Listening to your body vs. falling for unhealthy cravings

[Agota]

There was advice in few threads here to listen to your body when it comes to nutrition, because your body knows what's best for you. Meaning, you want meat, eat meat, you want fresh veggies, you eat fresh veggies. I really agree with that idea and I'm testing it myself now (I'm vegetarian, yet I started having a huge craving for meat and it becomes stronger as weather starts getting colder, therefore I'm starting to eat meat and will see what difference will it make), but the question is how to separate what's "what the body is saying" and what is just a craving that should be ignored? Also, with this logic, what about people who are so used to their McDonalds food diet that they crave for more and more of it and can't even think about the salads? That's an over exaggerated example, but there are plenty people who don't want healthy things and want unhealthy things? How they should go about "listen to your body" idea?

Thanks!

[scorpio1980]

I think the key is to follow your cravings in the healthiest way. If I am craving sweets I know that my body is most likely really wanting the vitamins, water, and antioxidants that are in fresh fruit. If my body craves chocolate I can get pure chocolate with nothing added which is high in minerals and antioxidant potential. When I was addicted to fast food for example. It wasn't my body craving that, it was my mind that was craving the fast food, my body was craving the fat. Most likely fat solible vitamins to be more exact. It isn't really the food you crave, but rather the nutrients within said food. Your mind is addicted to certain foods and tells you that you need said food to get your body what it wants. Only if you are addicted to bad foods your mind will point you in that direction first.

[MightySunTzu]

To an extent i believe there is much to be gained by listening to our body and to an extent i practice this such as in allowing my healthy desires to determine what healthy foods i will eat next... but to be honest i am quite skeptical about being able to reliably recognize what my body is trying to tell me throughout the day and if i completely relied upon this, there are a lot of beneficial practices that would be forever neglected. As such i think it's important to do what i believe is right in spite of whatever subtle signals i may or may not be receiving.

As an example, i'm not getting any signals from any part of me that i should take coq10, krill oil, vitamin E (or sunshine), vitamin K2, chlorella and spirulina, but i do it anyway. Also if i'm feeling comfortable laying down reading stuff on the internet, i'm not picking up on any signal that i should ideally do some exercise, but i think it's important to do it nevertheless. Sometimes i feel some kind of signal that it would be awesome to exercise and that's great, but if i waited for this signal each time, this aspect of my well being would be greatly neglected.

I also believe that it's very easy for our system to become corrupted and once we develop bad habits and addictions (fast food, sugar, processed grains, excitotoxins), i believe our body is no longer a reliable source of good information. That which our body knows is best for us and is attempting to let us know is not to be confused with many of our own unhealthful desires. If we are craving pepsi, candy or McDonalds french fries, this is not our body in its innate wisdom trying to tell us that we should endulge in these items.

Once our system is corrupted, it needs to be rebooted and/or reprogrammed. Fasting is excellent for this or we can in some other way force good habits back upon ourselves with no bodily signals whatsoever guiding us towards this. Even fresh out of a fast, i believe there is a need to continue to do what we believe to be best because the proper signals will not always be there to guide us.

Maybe other people have better success with this and if anybody has insights as to how we can consistently discern the good signals our body is sending us, to the point where we no longer need to do what we believe to be right in their absence, this is something i would indeed be delighted to learn.

[firenexx]

It is important to realize that a craving for a complex idea is usually a craving for a simple one. For instance, nearly all cravings are a result of either undereating (in terms of calories) or malnutrition (in terms of micronutrients - Vitamin C and the like.)

For instance, your body does not crave "this" and "that." It craves energy and nutrients. For a while, I was following a vegetarian/vegan diet that did not have nearly enough calories or carbohydrates for me to have sufficient energy on a daily basis. This caused me to crave something. I could have interpreted this as a craving for chocolate, a craving for meat, a craving for apples, or a craving for sour cream. But the brain does not have that kind of circuitry - I was not craving the perfect rib roast or a golden kiwi, I was craving more energy in the form of simple carbohydrates. It is up to us to interpret our body's cravings - not to say "Oh, I need potatoes" just because our dopamine receptors are screaming for starchy satisfaction at the same time that our more noble and basic instincts are only asking for more energy or nutrition.


