A nutritive diet before 7pm gives immense mental satiation but, what about the hunger itching, the taste buds that have been longing for those sweet pies, cakes, the sumptuous fried meals and crunchy packed food, luring you in those vibrant and colorful packets.
You always wish for a trimmed and toned body but resisting the urge to indulge yourself in “sinful” eating is difficult.
You prevent yourself from eating junk and prefer consuming colorful salads and roasted stuff but the stomach gets satisfaction only after having a hearty meal.
Despite the fact that fast food has negative impact due to its low nutritional content and harmful ingredients, still the body demands food that are rich in carbohydrates and fats.
As per a report by a health journal, whenever a person craves for something, his body gives him a signal which is a result of certain deficiencies in his body.
1. The sweet tooth
“Research shows that when you are tired, you’re more likely to turn to sweets to get more energy or to wake up,” explains dietician Anna Taylor, MS. The richly decked up confectionaries and other sweet meat shops comprising addictive goodies, shakes, smoothies, waffles, pancakes etc.
tempt those with sweet tooth. Sugary processed foods trigger the release of “feel-good” neurochemical dopamine in your brain’s reward center. More dopamine could mean more cravings, various factors like depression, lack of sleep, period cravings and diabetes can be the reasons for sugar cravings.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, health experts say that the occasional sweet indulgence is fine- just not every day. Craving for sweets occur not because we are used to eating them but many times due to dehydration. By educating yourself about the health risks involved, eating more protein, exercising and adequate rest can help in subsiding the cravings for sweets.
2. Stress eating
Emotional eating takes place due to work stress, financial worries, relationship issues or health problems. Stress eating is more common with women than with men as per different studies. Basically people reach for food frequently to soothe the foods that emotional eaters crave are comfort foods like ice-cream, cookies, chocolates, chips, French fries and pizza consequently leading to weight gain. Researchers have linked weight gain to stress and over eating.
3. Careless eating
When a person’s brain is distracted then he’s not aware of what or how much food he/she is consuming. It’s simply eating without hunger, to ward off boredom and when the mind is side tracked by television, conversations and other distractions. Have you ever seen an attractive celebrity on television enjoying a juicy burger and then began to crave it? These external sources such as food advertisements on television and billboards are the major reasons to mindless eating.
Switching over from mindless or careless eating to mindful eating is tough but not impossible. Mindful eating doesn’t mean eating right food at the right time rather it’s about focusing all your senses and being present as you shop for, cook, serve and eat your food. Mindful eating improves concentration, digestion and suppresses anxiety. So become a mind FUL eater and not mind LESS eater.
4. The big portions
Endless tasty food options and wide availability of quick snacks make it easy to overeat without caring about the portion sizes. Eating in big portions promotes body fat, disrupts hunger regulation, leads to rise in diseases, impairs brain function and at times severe indigestion.
