Can’t Stop Craving Certain Foods? Here’s What’s Really Going On
If you feel like food cravings are constantly sabotaging your goals, this episode of Embrace Your Real is for you. So many women assume cravings are just a sign of weakness or lack of willpower—but the truth is, cravings are a signal your body is trying to send you. In this episode, I’m breaking down the science behind why you crave certain foods, what your cravings actually mean, and the sustainable steps you can take to reduce and respond to them in a healthier, more empowered way.
This episode is your go-to guide for understanding cravings without guilt—and learning how to respond to them with clarity and confidence.
What I Discuss:
Why cravings aren’t about lack of motivation or discipline
The 6 most common root causes of food cravings (including some you might not expect)
How under-eating and blood sugar crashes can trigger intense cravings
Why your sleep, stress, and emotional state matter more than you think
Seven realistic and science-backed strategies to reduce cravings
What specific cravings like chocolate, chips, and caffeine may actually mean
How to build meals and habits that support your hormones, energy, and results
…If you loved this episode, you’ll also love Episode 466: Still Hungry After Hitting Your Macros? Do This....
If you want more from me, be sure to check out...
Follow me on Instagram: @juliealedbetter | @embraceyourreal | @movementwithjulie
Movement With Julie | App: https://sale.movementwithjulie.com/
Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/
Website: www.juliealedbetter.com
Get my eBook: FREE Macro Counting Ebook
Amazon Storefront: Julie Ledbetter's Amazon Page
Transcript:
00:00
Hey there, beautiful human, you're listening to Embrace your Real with me, julie Ledbetter, a podcast where I empower you to just be you. With each episode, I dish you a dose of real talk and actionable advice for building your confidence, honoring your body and unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned. If you're ready to embrace your real, let's get it. Let's go. Hello and welcome back to another episode on the Embrace your Real podcast.
00:31
Today we're gonna be diving into something that every woman deals with but very few people actually understand, and that is food cravings. You know those days where you feel like you're doing great. Then, out of nowhere, you literally find yourself in front of the pantry thinking about chocolate chips or something salty for the third time that day. Maybe you're chalking macros, you're sticking to your workouts, but the cravings just won't quit and it can feel like you know what is wrong with me? Why do I not have control over food? Why do I always crave sweets after dinner? Am I just not disciplined enough? And I want you to hear this loud and clear that cravings are not just a willpower problem. They aren't Like. They are a signal, and today we're going to be decoding that signal so that you can better understand what your body is trying to tell you. So in today's episode, we're going to be covering what people think cravings are, what actually are causing them, tips for overcoming cravings, and then what specific cravings may be telling you about your body. So that's exactly what we're going to be covering in today's episode. So if that sounds interesting, if that sounds like that's going to help you out, please continue to tune in.
01:33
Before we dive in, though, I want to share this review. It comes from TakeATripWithLMOD. I love that so much. She gave a five-star review and said Best self-talk. This podcast is my favorite one to ever listen to. Spoke to my heart on my toxic relationship with food that I was in the dark about four years. God bless you for teaching me to honor and love my body. I got rid of my scales and I've never been happier. Thank you for sharing your life lessons. I love this so much and I'm so proud of you. I know how hard it is to get rid of that scale, but, man, it can be so liberating if that is really holding you back. Man, it can be so liberating if that is really holding you back, and so I'm so, so, so proud of you. Okay, let's get into it.
02:08
Part one what people think food cravings are. So most women think food cravings are a sign that they're just not motivated enough, they're not mentally tough or they're too emotional around food. And there's this belief that if you were better or stronger or more committed, you wouldn't want that cupcake or crave chips after a long day. But here's the truth Craving food doesn't mean that you lack willpower. It doesn't mean that you're broken or failing. It means that your body is really trying to communicate something with you. And just like pain is a signal for something wrong in your body, cravings are a signal that something is off in your physical or emotional environment. Like cravings itself and themselves are not the enemy. The goal isn't to eliminate all cravings forever, because that's not realistic. The goal is just to try to understand why they show up and learn how to respond with curiosity instead of judgment.
