This “Bad” Habit May Help You Lose Weight

If you’d like to lose weight, you may be at a loss for where to start. Everywhere you turn, there’s another ad, product or program promising big results. But the truth is, no one method works for everyone. Many variables come into play, and just as many obstacles pop up that need to be overcome. One of them is cravings. 

While we may think of cravings as something that’s “all in our heads,” that’s not quite true. Cravings are a real biological phenomenon defined as “strong and intense desires or subjectively non-resistible urges to consume a specific food or type of food, that often undermine efforts to maintain dietary changes.” So, having cravings or giving in to them is not a sign of weakness. It’s your brain and body’s way of telling you something. And cravings can be measured to some extent.

With that in mind, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign decided to examine food cravings and see if they could actually help you lose weight. Sound counterintuitive? They recently published their findings in the journal Physiology & Behavior. Let’s break them down. 

How Was This Study Conducted?

The purpose of this study was to determine the change in food cravings and their relationship with weight loss outcomes during a one-year dietary weight loss program followed by another year of weight maintenance. The goal was for participants to lose 5% of their body weight.

Researchers recruited 30 participants with an average age of 53 at baseline; about 77% of them were women. The average BMI at baseline was 36—BMI over 30 is considered obese, and 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, though it’s important to note that BMI does not take into account what the weight is made up of, including muscle and bone. To help level this out, waist and hip circumferences were also measured, as was body composition, which takes into account the amount of lean mass to fat mass.

Food cravings were measured using two validated scales when the study began and after 12, 18 and 24 months. At baseline, 54% of participants reported experiencing food cravings ranging from sometimes to daily in the past month; the remaining 46% reported rarely having cravings in the past month. 

Participants received several online nutrition education sessions during the first 12 months, plus three individualized online advising sessions and weekly feedback emails from nutrition coaches. The goal of the education sessions was to educate participants about basic nutrition principles to empower them to make informed decisions on what to eat. Part of this was encouraging a higher intake of protein and fiber, and how to create a small calorie deficit to encourage weight loss.

They also learned strategies for managing food cravings, including storing commonly craved foods in less accessible spaces, and using distraction strategies (i.e., going for a walk when feeling a craving coming on), as well as establishing a consistent daily eating pattern. Participants were also encouraged to follow the inclusion strategy. This involved incorporating small portions of their favorite foods as part of a well-balanced meal, instead of avoiding and excluding these foods or food groups (as a restrictive weight loss diet might suggest).

Each participant received a Wi-Fi-enabled scale that transmitted information to researchers via an app. They were instructed to weigh themselves each day before breakfast. During the 12 months of maintenance, there was minimal contact with the research team, other than a 15-month check-in with a registered dietitian. At the end of the study period (24 months), researchers split participants into two groups: those who lost more than 5% of their body weight, and those who lost less than 5%.

What Did This Study Show?

Twenty of the 30 participants made it through the whole 24 months, which was just enough to allow a meaningful statistical analysis. 

At baseline, there were no differences in craving traits between the two groups. But the group that lost at least 5% of their body weight showed consistent improvements in craving traits over the first 12 months, which was sustained through 24 months. The other group, however, showed no significant change in craving trait scores throughout the entire study period.

Participants who used the inclusion strategy—allowing for small portions of their favorite foods—lost significantly more weight than those who didn’t use the strategy. Plus, strategy users also experienced a significant reduction in overall cravings, especially for sweets, carbs and high-fat foods, compared to those who didn’t use the strategy. 

Previous research suggested that cravings happen as a result of weight loss and emptying fat cells, which essentially triggers cravings to fill the fat cells back up. But this new research challenges that belief. 

“This basically debunks the hungry fat cell theory, a longstanding hypothesis that fat cells become starved for energy and trigger cravings, causing dieters to eat and ultimately regain what they lost,” says Manabu Nakamura, Ph.D., the study’s lead author, in a press release. “But that is not the case. As long as you stay at a healthy weight, your cravings will remain low.”

Results also suggest that those who established a consistent eating pattern also lost more weight. “The popular myth is you have to have a very strong will to fend off temptation,” says Nakamura, “but that is not the case. Fluctuations in eating patterns, meal times and amounts trigger cravings, too. You have to be consistent.”

A limitation of this study is that it cannot establish causation, just correlation. In other words, it cannot be said that the inclusion strategy caused more weight loss and reduced cravings, just that there is an association between them. This study also does not mention other factors that can influence weight, like physical activity, sleep and stress. So it’s unknown if the participants who lost more weight engaged in other healthy habits besides the strategies mentioned here. Plus, with only 20 participants completing the program, this study offers a limited picture of what weight loss may look like for various people.

How Does This Apply to Real Life?

This study supports our philosophy here at EatingWell—that all foods fit in a varied, balanced eating pattern, even when trying to lose weight. And that consistently fueling your body helps prevent dramatic blood sugar highs and lows—and consequently that hangry feeling that brings you to an irritable, brain-foggy, ravenous state, looking for anything to eat to help you feel better.

Other recent research supports these findings, too. For example, one study found that those who participate in fasting—including intermittent fasting—were more likely to experience food cravings and binge eating. These studies suggest that cravings are your body’s way of telling you that it needs something, like fuel or nutrients, and are not related to some lack of willpower.

Our bodies are designed with many backup systems to warn us when they need something. When we don’t eat enough, for example, our bodies and brains assume we’re starving and trigger biological processes to make sure we eat. These processes include food cravings and food thoughts—aka food noise and constantly thinking about food. 

You can help calm your brain—and cravings—by making sure it has what it needs—fuel. The brain’s primary and preferred source of fuel is glucose, found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes. And as this study suggests, including small amounts of foods that you would normally avoid when you’re trying to lose weight may not only reduce cravings, but also aid weight loss.

It’s also important to consider other areas of health that not only support healthy weight, but also health in general. Be careful about focusing solely on calories, and make sure you’re eating a variety of foods to get the nutrients you need. You can meet a calorie goal with one or two foods, but it’s difficult to get the wide range of fats, proteins, carbs, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals your body needs by restricting what you eat. 

You can also lose weight and, in the process, lose a lot of muscle and bone mass if you’re not eating enough protein and including strength training in your routine. You can restrict certain foods and food groups and lose weight, and end up an anxious, irritable mess because you’re not eating enough calories to sustain you. This, in turn, increases stress, which can also affect your sleep (not to mention your relationships). 

If you’d like some guidance for your weight loss journey, making an appointment with a registered dietitian can help individualize your approach. Or if you just need some tasty ideas of what to eat, we’ve got lots of meal plans to choose from, like our 30-Day No Sugar Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan for Weight Loss. If you’re on a GLP-1, check out our Simple 7-Day GLP-1-Friendly Meal Plan for Beginners. All of our meal plans are designed by registered dietitians, so you know that they’re not only delicious but also nutrient-dense. 

The Bottom Line

This study suggests that following a few simple strategies, like including small portions of your favorite foods with balanced meals and maintaining a consistent eating pattern, can help with weight loss and reduce food cravings. Barring food allergies or sensitivities, cutting out whole foods and entire food groups is rarely beneficial. Also, beware of only focusing on calories and weight. 

Take a whole health approach by engaging in regular physical activity for a stronger heart and muscles (not just weight loss), managing the things that stress you out, getting plenty of quality sleep and spending time with loved ones. All of these factors work together for your overall health, including disease prevention and longevity—and that’s more important than hitting a specific number on the scale.