Food Cravings
Food cravings—what are they; how do they affect you; and what can you do about them?
Cravings may be best defined as a desire, ranging from weak to intense, for a specific food. They can present as one or more or all of the following, physical sensations, intrusive thoughts, emotional reactions, heightened attention, and mental imagery, with the end result being a compulsion or desire to eat the specific craved food.
There are a wide variety of techniques that can reduce the frequency and intensity of cravings and reduce their impact as well. There is self-regulation of attention so your attention is kept in the present moment. Being accepting of your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without acting on them is another technique for coping with cravings. Learning to view your thoughts and feelings as passing and temporary; if you wait them out, they will go away. There is also believing that your thoughts are your thoughts and they are not you. This is a way to separate yourself from your thoughts.
All of the techniques listed in the previous paragraph expose you to your cravings, no matter what form these cravings take. If, like it is recommended, you do not act on your cravings, then it is likely that the impetus to satisfy your craving will eventually be extinguished.
