1616 DDI AI ABBEETTICIC L LI VI VININGG / FA / FALLL 2 019L 2 019
Remake
1. STOP AND TAKE NOTE
A craving may feel like an urgent need,
but it’s actually just a thought—one that
you can choose to act on or not. When
you notice a craving and label it—“I’m
having a thought that I want cake”—it
creates a tiny moment of pause between
the urge and the action so you can make
an informed choice, says Dana Notte, RD,
a dietitian who works with PWDs who
struggle with emotional eating.- ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS
Am I hungry? Sometimes it’s hard to tell,
says Megrette Fletcher, RD, CDE, espe-
cially for PWDs who are often told by oth-
ers exactly what to eat and when. To help
understand this question, reach out and
touch the part of your body where you’re
“sensing” a craving. “If you touch yourself
above the shoulders—your mouth or
head—rather than below the shoulders,
it’s probably more of a thought than a
physical need for food,” says Fletcher.
What do I want ... and what do
I need? You may want cake, which is
normal. But is that what you need in
this moment? To help decipher your
desire, close your eyes and hold your
hands out as if waiting to receive a
gift, suggests Fletcher. Then imagine
someone dropping what you need into
your hands. “A lot of times, my clients
will try this and realize that what they
were craving wasn’t food at all,” says
Fletcher. It could be a hug, some time
in nature, a tall glass of cold water.
“Sometimes the most delicious thing
we can give ourselves is time to take a
nap,” she says.3. TREAT YOURSELF—WELL
Let’s say that you realize you really do
want and need exactly what you’re craving.
That’s fine, says Fletcher. Before you eat,
check in with yourself. “Shift your ques-
tion from, ‘Can I eat X’ to ‘How can I fit
the food into my life so that it allows me
to live my life well?’” she says. Perhaps that
means eating it as part of a mixed meal
with fiber, protein, and vegetables; going
out for a brisk walk afterward; or eating
mindfully. Notice the smell, texture, look,
and taste of each bite—and pay attention
to the moment when it stops tasting as
good as it did. That’s a sign that you may
be satisfied, even if the plate isn’t empty.
“The point of all this isn’t to never eat what
you crave,” says Notte. “The point is to un-
derstand what is driving the craving so we
meet our real needs in that moment.”Coping with CravingsEveryone has food cravings. Here’s how to better understand yours—
and to satisfy them in ways that support your health.BY SUNNY SEA GOLDYA
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