Cravings are predictable and can be avoided says Stephen Gullo, PhD

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 4:48 pm Email this article
In an interview I did with the very successfull Stephen Gullo, PhD, author of Thin Tastes Better, he said that cravings are very predictable and will pass within about 12 minutes. He also said that you can prevent cravings by eating every 3-4 hours. Here is the section of his interview where he talks about cravings. Cravings are predictable; don’t give in

Stephen Gullo, PhD says do not give into cravings, they will pass

Hobbs: How do you help patients deal with cravings?

Gullo: I focus a great deal on cravings. People need to realize that a craving is not a command but just a feeling and feelings pass. The average craving lasts 4 to 12 minutes. The availability of trigger foods creates cravings. When people have those foods in their house they are more likely to crave them. To deal with them I take a very mechanical approach. First, it’s necessary to break eye contact with the food and physically separate yourself from it. It’s critical to realize the importance that the power of vision plays in creating cravings. I’m total against the idea of patients keeping food that they abuse in their house. Cravings are very predictable. You can also avoid them by eating every 3 to 4 hours.

REFERENCE

Gilhooly C, Das SK, Golden J, Mccrory M, Dallal G, Saltzman E, Kramer F, Roberts S. Food cravings and energy regulation: The characteristics of craved foods and their relationship with eating behaviors and weight change during 6 months of dietary energy restriction. Int J Obes (Lond). 2007 Dec, 31(12):1849-58.

AUTHOR’S CONTACT INFORMATION

Dr. Susan B. Roberts
Energy Metabolism Laboratory
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging
Tufts University
Room 1312
711 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02111, USA
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

 

Articles on the same subject can be found here:

• Cravings

• Interview with Stephen Gullo, PhD

• Interviews with Doctors