It's not uncommon for people to feel overwhelmed with certain foods. You might feel out of control about a particular food category, such as sweets and holiday treats. You might be addicted to a pasta dish, or you just overeat it. 

Are there foods that you are unable to control? Continue reading for more information about why you feel uncontrollable around food and how you can resolve it today.

Feeling out of control can lead to frustration and overwhelm.

Cravings and Food: What is the Story?

Control and food go hand-in-hand. Surprising, right? Two seemingly unrelated subjects actually become very intertwined often. Let's examine the relationship between the two.

Control and the Diet Cycle

Many people tried dieting and detoxing on their terms to reach a certain level of health or wellness. One example is a person who wants to lose weight. You can start the process by signing up for a diet plan or detox.

However, they eventually find some of these rules too overwhelming. For one night, a whole day, or just one meal, they ignore the rules and eat what isn't healthy or in accordance with the detox or diet. What's the result? The result? They often feel out of control. As if they feel totally out of control and without structure. As if the food item is controlling what they do.

This can lead to greater control and more severe exertion. They then return to the rules for the detox and diet and vow to do better and be better this time.

So what is the situation? Why did you take the time? This is the diet mentality. The diet restricts you to a certain level and makes it difficult to control your cravings. This doesn't mean you have to be on a diet. It is possible to start the cycle by making your own food rules or guidelines. We've now discussed the connection between control & food. Let us get more specific.

Why Do You Get Cravings for Certain Foods?

Here are some everyday habits and tendencies that lead to losing control over food. We'll go through each one so you can see how they might be impacting your relationship and food.

Restriction on Intake

The most widespread habit or tendency is to restrict. People often limit their intake of certain food items to make healthier choices. This creates food rules.

An example: A food rule could be something like "I can have no carbs at dinner."

You know carbohydrates are our body's primary energy source. It is also possible to imagine that we never will eat carbohydrates again at dinner. Not likely.

We set ourselves up for failure by restricting intake and creating this food restriction.

At some point, we all eat carbs for dinner. And what does that mean? The body loses all control. The body says, "Finally!" We are deprived of the nutrition that I want and have been asking to receive. We eat way more than we intend and feel totally outmatched by our food choices.

Improper Nutrition

Food is fuel to the body. It feeds us, so we are able to perform at our best each day. Our bodies are equipped with hormones to regulate our hunger and appetite.

 Hunger occurs when we require more food. When we're well fed, for the time being, we feel full.

These cues may become less important as we age and our lives change. It is possible to ignore your hunger cues to lose weight or eat less. This leads to a lack of nutrition.

So what happens when you finally feel hungry after suppressing your hunger cues and have not eaten for hours? The body rejoices again. This means that you are unable to control your eating habits. You lose all control over your hunger cues, and the notion of portion size is thrown out the window. You end up eating far more than you planned. Lack of nutrition can lead to losing control over your food choices.

Morality in Food

Another problem I see often is the assignment of morality on food. This is when we believe that nutritious foods are "good." In contrast, enjoyable foods with low or no nutritional value are "bad."

If we give food morality, we inadvertently give the "bad" foods, which we love, a high pedestal. They're so much more tempting and so much better than they were before. 

Why? Because we think they're "bad" and shouldn't have them.

What happens when we eat "bad" food? This time, we lose control. The brain adopts a scarcity mindset. This means that it believes this may be the only time we have the chance to try the food item. We overeat, indulge, and feel uncomfortable, full, and unhappy.

You don't include enough protein or fat

People often don't get enough protein and/or fat. Protein and fat are two of the foundational five elements contributing to fullness and satiety. Without them, we feel hungry and long for more after eating.

These foods can cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate all day. When we're surrounded by food, it can make us feel out of control. Although it may feel like you're always hungry, you will never feel satisfied.

How to Control Food Cravings?

Now we know the relationship between control and food. We also understand how the diet cycle perpetuates a cycle of control. So how can we change? What can we do to stop the cycle?

Balanced relationships with food are key to breaking the cycle. One that is mindful and scientific. One that allows one to enjoy healthy food and joy.