Right after dinner, I get that intense urge to have something sweet. Or when I'm sitting in the office and the clock strikes 3, it's coffee time. Not hungry. A craving. And instantly, the mental chatter starts: "Should I? I shouldn’t. Why can’t I just control this?" Every month, I have that "I'm off sugar" phase, but it is very hard to control myself from reaching towards those brownies or a packet of chips.
So, today I'm here to share to tell you that I'm just like you, a human. Before we jump towards how to control the food cravings, it is way more important to figure out why they even happen. Maybe it’s stress whispering through cortisol. Exhaustion muddles hunger signals. Or your cycle shifts serotonin levels. Let’s decode them together, minus the guilt.
Understanding Food Cravings
Cravings are urgent desires for specific foods (sweets, salt, carbs!). Unlike hunger, they’re emotional + physical. Key facts:
- Biology: Hormones like serotonin drop during PMS/stress, triggering sugar cravings for quick energy.
- Brain wiring: Foods linked to comfort (ice cream = breakup solace) create neural pathways.
- Deprivation backlash: Strict diets increase cravings.
Proactive Insight: Occasional cravings? Normal. Feeling controlled by them daily? Let’s uncover why.
Identify Triggers: Your Personal Craving Map
Emotional Triggers:
- Stress: Increases cortisol, driving cravings for quick-energy foods, like sweets.
- Boredom/Loneliness: Eating to fill emotional voids.
- Sleep Deprivation: Disrupts leptin/ghrelin balance, heightening cravings.
Environmental Triggers:
- Food Advertising: Exposure to ads increases craving intensity.
- Social Settings: Office snack trays or social media food content prompt mindless eating.
- Cultural Rituals: Festive foods (e.g., Diwali sweets) evoke nostalgia-driven cravings.
Proactive Tip: Track triggers in a journal for 3 days. Patterns will reveal personalised strategies!
Symptoms of Eating Disorders
Persistent cravings coupled with these behaviours may indicate an eating disorder:
- Binge Eating Disorder (BED): Consuming large amounts rapidly, followed by guilt.
- Bulimia Nervosa: Binging followed by vomiting/laxative misuse.
- Anorexia Nervosa: Restricting food while obsessing over "forbidden" cravings.
Red Flags:
- Hiding food wrappers
- Skipping social events involving food
- Extreme weight fluctuations
- Using food to cope with sadness or stress
If these feel familiar, seek support. At Proactive For Her, our therapists offer stigma-free care for eating disorders. Book a Consultation
Healthy Snack Alternatives: Swap Guilt for Joy
Craving Satisfy It Smartly
Sugar (mithai, soda) → Mango + chia pudding • Dates + almond butter
Salt (chips, fries) → Roasted chana • Cucumber slices + chaat masala
Crunch (biscuits) → Apple slices • Roasted makhana
Prep Tips:
- Batch-prep: Store portions of sprout chaat or dhokla in airtight containers.
- 5-minute fixes: Dip cucumber slices in hummus or stuff dates with almond butter.
- Flavour tricks: Add mint/coriander to yoghurt or dahi for a "chaat" feel without guilt.
Mindful Eating Practices
Mindful eating rebuilds trust with food by focusing on the how and why of eating. Science-backed techniques:
1. The Pause Ritual
Before eating, rate hunger 1–10. If below 5, drink water and wait 10 minutes. This disrupts autopilot cravings.
2. Sensory Engagement
- Sight: Notice food colours (e.g., vibrant carrot halwa).
- Smell: Inhale spices like cinnamon in ragi porridge.
- Sound: Crunch fresh veggies consciously.
- Taste: Chew each bite 20+ times to savour flavours.
3. Hunger-Fullness Scan
Mid-meal, pause and ask:
- Is my stomach 50% full? 80%?
- Am I eating from hunger or habit?
4. Craving Conversations
When cravings strike, journal: "What emotion am I avoiding? Stress? Loneliness?" Replace eating with a 5-minute walk or breathing exercise.