02:52
And then part two is what is actually causing the food cravings? So cravings can be triggered by a number of different things, but here are some of the most common causes. The first is under eating, restrictive eating. So if you are not eating enough calories overall, your body is eventually going to try to compensate One of the ways it does. That is by driving up your desire for high calorie, high reward foods, and these are typically sugary or fatty foods that provide quick energy. So if you're constantly craving food, it might not be a discipline issue. It might just be that your body is genuinely underfed. The second is imbalanced blood sugar. So when your blood sugar crashes, your body craves this quick energy and that's why you might feel fine one moment and then suddenly feel desperate for sugar, like if you're eating mostly processed carbs without enough protein or fiber to kind of balance out your meals. Your blood sugar might be swinging all day, leading to these stronger cravings.
03:44
Third is poor sleep. Well, we all know how important sleep is, but lack of sleep actually can throw your hunger and fullness hormones way out of whack Ghrelin, which is the hunger hormone that's primarily responsible for your hunger, that goes up, and leptin, which is the fullness hormone, that actually goes down. You will also get these cortisol and insulin resistances, which can also make cravings worse, especially cravings for these high carb, high fat foods. Fourth is hormonal fluctuation. So, especially around your menstrual cycle, hormonal shifts can actually lead to more intense cravings, like these estrogen progesterone fluctuations that can influence serotonin levels, which actually affects your mood and your cravings. And it's normal to want to have comfort foods in the days leading up to your period or even on your period. I get it, we all get it, but that is actual science Like those hormone fluctuations are actually impacting that.
04:39
The fifth is emotional and mental stress. We all know food is comforting. It activates this reward center in our brain and gives us a hit of dopamine when we have it. So if you're feeling overwhelmed, if you're feeling lonely, if you're feeling emotionally drained, you might crave food as a way to self-soothe. And again, that's not a weakness, it's just your brain trying to cope. And the sixth thing is habit and environment. Sometimes we crave food simply because we've trained our brain to expect it. Like if you always eat popcorn while watching TV or always grab a treat after dinner, your brain starts to associate those times and places with food. And that's not a craving from hunger, it's really just a learned habit.
05:19
So now that you kind of understand what is triggering your cravings, let's kind of discuss the how. Like, how do you overcome that? Number one you have to eat enough calories. First things first. If you're not eating enough food, you're literally going to crave everything. Like it's just that simple. I'm sorry I don't have a fancier, more advanced way to share that with you, but that's the truth.
05:38
Like your body is smart and when it's underfed it doesn't care that you're trying to quote unquote be good or quote unquote, stick to your plan. Like it literally kicks into survival mode and cranks up your hunger hormones, especially ones that drive you towards quick energy, which is sugar and refined carbs oftentimes and this is why so many women feel out of control right Around food, when they're actually just under fueled. It's not really a lack of willpower, it's your metabolism trying to save you. And actually, inside my Macro County Meats Simple Online Academy, I teach you how to determine how much food your body actually needs, based on your activity, your goals, your hormones. So you're fueling yourself in a way that supports your body and not starves it. So you're giving your body what it needs daily. Therefore, your cravings don't have a chance to take control right. If you're unsure as to how much your body needs, you can go to macrocountymatesimplecom to get your macros custom calculated. I will go ahead and link that in the show notes as well, but that's going to be key in order to learn how much to properly fuel your body.
06:37
Number two have all foods beyond limits. And this is one of the biggest mindset shifts that I teach again in my macro academy and simple online community is that no foods are off limits, like literally no foods are off limits, and the moment that you put certain foods in this bad category and you try to restrict them completely, your brain literally fixates on them. That's just human psychology, and when you can't have something, you want it more right. But when you know that you can eat the chocolate or the pizza or the ice cream and it still fits within your macros, you don't crave it as wildly, you don't obsess, you don't feel like it's your last chance to eat it before you start over. And when all foods are on limits, cravings lose their grip, like you can eat whatever you want, whatever you love and still make progress, and that is what makes it so sustainable.
07:24
Number three is and this kind of piggybacks off of what I just talked about, but balancing your meals Like cravings oftentimes sneak in when these meals are unbalanced. If you're just grabbing carbs on the go without pairing them with protein or fat, your blood sugar is going to spike and then when it crashes, that's when you start craving something. When possible, I really try to encourage people to build each meal at least at the very least two of the three meals with very intentionality, like with much intention, right. So protein to stabilize that hunger. Healthy fats to slow that digestion. Fiber to help you feel full, and then those complex carbs to provide the long-lasting energy. Again, don't stress if you can't do this for every meal, but if cravings are taking control, doing this at least for two of the three meals is going to really help. And this is exactly the kind of balance that we focus on when tracking macros, because it really does keep you feeling energized and satisfied and not desperate for snacks, you know, an hour later.
