Imagine this: You've nailed your calorie tracking all day and are well within your deficit or maintenance zone. Then evening rolls around, and a sneaky craving hits. Is your body screaming for fuel to protect those hard-earned muscles, or is it just your mind tempting you toward a slip-up?

Alan Aragon is a leading nutrition researcher and educator with decades of experience has the answer. "Food hunger and cravings are not the same thing,” he shared. “Hunger can influence the intensity of food craving, but food craving is very food specific,” said Aragon.

"So, contrary to popular belief, cravings rarely happen because of some sort of nutritional deficiency,” the researcher added in a 2024 video from Nutritional Career and Coaching Institute. In other words, the sudden need for cookies is usually not your body begging for some magical missing micronutrient.

On the flipside, "food cravings are the result of conditioned responses to the environment that reinforce the positive emotions and positive psychological state that you associate with a given food,” he added. So the question is, how do you beat the cravings that can throw you off your goal?

At first glance, it seems like the safest move is total avoidance: cut out all the “bad” snacks, clear the cupboards, and white‑knuckle your way to your goal weight. But Aragon points out that cravings usually do not disappear just because you deprive yourself. Thankfully, Alan Aragon had some solutions.

Step 1: Build a High-Satiety Diet

Instead of leaning on willpower, Aragon’s first move is to shape your daily meals so they naturally keep you full and calm around food. “First of all, design your diet so that it is a high satiety diet,” he advised. That means building your plate around plenty of protein and fiber, think lean meats, eggs, dairy, legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. So you stay fuller for longer, and your appetite feels more stable.

Step 2: Make Smarter Swaps

Once your base diet is more satisfying, the next step is to make simple swaps instead of chasing perfection. Aragon encourages you to look at the foods you crave most and ask, “What could I swap this for that still feels good, but supports my goals better?”

Maybe dates or fresh fruit replace heavy candy, or a lower‑calorie ice cream or baked snack gives you a similar experience with fewer calories. You can also stick with the same type of food but choose reduced‑fat, lower‑sugar, or portion‑controlled versions, so you keep your favorites while gently nudging your habits in the right direction. Over time, these small, realistic changes add up to better long‑term control without making you feel punished.

Step 3: Reduce, Don’t Erase Your Snacks

The final step is about how often you eat those treats, not banning them forever. As Aragon explains, cutting your favorite snacks completely might “work” for a short time, but it often leads to a rebound where old habits and old weight return.

Fortunately, you do not have to give up chocolate, chips, or pizza to stay on track. “It’s not a big deal, just don’t overdo it. Just don’t have it with a high frequency throughout the week or through the month," Aragon said.

By simply lowering how often you have those high‑calorie, highly tempting foods instead of outlawing them, you reduce their impact and keep your relationship with food more relaxed and sustainable, instead of swinging between strict dieting and “anything goes” mode.

So the real question is not just whether you are hungry or craving, but what you are going to do the next time that late‑night urge hits: will you pause, check in with your body, and choose in a way that serves your long‑term goals, or will you let the craving decide for you again?

Written by

Mohd Mudabbir Ansari

Edited by

Sagnik Bagchi