Craving Control & Confidence: How to Beat Summer Body Anxiety Without Dieting
Warm weather season is upon us, meaning many people are starting to think about their diets and fitness routines in anticipation of summer pool parties, barbecues, beach days, and other outdoor activities. But instead of experiencing excitement as temperatures rise, many dread the thought of swapping their cozy sweaters and long pants for lighter layers of clothing that reveal more skin.
According to a 2011 study published in Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, simply thinking about wearing revealing clothing (like a swimsuit) can trigger body dissatisfaction, body shame, and negative mood. When we’re constantly hearing phrases like “summer body” and “bikini ready”, it’s practically impossible not to feel insecure!
This is just one example of seasonal body image: a term used to describe shifts in body image as seasons change. About 70% of people experience body dissatisfaction in the summer, and a survey of 1,000 Americans found that a third of people would rather visit the dentist than wear a bathing suit!
These negative thoughts don’t just feel bad emotionally. They can also increase cravings for the very foods we think we need to avoid, leading to emotional eating.
If this resonates with you, overly restrictive diets and other unsustainable habits are not the solution. After all, picnics and barbecues, ice cream cones on hot summer days, and s’mores around the campfire are half the fun of summer — and depriving yourself of these things may have the opposite effect. Overly restrictive diets often “feed” cravings — not fight them!
So what’s a girl to do? How can we feel our best heading into summer when dieting is out of the question?
It all starts with managing our food cravings, not depriving ourselves of the foods we truly want. Join my Nutrition and Wellbeing Program for Women and we’ll create an adequate eating regimen that satisfies your cravings, supports your fitness goals, AND boosts your confidence.
So what’s the first step toward managing food cravings?
Firstly, it’s important to understand that food cravings are likely psychological and physiological. We tend to crave certain foods — especially sweets, fats, and salty foods — because they stimulate the reward centers of the brain.
These foods trigger the release of dopamine, produce feelings of pleasure when consumed, and keep us coming back for more. This is why we refer to them as trigger foods: they’re foods that feel so good when consumed that we simply cannot stop eating them (or craving them). We often feel out of control around these foods.
We also tend to crave these foods because they’re advertised to us in ways that make them well, craveable. When we see photos and videos of certain foods on television or social media (think: juicy hamburgers, potato chips, and sodas), the reward centers of the brain light up and make us want them. Even people who don’t normally crave these foods seem to form positive opinions about them after viewing television ads, which can impact their future eating behaviors.
We call this the Expectancy Theory: the idea that if we observe others experiencing positive emotions from, say, eating fast food, we expect the same positive outcomes for ourselves. This is why tobacco ads were so effective, and why they were later banned!
In theory, avoiding food advertisements could help to control our cravings for the foods we’re trying to cut back on (notice I said control cravings and cut back on foods — not eliminate!). However, since these advertisements are nearly everywhere, this isn’t realistic for most of us. We’d have to avoid all forms of media!
Let’s look at some more practical solutions for taking control of your food cravings:
Think about how you feel after eating certain foods. Psychologically, you may experience a temporary high from eating certain foods (this is the dopamine rush we talked about earlier). But physically, how do these foods make you feel?
Are you content with the way your body feels after eating them?
Do you experience bloating, gas, or other GI issues? Headaches? Brain fog? Fatigue? Irritability? Sadness?
Try keeping a food journal so you can look for patterns in your eating habits and refer back to the journal when you’re tempted to overeat something you know won’t agree with you.
Keep the flavor, lose the calories. Take away the power of a trigger food by regularly incorporating its flavor into nutritious meals and snacks. For example, if you crave chocolate, add cocoa powder to your steel-cut oatmeal or blend it into a healthy smoothie.
Eat more protein. On the topic of protein, eating more protein helps to keep you fuller between meals so you’re less likely to snack or overeat. Seafood is an excellent protein source with healthy fats, or if you're a vegetarian, opting for plant-based sources of protein is helpful. For example, three ounces of baked salmon provides about 23 grams of protein — while a half-cup of tofu provides about nine grams.
Keep nutrient-rich snacks on hand. Along with protein, foods containing fiber and healthy fats can help to keep you fuller for longer. Some examples of nutrient-rich snacks to keep on hand include:
Apple slices smothered in peanut butter and hemp seeds
Whole-grain crackers with cheese
Carrot slices dipped in hummus with nuts on the side
Go for a walk. Research suggests that short bouts of exercise — even a brisk walk — can reduce urges for sugary snacks. If walking isn’t an activity you enjoy, try another type of exercise such as running, biking, dancing, or rebounding (AKA jumping on a mini trampoline).
Avoid cheat days. While the idea of a "cheat day" — a full day to eat anything you want — can seem like a welcome break, “cheating” isn’t something I recommend. Cheating implies that you're not the one making the rules. However, when it comes to your own health, you're the one in charge. You can decide what a balanced diet means for you, including which foods to cut out entirely, and which foods to enjoy on occasion.
Reframe and schedule your indulgences. Make an active choice to ENJOY a trigger food, rather than "giving in" to cravings when you feel out of control. Plan a treat for yourself, sit down with a single serving, and savor every bite.
It's my philosophy that eating well requires sustainable habits — not restrictive diets. Join my Nutrition and Wellbeing Program for Women and I’ll help you make sustainable changes for improved physical, mental, and emotional health.
