pregnancy cravings?

i was reading an article on a pregnancy website talking about cravings, and i think i understand why women have cravings (and why i seem to be having none). the article states:

"You confessed to wanting pickles wrapped in cheese, salsa spooned straight out of the jar, and yes, even steak fat."

to me, these are not strange cravings. pickles wrapped in cheese? a dill goes great on a sandwich, and i've always loved cheddar with sweet pickles. this is a normal snack for me, pickles and cheese. salsa spooned straight out of the jar? well, i don't eat jarred salsa, but i've been known to overload a tortilla chip with fresh pico just to taste the pico. steak fat? who doesn't eat steak fat?

aside from the weird stuff (black olives on Sara Lee cheesecake?), these "cravings" are normal to me. the article goes on to debate the link between the cravings and dietary deficiencies, generally short term ones. some say yes, some say no. which got me thinking...

in my ever present and slightly sub conscience quest to always eat what is good, i don't go out of my way to deprive myself. i still skip junk food, fast food, anything fake, but i'm not one to say no to cream, butter, or steak fat - before my pregnancy, nor now. perhaps these cravings during pregnancy for women are linked to their dietary choices *before* pregnancy? if they restrict their intake of salts, fats, sugars, etc. to a below average diet, they are bound to continue once pregnant. a lack of this food during their non-pregnant days presents itself during pregnancy, when the body is by no means shy of telling you exactly what it needs when it needs it? the body needs a little bit of everything anyways. growing a baby means your body maintains a list of must haves - including those fats and sweets most people associate with the evilest of evils. even the strangest cravings point out a need for something essential (black olives are salty and cheesecake is sweet, after all). but if your body demands these at a time when you can't afford to cut them out of your diet, what does that tell you?

this may explain my lack of (new) cravings. i don't deprive myself. i don't diet. i don't sigh and eat chicken with rice and steamed broccoli because i know it's good for me. i grin and eat rib eye steak with homemade biscuits, grilled corn, and sauteed zuchinni - because i know it's good for me AND it tastes good. my diet may be richer than most, but i'm not eating foods that are *bad* for me, and i'm not eating anything in excess. i combat the effects of an especially rich meal by working out (i'll admit the bone marrow risotto, while a treat, can and should only be a rare treat). so now that i am pregnant, my body, usually happy with my selection of cuisine, doesn't need to complain and cry out for something it doesn't normally get, but needs. i've happily continued on my normal daydreaming of food in general with the random thoughts of "oh, wouldn't that taste good..." i'm just hungrier than normal at times - which makes sense, since in addition to needing nutrients and such to keep going, and to produce more blood and oxygen than i was 7 months ago, there's another little person in there that needs the nutrients to grow.

so is my pre-pregnancy diet more balanced than those who shy away from fats, sweets, carbs? is my mantra of "everything in moderation" not totally crazy? am i right in thinking that except where health needs dictate the concept of dieting is just sad, and an easy out (why have chocolate cake AND a walk when you can skip the workout by skipping the cake)? just a theory.