Stop Starving Yourself—"Forbidden" Weight Loss Secret WORKS
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted July 27, 2025
Completely cutting out the foods you love from your diet is a recipe for disaster.
You know the drill—you swear off chocolate, potato chips, or whatever your weakness is, only to find yourself face-first in a family-size bag three weeks later, wondering what went wrong.
Good news—science has finally caught up with common sense.
A groundbreaking new study suggests that satisfying your cravings—rather than fighting them—is the key to lasting weight loss.
Before you grab that celebratory donut, let me explain what this really means…
I’ll admit, I’ve heard this advice before—that indulging in a little of what you’re craving can help with weight loss and maintenance. But having a solid study to back it up makes it hit differently.
Cravings are intense urges to eat a specific food or type of food.
While you might think of them as something that’s “all in your head,” that’s not quite true. Cravings are a real biological phenomenon.
In other words, your body isn’t just being dramatic when it demands that slice of cake.
The findings, published in the journal Physiology & Behavior, followed participants who were advised to include the foods they were craving as part of their regular meals.
What happened next may surprise you …
Participants who ate small portions of their favorite foods lost significantly more weight than those who didn’t use the strategy.
Even better, these same folks reported fewer overall cravings—especially for sweets, carbs, and high-fat foods—compared to those who tried to white-knuckle their way through.
Plus, study participants were also able to keep the weight off longer when they satisfied their cravings.
Now, before you think this gives you a free pass to demolish a pint of ice cream, let’s talk about what this really means—especially if you’ve been around the block a few times.
As we age, our metabolism isn’t what it used to be. We can’t get away with the eating habits we had in our twenties and thirties.
But that doesn’t mean we need to live like food monks. The study suggests that all foods can fit into a varied, balanced diet, even when you’re trying to lose weight.
Think about it this way: if you’re 65 and you’ve been craving chocolate your entire adult life, what are the odds you’re suddenly going to stop wanting it? Pretty slim, I’d say.
Instead of setting yourself up for failure by going cold turkey, why not work with your body?
This doesn’t mean throwing caution to the wind. We’re talking about small portions incorporated into otherwise healthy meals—not using cravings as an excuse to abandon all sense.
But for those of us who’ve spent decades yo-yo dieting and feeling guilty about every “forbidden” food we’ve ever enjoyed, this research offers a refreshing dose of sanity.
Your cravings aren’t the enemy—they’re part of being human. And if science says working with them can help you lose weight and keep it off, well, I’ll take that over another round of kale smoothies and self-denial any day.
P.S. Is your diet ACTUALLY healthy? Here’s how to tell…
Source:
Nouf W. Alfouzan, Manabu T. Nakamura, Reduced food cravings correlated with a 24-month period of weight loss and weight maintenance, Physiology & Behavior, Volume 291, 2025, 114813, ISSN 0031-9384, DOI:10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114813.
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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