I'm going to warn you now, this is going to get weird and also awkward. And I'm going to nerd out on you, but it will also be entertaining and hopefully educational so it will be worth the awkwardness.
There's a freaky reason you get cravings and it has to do with the trillions of bacteria living inside of you RIGHT this very minute (yup, go ahead...digest that....).
You're walking around, living the dream with a whack ton of bacteria living inside your digestive system … in your GUT! Not only are there trillions of them, but there are hundreds of different kinds of them.
Much like people, some of them are more helpful than others and some of them have specific jobs that help keep you healthy, happy, and energized.
All those different types of bacteria feed on different kinds of food. Some might like more fat while others like more sugary foods (also much like people)
They get their food from the food that YOU eat! And here's the freaky part - research is showing those bacteria might actually be telling you WHAT to eat!
Scientists at the University of California in San Francisco have found evidence of this. They still don’t know exactly which bacteria craves which kind of food, but they do say that what you eat can influence how much of a certain kind of bacteria you have in your body.
So, if you eat a lot of junk food, you will probably have more bacteria that crave junk food.
Which also means…if you eat less junk food, you probably will have less bacteria that crave junk food. Not too shabby, right?
Which brings us to one simple strategy that could help you stop cravings - well, one word that could help.
It’s the word No. It's a fun word, a simple word and sometimes a hard word. But saying it for a few days when you feel cravings for certain foods can be a powerful way to take back control.
I know- easier said than done, but there are plenty of ways you can make saying NO easier.
First, you can set yourself up to feel full and satisfied, by eating a healthy, balanced diet all day, with protein and healthy fats, plus drink plenty of water. That way you won’t actually feel hungry when the craving hits.
Then, make a plan for what you will do if you get a craving! Most cravings go away after a few minutes so there's that!
You could plan to go for a walk, distract yourself with another activity, or just ride it out, or go to bed early (my go to move LOL).
After a few days, the gut bacteria that are driving those cravings might back off a bit and with it, also their cravings.
You’ve got nothing to lose – except those cravings! – by giving this a try. Are you up for it?
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my new guide, Refire Fitness Crush Your Cravings Guide
Oh, and just a heads-up, I am opening up 2 spots for Online Personal Training this week. If you want more info reach out today!
Create real change today - fuel your fire!