Ep. 444 - The 10-Minute Craving Trick That Could Change Your Relationship With Food

SummaryWhat if you didn’t need more willpower to control your cravings?In this episode, Chase Smith and Chris Bealhen break down what really happens between having a craving and deciding to eat. They explain why slowing down during that small window can help you make a choice instead of reacting on autopilot. Chase and Chris cover four different types of cravings: physical hunger, habitual cravings, emotional cravings, and cravings caused by eating too little or restricting foods. They explain why knowing what type of craving you have can help you figure out what your body actually needs.They also walk through the Zen 10 technique, a simple strategy that gives you 10 minutes between a craving and your decision. You’ll learn how to pause, get away from the food, distract yourself, ask better questions, and then decide what you actually want to do.Most importantly, using Zen 10 does not mean you can’t eat the food. Even if you still choose to eat it, creating a pause and making a more mindful choice is progress.Chase and Chris also explain why evening cravings may actually start much earlier in your day, how eating too little can make cravings stronger, why emotional eating may require deeper work, and how changing your normal routines can help break old habits.The goal isn’t to never have another craving. The goal is to create more space between the craving and your response so you can make the choice instead of letting the craving make it for you.Chapters(00:00) What Happens Between a Craving and a Decision?(03:01) The 4 Different Types of Cravings(04:14) Habitual Cravings and Eating on Autopilot(06:27) Emotional Eating and What Food Is Doing for You(07:54) How Restriction Can Make Cravings Worse(10:37) Why Cravings Feel So Urgent(13:54) The Zen 10 Technique(14:22) Step 1: Pause and Name the Craving(16:11) Step 2: Get Away From the Food(16:43) Step 3: Distract Yourself for 10 Minutes(17:41) Step 4: Make a Conscious Decision(19:27) When You Need More Than 10 Minutes(21:49) Questions to Ask Yourself During a Craving(24:26) Getting to the Root of Emotional Eating(27:59) How to Break Habitual Cravings(30:50) Your Evening Cravings May Start Earlier in the Day(33:07) Identify the Emotion Behind the Craving(34:33) Common Mistakes With the Zen 10 Technique(35:54) It’s Normal to Want Foods That Taste Good(37:22) Eating the Food Does Not Mean You Failed(39:57) What Progress With Cravings Actually Looks Like(40:56) Creating Space Between the Urge and Your Response(41:55) Rewriting Your NormalSUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS to be answered on the show: https://forms.gle/B6bpTBDYnDcbUkeD7How to Connect with Us:Chase’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/changing_chase/Chris’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conquer_fitness2021/Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/665770984678334/Interested in 1:1 Coaching: https://conquerfitnessandnutrition.com/1on1-coachingJoin The Fit Fam Collective: https://conquerfitnessandnutrition.com/fit-fam-collective