How to stop yourself from giving in to cravings?

SecretGift

I have no willpower. At all. Please help

galgenstrick

Make meal plans. That way you wont have to think about what you're going to eat next.
Also, make sure you include some of the things you like and have cravings for. If you restrict yourself , you'll fail and end on a binge.

ForeverSunshine09

Pre logging helps. You can build in treats but, as you prelog you learn what keeps you satisfied and what can sometimes lead to cravings. I had to stop eating salads because every time I eat one I want to eat every junky like food in my house. Normally I have great willpower.

KrunchyMama

Eat lots of vegetables for your meals, and move more for some extra exercise calories. Today I had candy, chocolate, and chips, and it was all within my calories for the day

jnv7594

I eat what I'm craving and fit it into my calories. Once you no longer see certain foods as bad or forbidden, you won't be so tempted to binge on them. It's the only thing that works for me personally.

Cookiejo2270

I really find that pre-logging helps as well.

KatieMusselwhite92113

Make a plan. Don't buy things that tempt you to overdo it. Allow treats that fit within your goals. Replace the things you're wanting to avoid with other things that are lower-cal.

PaulaWallaDingDong

Pre-logging all the way. I log my meals first, and keep my mind focused on meal times, then scatter around the surplus calories with snacks which I may or may not eat depending on whether I get peckish or not.

Which reminds me, it's almost Fiber One Brownie time. They are not awful, no matter what you've heard, but don't eat more than one per day, especially not together as a meal. Yikes.

BicepsAndBows

Distraction really helps! If you are tempted to over indulge after you are out of calories for the day, distract yourself! Read, go for a walk, call a friend etc. most cravings WILL go away within a matter of minutes if you get your mind off food

bluworld

Will power is leaving the junk in the store.

ana3067

I log it and then eat it.

theston412

I usually want a snack a couple of hours after supper. This is when I usually want chips or ice cream. I try drinking water. If this doesn't help, I go to bed. Seriously. That is the only thing keeping me from downing a whole bag of dill pickle potato chips.

Lourdesong

Eat what you want in moderation. If you don't have enough calories left to eat what you want today, then have it tomorrow when you do have the calories.

Don't waste calories on foods you hate eating, no matter what made-up magical properties certain bloggers and websites and friends assign to it.

RoxieDawn

@SecretGift what's going on with your will power or lack there of..

Are you new to MFP (from your post I think so).

You ask for help stopping cravings? What seems to be a trigger or reason for any cravings?
Have you been trying for a week or more to log all your foods you eat and stay within your calorie goal or have you possibly blown it each day?

We are all human and starting on week one sucks. LOL It does get easier if you stick to this and use the MFP tool.

I also do pre-logging and sometimes I log in all day and change things up so that I am accountable and do what I need to do to not go over my calories..

Perhaps there is something more you can share about your situation??????

mizzougal11

If you are a spur of the moment cheater (with food), try brushing your teeth. For most people, eating right afterwards is not appealing so it may give you the time you need for the craving to pass.

daisyverma

I log up to a few days in advance and plan out my meals and snacks. I try to add a "yummy" snack, one that I will look forward to (like a mini choc bar or something). By planning it out, I feel like there is more guidance, because I know if I don't stick to it, then I will go off track. It also allows me to plan my calories in a way where I can still enjoy my snacks, and stay within my goals

MelkaBielka

SecretGift wrote: »

I have no willpower. At all. Please help

I know exactly how you feel, I am very much the same way. I don't know if this will work for you, but I tend to cook extra when I cook my meals and then leave the extra in the fridge for when I have cravings. For instance, I cooked chicken and sautéed veggies this week and put the extra in the fridge in Tupperware. Last night I got hungry around 10pm (which is when I crave and eat crappy foods) and measured out and heated up the leftover veggies with a piece of chicken. I also make it a point to eat the veggies first and eat anything else on the plate after. It's not about denying yourself pleasure from food or eating tasty things, but rather setting yourself up for success when you are thinking clearly and planning for those times when you know you will reach for less healthy things. If I make it impossible to eat badly, most of the time I won't eat badly. You have to forgive yourself too. We are all human, and our willpower will only last so long. Just remember, if you slip halfway up the mountain, you don't have to go back to the bottom, just to the last anchor you have placed for yourself. Keep on climbing

connorpat1995

1) I eat a lot of peanut butter
2) I give myself a cheat day every time I drop 2 pounds

