If they have a bad day with the kids, they feel as if they have to have cookies. After a dull meeting at work, they race to the vending machine in desperate need of a Snickers bar. Every time they watch a movie, they crave popcorn. And when they drive by a Dunkin' Donuts, they feel the need for a treat. Giving in to urges and cravings for everything from chocolate to cheeseburgers is one of the toughest challenges for weight-conscious people.
Experts say there's a difference between real hunger and cravings.
Hunger is a biological need to eat something because your stomach is empty, says psychologist Thomas Wadden, director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. If you come in the house hungry as a bear, almost any food you like will satisfy you, he says. A craving is an intense desire for a specific food. Most obesity researchers say many people have psychological desires for certain foods. What they don't agree on is whether some desires for food are also biological.