Understanding Food Cravings

What you will be able to do

• tell the difference between physical hunger and a craving.
• recognise hunger, tiredness, cue, feeling and restriction cravings.
• track your cravings and spot your personal patterns.
• use the 10-minute pause and urge surfing to ride out a craving.
• enjoy foods you crave mindfully and without guilt.
• plan regular, balanced meals and satisfying swaps based on the Eatwell Guide.
• recognise when cravings are worth talking to your GP or Beat about.

1. 1What cravings are, and why they are normal

   Learn the difference between a craving and hunger, why cravings happen, and why they are not a sign of weak willpower.

   • Craving or hunger?
   • Why cravings happen, and why willpower is not the answer
2. 2The five common types of craving

   Learn to recognise hunger, tiredness, cue, feeling and restriction cravings, so you can match each one with what is most likely to help.

   • Hunger and tiredness cravings
   • Cue, feeling and restriction cravings

   Craving type checker

3. 3Tracking your cravings and spotting patterns

   Use a simple craving log for two weeks to find your personal patterns, then make if-then plans for your trickiest moments.

   • How to use your craving log
   • Reading your patterns and making if-then plans

   Craving log

4. 4Riding out a craving, and enjoying food without guilt

   Learn the 10-minute pause and urge surfing, and how to enjoy the food you crave mindfully, without guilt, when you choose to have it.

   • The 10-minute pause and urge surfing
   • If you still want it: eat it mindfully, without guilt

   10-minute delay cards

5. 5Setting up your days, satisfying swaps and when to get help

   Build a daily routine that keeps cravings smaller, find swaps that still hit the spot, and know when cravings are worth talking to a professional about.

   • Set up your day to keep cravings smaller
   • Satisfying swaps that still hit the spot
   • Letting go of guilt, and when to get help

   Satisfying swaps listCraving type checker

• TrackerCraving logNote your cravings for two weeks, with no judgement, to see when they happen, what type they are and what helps.
• CheckerCraving type checkerAnswer a few quick questions when a craving hits to work out what kind of craving it is, and what is likely to help most.
• Cards10-minute delay cardsPocket cards to walk you through a 10-minute pause when a craving hits, so you can decide calmly what you really want.
• ListSatisfying swaps listIdeas for swaps that still hit the spot, grouped by the kind of craving, to add to your shopping list or try when a craving comes.