5. Body Scan Post-Meal
After eating, note:
- Energy levels (sluggish/alert)
- Mood (guilty/peaceful)
- Physical sensations (bloating/discomfort)
Real Talk: If you eat “too much,” acknowledge it gently: “My body needed this today. I listen.”
7 Effective Strategies to Control Food Cravings
1. Hydration’s Role: The Thirst Mask
Dehydration masquerades as hunger.
- Action Plan: Drink 1 glass of water before snacks. Infuse with mint/cucumber for flavour.
- Proactive Tip: Carry a marked bottle, sip 500ml by noon, 1L by 4 PM.
Science Note: Thirst triggers the brain’s hunger centres (NIN guidelines).
2. Balanced Nutrition: Protein + fiber = craving control:
- Protein (20g/meal): Eggs, paneer, and lentils delay hunger by 3+ hours.
- Fibre (10g/snack): Oats and apples block sugar crashes.
- Sample Indian Plate: ½ cup dal + 1 cup spinach sabzi + 1 roti.
Extreme targets backfire. Try:
- Step 1: Replace one daily biscuit with fruit for 1 week.
- Step 2: Add a 10-minute walk when cravings hit.
- Step 3: Celebrate non-food wins (e.g., "I chose nuts over chips!").
Proactive Support: Our nutritionists create personalised, sustainable plans. Book Consultation
3. Sleep More, Crave Less
Sleep loss disrupts leptin (satiety hormone) and spikes ghrelin, escalating cravings. One night of <6 hours of sleep increases junk food cravings the next day. Establish a digital curfew 1 hour before bed. Prioritise 7-8 hours.
Proactive Insight: Our therapists address stress-related insomnia through cognitive behavioural techniques.
4. Stress Less, Crave Less
Stress elevates cortisol, driving sugar cravings for instant dopamine hits. The 4-7-8 breathing technique (inhale 4s, hold 7s, exhale 8s) lowers cortisol within 5 minutes. Replace stress-snacking with herbal teas like tulsi or chamomile.
5. Out of Sight, Out of Mouth
Environmental cues (office biscuit jars, food ads) trigger stronger cravings. Store treats in opaque containers or high cabinets.
Proactive tip: Keep roasted chana or fruit bowls visible. Store fruits/nuts at eye level in your kitchen.
6. Eat Regularly
Skipping meals causes blood sugar crashes, intensifying cravings. Balanced mini-meals (e.g., moong dal cheela + mint chutney) stabilise glucose.
7. The 15-Minute Distraction
Craving intensity peaks at 3–5 minutes and fades within minutes if distracted. Try a 10-minute walk, calling a friend, or quick yoga stretches. This disrupts the "craving cycle" by shifting focus.
Hydration and Its Role
Dehydration directly hijacks appetite signals. When fluid levels drop, the brain misinterprets this as an energy deficiency, triggering cravings for water-rich but calorie-dense foods like ice cream or chips. This occurs because:
- Angiotensin II: This dehydration-triggered hormone stimulates both thirst and hunger neurons.
- Reduced metabolic water: Digesting food generates water (0.1g water/1g carbs/fats). Dehydration increases cravings to secure this "hidden" hydration source.
Hydration fixes:
- Pre-meal water: 250ml before meals cuts subsequent calorie intake.
- Infusions: Add sliced cucumber/mint to enhance palatability.
- Monitor urine: Aim for a pale lemonade colour.
Proactive For Her tip: Our nutritionists use blood diagnostics to identify hydration-linked cravings.
Balanced Nutrition
__0676b2c8-0048-49b4-b992-4e9d5a093249.png)
Protein and fibre synergistically combat cravings through distinct mechanisms:
- Protein: Increases peptide YY (PYY), a gut hormone that suppresses appetite. Indian sources: Paneer, eggs, chickpeas.
- Fibre: Forms viscous gels in the gut, slowing digestion. Soluble fibre (oats, apples) feeds gut bacteria that produce appetite-regulating short-chain fatty acids.