08:18
Number four I talk about this a ton in the podcast, but it's so important and it really does impact so many areas of our life. But it's improving your sleep quality. Like. Lack of sleep equals intense cravings every single time, and when you don't get enough sleep, your body ramps up the ghrelin, which is the hormone that makes you feel hungry, and it suppresses that leptin, which is what I talked about, which is that hormone that makes you feel full. So lack of sleep means that you're going to feel more hungry and less full.
08:45
And when you don't sleep well, your brain doesn't manage dopamine well, and dopamine is a feel-good chemical that helps you feel motivated, happy, satisfied. So when your brain is literally low on dopamine, it starts looking for a quick way to feel better, and one of the fastest ways to get that feel good hit is through reward foods like sugar chips or anything super tasty Like. These foods light up the pleasure centers in your brain and they give you that temporary oh this feels so good feeling. But the catch is that feeling doesn't last forever and it usually leaves us wanting more. And so when you're tired, it's not just that you're physically low in energy, it's also that your brain is more likely to chase those comfort foods, especially the ones that make you feel good, fast.
09:26
But just one rough night can throw your hunger signals off big time, like I've noticed prior to this episode, I've been getting like six hours of sleep a night, and that's just by my own choice to go to bed later, which is like I regret. Every single time in the morning I'm like, oh my gosh, why did I do that? But really prioritizing at least a minimum of seven to nine hours, I personally feel my best at seven to seven and a half hours of sleep per night. So this means like setting a bedtime, cutting off the caffeine earlier, creating a relaxing nighttime routine. Like I know it's a lot, but it's worth it, because sleep is a secret weapon when it comes to managing those cravings, plain and simple.
10:05
Number five is identify emotional triggers. Let's be real. Some cravings literally have nothing to do with food. They're really about how we feel stress, anxiety, boredom, overwhelm. And when these emotions creep in, if we haven't built tools to handle them, we oftentimes reach for food. But why is that? Well, that's because it's comforting. Food is familiar. It gives us that quick dopamine hit, like I was talking about, and that little moment of relief or distraction. It's not about the food itself. It's really about what the food represents in the moment Comfort, escape, control or even love and listen.
10:38
This doesn't mean that you're weak. It doesn't mean that you're doing something wrong. No-transcript, to try a different response. You might journal for a few minutes. You might take a short walk and clear your head. You might breathe deeply and ground yourself. You might text someone, you might pray, you might journal for a moment of stillness. None of this means that food is off the table forever. Sometimes food will still be a part of the process, and that's okay. This isn't about perfection. This isn't about shame. It's really about becoming aware of your patterns and giving yourself more options in how you respond.
11:39
And when you build these emotional coping skills, food starts to lose its power as your default fix. Like you, become more in control, not by restriction, but by choice. And again, inside my Macro County Made Simple online community, we don't just talk about hitting your numbers. We talk about your mindset around food, because how you think about food is just as important as what's on your plate. Number six is replace, don't restrict.
12:04
So we have to stop trying to white knuckle our way through cravings because, let's be honest, telling yourself I can't have this, I can't have this, I can't have this, over and over again. That's exhausting and it usually backfires Like the more that you restrict, the more your brain fixates on one thing that you're trying to avoid. It's like telling yourself to not think about a pink elephant. What's the first thing that you're going to picture? The pink elephant right? Like when we operate from a mindset of deprivation, we create this all or nothing loop and you avoid the food. Then you crave it more, then you finally give in and then you feel guilty afterwards. It's exhausting and it's honestly unnecessary. Instead of framing cravings as a battle that you have to fight, reframe the question how can I satisfy this craving in a way that still supports my goals? Because you can have your cake and you can have your goals. You can literally have both.
