In this episode of the Inflamed in the Brain podcast, host and dietitian Krissy dives deep into a topic that so many struggle with: cravings. She explores why cravings are often misunderstood, why restricting the types and amounts of food you eat can backfire, and how this cycle of restriction can lead to overeating and increased inflammation. Krissy shares actionable strategies to break free from the craving-restriction cycle and achieve lasting balance.
Introduction:
Krissy welcomes listeners back to another episode of Inflamed in the Brain, where today’s focus is on cravings—a common challenge that many associate with a lack of willpower or discipline. She explains how cravings are often wrongly viewed as a personal failure when, in reality, they are a normal biological response to restriction. Many people blame their cravings for diet failures, often feeling ashamed and cycling back to restrictive eating plans without considering what’s truly driving those cravings.
Krissy describes cravings as more than just casual food thoughts; they can be intense and all-consuming, like an unshakable desire for an ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookie that preoccupies your mind. She discusses how ignoring these cravings and substituting them with so-called “healthier” options often leads to frustration and overeating, fueling guilt and inflammation.
Main Points Covered in This Episode:
Why Restricting How Much You Eat Triggers Cravings
Krissy breaks down how restrictive eating—whether it’s cutting calories, skipping meals, or overly controlling portion sizes—actually sets the stage for cravings. She highlights the harmful impact of diet culture, which encourages food restriction as a measure of worth, discipline, or health. However, when you consistently eat less than your body needs, your biological defense mechanisms kick in, intensifying cravings as your body tries to compensate for perceived scarcity.
She explains that this survival response is designed to protect you, pushing you to eat more when food seems scarce—even if the restriction is self-imposed. This not only undermines your goals but also sets you up for the “fuck it” moments when you end up overeating, triggering inflammatory responses that can derail your progress.
The Science Behind Cravings and How Restriction Affects Your Mind and Body
Krissy dives into the science of cravings, explaining that calorie restriction affects not just your body but also your mind. When you consistently tell yourself “no” to foods you crave, your brain fixates on what you can’t have, leading to obsessive thoughts, increased anxiety, and ultimately overeating. She discusses how this heightened focus on food creates a vicious cycle where restriction amplifies cravings rather than controlling them.
Fix #1: Build Your Interoceptive Awareness
To counter the effects of restrictive eating, Krissy introduces the concept of interoceptive awareness—the ability to tune into your body’s internal signals like hunger and fullness. Instead of relying on external rules like calorie counting or portion control, she encourages listeners to connect with their body’s cues. She provides tips on how to develop this skill, such as slowing down during meals, eating without distractions, and checking in with your hunger and fullness levels.
By building interoceptive awareness, you’re more likely to eat when you’re genuinely hungry and stop when you’re satisfied, reducing the risk of overeating and avoiding the craving-restriction cycle.
Why Restricting the Kinds of Food You Eat Triggers Cravings
Krissy explains how labeling foods as “good” or “bad” sets you up for cravings by creating a sense of scarcity around “bad” foods. When you avoid foods you truly want, you often end up eating more substitutes that don’t satisfy you, which can lead to overeating and feelings of frustration. She shares her personal experience with food fear after being diagnosed with MS, describing how labeling foods increased her cravings and made her feel out of control around food.
She emphasizes that constantly substituting foods wastes your “food energy”—not just in terms of calories but also the mental and physical effort involved in planning, preparing, and eating foods you don’t want. Krissy highlights how embracing the foods you crave in a balanced way helps you break free from this cycle and lowers inflammation.
Fix #2: Let Go of Food Labels and Embrace Satisfying Choices
Krissy advises listeners to stop moralizing food and instead focus on what truly satisfies them. She shares a playful mental trick she uses—imagining foods going to heaven or hell—to remind herself that food doesn’t have moral value. She encourages embracing satisfying choices rather than rigid food rules, noting that eating a cookie doesn’t erase healthy habits and that enjoying food in a balanced way is crucial to avoiding cravings and inflammation.
Creating balanced meals doesn’t mean cutting out your favorite treats; it means incorporating them in a way that supports your overall nutrition. By pairing enjoyable foods with balanced meals, you stay full, content, and in control—without the need for perfection.
Conclusion:
Krissy wraps up by reinforcing that cravings aren’t a sign of weakness or lack of discipline. They are signals from your body that it needs more nourishment or that certain foods are off-limits. Restricting the amount and types of food you eat can trigger cravings and overeating, setting you up for inflammation-spiking episodes that hinder long-term success.
The key to overcoming cravings and lowering inflammation isn’t more control; it’s about awareness and less restriction. By tuning into your body’s signals, honoring your hunger, and letting go of food rules, you can break the cycle of cravings and find lasting balance in your relationship with food.
Hungry for more? Catch up on these episodes next:
Ep. 8: The Secret to making any meal more anti-inflammatory
Ep. 7: 3 lies about anti-inflammatory eating you need to stop believing
Ep 3: Small Steps, Big Results: Sustaining Motivation in Anti-inflammatory Health