A Spoon in one Hand, and a Jar of Peanut Butter in the Other... Sound Familiar?

I don't know about you, but I have definitely been THAT girl. You know, the one who stands in front of the pantry in the kitchen with a giant spoon and a jar full of Jiff just going to town like a ravenous she-wolf. #thestruggleisreal.

So why do we "fit chicks" (or aspiring fit chicks, I should say) crave peanut butter so badly? I did a little research into this, because seriously... it's a thing! So here's what I found out...

You're craving those spoonfuls of delicious peanut butter because:

1. Your eating plan is low in carbohydrates. I've experienced this scenario first-hand. When I was doing the 21 Day Fix Extreme "Countdown to Competition" eating plan (which is AMAZING for getting primed for a special event, by the way... crazy results!), there were days cycled in that only allowed for 1 carbohydrate portion. This wasn't every day, but it was usually 2 days back-to-back, with a regular 21DFX eating day (with more carbs involved) in between. It was almost like the less carbs I ate that day, the better the peanut butter tasted. Right? Have you experienced that? Moral of the story? Whenever there is ANY kind of imbalance in your diet whatsoever... be it not enough carbs, not enough fat, etc... there will be weird cravings.

2. Your eating plan is extremely low in fat. Word to the wise... FAT IS NOT THE ENEMY! In fact, a proportionate amount of healthy fats can help you LOSE weight and stay healthy. Think of your body as a well-oiled machine... you need the oil! With that said, not all fats are created equal. Make sure you're not pounding sticks of butter, and you'll be ok. You want to stick to things like avocado, natural nuts (almonds, cashews, etc), coconut or olive oil, and yes... you said it... PEANUT BUTTER! Nut butters are GREAT in moderation. If you're on a low fat diet and you are craving PB like a mutha, guess what... you should eat it! Try adding in more healthy fats to your diet, and those cravings should become less severe.

3. You're stressed! You can be stressed from a variety of things... work, traffic, your kids/spouse/boss/mom/sister... or maybe you aren't getting enough sleep, or you were so busy you had to skip lunch that day. Wherever the stress-er lies, know this: our bodies tend to crave foods that are high in fat and calories. Guess what I learned? Peanut butter actually has a compound that FIGHTS stress! It's called beta-sitosterol, which can normalize high levels of the hormone cortisol, which is released in your body when you're stressed out. It's also a hormone that signals to your body (especially women) to hold on to some of those pockets of abdominal fat for later in case you might need them.

So what do you do about all this? Listen to your body! Cravings are there for a reason. However, this doesn't give you license to just down a jar of peanut butter with abandon. Put some thought into the WHY behind your craving. Try adding a little more healthy fat and a little more carbs into your diet. Don't be scared of the carbs... and remember... like fat, not all carbs are created equal. Try a little sweet potato, or some fruit when you're feeling a little punchy. Reflect on your habits and try to pinpoint any sources of stress. Are you getting enough sleep? Are you taking any "me" time to relax during the day? What does the rest of your diet look like? How are your relationships with your co-workers? Family? Spouse? Kids?

Remember, life is all about BALANCE.

So, don't punish yourself for your peanut butter binge. Instead, understand the causes, and make some small adjustments to alleviate that next pantry attack.

xoxo,
A