I would disagree that our body "tells" us to go vegetarian, or to eat meat, or to do anything that complex. It tells us very simple things, like "I don't have enough energy, I am hungry, I need nutrition" and the like. It is up to us to interpret those things as best fits our financial situation, individual health, and living situation.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by MightySunTzu

To an extent i believe there is much to be gained by listening to our body and to an extent i practice this such as in allowing my healthy desires to determine what healthy foods i will eat next... but to be honest i am quite skeptical about being able to reliably recognize what my body is trying to tell me throughout the day and if i completely relied upon this, there are a lot of beneficial practices that would be forever neglected. As such i think it's important to do what i believe is right in spite of whatever subtle signals i may or may not be receiving.

Is this due to you feeling like you are not always IN your body? Sometimes we get caught in our heads so much and don't even realize we are disconnected from our bodies, which is why I ask.

As an example, i'm not getting any signals from any part of me that i should take coq10, krill oil, vitamin E (or sunshine), vitamin K2, chlorella and spirulina, but i do it anyway. Also if i'm feeling comfortable laying down reading stuff on the internet, i'm not picking up on any signal that i should ideally do some exercise, but i think it's important to do it nevertheless. Sometimes i feel some kind of signal that it would be awesome to exercise and that's great, but if i waited for this signal each time, this aspect of my well being would be greatly neglected.

You may not be getting any overt signals from your body to take these things, but at some stage you were drawn to researching them, seeing their benefits for you and having tried them could feel the difference in your body...so it could be said that what lead you to research them in the first place was, on some level, your body communicating it's needs to you...that is, you aren't feeling energetic enough for your lifestyle, and need something a bit more to supplement this.

Your body isn't gonna say "Hey buddy, I think we need some chlorella in here, oh and pick up some spirulina while you are at it." But it will give you indications, sometimes subtly, that you are not getting certain nutrients and you will be lead to what you need, if you listen. This is just my own observations based on my experiences of course.

For me, it has gotten to the point where I will hear, just randomly, the word "Magnesium" at some point, and will acknowledge that this is what I am being told I need. I'm not sure if everyone hears actual words like I do? Some people may just get feelings, or when they look at particular fruit it really stands out to them and they just 'know' that's what their body is telling them they need.

Usually it is just a single word that pops into my mind.

I also believe that it's very easy for our system to become corrupted and once we develop bad habits and addictions (fast food, sugar, processed grains, excitotoxins), i believe our body is no longer a reliable source of good information. That which our body knows is best for us and is attempting to let us know is not to be confused with many of our own unhealthful desires. If we are craving pepsi, candy or McDonalds french fries, this is not our body in its innate wisdom trying to tell us that we should endulge in these items.

True, and if we watch a lot of media, it can be exasperated by advertisements for Hungry Jacks telling us what we want, and our minds being brainwashed subliminally to conform to that suggestion. I still think I want a burger whenever I see those ads, and I've been eating healthy for over 15 years now.

Being able to distinguish between what our bodies are telling us we need and what our salivary glands are saying we want, based on visual stimulants imposed on us, is a skill.

Once our system is corrupted, it needs to be rebooted and/or reprogrammed. Fasting is excellent for this or we can in some other way force good habits back upon ourselves with no bodily signals whatsoever guiding us towards this. Even fresh out of a fast, i believe there is a need to continue to do what we believe to be best because the proper signals will not always be there to guide us.

I've never really done a proper fast so I can't comment, but I do think it could help with getting back in tune with what the bodies wisdom is saying to us. If for no other reason than it might make things a bit quieter in there so we can really hear and feel. By putting the focus on not eating we can really feel what our bodies are going through, which has the advantage of connecting us more with the body...I'd imagine. I'm no expert in this area though.

Maybe other people have better success with this and if anybody has insights as to how we can consistently discern the good signals our body is sending us, to the point where we no longer need to do what we believe to be right in their absence, this is something i would indeed be delighted to learn.

I'm not always the best at it, but I do recall when I first started getting really enthusiastic about listening to my body, I became very aware of how everything that is sold to us in supermarkets is made to appear glossy and perfectly colored, but it's due to the crap in the soil, pesticides which keep it all looking good, which is what most people look for, it being such a superficial society. Looks are valued more over what's inside and what the quality of it is.

Once you start to recognize this more and more, and you can even set an intention that your intuition and body assist you in feeling out what fruit or veg you really need and want, it becomes easy. Even though most Organic produce will still be coming from soil that has some element of pollutants in it, it's still better than the crap they sell you in the generic supermarkets, I think.

Ideally, growing your own organic produce is the way to go. At least some of it anyway, which will keep you healthy and save money.

