It’s 3:00 pm.
You’re not hungry, but you’re elbow-deep in the pantry. Something sweet is calling your name. You grab a cookie from your kids’ snack basket, then another. After a half hour, you feel totally wiped out. You could take a three-hour nap if your email, kids, and kitchen gave you the afternoon off.
What’s going on here? Why did your body drive you to crush some cookies only to crash a half hour later? And are you weak for giving in?
Cravings aren’t just a willpower issue. They’re your body sending signals. And sometimes, those signals are a little hard to read.
See, our bodies didn’t go to college. They don’t have the clearest communication skills. But they try to talk to us. With a little help, you can learn its language and provide what your body really needs.
Here’s what your cravings might actually be trying to tell you:
🍭 Sweet Cravings
Have you ever heard of the “dawn phenomenon?” It’s something your body does every A.M., but you may not even realize it. Each morning, we experience a natural surge in hormones like cortisol that raises blood glucose levels. It’s our bodies’ way of waking us up, but what we do next determines how we feel for the rest of the day.
If you sit down to a sweet or carb-heavy breakfast (say, cereal or French toast), you’ll experience a rapid blood sugar spike followed by a crash. This leads to increased hunger, fatigue, and cravings throughout the entire day. A savory breakfast rich in protein, healthy fats, and fiber promotes a gradual, sustained release of glucose. This will help stabilize your blood sugar, sustain your energy levels, and reduce cravings throughout the day. Win. Win. Win.
Your blood sugar is especially vulnerable to spikes and crashes when your stomach has been empty for hours (a.k.a. after a night of sleep). What you put in your mouth first thing in the morning will affect your blood sugar balance for the rest of the day. So, here’s your solution…
Do this to calm sweet cravings: Eat a savory breakfast that contains 30-40 grams of protein and some healthy fats. Try any of these four high-protein breakfast options this week.
Bust sweet cravings throughout the day with these better options: When your sweet tooth won’t stop talking, turn to blood-sugar balancing berries, roasted sweet potatoes, plain Greek yogurt, and dark chocolate (70% or higher).
🍿 Salty or Crunchy Cravings
Quick question—are your shoulders tight? Is your belly relaxed? Are you a little stressed right now?
The last thing we want to hear when we’re stressed is that stress is making everything worse. If you’re like me, hearing that makes me more flipping stressed. So let me explain it this way:
Yes, when your stress hormones (like cortisol) are elevated chronically, it can affect what your body asks you to feed it. Chronic stress can influence your adrenal gland and how it functions. It’s called “adrenal fatigue,” and your poor girl, Adrenal Gland, is just as tired as you are.
You’re not crazy if you’re feeling stressed and exhausted. They go hand in hand. And, one tell-tale sign of adrenal fatigue is that you’re craving salty and crunchy foods a lot.
But, your body is trying to help you lower stress and give your adrenal gland some rest when it asks for salty foods. It asks for more sodium to fight off dizziness, fatigue, tension, and stress, and restore balance in your body. Those cravings aren’t meant to sabotage you, but they could unless you use your brain to help your body get what it really needs.
Do this to calm salty or crunchy cravings: Drink electrolyte water daily—one that contains sodium, potassium, and magnesium—like Ultima. You can also add more mineral-rich foods to your daily diet to help regulate your stress hormones. Foods richest in minerals include leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans and lentils, seafood, and dairy products.
Give your body and mind time to rest by doing something you love, talking with a close friend or counselor, or sleeping an extra hour each night—this will lead to long-term healing of your stress levels and adrenal gland.
Bust salty or crunchy cravings throughout the day with these better options: Ditch the Doritos. Instead, munch on salted cucumbers, carrots with hummus, tuna and celery, and homemade roasted chickpeas.
🥯 Carby Cravings
What age were you when it happened? I’m talking about the sudden, unexplained weight gain around your midsection. I was 46—and it took me about a year to really understand what my body needed to keep thriving in strength and optimal health.
One thing it didn’t need? Undereating. It’s tempting when we see weight gain to think we need to cut back harder on our calories and macros. We skip meals, skimp on nutrition, and settle for limp salads. Despite all that torture, the scale moves up more, and cravings for carbs can get out of control.
If you’re craving high-carb foods regularly, it’s likely that you’re not eating enough. Or, it’s possible that you’re eating unbalanced meals that are leaving your body nutritionally unsatisfied.
Do this to calm carby cravings: Ensure you’re eating enough by finding your perfect calorie and macro goals here. Fill your plate with plenty of fiber, protein, and healthy fats at each meal for fullness that lasts.
Bust carby cravings throughout the day with these better options: When white bread looks like the chef’s special, dive into a dish of Chicken rice soup, high-protein pastas, or my quick, macro-balanced sandwich.
🌮 Constant Snack Cravings
Snacking is a slippery slope. Our snacks are often far less nutritious than a full meal. Then, they steal our appetite that should be reserved for the next nutritious meal. But snacking is easy to slip into when we’re stressed, bored, or tired.
If you’re constantly reaching for packaged foods, it’s likely your meals aren’t satiating and filling. You’re not eating enough to keep you happy and satisfied until your next solid meal. A simple shift in habits will help you get back on track, boost your energy, and promote more weight loss too!
Do this to calm snack cravings: Check in with your hunger cues and your daily routine. Then, plan to eat 3-4 solid meals each day. Make sure each meal is providing you with enough calories and macros (¼ of your daily total goal). Between meals, keep your water bottle within arm’s reach, and hydrate with plenty of water plus your daily electrolyte supplement.
Bust snack cravings throughout the day with these better options: Skip the snacks and sit down to a substantial meal, like this edamame quinoa salad served with chicken or this 5-minute chicken Caesar wrap.
Don’t Try to Silence Cravings. Satisfy Them the Right Way.
The key isn’t to eliminate your cravings—it’s to understand them. When you know what your body needs, you can give it the right support (without the guilt).
Want to learn how to balance your blood sugar, solve incessant cravings, and feel in control around food again? You will love the empowerment and sustainable weight loss that comes with LEAN. Sign up today, turn your health journey around.
