When happy, eat spinach

Food cravings are best managed than manhandled, and there are an array of strategies to make sure they don't ride shotgun in your life.

Allure delved into the idiosyncrasies of The Craving -- here are a few suggestions to properly manage that urge for chocolate, chips and ice cream:

• One survey found people crave foods related to happy memories. So when you're happy, eat spinach?
  I don't think that would work for me. But cravings are reinforced by habit, so try to trip-up your typical post-dinner cookie grab by waiting 15 to 30 minutes.
  
• 18-to-35-year-old women are especially prone to cravings. If you fall in this category, don't worry, you're not alone.
• Don't quash a craving. In one study, women who were told not to talk about chocolate ate nearly one and half times as much chocolate as women allowed to talk openly.
• Focus on managing cravings. Research shows cravings don't go away, even for those on a restricted diet. One expert says people who lose weight have cravings, but they get better at managing them. Giving in less often is a solid strategy.

If a craving brings you to your knees, don't consider yourself a failure. That attitude can lead to more eating. Accept the fact you just scarfed a giant bowl of ice cream -- then move on and get moving to help burn calories