Why are persisting food cravings affecting your weight loss?
It is just too easy to blame cravings on emotional eating! Food cravings are caused by a myriad of biochemical imbalances and it is completely possible to manage weight and cravings long term when you identify and treat the cause.
What you need to do:
- Identify the Cause: Get accurate information by answering the questions below.
- Treat the Problem: Book a Skype call or phone consult with our specialist Naturopath and she will tailor the support you personally need to work alongside your Liberate program.
1. Certain foods temporarily boost imbalanced neurotransmitters? Check below to see if you have neurotransmitter deficiencies.
4 Sensitivity to emotional (or physical) pain; cry easily
4 Eat as a reward or for pleasure, comfort, or numbness
4 Worry, anxiety, phobia, or panic
4 Difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep
3 Difficulty with focus, attention deficits
2 Low energy, drive, and arousal
4 Obsessive thinking or behavior
4 Inability to relax after tension, stress
3 Depression, negativity
4 Low self-esteem, lack of confidence
4 More mood and eating problems in winter or at the end of the day
3 Irritability, anger
4 Use alcohol or drugs to improve mood
4 Eat as a reward or for pleasure, comfort, or numbness
4 Worry, anxiety, phobia, or panic
4 Difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep
3 Difficulty with focus, attention deficits
2 Low energy, drive, and arousal
4 Obsessive thinking or behavior
4 Inability to relax after tension, stress
3 Depression, negativity
4 Low self-esteem, lack of confidence
4 More mood and eating problems in winter or at the end of the day
3 Irritability, anger
4 Use alcohol or drugs to improve mood
Total Score _____________ Ideal score is under 10
2. Are you craving because of a deficient diet or yo-yo dieting in the past?
4 Increased cravings for and focus on food; overeating
4 Regain weight after dieting, more than was lost
3 Increased moodiness, irritability, anxiety, or depression
3 Less energy and endurance
3 Usually eat less than 2100 calories a day
3 Skip meals, especially breakfast
3 Eat mostly low-fat carbohydrates (bagels, pasta, frozen yoghurt, and others)
2 Constantly think about weight
2 Use aspartame (Nutrasweet) daily
2 Take Prozac or similar serotonin-boosting drugs
2 Have become vegetarian
3 Have decreased self-esteem
4 Have become bulimic, anorectic, or an over exerciser
4 Regain weight after dieting, more than was lost
3 Increased moodiness, irritability, anxiety, or depression
3 Less energy and endurance
3 Usually eat less than 2100 calories a day
3 Skip meals, especially breakfast
3 Eat mostly low-fat carbohydrates (bagels, pasta, frozen yoghurt, and others)
2 Constantly think about weight
2 Use aspartame (Nutrasweet) daily
2 Take Prozac or similar serotonin-boosting drugs
2 Have become vegetarian
3 Have decreased self-esteem
4 Have become bulimic, anorectic, or an over exerciser
Total Score_____________ Ideal score is under 12
3. Are your blood sugar levels causing cravings?
4 Crave a lift from sweets or alcohol, butlater experience a drop in energy and mood after ingesting them
4 Dizzy, weak, or headachy, especially if meals are delayed
4 Family history of diabetes, hypoglycemia, or alcoholism
4 Nervous, jittery, irritable on and off throughout the day; calmer after meals
4 Crying spells, mood swings
4 Mental confusion, decreased memory
4 Heart Palpitations, rapid pulse
4 Frequent thirst, night sweats (not menopausal)
4 Dizzy, weak, or headachy, especially if meals are delayed
4 Family history of diabetes, hypoglycemia, or alcoholism
4 Nervous, jittery, irritable on and off throughout the day; calmer after meals
4 Crying spells, mood swings
4 Mental confusion, decreased memory
4 Heart Palpitations, rapid pulse
4 Frequent thirst, night sweats (not menopausal)
Total Score_____________ Ideal score is under 12
4. Are you using food to cope with stress and tiredness?
4 Frequently overstressed for more than 3 weeks at a time
3 Crave salty foods
4 Frequently feel fatigues, overwhelmed
4 Dark circles under eyes
4 Sensitive to sounds, odours; startle easily
3 Edgy, irritable under stress
3 Have excessive weight gain in your trunk area only
3 Crave salty foods
4 Frequently feel fatigues, overwhelmed
4 Dark circles under eyes
4 Sensitive to sounds, odours; startle easily
3 Edgy, irritable under stress
3 Have excessive weight gain in your trunk area only
Total Score_____________ Ideal score is under 15
5. Is your Thyroid a problem?
Low energy
4 Easily chilled (especially hands and feet)
4 Other family members have thyroid problems
4 Can gain weight without overeating: hard to lose excess weight
3 Have to force yourself to do even moderate exercise
4 Find it hard to get going in the morning
3 High cholesterol
3 Low blood pressure
