Have there been lots of Forum posts about cravings in the past several days, or am I just noticing them more because I had to deal with one on Sunday? When I am hit with a craving, it helps if I can figure out why. Avoids, stress, hormones, and homeostasis give me cravings.

The best thing to do for a stress craving is to exercise. My son knows this intuitively. When he was in high school, if he had a bad day or made a bad grade, he would go for a 3-mile run. He pounded the stress into the pavement. When I am stressed, what I want to do is eat and chill out. If I make myself get up and get moving, the stress starts to leave and the craving goes with it.

The only thing that helps a craving caused by homeostasis is to focus on the long-term goal. Our bodies were designed to maintain balance. If I exercise more or eat less, after a few days, something inside says "It's time to take in some calories and get back to the way you were."

I have never had any success fighting off a hormone craving. I give in every time. The best I can do is steer the craving toward less harmful neutral foods.

Sunday's craving was caused by an avoid. As soon as I recognized it for what it was, I began drinking water, and resolved not to eat any snacks. Munching carrots or nuts may help a homeostasis or hormone craving, but eating anything just fuels an avoid craving. I have to get the avoid out of my system. Water seems to help flush it out.

Sunday night I was involved in a concert at church. I had to leave home at 5:30 and didn't get home until almost 10:00. I ate an early dinner before I left. I tossed leftover chopped steak, collard greens, black beans, and onions in a bowl and tossed it with a teaspoon of olive oil. It was a filling dinner, and I put myself on notice that there would be no nighttime snacking.

When we got home from church, our son had arrived home from college. I fixed a light supper for the family and a big glass of green tea for myself. It was sweetened with stevia and I stirred in ¼ tsp. of l-glutamine powder.

I woke up this morning and I was fine. I've eaten normally all day. This craving was conquered successfully. As for the next one - I don't know when it will come. I have to keep my guard up.