I still fall back into old habits of familiar food, sometimes junk because I don't want to become too "pure". I don't think that is a good thing in this world because everything is so polluted that if I become too pure I will make myself susceptible to illness by not being able to handle all the crud in everyday life.

The question of "how healthy do we really need to be?" has come up for me over the years. Some people get really fanatical about health and I think it can make them a bit insane to be honest. Of course it's better to be healthy, but some people get a taste of feeling really good and want to feel even better and see how far they can take it...and I think it can lead to some serious imbalances if they take it too far.

These are just my thoughts though.

[KBaYogi]

Originally Posted by firenexx

It is important to realize that a craving for a complex idea is usually a craving for a simple one. For instance, nearly all cravings are a result of either undereating (in terms of calories) or malnutrition (in terms of micronutrients - Vitamin C and the like.).

Few people touched on this point.

An example to see. At one point I started to really crave cheese. Tasted wonderful when I was eating it too. Although, my body isn't the best with dairy. So I took a moment to think about it. What is in cheese that hadn't been in my diet? I realized it was calcium.

So I got some orange juice that was fortified with calcium. After I started drinking it, the craving for cheese went away.

The point? As has been said, your body will crave something, the brain will interrupt it and pick a food that fits the craving. That doesn't mean it is a food you should eat, and taking some time to consider what the craving is actually asking for, is what you should do.

[ChrisGinsburg]

Just to add to everything that's been said, it's important to note that your brain isn't actually separate from your body. When it is said to listen to your body it doesn't mean ignore any and all thoughts about the subject. It means to simply relax and notice the thoughts that are occurring in conjunction with the more primal cravings. And yes, a basic understanding of what is in the basic food groups will help tremendously to understanding what your body is telling you in terms of cravings.

[Johnny Metal]

Originally Posted by Agota

how to separate what's "what the body is saying" and what is just a craving that should be ignored?

Eat, then listen to how your body feels afterwards.

There are times when I get cravings for pasta, but after eating it I don't feel as good as when I eat brown rice.

[Agota]

Thank you for the perspectives, guys!

I really liked the idea of identifying what exactly body craves in terms of nutrients, not particular foods.. Apparently, I'm craving for proteins now..

[Agota]

I'm getting more and more interested in the topic of listening to your body and apparently, it has a name: intuitive eating

I love this article:

Intuitive eating: Best. Diet. Ever.

Among other things, this made me feel normal again about the fact that I often get an impulse to eat a particular food for few days, for example, I might eat sandwiches with veggies everyday for few times and this can go on for few days, or it can be salads, or pasta/potatoes or anything else. I've always felt that I should fight cravings like that because who on Earth eats veggie-mayo sandwiches for breakfast and dinner three days in the row, but I've found out that if I don't fight cravings like that, they go away quite soon. I'm glad to know that I'm not a complete weirdo

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by Agota

I'm getting more and more interested in the topic of listening to your body and apparently, it has a name: intuitive eating

I love this article:

Intuitive eating: Best. Diet. Ever.

Among other things, this made me feel normal again about the fact that I often get an impulse to eat a particular food for few days, for example, I might eat sandwiches with veggies everyday for few times and this can go on for few days, or it can be salads, or pasta/potatoes or anything else. I've always felt that I should fight cravings like that because who on Earth eats veggie-mayo sandwiches for breakfast and dinner three days in the row, but I've found out that if I don't fight cravings like that, they go away quite soon. I'm glad to know that I'm not a complete weirdo

It's amazing how the body can require certain things over and over. I once ate roast potatoes every night for about 6 months, with whole wheels of garlic roasted with it, because that's all I felt like eating. I haven't had a cold in literally years due to my garlic intake. Haven't had a boyfriend either, but anyway..(;

Of course I ate veg and meat as well, but roast potatoes with garlic were a must. I think I needed to be more 'down to earth' at the time...as there was trauma and that can really make you dissociate. It's interesting to look back on now.

You can't get much more earthy than potatoes.

It becomes much easier to listen to your body after a while, and I think you should be right, since you do martial arts, which is very body centred. When I was training I was more in my body than I've ever been. Gotta get back into that.

I just remembered also that pretty much all through my twenties I didn't eat breakfast...at all. I decided I was only going to eat when I felt hungry instead of eating when I've been told to eat, and I just never felt hungry in the mornings.

I'm not sure if it was sheer stubbornness to not conform, or I really did operate fine without breakfast even though it had been drilled into me that it was 'the most important meal of the day'.