Lasmartchika

Yeah, I'll also go along with the prelogging your meals... this also includes foods, snacks that you love. You want some chocolate? Include it into your day, you want cookies, chips? Include it into your day. And when I say include it into your day, I'm not saying log the whole bag... I'm saying a serving or two. You can even separate them into snack bags where you know how much is there already... and stick to that. :flowerforyou:

annanaidoo

I've been eating a protein rich breakfast, a big salad for lunch and a smaller dinner. It has kept me feeling content because I love snacking on biscuits so I'm trying to get out of that. When I do feel like I'm "hungry" even though I know i'm not, I drink plenty of water or have some greek yoghurt if the craving is still there.
If you do love snacking then maybe look into some healthier options for most snacks and have a few in there that you can't go without but remember to stay within your calories. It gets better as you change the way you eat, the cravings slowly disappear.

adriantrufo

Dont go to the store hungry, EVER.

If you feel a binge coming, have some fiber-rich cereal (around 30-40 grams) like All Bran. It will fill you up big time and you will eat less. Plus, some of the fat should be absorved by the fiber so it will be less damaging.

Throw all of your junk food away ASAP, dont keep anyhing at home. Doing it after a binge works great, willpower is usually stronger after its weakest moment.

If you feel like going to the store, take off your pants and shoes in order to make it a hassle to go.

If you are anything like me, you will find a way to give in and rationalize it away! The next day get back on track and try not to fall off the wagon for 7 or 10 days.

I also find it that the first few days after a binge are the hardest, once you get past that point, it starts getting easier. I would also recommend going a little extreme and dont fall to any cravins AT ALL for one month, and plan a big meal for when you finish it. You should be seeing results both on the scale and in the mirror, and would not want to throw it all away!


As a final note, willpower is all about YOU. It doesnt matter what we say or if you post so we try to stop you before eating what you shouldnt, because you will find a way to convince yourself anyway.
You have to find the reason to lose weight by yourself and IN yourself, be it looking more attractive in the eyes of men/women, general health or just to prove yourself and (and your old fatself) that you can!
Until you do so, its all just words on the internet.

Lasmartchika

adriantrufo wrote: »

Dont go to the store hungry, EVER.

If you feel a binge coming, have some fiber-rich cereal (around 30-40 grams) like All Bran. It will fill you up big time and you will eat less. Plus, some of the fat should be absorved by the fiber so it will be less damaging.

Throw all of your junk food away ASAP, dont keep anyhing at home. Doing it after a binge works great, willpower is usually stronger after its weakest moment.

If you feel like going to the store, take off your pants and shoes in order to make it a hassle to go.

If you are anything like me, you will find a way to give in and rationalize it away! The next day get back on track and try not to fall off the wagon for 7 or 10 days.

I also find it that the first few days after a binge are the hardest, once you get past that point, it starts getting easier. I would also recommend going a little extreme and dont fall to any cravins AT ALL for one month, and plan a big meal for when you finish it. You should be seeing results both on the scale and in the mirror, and would not want to throw it all away!


As a final note, willpower is all about YOU. It doesnt matter what we say or if you post so we try to stop you before eating what you shouldnt, because you will find a way to convince yourself anyway.
You have to find the reason to lose weight by yourself and IN yourself, be it looking more attractive in the eyes of men/women, general health or just to prove yourself and (and your old fatself) that you can!
Until you do so, its all just words on the internet.

