Cravings and

Fad Diets
By Holly Ramsey and
Veronica Garces
Agency and Our Power to Choose
Helaman 14:30

And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth

unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are
free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a
knowledge and he hath made you free.

Father in Heaven has given us brains to learn what is good for us, then let’s us
choose whether or not we want to do the right things.
Why is it so hard to make good eating choices?
2 Nephi 2:16

Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore,
man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the
other.

Deuteronomy 30:19

...therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.

We are building good habits not just for ourselves, but for future generations.
What is a craving?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf5r3shuw88
What is a trigger?
“Much of the animal and human work concerning the dietary components that
stimulate food reward, food cravings, and/or drive food preferences have centered
around highly palatable foods which typically consist of high fat and high sugar
foods. These energy dense, yet nutrient-void foods can lead to increased appetite,
overeating, and weight gain over the long term. Thus, identifying equally palatable,
but nutrient-rich, healthier replacements might reduce some of these negative
effects.” (Hoertel et. al)

English translation: We like to eat unhealthy foods because they taste good. If we
can find healthy alternative foods that taste just as good, we will be in good shape:)
Identifying Triggers
“When we are exposed to food (especially processed snack foods), we will definitely
have the urge to eat. Appetite -- the desire, or sometimes unconscious impulse, to
eat -- is stimulated by the sight and smell of food, and is behind most of our eating.
We are surrounded by eating cues that overwhelm our biological controls of hunger
and satiety. Physical hunger -- a gnawing, growling stomach -- has very little to do
with most of our decisions to eat.”

Robinson, 2012

Most of the time, the main driving force of our eating is not hunger. People and companies are
really good at making food look and smell delicious so we think we are hungry and need to eat,
when in reality we do not.
Ask yourself...
● Can you eat it right out of the package (requiring no cooking)?
● Do you eat 4-6 times the serving size listed on the package (or more)?
● Do you frequently eat the whole package whenever you buy it?
● Is it a food you buy for your children or spouse--but you’re the one who eats
most of it?
● Do you sometimes make a meal of it, or skip a meal because you ate it?
● Does it call to you to “come eat me” from the cupboard or freezer?

If you answer “yes” to at least one of these questions, you have found a trigger food.
What is Stress Eating?
“When you stop to eat, it is actually the experience of slowing down and stopping
that has a tendency to calm you down--not necessarily the eating. You’re heart rate
and respiratory rate slow; you calm down. But you’re body only knows that you feel
better once you stop and eat, and it can’t differentiate the stopping from the eating.”

E. M. Gallup, The Wellness Way to Weightloss, 1990

Non-Food Responses
Tired/fatigued? Take a nap or go to bed

Stressed? Meditate and follow a regular exercise routine

Pain? Heat or ice, massage, stretch or take some tylenol

Emotional? Turn to support network

Visual? Get rid of the stimulation, give it away or toss it out

Mental? Keep yourself busy, get rid of the food

Hungry all the Eat a high protein breakfast

time?
Examples of nutritional cravings
Occasionally, cravings are a symptom of a nutrient deficiency.

Sweets? -blood sugar fluctuations, try fruit instead

Chocolate? -magnesium, try dark chocolate, nuts, seeds, fish and leafy greens

Salty? -chronic stress, try meditation, breathing, etc.

Red meat? -iron, try beans, legumes and dried fruit

Cheese? -fatty acids, try raw walnuts, wild salmon, flaxseeds

Women’s Health, 2013

What is a Fad Diet?
A fad diet is a diet that promises quick weight
loss through what is usually an unhealthy and
unbalanced diet. Fad diets are targeted at people
who want to lose weight quickly without
exercise. ... And some fad diets can actually be
harmful to your health.
How to spot a Fad Diet
It eliminates certain food groups

It is based on drastic calorie cutting

It involves taking diet pills or shakes

It’s claimed that the diet works for everyone

No exercise diets
Examples of Fad Diets
Weight Watchers- food based on point system, can eat whatever as long as you stay within allotted points. Points are based on
protein, fats and sugar. Pros: does not take out whole food groups Cons: doesn’t encourage fruits and vegetables.
The Zone Diet- ⅓ plate is lean protein, ⅔ plate is carbs from lots of colorful vegetables a little fruit. Limit grains to very little,
get plenty of monounsaturated fats (avocados and olive oil) Pros: encourages eating whole, unprocessed foods Cons: does not
include whole grains
Atkins Diet- Very low in carbohydrates and sugar Pros: cuts out most sugar Cons: cuts out whole grain source of
carbohydrates
Paleo Diet- meat, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, fish. Basically whole foods that cavemen would eat. Pros: cuts out all processed
foods Cons: Cuts out all bread and dairy
Raw Food Diet- Only eat raw foods Pros: lots of fruits and vegetables Cons: little, if any, meat
Macrobiotic Diet- 40-60% Whole grains and 30% vegetables and up to 10% beans Pros: lots of fiber and no processed foods
Cons: very little protein
Nutrisystem Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGgDXeIzYTo

Try to identify the tactics that this company uses to make you believe that you need
this diet. (hint: options are two slides ago)
Back to the basics :)
18 And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the

commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

19 And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

20 And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint. (D&C 89: 18-20)

“The Word of Wisdom does not promise you perfect health, but it teaches how to
keep the body you were born with in the best condition and your mind alert to
delicate spiritual promptings.” (Word of Wisdom, A Principle with a Promise, Boyd
K. Packer).
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25098557

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/food-cravings

http://blog.myfitnesspal.com/6-unusual-ways-overcome-cravings/?utm_source=mf
p&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly20170605

http://www.everydayhealth.com/food/the-10-most-famous-fad-diets-of-all-time.as
px#05

http://www.bestwomensworkoutreviews.com/5-ways-spot-fad-diet