So you go for the carrot sticks, the celery, the low-fat dressing. You skip the butter on your bread. And then you go home and eat two gallons of ice cream.

Sometimes cravings occur when your body lacks nutrients--including vitamins and minerals--during pregnancy, says Helene Leonetti, M.D., an obstetrician/gynecologist in private practice in the northern suburbs of Philadelphia. But the funny thing is, we rarely crave a nice big bowl of steaming butternut squash. More like pumpkin pie. And that's where we can get into trouble.  "Food cravings are the body's natural cravings gone awry," says Dori Winchell, Ph.D., a psychologist in private practice in Encinitas, California.

"That happens because women often won't allow themselves the food they need. Instead, they skip breakfast, eat a tiny salad for lunch and then go home and head for the chips, fries and chocolate bars," says Jan McBarron, M.D., a weight-control specialist and director of Georgia Bariatrics in Columbus, Georgia.

If you're in perfect health and satisfied with your weight, cravings may be harmless. But if you suspect that giving in to cravings for food high in fat, sugar or excess calories may be to blame for a recent weight gain or a jump in your cholesterol levels, or that food cravings are jeopardizing other aspects of your health, here's what women doctors suggest.

Suck a sour pickle. "If you are about to pig out, suck a sour pickle to eliminate the craving for sweets," says Maria Simonson, Sc.D., Ph.D., director of the Health, Weight and Stress Clinic at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institution in Baltimore.

Juice it. A really strong craving for sweets can often be stifled by eating a peppermint washed down by a few ounces of fruit juice or a few nibbles of fruit, such as an apple or pear, says Dr. Simonson.

Fool your sweet tooth with spice. "Cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg can satisfy a sweet tooth, since these spices add a sweet flavor without the calories," says Elizabeth Somer, R.D., author of Food and Mood and Nutrition for Women. Add cinnamon, vanilla or nutmeg to yogurt or steamed milk, Somer says.

Grab something absorbing. Instead of reaching for a bag of chips, reach for the op-ed page of the newspaper--or whatever else you might find engaging. "Once you're absorbed in an interesting or playful activity, your craving is likely to fade away," says Susan Olson, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Seattle and co-author of Keeping It Off: Winning at Weight Loss.

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