Food Cravings, they just want to be noticed….here's what I mean…

When my daughter was little, I used to read her a book called, “There’s No Such Thing as a Dragon,” by Jack Kent. A boy finds a little dragon and his mother keeps telling him that there’s no such thing. The dragon keeps getting bigger and bigger.

This got me thinking about cravings. Like the dragon, our food cravings keep getting bigger in our minds until we satisfy them. But, what if instead of being looked at as something negative, we looked at them in a different light? What if food cravings are our body’s way of letting us know that something is missing in our lives?

So, the next time you get a food craving, here are some questions to ask yourself and some exercises for digging deeper:

  1. Determine how big your mind has made your food craving. Are you feeling really strong signals to eat a certain food? This is not hunger, because hunger isn’t about just one type of food.
  2. Take three deep cleansing breaths. Close your eyes and put your hand on your heart and ask, “What do I really need in this moment?” Then as you just feel your breath, see what comes up for you.  As an alternative, you can write the question at the top of a piece of paper or in your journal and then just free write. Write without stopping or censuring your thoughts until you can’t write anymore.
  3. Ask, “If I satisfy my food craving, how will it make me feel?” Then imagine you are eating the food you are craving. Close your eyes and see yourself biting into the chocolate, chips, or your craving of choice. In your mind’s eye, see yourself devouring your treat in your normal fashion. Check to see if you are getting enjoyment from your treat or if you are having a negative experience. Do you feel good or are you feeling stuffed, bloated, or guilty?

 

As we take the time to explore our food cravings, they should become smaller and less urgent. Just like the dragon in the story, they just want to be noticed.

 

Barbie Patterson is a Certified Thinwithin Body Breakthrough Coach. She works with women who are struggling with their weight and who are asking themselves, “How can I release this weight, without dieting or deprivation, once and for all?” She walks you through a step by step process that stops you from wondering and allows you to experience the transformation for yourselves. To schedule a complimentary, Understanding the Thin You, That's Divinely Within You Discovery Session (valued at $247.): https://www.thinwithin.com/Barbie or e-mail, Barbie@thinwithin.com.