Understanding Cravings: Why They Happen and How to Manage Them
Cravings are something almost everyone deals with.
You want to eat “better,” you’re training 2–3 times per week at bStrong in Bellevue or Redmond, and you’ve got clear goals – maybe fat loss, building muscle, or just feeling healthier. But then cravings hit and it feels like your plan goes out the window.
Cravings are not a character flaw. They’re usually your body and brain reacting to how you’re eating, sleeping, and living.
In this guide (and the video on this page), we’ll break down:
What actually drives cravings
How carbs, protein, fat, hydration, and sleep play a role
Practical steps you can use to manage cravings and stay on track
If you want a bigger-picture view of food, pair this with All About Nutrition: The Basics and Weight Loss vs. Fat Loss: Why the Difference Matters.
Why Understanding Cravings Matters
If you want long term results – not just a short diet – you need a relationship with food you can actually live with.
Cravings are a key piece of that:
If you ignore them, they usually get louder
If you understand them, you can adjust your nutrition and habits instead of white-knuckling it
At bStrong, we care about what happens outside the gym as much as what happens in your 50 minute sessions. Addressing cravings is part of that.
5 Main Causes of Cravings
The video on this page walks through five big drivers of cravings. Here’s how they work and what to do about them.
Certain Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar Swings
Not all carbs behave the same way.
Complex carbohydrates – like whole grains, oatmeal, potatoes, and whole fruits – are digested more slowly. They:
Provide more steady energy
Help keep you full longer
Support more stable blood sugar
Simple carbohydrates – like white bread, bagels, cookies, pastries, and sugary snacks – hit fast and hard. They:
Spike blood sugar quickly
Give you a short burst of energy
Often lead to a crash that leaves you wanting more of the same
That spike–crash cycle is a huge driver of cravings.
If most of your carbs come from refined, processed foods, it’s very normal to feel like you’re “constantly craving” something.
Key idea:
Shift more of your carbs toward complex sources that give you lasting energy instead of quick hits.
2. Protein’s Impact on Hunger and Cravings
Protein is one of the most powerful tools you have for controlling cravings.
Getting enough protein:
Helps keep you fuller between meals
Slows digestion so you feel satisfied longer
Supports more stable blood sugar
If you’re constantly hungry between meals or you’re always reaching for snacks, there’s a good chance you’re not getting enough protein.
Simple ways to use protein:
Include a solid protein source at each meal
Use protein-based snacks like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, or a hard boiled egg to bridge long gaps
We go deeper on this in Protein: Why It’s Essential for Strength and Recovery.
3. The Importance of Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are critical for:
Hormone production
Brain function
Normal metabolic processes
If your diet is too low in fat, your body may start pushing you toward higher fat, higher calorie foods to “make up the difference.” That often shows up as cravings for:
Fried foods
Fast food
Rich desserts and snacks
You don’t need huge amounts of fat, but you do need enough of the right kinds.
Good sources:
Avocados
Eggs
Olive oil
Nuts and seeds
Fatty fish
Adding healthy fats to meals can:
Help you feel more satisfied
Reduce the urge to graze or hunt for hyper-processed foods later
4. Hydration – Don’t Confuse Thirst With Hunger
Dehydration can look and feel a lot like hunger.
If you’re under-hydrated:
Energy can dip
You may feel “snacky” even after a meal
You might eat when your body really just needs fluids
Before you assume you “need” more food, especially after you’ve eaten recently, check your hydration.
Simple checks:
Are you drinking water regularly through the day, not just at night?
Is your urine generally light yellow, not very dark?
If you’re feeling hungry after a meal, try a glass of water first. Sometimes your body is just asking for fluids.
Hydration is one of the foundations we talk about in All About Nutrition: The Basics.
5. Sleep and Its Connection to Cravings
Poor sleep makes cravings louder and harder to manage.
When you’re not sleeping well:
Hunger hormones tend to go up
“Fullness” hormones tend to go down
You’re more likely to want quick energy foods like sugar and refined carbs
That creates a loop:
Poor sleep → more cravings (especially for sugar and refined carbs)
More sugar and late night eating → worse sleep
Repeat
To break that cycle, you have to improve both sleep and what you’re eating.
Basic targets:
Aim for 7–9 hours most nights
Keep a somewhat consistent sleep and wake time
Give yourself 20–30 minutes to wind down without screens
For more, check out Why Sleep Is Your Superpower and 7 Proven Strategies to Improve Your Sleep Quality.