If you want to go to the store, get naked?! What the hell?!

lemurcat12

What's the context in which you are giving in? Stuff at home, buying stuff when you are out, parties, etc.? If we know the details we may have experience with similar things.

Beyond that, I agree with those who say it's easier to resist if you have a plan and it involves food you will enjoy. I also find that I tend to be more satisfied (and find it easier to tell myself I can wait until my next planned meal or snack) if I include a reasonable amount of food (veggies help with this) and also protein and fat as part of my meals. I often like to have a little bit of something sweet (like ice cream) after dinner if my calories allow it, as it's something to look forward to and not wanted to have to forgo that helps me keep my calories in check and have willpower with random snacky things that might seem appealing in the moment but aren't really worth the calories to me. I can tell myself that if I just wait I will have ice cream that evening (or whatever your treat of choice is--sometimes I have good cheese as a snack or chocolate).

tomatoey

bluworld wrote: »

Will power is leaving the junk in the store.

yeah, more or less. just don't keep stuff that makes you go nuts in the house. especially not huge tubs or boxes or bags of whatever.

like, have some, but just make it a single portion, outside of the house, so it's more of a hassle to do it.

ExRelaySprinter

jnv7594 wrote: »

I eat what I'm craving and fit it into my calories. Once you no longer see certain foods as bad or forbidden, you won't be so tempted to binge on them. It's the only thing that works for me personally.

Same as this^^.
If i crave something, i just have it.
Otherwise, the craving just gets worse and i'll end up eating twice as much of it.

shadowfax_c11

It is okay to enjoy junk food in moderation. Just log it before you eat it. Just the act of logging what I am about to eat is enough for me to reconsider eating more than the appropriate portion. Like right now I'd like to eat the whole cheesecake that is in my freezer. But since a slice is going to cost me 400 calories and I want to end my day with a deficit, preferably before adding in this evening's workout, I will restrain myself and enjoy the small portion.

I add a small sweet to my lunch for work every day. Miniatures of your favorite candy are pretty reasonable. Especially if you only enjoy one piece instead of the 3-5 that is what the bag says is one portion.

If you don 't deny yourself the things you enjoy you won't have the overwhelming cravings so badly. I honestly find that when I deny myself even the smallest bite of a thing I love, the cravings will be much much worse than if I just go ahead and enjoy a modest amount of it. It's a psychological issue not a physiological one. Sure maybe weight loss will be a little slower but I a a lot less likely to fail in the long run.

PaulaWallaDingDong

I either tell my appetite to shut up until the next meal and stick to the menu I've planned for the day, or I jam a fun-sized snickers in it. I understand that's not an option for everyone.

csb66

Thanks everyone, excellent advice. I usually don't give myself a cheat day because Im not where I want to be as of yet, but I don't deny myself anything. however i've made a commitment to cut out all junk foods, chips, cookies, candy (well except a piece of dark choc) and fast food because I was so terrible when I was eating all that crap and just the thought of starting all over again depresses me so much I just cant and wont give in to the madness of cravings. Dont get me wrong I would love some ice cream right now, but I will eat the entire PINt! hahaha.

BeginnersBootcamp

Tasty gum, MIO on water, run errands, clean

echmainfit619

No one is born with "will power". It's learned behavior.

SallyinIL

I haven't read the other posts so please forgive me if this is repeated information.

For me, a craving is the equivalent of a whiny child. If I listen to this child, they will continue to whine. If I give in to this child, I will have taught them that whining works. If I allow the child to whine for 2 hours and then give in, I have taught the child to keep it up for 2 hours.

On the other hand, if I flat out refuse to listen and go get involved in something else, the whiny child learns to give up. If I am very consistent in not giving in to this child, they don't begin the whining in the first place because they know it will do no good at all.

It doesn't take more than a few days before the whiny child learns not to whine.

My cravings have lost their intensity because I refuse to listen or give in. I go find something else to focus on. I can be as stubborn as my craving.

I hope this is helpful to you.