Is there a way to avoid those intense cravings?

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By Marjie Gilliam, Contributing Writer 6:06 PM Monday, February 8, 2010

Q Whenever I try to diet, I end up with intense cravings for certain foods. What causes these and how can I avoid giving into them?

A Rebecca Wilborn, director of the Midtown Diet Center in New York City, recommends paying attention when you feel cravings so that you can determine whether you are feeling actual hunger or eating for other reasons.

“Physical cravings may be a result of low fat intake or low blood sugar. For many, mid-afternoon cravings are merely our body’s way of telling us it has been too long since lunch and we actually need to eat. A piece of fruit, yogurt, or a handful of nuts can get the blood sugar levels back up and keep us from reaching for less healthy snacks.”

Emotions play a big part in food cravings, too, Wilborn says. “When we’re stressed, anxious, frustrated, lonely ... all these feelings can trigger our cravings.” She adds that we may have memories of how good certain foods made us feel when we were younger.

Sensory triggers, like smells and sights, can also set off cravings, says Wilborn. She offers these tips:

Distract yourself. Take yourself out of the situation for 45 minutes to an hour. Then if you still want whatever it is you’re craving, have a small amount.

Exercise.

Relax with deep breathing exercises or meditation.

Choose a healthy substitute. If you want ice cream, have some fat-free, sugar-free ice cream, frozen yogurt or sorbet. Wilborn also recommends freezing a container of light yogurt. It takes on a wonderful consistency, she says. If you want potato chips, try baked tortilla chips instead.

Listen to your cravings. If you want something salty, you may very well need salt. If so, add salt to your food instead of having salty snacks.

If you know what situations trigger your cravings, avoid them if possible.

Drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. “Often hunger is a signal that we’re thirsty,” says Wilborn.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. We all have moments of weakness, so every now and then, as long as it doesn’t become a habit, it is alright to give in to cravings.

Q I had knee-replacement surgery and have just started taking walks as a means to get in shape and lose weight. As I’m walking, the muscles in my low back tighten up to the point where I continually have to stop and let them relax before walking again. My back also bothers me when I sit a lot. Any ideas on how I can deal with this issue?

A Lower back stiffness and pain can have a number of causes, but it most commonly stems from a lack of flexibility in this area. When muscles are tight, their range of motion is limited, so any movement that causes them to overstretch can lead to tearing, which in turn, leads to pain.

Although stopping the activity might help to bring relief, it does nothing to address the underlying problem. Some things to consider:

Posture: While sitting, take a look at how your body is positioned. Are you leaning forward? Are your shoulders rounded and head tilted forward? Are your legs crossed? Answering yes to any of these questions puts your lower back at an increased risk of strain.

In essence, the further forward the weight of the upper body, the greater the stretch, or pull on the lower back. This applies whether you are seated, standing still, walking or with any activity. Muscles react to this stretching by constricting, or tightening. Pain typically arises when sitting for prolonged periods of time.

Faulty body mechanics: It is possible that with your knee surgery, your gait has changed, which could potentially be creating stress on the lower back. It is also possible that you may have muscle strength imbalances.

Physical therapist Mitchell Yass comments on the importance of maintaining proper balance of the quadriceps (front of thigh) and the hamstrings (back of thigh). Both of these muscle groups attach to the pelvis and so have the ability to tilt the pelvis forward or backward.

“The quads are typically stronger than the hamstrings, and because they attach to the front of the pelvis, when they are shortened, they pull the front of the pelvis toward the floor. This causes the back of the pelvis to rise. This shortens the distance between the back of the rib cage and the back of the pelvis, decreasing the length of the lower back muscles and limiting their ability to create force.

A major key to sustaining strong lower back muscles is to keep balance of the hamstrings and quads,” Yass says. Examples of exercises that work the hamstrings effectively include deadlifts and hamstring curls.

The more stressed your back muscles are, the more time they need to heal, so you may need to cut back on the number of minutes spent per session. For example, instead of taking a 30-minute walk, break it up into three 10-minute or two 15-minute workouts.

Very gentle stretching can help, but if you continue to experience back pain, it is important to see your doctor to determine the cause.

Back pain can be the result of other conditions such as a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, which require medical treatment.

Marjie Gilliam is an International Sports Sciences Master certified personal trainer and fitness consultant. She owns Custom Fitness Personal Training Services. Contact her in care of the Dayton Daily News, call her at (937) 878-9018 or send e-mail to marjie@ohtrainer.com. Her Web site is www.ohtrainer.com.

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