12:51
You just need to get a little creative and kind of a few ways to get you started is if you're craving something sweet. I personally have this protein shake every single morning. It is so good, it's under my highlights, I believe, and basically all I have, and it's you guys. It's 55 grams of protein. So I have almond milk, I have some creamer, some sweet cream creamer, which is like literally my favorite. I have a premier protein, which is caffeine. So I actually don't have coffee. I haven't been having coffee in the morning. I've just been using this because it has caffeine and then half a scoop of PE science protein. Blend it all up, no ice, and then I pour it over ice and I'm telling you it is so smooth, so creamy, so delicious and it has 55 grams of protein. So that is something that is if you're craving something sweet, at least for me, that's what I do, and in the morning I always have a peanut butter and jelly bagel Like that is just my go-to. So I have 55 grams of protein in my protein shake and then I have a Dave's Killer bagel with some honey, peanut butter and some jam on it some strawberry jam and it is bomb, but that's amazing.
13:59
If you want some crunch, go for protein chips. I literally love the Quest protein chips. They're so good. There's also some other ones. I can't remember the name of it, but it's basically waffles and chicken. I know it sounds really gross, but it's sweet and salty. I get them at Sprouts and they're made with egg whites. If you just type in like egg whites, chicken and waffle chips, you'll find them. They're like a yellow bag, a yellow and gold bag. They're so, so good. But roasted edamame, even air popped popcorn with some seasoning. That's crunchy and satisfying. If you need dessert, go with some Greek yogurt, some berries, drizzle some honey or dark chocolate chips. I personally have a few squares of dark chocolate chips every single night before I go to bed and it is so good, it's so good.
14:42
Or just save rooms in your macros for whatever you're craving. That's another way to go about it. You know what you want and say, okay, I'm going to work backwards, i'm'm going to put this in my macro tracking app first, and then I'm going to build my day around it. You don't have to deprive yourself. You just have to nourish and satisfy yourself intentionally, and the best part is, the more that you do it, the easier it becomes. Like you'll start craving the foods that make you feel good, not just the ones that give you that quick hit and quick fix. And again, inside my macro economy and simple online academy, I really I go through how to build a bank of your own swaps and strategies so that you're never left feeling like you know what to eat or feeling like you ruined everything because you had a craving, because satisfaction and results they can absolutely coexist.
15:24
Number seven is hydrate. I know that this might sound overly simple, but hear me out Like a lot of cravings are actually dehydration in disguise, like your body can confuse thirst for hunger, and so if you find yourself suddenly craving something salty or sweet out of nowhere, especially when it doesn't really make sense, you might just need like a super big glass of water or half of a hydro jug, whatever it is. Because and the reason why is because your body is constantly working to keep everything in balance, and so when you're low on fluids, it can send out signals that feel like hunger, low energy, even moodiness. And because so many of us live in this mild state of dehydration without even realizing it, those false hunger cues can oftentimes happen more than you think. And so, before you reach for a snack, ask yourself like how much water have I had today? And the answer if the answer is not much, try drinking 10, 12, 16 ounces of water and wait 10 minutes. You would be surprised at how often the craving fades once your body actually gets what it needs.
16:22
And my personal general rule of thumb is 0.67 times your body weight as minimum ounces of water per day. And then, obviously, if you have additional activities, you're gonna wanna add 10 to 12 ounces for every 30 minutes of additional activity. Or if you're breastfeeding, personally, I have been aiming for about 120, 100 to 120 ounces of water per day, and that's just what is what makes me feel my best and not feel like I'm totally dehydrated, because, man, when you're exclusively breastfeeding especially me, like almost nine months in I still every day I'm like, oh my gosh, I am so dehydrated, I feel it just like so sucked dry, unless I'm drinking at least 100 to 120 ounces of water per day. Again, like I mentioned, if you do have additional activity, like you're sweating during your workouts, drinking caffeine or living in a warm climate, that alone is going to make you need more water per day. And if plain water feels boring like, add a squeeze of lemon, add some fruit slices or an electrolyte packet or coconut water. Those are ways to keep your hydration interesting.