How To Manage Cravings – Practical Strategies
Once you understand the main causes, the goal is not to “never crave anything again.” The goal is to reduce how often cravings hit and make them easier to handle when they do.
Here are the practical steps from the video, plus how we use them at bStrong.
Limit Simple Carbohydrates
You don’t have to cut them out forever. Just stop letting them dominate your day.
Focus on:
More complex carbs – whole grains, potatoes, rice, oats, fruit, beans
Fewer refined carbs – cookies, pastries, white bread, candy, sugary drinks
You’ll still have room for fun foods. You’re just building your day around carbs that give you steady energy instead of constant spikes and crashes.
2. Prioritize Protein at Every Meal
Make protein the anchor of your meals.
Ideas:
Eggs or Greek yogurt at breakfast
Chicken, turkey, tofu, or beans at lunch and dinner
Protein-focused snacks if you go long between meals
If you consistently hit protein at each meal, you’ll usually see cravings drop a notch on their own.
3. Incorporate Healthy Fats
Instead of avoiding fat completely, be intentional.
Add:
Avocado on a salad or sandwich
Nuts or seeds to meals or snacks
Olive oil for cooking or dressings
Eggs a few times per week
The goal is to give your body enough healthy fat that it doesn’t have to scream for it in the form of highly processed junk.
4. Stay Hydrated
Most people do better with:
Water spread throughout the day
A glass of water with meals
Extra fluids if you’re training, sweating a lot, or drinking caffeine
If you feel a craving shortly after eating, use this rule:
Drink a glass of water first
Wait a few minutes
If you’re still hungry, then it might be true hunger
5. Improve Sleep Quality
You won’t perfectly control cravings if you’re running on 4–5 hours of broken sleep.
Simple upgrades:
Aim for 7–9 hours when you can
Keep your room cool, dark, and quiet
Cut screens 20–30 minutes before bed
Keep caffeine earlier in the day
Improving sleep is one of the highest leverage changes you can make for cravings, energy, and training performance.
What This Looks Like at bStrong
Here’s how we think about cravings in the context of your training and nutrition:
Strength training 2–3 times per week
You’re investing real effort in the gym
We want your eating to support that, not fight it
Simple nutrition frameworks
We start with the basics from All About Nutrition: The Basics: carbs, protein, fats, hydration
Then we layer on cravings strategies like the ones above
Real life, not perfection
We expect weekends, social events, and busy work weeks
The goal is better choices and better patterns, not a flawless meal plan
Our job as coaches is to help you build a way of eating that works with your training and your life – including cravings.
How Beginners Can Apply This Today
You don’t need to overhaul everything this week. Pick 1–2 of these and commit to them for the next 2–4 weeks:
Swap one refined carb per day for a complex carb
Example: toast → oatmeal, pastry → fruit and yogurt
Add protein to breakfast and lunch
If you already have some, increase the portion a bit
Add one healthy fat source to a meal
Avocado, nuts, olive oil, or eggs
Drink a glass of water with each meal
Go to bed 20–30 minutes earlier a few nights per week
Once those feel more natural, you can add the next layer.
What To Expect in 4–8 Weeks
If you consistently work on your carbs, protein, fats, hydration, and sleep, most people notice:
Fewer “out of nowhere” cravings
Less intense evening snacking
More stable energy during the workday
Easier time staying consistent with both nutrition and training
Better progress toward fat loss or body composition goals
You will still have cravings sometimes. They just won’t feel like they control you.
Is This For You?
This article is especially for you if:
You feel like cravings constantly derail your progress
You do well during the day but struggle at night or on weekends
You’re trying to lose fat, build muscle, or just eat healthier
You want a realistic, not extreme, approach to food
You live or work near Bellevue, Redmond, or Kirkland and want coaching that looks at the whole picture
If that sounds like you, you’re exactly who we built these resources for.
Ready To Get Support With Cravings and Nutrition?
You don’t have to battle cravings alone or bounce between all or nothing diets.
At bStrong, we combine:
Coached small group strength training (2–3 times per week)
Simple, sustainable nutrition guidance
Support for sleep, stress, and long term habits
If you’re in or near Bellevue, Redmond, or Kirkland and want help managing cravings while still living a normal life, our 3-week Trial is a great first step.