craving-related stories
'This Is Why You're Fat' Creator on Staying Thin When Surrounded by Fatty Foods
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| Photo: Barnes and Noble |
"I'm always on the Web, so I'm attuned to the new trends," says Amason, editor for BuzzFeed.com and former blogger for AOL's Urlesque.com. "And of course I'd noticed there were sites like Serious Eats and Pimp That Snack that were popping up everywhere. And so it made sense that there should be a one-stop shop kind of site." That's Fit also talked to Amason about her exercise regimen ("I go to a gym and I try to eat pretty healthy, but my motto has always been everything in moderation"), and if her eating habits have changed ("I was an athlete growing up, so I've always been a fairly healthy eater, but I have become very knowledgeable about the crazy fatty foods that are out there.") Read on for her favorite foods from the blog, and if she thinks these meals are really why you're fat.
That's Fit: What's your favorite guilty pleasure?
Jessica Amason: My weakness is baked goods, that's a pretty tough one from me. From the site, though, I think that my favorite is probably either the pizza burger, or the snack stadium. Just because there's real commitment there, those guys know how to go big. Because I know it's my weakness, I try not to indulge all that often, but with the holidays coming up I'm sure I'm gonna go a little crazy and then have to crack down once I get back.
Walking the Walk - Day 7
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Day 7: I've got just a few of sprays left in my bottle of Crave-NX -- there are 20 servings in a bottle, what the manufacturers call a seven day supply. Today, I want to try and time exactly how long Crave-NX can beat my hunger back ... just for kicks.
At around 2:00, I get a typical afternoon craving for something sweet and carby. A few minutes after I use the Crave-NX, it goes away. Thirty minutes later, I still think I want a snack, but now it's more of an "I really like the idea of a piece of chocolate" kind of craving, rather than true hunger. But I'm able to distract myself with a quick walk. An hour and a half after the first spray, I'm officially hungry again.
Master Your Cravings
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Somov: Work-related thinking and problem solving are potentially stressful activities; stress can trigger emotional eating; in other words, when we have to solve a problem or figure something out we might comfort ourselves with food. For example, on the way to work you might think: "I have a difficult meeting this morning. Why don't I pick up some Starbucks and grab some donuts?"
Work-related thinking and problem solving can be also a conditioned trigger for eating when you are not hungry even if a given work or problem-solving project is not stressful in and of itself. When we regularly comfort ourselves with food whenever we have something difficult to do or something challenging to think through, we develop a habit of coping with work-related stress by eating. Over time, work-related cues (e.g. brain-storming sessions) become cues for eating when you are not hungry.
The Exercise-Craving Connection
Do cravings hit hard after a marathon workout session at the gym? For me, it varies -- sometimes I want to have some lean protein after a sweat session and sometimes I want to eat my body weight in chocolate (but don't worry -- I don't. Well, usually ... ). But as it turns out, there's actually a rhyme and reason to post-exercise cravings. According to recent studies, the type of workout you do has a tendency to lead to a certain craving. So,
- If you go for a run, you're most likely to crave fruit afterwards.
- If you go for a swim, you're likely to crave high fat or sugary foods, like chocolate.
- If you lift weights, you're likely to crave cheeseburgers, pizza or peanut butter sandwiches.
- If you go for a gentle walk, it doesn't affect your appetite at all.
Of course, it all comes down to evolution -- if you go for a swim in cold water, for instance, your body is prompted to pack on a protective layer of fat. Still, that doesn't mean you should load up on these things -- just be aware and make sure to diet-proof your pantry before your next workout.
Junk Food - Break Up With Bad Habits
Drink Shockers
By Mary Kearl
Your favorite beverage may be just as diet-wrecking as fatty fast food, adding calories, sugar and fat and offering little or no nutritional value. Watch out for these drink shockers that will tip you closer to the F.D.A. and U.S.D.A. recommended daily limits for calories (2,000), fat (65 grams) and added sugar (40 grams) a day. Added sugars means any sugar not found naturally within the food, so look out for ingredients like sugar, maple syrup, honey, corn syrup and molasses, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, and national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
Red Bull
Size: 8.3 oz can
Calories: 110
Fat: 0 g
Sugars: 27 g
This drink contains more than half the sugar you should have in one day. Plus, do you really want to use 110 of your 2,000 calories on something you can drink in about 10 seconds?
