By the end of Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet, you will more than likely have stabilized your blood sugar levels and, as a result, eliminated your cravings. Hunger is natural, but cravings can come on from time to time, and if you're like many people, it's not always easy to tell them apart.

Here are some simple guidelines that can help you determine the difference:

Hunger is the feeling you get when you experience a normal and gradual drop in blood sugar about four or five hours after a meal. It's your body's way of telling you that eating is overdue.

Cravings, on the other hand, happen within a couple of hours of your last meal. "They're caused by exaggerated spikes and dips in blood sugar that occur after we eat highly processed carbohydrates like white bread, cake, and white rice. These foods are digested so quickly that they cause an almost immediate rise in blood sugar followed by a rapid dip soon after," says Dr. Agatston, leading preventive cardiologist and author of The South Beach Diet Supercharged. It's this drop in blood sugar levels that causes a craving. Ironically, eating highly processed foods can actually make you hungry!

The good news is that eating the South Beach Diet way (which means eating lean proteins, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies) can actually help you curb your cravings by reducing spikes in blood sugar.

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