Food Cravings

USAGO: USA Gymnastics Magazine Online: Food Craving Page 1 of 2 Food Cravings By Michelle Dusserre-Farrell, R.D. 1984 Olympic Silver Medalist Do you have visions of sugarplums dancing in your head? For some it's just a Christmas thought, but for others having a craving or a sweet tooth is a real problem. For the athlete, it can create some obstacles in making smart food choices. Because athletes don't have much room in their diet to make bad food choices, satisfying cravings for cookies, candy, ice cream, or potato chips can be challenging. There are different reasons why athletes have food cravings. Some scientists have found that athletes who overtrain may have cravings for carbohydrates, due to the higher demand on the amino acid tryptophan, which may play a role in regulating appetite. For women, another reason for appetite changes can also be explained by the fact that during certain phases of the menstrual cycle, energy needs can increase by 350- 500 calories. This can create more hunger which in turn can lead to cravings for high-fat, high-sugar foods. So what do you do if you are having an attack of the munchies? The most important thing to remember is that you shouldn't wait too long to satisfy a craving. If the food you are craving is available, it is okay to indulge a little as long as you remember to be aware of your portions. It is when you wait too long to satisfy a craving that a 200 calorie snack can turn into an 800 calorie snack. Trying to ignore a craving can lead one to overeating high-fat, high-sugar, nutrient-poor foods. If you are craving something sweet, here are some options: Pre-sweetened dry cereal Low fat muffins Hot chocolate Fig bars Fruit Low fat yogurt If you are craving something salty, here are some options: Popcorn Soup Celery Low fat crackers Low fat potato chips USAGO: USA Gymnastics Magazine Online: Food Craving Page 2 of 2 Pretzels There are many fat-free cookie and snack products on the market, but remember they are usually very high in sugar and very poor in nutrients. You can choose these as craving-busters, but just because they are low or nonfat doesn't mean they can be eaten in place of nutrient-dense foods. It is important to satisfy cravings but it is just as important to eat well-rounded meals that are high in carbohydrates, low in fat and packed with nutrients. Even current and former USA National Team Gymnasts have occasional food cravings. When asked what foods they crave here's what they had to say: z Scott Keswick Cookies (preferably chocolate chip) and milk! z Wendy Bruce Twizzler and JuJu Fruits z Dominique Moceanu Chocolate chip cookies z Jaycie Phelps Frozen yogurt z John Roethlisberger Donuts z John Macready Mom's homemade derby pie (like pecan pie but with a layer of chocolate on the bottom). z Jennie Thompson Rocky road ice cream from Braum's z Andree Pickens Strawberry frozen yogurt z Amanda Borden Pizza with veggies only or peanut butter z Blaine Wilson Grandma's chocolate cream pie z Kerri Strug Frozen yogurt, cheese pizza, chicken caesar salad, fat free muffins This article is reprinted from the November/December 1996 USA Gymnastics magazine..

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