, even if you don't give in. Many people find that takes 15 to 20 minutes or so, though there's no fixed time.

1. Notice it without judging. "I'm having a craving for chips."
2. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
3. Do something incompatible with eating. Go for a walk, wash the dishes, take a shower or text someone.
4. Have some water or tea, in case you're thirsty.
5. Check back in. The urge has often gone down.

Each time you ride out a craving, the link gets a little weaker.

When to just have it

Sometimes the best answer is to have some. Trying to resist completely can lead to eating around the craving (four "healthy" snacks), and then eating the original food anyway.

• Plan your treats. A small dessert three times a week feels very different from "never again."
• Buy single servings. One good cookie from a bakery, instead of a family-size box.
• Serve yourself a portion. Put it on a plate, sit down, and take your time.
• Go for quality. If you're going to have it, make it something you actually love.
• Pair it. Have the sweet thing after a meal, instead of on an empty stomach.

Quick swaps

These don't work for everyone, but they can take the edge off:

Sources

1. Leidy et al., Am J Clin Nutr (2015): The role of protein in weight loss and maintenance
2. Nedeltcheva et al., Annals of Internal Medicine (2010): Insufficient sleep undermines dietary efforts
3. NIDDK: Changing Your Habits for Better Health

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Please check with a clinician before making big changes, especially if you have a health condition, take medication, or are pregnant. Read the full disclaimer.