How can I stop myself eating cr***y food?
Nakeshia88
Posts: 119 Member
For the last few days I've had intense cravings for sugary and carb-loaded food, and I've been giving in every single time I get a craving... I'm also finding it hard to feel satiated, even when eating a full and balanced meal.
I've tried to fight the cravings for at least 2 hours, but by that stage I'm going crazy so I end up eating some form of cr***py food (like sweetened popcorn, slices, cookies, chocolates, donuts or sweets). I've tried eating just a small amount of the particular food I'm craving but apparently I have zero self control. I don't even think about it when I have to actually go and seek out the particular foods. I've also tried eating something else like fruit or a source of protein to see if that will satisfying my body, but nope!
I'm hoping it's just temporary, my body is out a whack as I've just switched to a new antidepressant, but until I'm back to feeling in control, is there anything I can do to stop myself pigging out on rubbish?
I've tried to fight the cravings for at least 2 hours, but by that stage I'm going crazy so I end up eating some form of cr***py food (like sweetened popcorn, slices, cookies, chocolates, donuts or sweets). I've tried eating just a small amount of the particular food I'm craving but apparently I have zero self control. I don't even think about it when I have to actually go and seek out the particular foods. I've also tried eating something else like fruit or a source of protein to see if that will satisfying my body, but nope!
I'm hoping it's just temporary, my body is out a whack as I've just switched to a new antidepressant, but until I'm back to feeling in control, is there anything I can do to stop myself pigging out on rubbish?
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Replies
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Don't buy it! !0
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1. Don't have that stuff in the house.
2. If you have to go out and get it ... walk.0 -
dawniemate wrote: »Don't buy it! !
Like I said, I'm not even thinking when I'm buying it, when the cravings are at their strongest thinking 'oh, no, don't do it' isn't going to stop me!
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How large is your deficit? How flavorful is the rest of the your diet?
I don't know what you mean by crappy food. Sounds like delicious food to me.0 -
To make it even harder, I'm surrounded by cr*ppy food for most of my day - there's a whole shelf of cookies in the kitchen at work, there's a cafe in the foyer with slices all over the counter, there's fundraiser chocolate bars all over the office, there's birthday cakes and baked goodies that people bring in and push in your face... home is my only escape, even then I walk passed shop windows packed to the brim with food... I try so hard to ignore it all but at the moment it's near impossible and I want it all!0
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What I have done in the past, is buy a huge chocolate bar, keep in freezer and after each meal I would slowly suck on two squares of the frozen chocolate, one at a time. Than that would satisfy me. I had to have control not to eat the dam bar but I knew if I did I would be doing more harm than good. Now if I want something I walk the 30 minutes to the store and 30 minutes back home. Hope this helps and best of luck on your journey0
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Lourdesong wrote: »How large is your deficit? How flavorful is the rest of the your diet?
I don't know what you mean by crappy food. Sounds like delicious food to me.
Think my deficit is 400 calories. The rest of my diet isn't exactly dull, there's some nice flavourful foods in there.
By crappy food I mean lacking in nutrition (or at least useful nutrition).0 -
Nakeshia88 wrote: »I've tried to fight the cravings for at least 2 hours ...
What are you doing during those 2 hours?
Maybe you need to pick a hobby or sport and go do that. Distract yourself. Every time you start to crave, hop on your bicycle and go for a ride. Go outside and shoot baskets. Grab some hiking shoes and hike a nearby trail. Go to the gym.
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Nakeshia88 wrote: »I've tried to fight the cravings for at least 2 hours ...
What are you doing during those 2 hours?
Maybe you need to pick a hobby or sport and go do that. Distract yourself. Every time you start to crave, hop on your bicycle and go for a ride. Go outside and shoot baskets. Grab some hiking shoes and hike a nearby trail. Go to the gym.
Usually working, or doing chores at home.
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Nakeshia88 wrote: »To make it even harder, I'm surrounded by cr*ppy food for most of my day - there's a whole shelf of cookies in the kitchen at work, there's a cafe in the foyer with slices all over the counter, there's fundraiser chocolate bars all over the office, there's birthday cakes and baked goodies that people bring in and push in your face... home is my only escape, even then I walk passed shop windows packed to the brim with food... I try so hard to ignore it all but at the moment it's near impossible and I want it all!
Yeah, I'm surrounded by all that stuff too ... but in order to acquire it, I have to pay money, and I'd rather save my money for a trip to New Zealand. Not to mention the price of some of that stuff is ridiculously high. If I really wanted it, I could probably make it for a lot less. But I usually can't be bothered. Too busy.
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Donate a fiver to charity every time you do it.
It's a win win!
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Nakeshia88 wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »How large is your deficit? How flavorful is the rest of the your diet?
I don't know what you mean by crappy food. Sounds like delicious food to me.
Think my deficit is 400 calories. The rest of my diet isn't exactly dull, there's some nice flavourful foods in there.
By crappy food I mean lacking in nutrition (or at least useful nutrition).