4 Weight gain began near the start of menses, a pregnancy, or menopause
3 Chronic headaches
3 Use food, caffeine, tobacco, and/or other stimulants to get going
4 Easily chilled (especially hands and feet)
4 Other family members have thyroid problems
4 Can gain weight without overeating: hard to lose excess weight
3 Have to force yourself to do even moderate exercise
4 Find it hard to get going in the morning
3 High cholesterol
3 Low blood pressure
4 Weight gain began near the start of menses, a pregnancy, or menopause
3 Chronic headaches
3 Use food, caffeine, tobacco, and/or other stimulants to get going
Total Score_____________ Ideal score is under 15
6. Are you addicted to foods that you are actually allergic to?
3 Crave milk, ice cream, yoghurt, cheese, or doughy foods (pasta, bread, cookies, among others) and eat them frequently
3 Experience bloating after meals
4 Gas, frequent belching
3 Digestive discomfort of any kind
3 Chronic constipation and/or diarrhea
4 Respiratory problems, such as asthma, postnasal drip, congestion
3 Low energy or drowsiness, especially after meals
4 Allergic to milk products or other common foods
3 Under eat or prefer beverages to solid food
3 Avoid food or throw up food because bloating after eating makes you feel fat or tired
4 Can’t gain weight
3 Hyperactivity or manic-depression
3 Severe headaches, migraines
4 Food allergies in family
3 Experience bloating after meals
4 Gas, frequent belching
3 Digestive discomfort of any kind
3 Chronic constipation and/or diarrhea
4 Respiratory problems, such as asthma, postnasal drip, congestion
3 Low energy or drowsiness, especially after meals
4 Allergic to milk products or other common foods
3 Under eat or prefer beverages to solid food
3 Avoid food or throw up food because bloating after eating makes you feel fat or tired
4 Can’t gain weight
3 Hyperactivity or manic-depression
3 Severe headaches, migraines
4 Food allergies in family
Total Score_____________ Ideal score is under 12
7. Are your female sex hormones unbalanced?
4 Premenstrual mood swings
4 Premenstrual or menopausal food cravings
4 Irregular periods
3 Experiences a miscarriage, an abortion, or infertility
4 Used birth control births or other hormone medication
3 Uncomfortable periods – cramps, lengthy or heavy bleeding, or sore breasts
4 Peri- or postmenopausal discomfort (e.g., hot flashes, sweats, insomnia, or mental dullness)
3 Excessive hair growth or loss, acne
4 Premenstrual or menopausal food cravings
4 Irregular periods
3 Experiences a miscarriage, an abortion, or infertility
4 Used birth control births or other hormone medication
3 Uncomfortable periods – cramps, lengthy or heavy bleeding, or sore breasts
4 Peri- or postmenopausal discomfort (e.g., hot flashes, sweats, insomnia, or mental dullness)
3 Excessive hair growth or loss, acne
Total Score_____________ Ideal score is under 6
8. Do you have yeast overgrowth triggered by antibiotics, cortisone, or birth control bills? Are parasites a problem?
4 Often bloated, abdominal distention
3 Foggy-headed
2 Depressed
4 Yeast or Sinus infections
4 Used antibiotics extensively (at any time in life)
4 Used cortisone or birth control pills for more than one year
4 Have chronic fungus on nails or feet
3 Recurring sinus or ear infections as an adult or child
3 Achy muscles and joints
3 Chronically fatigued
4 Rashes
3 Stool unusual in colour, shape, or consistency
3 Foggy-headed
2 Depressed
4 Yeast or Sinus infections
4 Used antibiotics extensively (at any time in life)
4 Used cortisone or birth control pills for more than one year
4 Have chronic fungus on nails or feet
3 Recurring sinus or ear infections as an adult or child
3 Achy muscles and joints
3 Chronically fatigued
4 Rashes
3 Stool unusual in colour, shape, or consistency
Total Score_____________ Ideal score is under 13
9. Are you fatty acid deficient?
4 Crave chips, cheese, and other rich foods more than,or inaddition to, sweets and starches
4 Have ancestry that includes Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Scandinavian, or coastal Native American
3 Alcoholism or depression in the family history
4 Feel heavy, uncomfortable, and “clogged up” after eating fatty foods
4 History of hepatitis or other liver or gallbladder problems
4 Light-coloured stool
4 Hard or foul-smelling stool
1 Pain on right side under your rib cage
2 Have lost your gall bladder or had gallstones
4 Have ancestry that includes Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Scandinavian, or coastal Native American
3 Alcoholism or depression in the family history
4 Feel heavy, uncomfortable, and “clogged up” after eating fatty foods
4 History of hepatitis or other liver or gallbladder problems
4 Light-coloured stool
4 Hard or foul-smelling stool
1 Pain on right side under your rib cage
2 Have lost your gall bladder or had gallstones
Total Score_____________Ideal score is under 12