Cravings

Cravings—a powerful desire for certain foods—seems to be attached to our brain's reward system. OUr emotions and pleasant situations, like the birthday cake that mom make you, can trigger a craving. When you eat a food you crave, your brain releases dopamine, a natural chemical related to pleasure. So, what do you do next time if this craving start to happen again though you are stuffed for lunch?

Accept defeat. Choose NOT to act on the craving for food. Try to ignore the craving and admit to yourself that you want the food. You will always be pulled to the food prevents you from acting on the feeling every time it comes up.

Give in, a LITTLE. You can surrendering to your craving sometimes – as long as you can control your portion sizes. Instead eating out of the bag, put your chips in a bowl.

Imagination. Try to keep your imagination of food in your short term memory of your brain. Remember when your mom made those hot chewy chocolate brownies and the smell of the chocolate in the house. Remember the good times with your mom, not the eating of the entire cake pan of brownies.

Substitutions. Instead of the candy or cake, go for apple bran muffin or a piece of sweet fruit. Read the nutrition label on the package of chocolate cookies or any other sweet food and replace it with something else with LESS fat and calories.

You know what is best for you. Act on it.