For optimal results:
- Combine both: Dal (protein) + roti (fibre) or Greek yoghurt (protein) + berries (fibre).
- Timing: Include protein/fibre in every meal/snack (e.g., sprouted chaat).
Setting Realistic Goals
Extreme targets ("No sugar ever!") backfire, increasing cravings through psychological deprivation. Instead, use mini-habits:
- Week 1: Replace one daily sugary chai with cinnamon-laced black tea.
- Week 2: Walk for 10 minutes when cravings strike.
- Week 3: Add 1 serving of veggies to dinner.
Celebrate non-scale victories (e.g., "I chose fruit over mithai!"). Research shows this rewires the brain’s reward system, making sustainable changes 3x more likely. If goals feel overwhelming, our therapists help:
- Design incremental, judgment-free plans
- Address emotional triggers (e.g., stress-eating)
- Use appetite journals to track progress
Closing: Your Body Isn’t the Enemy
Cravings aren’t sabotage. They’re your body’s way of asking, “What do you need?” With these tools, you’re not fighting urges – you’re building self-trust.
Why Proactive For Her?
Proactive For Her focuses on empowering women to build self-confidence through personalised coaching and mental health support. Our team works with you to develop healthy practices, increase self-belief, and guide you through challenges with a non-judgmental approach.
At our Bangalore clinics, we never label cravings as “failures.” They’re clues. Our team helps you:
- Uncover the emotional roots of cravings with therapists.
- Build personalised nutrition plans with dietitians.
- Navigate eating disorders with zero judgment.
Remember, at Proactive For Her, we see you. We believe you. We’re here. ✨
FAQs
1. Why do I crave food so much?
Cravings are your body’s messengers – not failures. Biologically, hormones (ghrelin/leptin), stress (cortisol spikes), sleep loss, or nutrient gaps (like magnesium for chocolate urges!) amplify them. Emotionally, your brain links foods to comfort – ice cream after a tough day feels like a hug. At Proactive For Her, we help decode your unique triggers: stress, hormones, or lifestyle. It’s rarely "lack of willpower."
2. How to control food cravings during periods?
Period cravings are hormonal: serotonin drops, making you crave mood-boosting carbs/sugar. Instead of fighting biology:
- Choose smart swaps: Dark chocolate (70 %+) instead of milk chocolate, sweet potato instead of fries.
- Boost magnesium: Almonds, bananas, or spinach balance serotonin.
- Move gently: A 15-minute walk can help curb cravings.
Proactive Tip: Our nutritionists create cycle-synced plans. Cravings aren’t your fault, but you can navigate them kindly.
3. How to control food cravings at night?
Night cravings stem from:
- Undereating by day: Skipping meals → ravenous evenings.
- Habit loops: Netflix = chips time!
- Emotional exhaustion: Using food to decompress.
Try this tonight:
- Eat protein-rich dinners (paneer/tofu).
- Brew cinnamon tea (curbs sugar urges) .
- Brush your teeth right after dinner.
- Swap snacks with a 10-minute meditation or skincare ritual.
4. Is craving good or bad?
Neither. Cravings are neutral signals, like a check engine light. They reveal:
- Physiological needs (thirst → salty foods).
- Emotional gaps (loneliness → comfort food).
- Hormonal shifts (PMS → chocolate).
Labelling them "bad" creates shame cycles. Instead, ask: "What is this craving really telling me?" At Proactive For Her, we help reframe cravings as self-awareness tools. Your body isn’t betraying you; it’s communicating.
5. What are some tips to reduce cravings?
Science-backed quick fixes:
- Hydrate first.
- Eat protein + fibre every 3-4 hours (keeps blood sugar stable).
- Sleep 7+ hours.
- Manage stress with 4-7-8 breathing.
- Distract for 15 mins (walk, call a friend).
Small shifts > perfection. For personalised strategies, our therapists at Proactive For Her blend nutrition science and emotional wellness. Book your session now.