17:27
This is literally one of the easiest, most overlooked ways to reduce cravings and support your body. It's a simple habit that makes a big impact. And again, inside my micro-academy, simple Online Academy, I walk you through that too really, how to build this into your daily routine so that you're constantly hydrated, energized and feeling your best. And really just don't underestimate the power of water. Last but not least, find your happiness. This one might surprise you, but it's so important. The happier that you are, the less food controls you, and when your life is full of joy and connection and purpose, self-care, food becomes something you enjoy, not something that you obsess over. Cravings oftentimes show up strongest when something else is missing, so focus on filling your life with things that truly light you up, like movement that makes you feel alive, people who energize you, goals that excite you, rest that restores you, values that give you purpose, and the happier that you are overall, the healthier you're going to be.
18:22
I know that we covered a lot today, so let's kind of wrap it up into a quick recap of the key takeaways to walk away with. So number one is cravings are not about willpower, they're communication. They're your body's way of telling you that something is off, whether that's physically, emotionally, hormonally. You are not broken. You're just being sent a message.
18:41
Number two under eating is one of the top causes of cravings. So if you're not eating enough throughout the day, especially not enough protein or overall calories, your body will eventually scream for quick energy, usually in the form of sugar or high fats. Number three all foods should be on limits. Restriction increases those crazy cravings, but when you know that you can have something and it still fits within your macros, the intensity of that craving drops dramatically. Number four balanced meals are essential. So every meal should have protein, healthy fats, fiber and a complex carb. Or at least aim for two of those three meals per day with that because that's going to keep your blood sugar steady and help you feel full longer and this reduces the chances of random cravings that are hitting you later.
19:25
Number five remember that sleep plays a huge role. Lack of sleep messes with our hunger and fullness hormones and they make you crave those reward foods for that dopamine boost. So just encouraging you to prioritize Again, I understand it. I get it, being in this postpartum season, sleep is few and far between, but really prioritizing seven to nine hours of quality sleep, if you can, each night. Number six emotional triggers drive many cravings. So stress, anxiety, boredom, overwhelm those can all push us towards food as a way to cope. Build awareness and experiment with other coping tools like journaling, walking prayer, connection with people.
20:01
Number seven replace, don't restrict. So instead of saying I can't have this, ask how can I satisfy the craving in a way that still supports my goals? And this could be a protein shake, it could be Greek yogurt with honey, it could be protein chips, whatever works for you. Number eight hydration matters more than you think. Remember that dehydration can oftentimes feel like hunger or cravings, but if you at least drink, you know, 80 ounces of water per day minimum, more if you're active, if you're breastfeeding, whatever, or live somewhere warm hydration is going to be key. And remember, if it's boring, you can add lemon, you can add fruit, electrolyte, coconut water. All of those things are going to help you stay hydrated. And last but not least, number nine the happier you are, the less food controls you.
20:43
Having a joyful, fulfilled life reduces the emotional eating. So when you feel good in your life, food becomes something that you enjoy, not something that you obsess over. If you're nodding your head, thinking, okay, this is exactly what I needed to hear, but you still feel unsure how to put it all into action, my Macro County Made Simple Online Academy is for you. Inside, I teach you step-by-step how to calculate your custom macros, how to build balanced meals that you love and shift your mindset around food so that you can stop feeling controlled by cravings and start feeling confident in your choices. And this is where satisfaction and results finally coexist, and I'd personally be honored to walk alongside of you through it. So if you want to learn more, you can go to macrocountingmadesimplecom. Again, that's macrocountingmadesimplecom, and let's do this together. I've also included a link in the show notes for you to go check out.
21:33
If you love this episode. I know you'll also love episode 466. If you're still hungry after your macros, what to do? And I give you a step-by-step guide there. So I will go ahead and link episode 466 as well in the show notes below. That is all that I have for today's episode. I hope that you found this helpful.
21:50
If you have a friend or a coworker, someone in your life that you feel like would really benefit from this episode, I just ask that you share it out with them. You can copy the link and send it to them in a text message. You can also screenshot this and post it up in your Instagram story. I love, love, love connecting with you. Also, be sure to follow us over on Embrace your Real. We're really trying to be more active over there and connect with you. All right, I love you so dang much. I mean it, and I'll talk to you in the next one.
22:18
All right, sister, that's all I got for you today, but I have two things that I need you to do. First thing, if you are not already following me on the gram, be sure to do so. Julie A Ledbetter yes, it's with an A in the middle for that daily post-workout real talk, healthy tips and tricks and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world, and I'm going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace your real, because you're worth it. Thank you.