Are you looking for a magic ticket to weight loss? Dr. Keri Peterson says you can start by understanding the difference between true hunger and food cravings. "When you're hungry you'll eat anything and when you have a craving you want a specific thing - you want that chocolate, you want that pasta," she explains. "The other difference is the trigger. When your sugar drops, that's a signal to your body to eat more and that's why you get hungry so you get the tremors, you get the growling stomach, you get the lack of concentration." While that's a sign of hunger, cravings are typically a response to an emotional state. "If you're upset or you're stressed, and that's when you'll crave sweets because the carbs will actually increase your serotonin levels, which improve your mood!" Dr. Peterson says. Other craving triggers include boredom, your period and the environment, which explains why you may crave a hot dog at a baseball game.

That might also explain why three of our viewers who work in bakeries constantly feel hungry for the cakes and cookies that surround them! Could cutting-edge products curb their cravings? In our new "Human Lab" these ladies are the Aroma Works Suppress inhalant, Sinfully Delicious dessert spray and the Sensa weight loss system.

"In the end, don't we all really just have to learn how to curb whatever it is that our weaknesses are?" Rachael asks. "If you want to lose weight, you have to move more and eat less."

Dr. Peterson agrees, but also suggests a few strategies to curb cravings. "One really important thing is make sure you get protein, fat and carbs with every meal, because then if you're missing one of those things you're going to wind up craving that thing, and also that really satiates you for longer periods so you don't get your sugar dropping and then have those cravings." She suggests varying your diet so you don't get bored and crave foods, eat three meals a day so you are not starving, and remember that a craving is something you can overcome. "Distract yourself if you have the craving because it's really an urge and it will pass in about 30 minutes if you just give it a little time." And, pay attention to your emotions so you can avoid using chocolate and other treats to boost your spirits. "If you're feeling stressed, recognize that and then try to do something else instead like exercise or meditate!"

Related Links

Aroma Works Suppress

Sensa Weight-Loss System

Sinfully Delicious Candy