In my thirties though, I can't skip it anymore. I won't make it through to lunchtime without at least a fruit smoothie or something. I managed perfectly well in my twenties without it though, so it goes to show that the bodies needs can change over time, and as long as you pay attention to it, you'll still be here.

[Agota]

Originally Posted by elucidate

It's amazing how the body can require certain things over and over. I once ate roast potatoes every night for about 6 months, with whole wheels of garlic roasted with it, because that's all I felt like eating.

I remember I ate pasta with cheese and ketchup almost everyday for like three years and I ate potatoes every evening for like two years. It was sooooo tasty to me, I didn't want anything else. People who hear that think I must have been crazy

..I don't think it was very healthy, though, because you know carbs carbs and more carbs on top of it is probably not the most balanced diet..Although you probably need more carbs than most people with high school, at least six martial arts classes a week and parties..

Originally Posted by elucidate

I haven't had a cold in literally years due to
my garlic intake. Haven't had a boyfriend either, but anyway..(;

Really? I'm increasing my garlic intake now (...I'm preparing for December in Lithuania, hello, -20 degrees of Celcius) , it's encouraging to hear it helped you stay healthy

[Veggiesbrendis]

Haven't read anyones response to this but I'm confused by this because I have seen and read that the new "foods" we eat such as processed fatty etc. Are being done with chemicals that trigger our mind to get addicted and crave it. So how can I say ok my body wants chips let it have it? I think it's hard cause sometimes you can't even tell if it's your body or these chemicals they add... Just saying

[Agota]

Read the article I've shared here, it tackles the issue of craving for unhealthy things

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by Agota

I remember I ate pasta with cheese and ketchup almost everyday for like three years and I ate potatoes every evening for like two years. It was sooooo tasty to me, I didn't want anything else. People who hear that think I must have been crazy

..I don't think it was very healthy, though, because you know carbs carbs and more carbs on top of it is probably not the most balanced diet..Although you probably need more carbs than most people with high school, at least six martial arts classes a week and parties..

Probably not, but if that's all you want to eat, then go with it. It was the same for me and I'm sure people thought I was crazy, but I'm used to that by now.

If you are training 6 times a week, then it's probably good that you did have that intake...it's not how most people operate though...but I'm sure you know that.

Really? I'm increasing my garlic intake now (...I'm preparing for December in Lithuania, hello, -20 degrees of Celcius) , it's encouraging to hear it helped you stay healthy

Yes, I felt ever so clever...everyone around me got sick and I was cruising.

[Clint Cora]

If you live healthy consistently, you can always cheat a bit when you are out. I remember when I was in Banff during a ski vacation, they had this one restaurant where they had prime rib that literally melted in your mouth.

They even had this one prime rib called 'mountain cut' which was something like 22 ounces. There was another that was 30 ounces and the deal is that if you could finish the entire prime rib, you don't have to pay.

I took the prime rib even though I knew it was not exactly lean. I don't normally eat red meat at home so since this was an odd occasion and I was skiing several hours per day for the whole week, it was perfectly okay to try the mountain cut.

Hey, I survived and I still have my 30 inch waist

So even though I'm quite picky, it's okay to have the odd craving here and there.

[ChrisGinsburg]

Originally Posted by Agota

I'm getting more and more interested in the topic of listening to your body and apparently, it has a name: intuitive eating

I love this article:

Intuitive eating: Best. Diet. Ever.

Among other things, this made me feel normal again about the fact that I often get an impulse to eat a particular food for few days, for example, I might eat sandwiches with veggies everyday for few times and this can go on for few days, or it can be salads, or pasta/potatoes or anything else. I've always felt that I should fight cravings like that because who on Earth eats veggie-mayo sandwiches for breakfast and dinner three days in the row, but I've found out that if I don't fight cravings like that, they go away quite soon. I'm glad to know that I'm not a complete weirdo

I think you will find that just about every aspect of life can boil down to lowering your resistance. When we're talking about diet this means letting go of that need to fight against cravings and craft diets that are contrary to what your body is telling you. The hardest part can often be when what your intuition, your cravings or anything else is telling you goes against logic. Letting go of logic as the gold standard can be one of the most difficult and simultaneously most rewarding transitions.

[mishmash]

I think some types of food (chocolate being one) stimulate the pleasure centres in the brain.
And I think that is what you are craving - that release of endorphins you get from eating that type of food, although I think it's quite short lived.
Personally I prefer to get my kick out of exercise - which too releases the feel good chemical - and it actually makes me want to eat healthier so I can keep up wit the exercise =)