Cravings

Cravings. We all have them but they can be different for everyone. Some can be healthy but I would guess the majority are unhealthy. Personally, my cravings are all unhealthy. I’ve never been binge-watching Yellowstone on the couch and thought to myself “I could really go for a salad right now.”

As you are reading this you might be imagining that specific craving you tend to have: that delicious ice cream or that chip that just needs to be dipped. Cravings are usually connected to routine or habit; you watch tv and suddenly want pretzels, you head to a cottage and you crave that refreshing ice-cold beer, or you go to the movies and suddenly want popcorn. 

For the majority of my life, I've struggled with cravings and never had a problem falling victim to them and treating myself. I'd always consider giving in for a one-off situation, but I never considered the issue of these one-off situations compiling. As an adult, this led to a significant weight gain.

My mindset about cravings and treating myself shifted after I was diagnosed. If I were to give into cravings now by having that glass of pop or eating that piece of cake at my daughter’s birthday party, it could have a major effect on my health and, if compiled, could result in severe and long-term consequences.  I can’t give into my cravings because it could literally destroy my body.

The most noticeable effect of this mentality shift hasn't been the weight loss, but rather how cravings for certain foods have begun to fade. I could write a blog that would take hours to read about all of the unhealthy foods I used to crave, but now that I've had no choice but to remove them, my cravings are becoming an afterthought.

I have changed my mentality over the last three months and I’m excited to see how far in the rear view these cravings will go.  I’m even more excited to start craving that salad!

-       Jesse