Eating the Moment, Activity 4 - Cravings Essay

Having learned what hunger feels like, i now get to work on identifying cravings.

I kind of assumed that i'd be writing this about some thing specific.  Wanting french fries or candy or something particular.  Instead it was a craving to eat due to being tired and a little low.

As i drove home from Springfield i felt false-hunger.  I wanted something comforting, and the idea of grabbing something crossed my mind.  I looked at the clock and it was well after 9PM, but i had eaten a delicious meal of salad and stir fry a few hours ago.  I thought about my hunger essay (as i was driving and couldn't read it per the book's directions!) and asked if i felt the same way as when i was hungry.  The answers over and over were no, other than feeling tired.  Well, my plan was to take a shower and go to bed, solving that issue right quick, so why did i need food?

That's when i looked harder at my day and realized i was having an emotional craving, looking for that comfort that food brings.

Yesterday was a strangely full day.  A little time with Duncan in the morning, followed by a walk, lunch with the engineer girls, time with my folks & brother and then a trip to Olympus for dinner and TV shows about the Amish.  It also involved some sadder moments - Duncan leaving for the week, changes in the lives of the engineer girls, and seeing Grandma's house empty in preparation for the closing this week.

I thought about what i wanted - salty or fried, startchy, and doubted it would of been sated with a salad the same way my hunger had been.  I wanted the specific feelings from carbohydrates and fats, unlike hunger which just wanted food.

Cravings aren't good or bad, but they are a signal of something, physical or emotional.  If i take a moment to examine them, rather than just react, i can make better choices.  Sometimes i may really want something, and that's ok!  I'm not bad for wanting a cheeseburger!  And i'm not a good person if i deny myself candy!  It's about making conscious choices about my food, which is much more important for me to learn.

Next up will be playing Craving Detective, and tracking what i crave and when/why.  Sorry this is all so food/weight/crazy oriented lately.