Having a Food Craving After a Hard Day? Youre not alone
If you’re anything like me, there’s nothing you’d like more than to eat some crappy, unhealthy food after a long day on top of a long stressful week…
The Dilemma Craving After A Hard Day
You’re on the train home after working a very long day, you’re starving, craving something either salty, sweet or fatty (whatever your typical poison is) and you’re almost justifying it because you’ve had such a productive day.
On the train, the majority of food consists of hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, or your favorite candy. So do you go for the crap or the healthier option like pretzels and hummus, a banana, turkey on whole wheat, and some nuts?
On the train, the majority of food consists of hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, or your favorite candy. So do you go for the crap or the healthier option like pretzels and hummus, a banana, turkey on whole wheat, and some nuts?
The Science of this Dilemma
It’s not by accident that under a stressful environment your body is craving a vice, in actuality, your craving is not that different than an addict craving their drug of choice! Not only from a psychological perspective but from a physiological perspective.
Science has shown that there are biochemical changes that affect the brain when it comes to craving bad food (Pelchat, 2009) and not only that but studies have been done on self-control as an exhaustible resource.
(Baumeister, R. E., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. 1998), which can also contribute to our limited ability to make the right choice after a hard day.
Science has shown that there are biochemical changes that affect the brain when it comes to craving bad food (Pelchat, 2009) and not only that but studies have been done on self-control as an exhaustible resource.
(Baumeister, R. E., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. 1998), which can also contribute to our limited ability to make the right choice after a hard day.
The Brains Role in Addiction
When looking at what’s going on in the brain, Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, which is likely the culprit when it comes to an addiction. For example, when someone uses cocaine it causes the release of dopamine, it provides people with a feeling of satisfaction and reward.
This neurotransmitter that makes people feel high is similar to the one that people experience while consuming food. (Small et al., 2003) In a study by Wang et al., (2001) they found that the receptor in our brains used for Dopamine had an inverse relationship with Body Mass Index.
That basically means that the heavier you are, the less ability you have to use Dopamine, and the less ability you have to naturally use Dopamine, the more you rely on something to give you that feeling of satisfaction, i.e. Food & Drugs.
This neurotransmitter that makes people feel high is similar to the one that people experience while consuming food. (Small et al., 2003) In a study by Wang et al., (2001) they found that the receptor in our brains used for Dopamine had an inverse relationship with Body Mass Index.
That basically means that the heavier you are, the less ability you have to use Dopamine, and the less ability you have to naturally use Dopamine, the more you rely on something to give you that feeling of satisfaction, i.e. Food & Drugs.
Self Control: An Exhaustible Resource?
Is it possible that having to make many decisions can lead to making a bad decision or just giving up on a difficult task all together?
Baumeister et al., (1998) showed this to be true in a couple of different studies, the researchers looked at a group of college students who were asked to restrain from eating cookies, with the option of eating radishes.
While the other group was allowed to eat a couple cookies with the option of eating radishes. A day later they brought both groups back and asked them to solve an unsolvable puzzle and interestingly the radish group quit the task in half the time as the cookie group.
Baumeister et al., (1998) showed this to be true in a couple of different studies, the researchers looked at a group of college students who were asked to restrain from eating cookies, with the option of eating radishes.
While the other group was allowed to eat a couple cookies with the option of eating radishes. A day later they brought both groups back and asked them to solve an unsolvable puzzle and interestingly the radish group quit the task in half the time as the cookie group.
What was the researcher's explanation for this? Self-control is an exhaustible resource!
Now What?
There’s good news and there’s bad news. The bad news is that a food addiction can cause biochemical changes in the brain that require us to rely on bad foods to make us feel good.
This can create a vicious cycle that results in diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and possibly a whole host of other health-related issues. The good news is that this biochemical change in our brain is reversible, and it is reversible by engaging in a cardiovascular activity.
This can create a vicious cycle that results in diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and possibly a whole host of other health-related issues. The good news is that this biochemical change in our brain is reversible, and it is reversible by engaging in a cardiovascular activity.
Solution #1
Cardiovascular activity has been shown to change the biochemistry in our brain and has positive effects on those same D2 receptors that become compromised in obese individuals (Neeper et al., 1995).
In the health tools section of my website you will find both a Level 1 and Level 2 cardio program available for download, these are both a great way to start increasing your cardiovascular activity and achieving all the great benefits of cardio.
In the health tools section of my website you will find both a Level 1 and Level 2 cardio program available for download, these are both a great way to start increasing your cardiovascular activity and achieving all the great benefits of cardio.
Solution #2
My second recommendation would be to not totally neglect yourself, finding a small sweet or even a healthy sweet option can often be the key to not binging and reinforcing the cycle of addiction.
For example, some pineapple, or dried mango, or even a piece of dark chocolate, all of which can provide nutritional benefits and the sweet craving our brain is calling for.
For example, some pineapple, or dried mango, or even a piece of dark chocolate, all of which can provide nutritional benefits and the sweet craving our brain is calling for.
Solution #3
My final recommendation would be to manage your blood sugar throughout the day by eating foods that cause low glycemic load on the body, eating protein first thing in the morning every day.
And lastly adding a snack high in fiber in the afternoon such as apple slices and peanut butter, Larabar Original Fruit and Nut Bars, or even a high fiber cereal, like Kashi GOLEAN Crunch which has up to 8 grams of fiber per serving!
And lastly adding a snack high in fiber in the afternoon such as apple slices and peanut butter, Larabar Original Fruit and Nut Bars, or even a high fiber cereal, like Kashi GOLEAN Crunch which has up to 8 grams of fiber per serving!
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