Want to Avoid the Freshman 15?

Ah, the Freshman 15 - the infamous 10-20 pound weight gain phenomenon that college students experience as they transition from high school to college. While the hustle and bustle of college life makes it difficult for students to diet, many have learned that they can compromise with their cravings and make better decisions to avoid the weight gain.

What Are Cravings?

Cravings are strong yearnings for specific foods, usually those with high sugar or high fat content. Unlike the normal hunger that we experience between meals on a daily basis, cravings are triggered by emotions, situations, or pleasant associations. They are linked to our mind's reward system and many times these associations stem back to childhood, holidays or other past experiences (ex: your mom rewarded you with vanilla ice cream and a handful of animal crackers if you did all of your chores when you were little).

Did you know that your senses are powerful enough to trigger a full-on craving episode? When you eat a food you long for, your brain releases dopamine (a natural chemical linked to pleasure) making this mind-body connection an inevitable reality to deal with. In fact many soothe their feelings of stress, depression or boredom through "emotional eating" which provides them with a sense of comfort that they associate from eating specific foods. If not identified or controlled, this pattern can lead to binge eating or other eating disorders. Understanding the power of cravings and your relationship with food is the first step towards combating this problem.

Understanding Your Cravings

Although many cravings are linked with emotional or psychological triggers, when our bodies are deficient in specific vitamins or minerals, we begin to crave things that are spicy, salty, sweet or sour. According to the Diet Channel, if you crave salt, you may be lacking iodine or potassium in your diet. According to Chinese Medicine, sour cravings can mean a weakness in the immune system/ liver & spicy cravings may be an indication of weakness in the lungs or an irregularity in your blood sugar levels. If your cravings are for something sweet, you may have an overgrowth of yeast in your intestines, therefore you should try eating more vegetables to control your sugar cravings. You may also be lacking minerals in your diet so it is suggested to try trace mineral supplements.

Food Flavors & Textures

Surprisingly, many times it is not a specific flavor that we crave, but the texture of the food that long for: Taco Bell had it down to a science when they came up with the "Cheesy Gordita Crunch" - they advertised it as "Crunchy, Cheesy, Chewy & Melty" in order to satisfy any and every late night cravings all at once! (Too bad that "4th meal" will end up costing you 560 calories - 297 calories from fat).

The best way to begin understanding and controlling your cravings is to explore your personal relationship with food. Begin by making a list of your most "craved" foods. Next, try to determine what categories they fall into so that you can seek an alternative when you get a snack attack. There are plenty of healthy recipes out there to satisfy cravings: all Crunchy, Cheesy, Chewy, Melty, Spicy, Salty, Sweet and Sour of them (almost sounds like the 8 Dwarfs of a Fast Food fairy tale).

Compromise with Your Cravings

Your body is an amazing machine. It knows exactly what it needs and asks you for certain foods for reasons described above, so it's important to listen to your body's signals within reason. Sometimes a lower fat substitute will do just the trick. For example, If you can't stop thinking about that slice of pecan pie, try baking a sweet potato, blending in some dry oatmeal, pecans, a touch of cinnamon and brown sugar. Voila! A healthy version of a piece of "pecan pie" with all the nutrient benefits and none of the sugar! A little creativity in the kitchen can help you cancel out your cravings and help you get the best of both worlds!

CHEESY & MELTY:

Instead of: Cheese Pizza (over 500 calories)

TRY: Whole Wheat Thomas English Muffin with 1 Tablespoon of Tomato/Pizza Sauce and Low-fat shredded cheese. Preheat oven to 350 and pop in for 5 minutes and save yourself a couple hundred calories!

CRUNCHY:

Instead of: KFC Chicken (over 500 calories)

TRY: "HFC" - Healthy "Fried" Chicken made with panko

SWEET:

Instead of: Chocolate Mousse Pie (250 calories)

TRY: Low fat Chocolate Jell-O Pudding with a dollop of Cool Whip (130 calories)

SPICY:

Instead of: Large Wendy's Chili (330 calories)

TRY: Homemade Spicy Turkey Chili (Under 200 calories)

SOUR:

Instead of: Sour Patch Kids Candy (140 calories)

TRY: Dill Pickle (only 17 calories)

SALTY:

Instead of: Movie Theater Popcorn (300 calories w/o added butter)

TRY: Air-popped popcorn with sea salt (1cup has only 31 calories)

CHEWY:

Instead of: Subway Chocolate Chip Cookies

TRY: Quaker Granola Bar- Chocolate Chip (only 100 calories & NO Trans fat)

Foods to Avoid to Combat Cravings

- Artificial sweeteners/sugar substitutes

- Pre-packaged, processed or "instant" foods all contain chemicals that will only make you more dependent on them.

- Fast Food: Hitting the drive-through once in awhile isn't such a big deal - the problem is that if you do it one time, you're much more likely to swing by again. Fast food has chemicals and hormones that make it addictive and those who frequent fast food restaurants are more likely to pack on the pounds and also lead to an increased risk of Diabetes and other diseases.

Behavior to Avoid to Combat Cravings:

- Going to the Grocery Store Hungry. You will overspend and most importantly buy things you don't want and don't need! I don't care how strong your willpower is, you will just be setting yourself up for self-sabotage if you do this, so make sure to snack before you shop! Be smart and implement a food shopping strategy. Designate one day a week as your shopping and food preparation day. By developing this ritual, you become more organized and disciplined. I like to do my grocery shopping on Sunday evenings- I feel like I have the whole store to myself!

- Skipping Breakfast: Your mom was right when she said that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Always make sure to eat within the first hour after rising in order to jumpstart your metabolism and burn more calories throughout the day. People think that  they are saving calories when they skip breakfast but it's really quite the opposite. Make sure to have your "Breakfast of Champions" and that you have a balance of protein and complex carbs. Ex: Egg Whites and Oatmeal.

Other Ways to Reduce Your Cravings:

- Eat Regularly: By eating 4-5 small meals per day you will keep your metabolism & blood sugar levels in check and keep your cravings at ease.

- Exercise: Any kind of exercise will help you release endorphins, improve your mood and help you combat your cravings, especially if you can schedule your workout at the specific times that your cravings occur.