*Calories per Ounce: About 13
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Sunsweet Prune Juice
Size: 8 fl oz
Calories: 180
Fat: 0 g
Sugars: 18 g
While Sunsweet's juice is 100 percent juice and does not contain any added sugars, it still is a high concentration of natural sucrose, which means the calories can add up. In comparison, one serving of Sunsweet's regular prunes contains 100 calories and 12 grams of sugar. Plus, it contains 11 percent fiber which you miss out on when you drink the juice.
*Calories per Ounce: 22.5
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Hawaiian Punch Juicy Red
Size: 8 fl oz
Calories: 120
Fat: 0 g
Sugars: 29 g
Hawaiian Punch Juicy Red contains five percent juice, which means 95 percent of it comes from water, plus dubious ingredients like High Fructose Corn Syrup, artificial flavoring, juice concentrates and sugar. Since many "juice" drinks like Hawaiian punch do not contain 100 percent juice, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends limiting juice intake to 4-6 ounces for kids under 7 years, and no more than 8-12 ounces for older children and teens.
*Calories per Ounce: 15
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Hershey's Chocolate Milk
Size: 1 cup, or 8 fl oz
Calories: 200
Fat: 5 g
Sugars: 29 g
Just one serving of this milk contains 17 more grams of sugar than regular low-fat milk, or nearly half the added sugar you should have in one day. Make this an occasional treat, not a once or twice-a-day habit.
*Calories per Ounce: 25
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
McDonald's McFlurry with M&M's candies
Size: 12 oz
Calories: 620
Fat: 20 g
Sugars: 85 g
When it comes to calories, this drink is about the equivalent of one meal. Plus, you better watch your sugar intake for the rest of the day.
*Calories per Ounce: About 52
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Wendy's Chocolate Twisted Frosty with M&M's
Size: 16 oz
Calories: 560
Fat: 19 g
Sugars: 72 g
Yes, this drink is a little lighter on all counts than a McFlurry, but you'd still be better off ordering a chocolate or vanilla Frosty in the junior or small sizes. You'd save 250 to 410 calories and 11 to 15 grams of fat.
*Calories per Ounce: 35
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Glaceau Vitamin Water
Size: 20 oz
Calories: 125
Fat: 0 g
Sugars: about 33 g
There is one easy way to avoid this diet trap. If you're feeling dehydrated or low on energy, drink a glass of calorie-free, sugar-free, fat-free water and eat one of your five to nine servings of fruits or veggies recommended by the U.S.D.A.
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Starbucks Frappuccino Blended Crème, Double Chocolate Chip Crème (without whipped cream)
Size: Venti, 24 fl oz
Calories: 550
Fat: 11 g
Sugars: 79 g
By adding whipped cream this drink becomes even more shocking with an extra 120 calories and 11 fat grams.
*Calories per Ounce: About 23
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Baskin Robbins Cappuccino Blast Caramel
Size: 24 fl oz
Calories: 720
Fat: 24 g
Sugars: 102 g
Steer clear of this cappuccino the next time you're at Baskin Robbins -- it contains about a third of your daily fat allowance -- and head for the low fat variety of the Cappuccino Blast. At 220 calories and 2 grams of fat it's a much lighter option. But watch your sugar content for the rest of the day because even this option contains 44 grams.
*Calories per Ounce: 30
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Sugar - Sign Up for the Sugar-Out Challenge
Inspired by Bethany's Walking the Walk post, several of my fellow bloggers and I have been trying to ditch the sugar habit. I started on my low-sugar plan just before New Year's. I wish I could say it was easy, but it wasn't. I thought that once the temptations were removed, I wouldn't crave sugar ... but I did. Oh, how I craved it. Now, however, several weeks in, it's easier. And I feel better ... more energetic.
Do you think you can go without refined sugars? Why not give it a try tomorrow along with many other people? Tomorrow, January 16th, is the Great Worldwide Sugar-Out Challenge. If you need some inspiration, check out some of these success stories.
7 Tips to Beat Cravings
I'm not one to miss a meal, but every once in a while, I'll be out and about and I go from zero to starving in the blink of an eye. And when that happens, let me tell you, I don't want a bowl of steamed veggies. I want a sandwich, or pizza, or something else that is not going to help me drop the weight I'm trying to lose.However, there are plenty of things you (and I) can do to outsmart these sneaky cravings. In fact, we can stop them before they start, and you know what? It doesn't sound all that hard. If you're up for it, then so am I.
Take a peek through the gallery to see seven suggestions, and let me know in the comments if you have any tips and tricks of your own! Of course, for more weight loss tips, you can click on the badge below.
