You’re halfway off the sofa before you realise you’re thinking about the chocolate in the cupboard again.
In this episode, Rick Taylar looks at what can make that urge feel so strong after 40, from a rushed lunch to broken sleep and routines you’ve repeated for years.
He guides you through a short urge-surfing practice and offers a question to take into your next evening: “What happened before this?”
Important points mentioned
1. Hunger and a craving can arrive together. You can need dinner and still want a particular food. If you’re hungry, go ahead and eat.
2. Familiar routines can cue a craving. If you often have toast while watching television, switching on the TV can bring toast to mind before you’ve decided whether you want any.
3. Look back over the day. Poor sleep, stress and a long gap between meals are worth noticing. Perimenopause can also affect appetite, and the experience varies from person to person.
4. Give the food your attention. Put your phone down for a bite. Notice how it tastes and whether it gives you the pleasure you were looking for.
5. Practise noticing the urge. Feel where it shows up in your body, rate it from one to ten and check again after a few breaths. Give yourself room to choose even if the feeling stays strong.
6. Make one change before the usual craving hits. Pack lunch if you keep missing it, or have something ready to heat if you usually come home too hungry to cook.
Do this!
Pick one craving that keeps coming up this week. When it arrives, ask, “What happened before this?” Jot down what you remember and what you chose to do. Use what you notice to make one small change the next day.
References
The Psychology of Food Cravings: The Role of Food Deprivation
Clinical Review: Menopause Hormone Therapy in Weight Management
Effects of Sleep Restriction on Metabolism-Related Parameters in Healthy Adults
Sleep, Health, and Metabolism in Midlife Women and Menopause
Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Food Craving in Adults
