20/12/2021
So, it's 3pm and you are starting to think about that sweet jar of biscuits you have in the pantry (or if you are back in the office, it is the cafe downstairs or the vending machine in the foyer.......)
Why do we crave something sweet?
Cravings for food tend to be either emotional or physiological.
Physiological cravings mean that there is a physical reason for the craving, where eating the food is about the body needing a certain nutrient within that food that it lacks.
Emotional cravings are more about the comfort that the food provides rather than the nutrient value of the food. For example, eating a whole block of chocolate after to soothe (and avoid) intense emotions.
In my experience, those 3pm cravings can be both.
They are emotional cravings if you feel stressed and tired and what you really need is a break.
Or, if you skipped breakfast and didn't have a decent lunch with adequate protein, you are probably on the blood sugar rollercoaster and your body naturally starts craving a sugar hit.
Either way, you are not REALLY hungry.
And giving in to these types of cravings is not going to serve you if you are trying to lose weight.
So, next time you crave that 3pm sweet hit ( and this includes feeling like you need a coffee) stop and ask yourself "what am I really hungry for?"
