Braving the Craving

What should you do when you crave a particular food -- especially one that might not be the most nutritious thing in the fridge? Try these tactics:

• Wait 20 minutes to see if the craving passes.
• Have a glass of water.
• Limit yourself to a small amount.
• All of the above.

When you're craving something, the first thing to do is to try to wait it out, especially if you've just eaten. It takes about 20 minutes for the hypothalamus in the brain to signal the stomach that it's full. Having a glass of water may also help, because hunger signs may be due to lack of hydration.

If after 20 minutes you still want the food, allow yourself a small portion. Savor it slowly. Don't deny cravings. Learning to handle them will leave you feeling less deprived and less likely to binge.

Each year, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians care for more than 180,000 patients, representing nearly 500,000 patient visits. Medical College physicians practice at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, and many other hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.