Last week we kicked off this series by talking about the truth about cravings.
So if you missed it, the biggest takeaway was that cravings are information.
They're not instructions. This week, I want to answer a question
That I hear all the time. In fact, I hear it from clients. I hear it from women on Facebook and Instagram.
And, honestly, I still ask it of myself.
Am I actually physically hungry, or do I just want the cookie?
Have you ever asked yourself that? I think almost every woman who has ever tried to lose weight
has had to figure this out. They've asked themselves this.
And here's what I want to tell you right away. You don't have to get it right every time.
I think we put so much pressure on ourselves to diagnose every…
craving perfectly.
is this physical hunger? Is this an emotional craving? Is this because I'm tired, or because I'm stressed?
Is this because I had sugar or junk food yesterday. Sometimes we spend…
So much time trying to label the craving that we forget
to actually listen to ourselves.
So, let's start with physical hunger. For me,
Physical hunger usually isn't that dramatic. It's actually pretty quiet.
I notice I'm thinking about food a little bit more, maybe my stomach feels empty, or has a little growl or a gurgle.
And here's the biggest clue for me.
lots of foods sound good. If someone offered me leftovers, I'd probably say, ah, sure, or maybe eggs.
Absolutely. A sandwich. Sounds great. Dinner.
sounds good, perfect. When I'm physically hungry, I'm just looking for some food, not a specific food. It doesn't have to be
something amazing. Just something I don't hate.
Now, does that mean I want…
certain things sometimes, sure, sometimes I want ice cream when I'm physically hungry.
Not a problem. Sometimes, I'm hungry, and ice cream sounds amazing.
Life isn't always that neat.
That's why I don't want you trying to fit yourself into that perfect little box.
Now, let's talk about the other side of it, because that's the part that we try to…
understand, and it feels confusing.
Sometimes, dinner is over. I've eaten enough.
I'm absolutely comfortable.
Um, and then I walk into the pantry, and suddenly,
The cookies sound really good, or chips, or candy.
cereal ice cream. That's usually my clue.
I need to pause. Not because I can't eat it, but because I want to understand what's happening first. And here's something…
I've been noticing about myself. Sometimes, I don't actually want food. I want…
a feeling. Maybe I want comfort, or some excitement.
I want to keep enjoying the evening. If you listened to last week's story, I shared, uh…
I said that I realized I wasn't trying to satisfy hunger.
I just didn't want the enjoyment to end.
That was such an eye-opening moment for me, because once I realized
that food wasn't the only option anymore. If I could decide if I wanted to eat, if, um…
I could decide if eating was actually what I wanted, or if what I really wanted was another
chapter of my book, another episode on the TV show, maybe a conversation with Clint.
Or honestly, maybe I just needed to go to bed.
There are days when I ask myself all these questions, and my answer is still, I just want the cookie.
I think that's okay. I don't want us to swing so far in that direction that we think every craving has to have
Some super deep explanation.
Sometimes you simply just want the cookie.
The question isn't whether you're allowed to want it, the question is…
What need am I trying to meet right now? Because the answer changes what comes next.
I've started thinking about it this way. Instead of trying to decide,
Whether the craving is physical or emotional,
Sometimes I just ask myself, what does my body, or my heart, need right now?
Maybe the answer is food, great. Eat.
Maybe the answer is water. Wonderful, drink some water!
Maybe the answer is actually rest. Go to bed.
And maybe it's connection. Go call somebody, get a hug. Maybe it's comfort, wrap up in a blanket and read a book, or whatever.
Maybe the answer really is that I want dessert. Then decide!
that… if that's the choice that you want to make. What do I want? How much of it do I want?
Like, you can decide that, and it's very intentional. It's not automatic.
Just eat the food. It's intentional.
So, one of the biggest mindset shifts, like, a thought shift I've had is realizing that every craving
doesn't need the same solution.
So not every craving has the same answer or the same solution. Think about it. If you're physically hungry, you don't need…
more willpower, you actually need lunch, you need some food. If you're exhausted.
probably don't need a handful of candy or something. You need some sleep.
And if you're lonely,
Maybe you're gonna find comfort in your food for a few moments.
But it probably isn't going to satisfy what your heart is really asking for.
That's why I think asking better questions is so much more helpful than trying to have
More discipline, more willpower. So, here's something I want you to practice this week.
The next time you find yourself reaching for food,
pause, just for a moment.
And ask yourself, what need…
am I trying to meet right now?
Notice I didn't ask, should I eat this? Because sometimes the answer might still be yes.
Sometimes you'll decide the cookie is exactly what you want, and that's okay.
The win isn't in saying no. The win is remembering that you have a choice.
That's how self-trust is built.
And I also want to give you permission to not know, to not always get it right.
Sometimes you'll ask yourself, am I hungry? And your answer will honestly be, I don't know!
That's okay! You're learning a new skill. You don't need perfect awareness.
I don't have perfect awareness.
You just need enough awareness to interrupt that autopilot. So, this week, don't focus on eating perfectly. Focus on becoming curious.
Notice what you're really hungry for. Is it food, or comfort, rest, connection, or maybe…
He had just wanted the cookie.
Every one of those answers teaches you something.
And the more you understand yourself…
The easier it becomes to trust yourself.
Next week, we are going to talk about something I think surprises a lot of women.
Why willpower isn't actually the answer to managing cravings?
Because if you ever thought, I just need more self-control,
I think next week's conversation is going to change the way you look at cravings.
I'll see you then.