Cravings - Control Them With the Stopwatch Method
Daily Fit Tip, Nutrition & Supplements
Is Your Scale Stuck? Write About Your Meals and Poof Go the Pounds
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
Bethany has a 2 PM snack attack. Maybe you do too. Or maybe yours hits at 3 or 4 PM. Whatever your time, grab a pen and paper and start writing. It will help you eat less and may even cause you to shed a few pounds.December's Good Housekeeping magazine reports that British researchers in one study fed 47 women a midday meal and three hours later, asked them to write about either the meal or their morning commute. Those who wrote about lunch chowed down one-third fewer goodies later in the day. Seems that remembering your last meal helps activate your body's "I'm satisfied" signal.
Quick, before your afternoon craving hits, jot down the specifics of what you last consumed. And if you just can't help grabbing at something when you want it most, try one of the foods Bethany recommends in this post. Or pick a snack from the following gallery. Each one contains no more than 200 calories.
Is it true hunger? Or toxic hunger?
But here's the thing: Hunger is good. It's your body's way of figuring out when you need to eat and how much you need to eat. Don't fear hunger, says Dr. Fuhrman -- allowing it to guide your eating habits can help you maintain a healthy weight. The only flaw that I can see in this idea is overeating when you're hungry -- stopping after you're no longer hungry is ideal.
All in all, though, I agree with this theory. What about you?
Your Turn: How many times a day do you eat?
Over at AOL Health's Men's Fitness Center, they're talking hunger -- as in, how to ease it or avoid it and still lose weight. Surprisingly, one of the top tips for avoiding hunger is eating lots. In fact, experts recommend that you eat three meals and three good snacks a day. It doesn't take a math whiz to figure it out -- this means that you should be eating six times a day.
How much of a stretch is this for you? We're wondering ...
4 reasons for food cravings
So you say chocolate is calling your name? You're not alone! From sugary sweets to salty treats, we all deal with cravings from time to time. Divine Caroline shares four reasons you might be having a craving:- You're pregnant. It may seem like an old wives' tale or fodder for a TV sitcom, but many pregnant women do experience cravings. Jacki recently told us that Rebecca Romijn does.
- You're premenstrual. Women can crave certain foods just before their periods.
- You have low insulin levels. When your insulin level or blood sugar is low, your body will naturally crave foods to correct the imbalance.
- You have low serotonin. When you're stressed, your body may send out signals for something to ease the pain.
Half and half
Do you have a junk food lover in your house? Sometimes it's hard to deny those cravings... especially when they're foods we've eaten for years and years. Women's Health has a great idea for making some junk foods a little bit healthier. You can mix healthier options in with your not-so-healthy favorites to create a treat that's not so damaging to you waistline. Better yet, when you start adding healthier options in -- like mixing a bowl of half whole grain cereal and half sugary cereal -- you're starting to retrain your taste buds. In time, you'll find you enjoy the healthier foods as much as the junky ones.
Craving swap
We all have overwhelming cravings from time to time. And it's okay to cave in and let yourself have a treat from time to time. After all, food is meant to be enjoyed and appreciated. But when treats change from the rare occasion to the norm, you've got a problem. Most people don't tend to crave the healthiest foods. Chocolate, salty snacks, and sweets tend to be the foods we ache for. Good Housekeeping has a fun tool that provides suggestions for craving substitutes. You can satisfy your sweet tooth (or salty tooth as the case may be) with some alternatives that are a little less hefty in the fat and calories department.
When hunger is real ... and when it's not
Diet & Weight Loss, Nutrition & Supplements
When emotions run high, a lot of people run for the fridge. Emotional eating is a complex habit. For many people, it's a habit that they've practiced for years and years -- maybe even since their childhood. Many people who eat due to emotions such as sadness, anger, depression, boredom, stressed, or loneliness, are fully aware that they are emotional eaters. Even though they're cognizant of their eating habits, in the heat of the moment it's sometimes hard to tell the difference between real hunger and emotional triggers. But knowing your body and finding healthier outlets for your emotions is important for health.Everyday Health shares some tips on determining real, physical hunger from emotion-based hunger:
- Physical hunger builds gradually, causes your stomach to growl, isn't accompanied by a sense of compulsion, occurs hours after you last ate, and goes away after eating.
- Emotional hunger develops suddenly, is a more mental craving (when you "get a taste" for something), makes you feel like you urgently need to eat, is unrelated to the last time you ate, often has specific cravings, persists even when you're full, and leaves you feeling guilty after eating.
