A Craving Just Hit. Now What?

You weren’t thinking about food five minutes ago. Now it’s all you can think about.

First, having a craving doesn’t mean you’ve failed at anything. And the goal isn’t to become a person who never wants a donut again.

But if cravings regularly take you somewhere you don’t actually want to go, it’s worth learning what to do in that moment.

1. First question: am I actually hungry?

Before we turn this into a psychological investigation, let’s rule out the obvious.

Maybe you’re just hungry.

If you haven’t eaten enough today, you’ve been fasting too aggressively, your meals weren’t very satisfying or you’ve just finished a hard workout, your body asking for food isn’t a behaviour problem.

Ask yourself:

• When did I last eat?
• Did I eat enough?
• Did that meal have enough protein and actual food to satisfy me?
• Would I happily eat a proper meal right now?

If the answer is yes, eat.

We’re not trying to outsmart legitimate hunger.

But this is where preparation matters. Make sure you have satisfying and healthy meals and snacks easily accessible, because if your options are eat the donut or go to the grocery store, buy the food, come home, cook the food and then eat, the donut has an obvious advantage.

2. If you’re not hungry, what just happened?

This is where things get interesting.

Cravings often have context.

• Maybe you walked past the bakery.
• Maybe you’re bored.
• Maybe you’re stressed.
• Maybe you always eat something sweet while watching Netflix.
• Maybe Susan brought the damn donuts again.

(Wow. Susan is catching strays all over this Journal.)

Or maybe a thought popped up:

I’ve had a horrible day. I deserve this.
I’ve already messed up today, so who cares?
I’ll get back on track tomorrow.

You don’t need to psychoanalyse yourself for 45 minutes.

Just notice it.

What happened right before I wanted this?

Not only is awareness the first step to change, that little bit of awareness can also interrupt a habit that normally runs on autopilot.

3. Question the story you’re telling yourself

This is where some of the cognitive behaviour principles I use in coaching can be really helpful.

Take:

I’ve already messed up today, so I may as well eat whatever I want.

Okay… why?

You ate something you hadn’t planned to eat. How did we get from there to the entire day is now fucked?

Or:

I need something sweet.

Do you actually need it?

Or do you really, really want it?

Those aren’t the same thing.

The point isn’t to talk yourself out of eating. It’s to catch yourself when a thought is turning one choice into something much bigger than it needs to be.

4. Give yourself ten minutes

You don’t have to decide NO, I SHALL NOT EAT THE COOKIE.

Just don’t decide immediately.

Give yourself ten minutes.

• Make a tea.
• Drink some water.
• Walk around the block.
• Get away from the kitchen.
• Do something that changes your environment.
• If you’re stressed, try a few minutes of slow breathing.

Then check in again.

Sometimes the craving passes.

Sometimes it doesn’t.

And if ten minutes later you still want the damn cookie?

Eat the cookie.

Seriously.

Sit down. Eat it. Enjoy it.

What I don’t want is:

Well, I ate the cookie, so today is ruined.

Followed by six more cookies, takeout for dinner and a promise to become a completely different human being tomorrow.

One cookie was one cookie.

Your next choice is still yours.

And that’s the skill worth practising.

• Not never having cravings.
• Not maintaining a perfect streak.
• Not proving you have superhuman willpower.

Getting better at noticing what’s happening, making a conscious choice and, when things don’t go the way you wanted, practising the comeback.

The more often you do that, the less power one craving, one meal or one crappy day has over everything that comes next.