Cravings are your friends

Much like squirrels do acorns or the Sultan of Brunei does wives, our bodies like to hoard fat. And what happens when that fat gets burned? The body panics and sends out a Bat Signal asking for more. Because even at the cellular level, we’re wired to be greedy and selfish.

So don’t think of those sudden cravings for pizza or donuts as signs of weakness. They’re a sign that you’re doing well and the program is working as it should. Often, the strongest cravings, the kind that make you want to bum rush your coworker eating the chocolate éclair, are a signal that the body is about to burn some pounds. It’s almost like clockwork.

Comfort Food 

Cravings usually come in the form of whatever it is that comforts you. For some, it’s pizza or hamburgers or whatever Mom used to make that made the world seem like a safe place, after all. For others, it’s chicken enchiladas with cheese, sour cream and verde sauce. Milkshakes. Ice cream. It’s usually a combination of fat and carbs because those combined give you the biggest calorie bang for your buck.

Even if it’s a hamburger you can’t stop thinking about, it’s probably not the protein your body is after, but the fatty meat.

And what happens if you give in? Don’t sweat it. That’s your cheat day. Write it down, plug it into your calorie counter and move on, shame free. When you add shame into the mix, that’s when people quit their programs.

Cravings are worse if you are not sleeping enough. If you’re life is stressful. Think of them as a signal that it’s time to set some priorities.

Cheat Day

An important aspect of a meal plan is the cheat day. You’ll be better off eating super clean for six days and then cheating that seventh day than you would eating mostly clean 7 days a week. Think of the cheat day or cheat meal as Michael Jordan knowing he won’t make 100 percent of the shots he takes. It's the steam that we let out of the tea pot.

Cravings Combat Strategies

As far as dealing with cravings that happen in the middle of the week, a few days removed from your last cheat meal, clean substitutes will help. A paleo pizza with almond crust will satisfy a pizza craving. Follow up a clean meal with a protein brownie or a piece of protein banana bread.

There are really good MyFit Food sugarless chocolate and coconut truffles that taste rich. They sell them in very manageable portions of three.

Or head down to Whole Foods and get yourself single servings of Justin’s chocolate almond butter or chocolate hazelnut butter. You can open them up and squeeze them. They are clean and delicious and they will totally fill a craving.

Support

Structuring your lifestyle so you don’t have to come face to face with your cravings every day is also important. Don’t keep those Keebler chocolate chip cookies around the house. Get the buy-in from your spouse and kids.

When your husband or wife sees how you look after 12 weeks, chances are they’re going to want you to stay that way and will be more than willing to not stock the 5 gallon jug of Blue Bell ice cream in the freezer.