If it were me, I'd work the goodies in, rather than risk going over and losing my deficit by trying to refrain while looking longingly at them from afar and caving. Fats and carbs are macronutrients, so not exactly "crap"; not everything we eat needs to be full of vitamins and minerals. And carrying around extra weight is more concerning than not getting all of your B vitamins every day or whatever.
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I used to get cravings so bad my stomach would actually have pain and I would shake. Now that I have been doing MFP for almost a year and I am closing onto a 100 pound loss I am finding cravings to *mostly* being a memory. What I do is try to prevent cravings by making sure I eat something, even if it is something small, every two hours if I am hungry or not. I try to eat something satisfying to me. It is usually something full of bulk, like popcorn, or something that has a nice protein hit, such as celery with Laughing Cow cheese. Since I get my cravings in the afternoon (or between lunch and dinner) that is when I do my snacking. Sometimes my lunch is actually two or three snacks spread out through the afternoon instead of one big meal.
I also usually try to have something sweet after dinner. Skinny Cow ice cream bars, Kozy shack Tapioca pudding or Jello Sugar free pudding are my usual go-to's. Easy and convenient for me.
I have lost the attitude of there being "bad" foods. If I really want something I can have it. I use portion control and sit and take the time to eat it in a civilized fashion. Do I absolutely have to have a piece of apple pie? I will go someplace to have one piece, savor it, enjoy it, log it, and go on with life not feeling guilty. What I don't do is to go out and buy or make a whole pie to sit on my counter. If I do I am quite capable of eating the whole thing!
I am still learning myself, but this is one thingI have learned to control in the past year. Good luck to you finding how to best control your cravings. I know you can do it.
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Nakeshia88 wrote: »To make it even harder, I'm surrounded by cr*ppy food for most of my day - there's a whole shelf of cookies in the kitchen at work, there's a cafe in the foyer with slices all over the counter, there's fundraiser chocolate bars all over the office, there's birthday cakes and baked goodies that people bring in and push in your face... home is my only escape, even then I walk passed shop windows packed to the brim with food... I try so hard to ignore it all but at the moment it's near impossible and I want it all!
I feel your pain! I had the same problem at my previous job. People were always bringing baked goods, there were treats for birthdays, and (unhealthy) breakfast was often brought it for the office. It was very hard to decline, especially when I was hungry from starting on my new adventure of counting calories. The most frustrating part was when people would push you to eat something after telling them "no thank you."
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Lourdesong wrote: »
Yes, i agree with this^^.Lourdesong wrote: »Nakeshia88 wrote: »Lourdesong wrote: »How large is your deficit? How flavorful is the rest of the your diet?
I don't know what you mean by crappy food. Sounds like delicious food to me.
Think my deficit is 400 calories. The rest of my diet isn't exactly dull, there's some nice flavourful foods in there.
By crappy food I mean lacking in nutrition (or at least useful nutrition).
If it were me, I'd work the goodies in, rather than risk going over and losing my deficit by trying to refrain while looking longingly at them from afar and caving. Fats and carbs are macronutrients, so not exactly "crap"; not everything we eat needs to be full of vitamins and minerals. And carrying around extra weight is more concerning than not getting all of your B vitamins every day or whatever.
There's nothing wrong with eating these things....as long as it fits in with your allotted calories for the day and you're eating nutritious food as well.
If you go over, just do some extra exercise to compensate!
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I usually like to have some treats for myself as part of my routine, but recently, I've been snacking my way through the evening. I want to stop doing that, not because I'm gaining weight, not because I think there's something wrong with the stuff I'm eating, but because I'm not happy with how I feel.
It's not mindful eating more than anything. And that's what I don't like about it. The thing about mindfulness is you start with noticing what you're doing, but awareness is only the beginning. There is information about mindfulness on google. Some of it is cr* but if you sort through you'll find some good stuff.0 -
Are you eating enough protein and fiber and veggies?0
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Hi Nakeshia,
it might sound like stereotype but when on calory deficit I regularly have those days during the month. I can't see if you're a woman, too. If yes, there's a whole bunch of threads here with tips for PMS cravings
If not, my apologies.
Either way, you might still want to consider to have a few healthier options around. I made a whole list of my favourite munchies, healthier and unhealthier options, and how long they may need for prepping. This gives me a chance to organize in time and plan in the calories and/or exercise to make up for the extra intake. I also found that when I'm in the middle of Choczilla mode, I hardly can think of yummy healthy options. Having those ready to eat in the fridge or freezer in time, or with me in the office, I can forego the worst damage. It also helps making better choices in the middle of the storm. If I can only think "chocolate" I take a look at the list and find things like "cottage cheese or PB or yoghurt with fruit", "veggies with hummus", ..., which can redirect my cravings.
For me, the best tool to re-program some bad habits 0 -
Nakeshia88 wrote: »dawniemate wrote: »Don't buy it! !
Like I said, I'm not even thinking when I'm buying it, when the cravings are at their strongest thinking 'oh, no, don't do it' isn't going to stop me!
Sorry, I call BS on this. Buying food isn't an involuntary process, like breathing. You ARE thinking when you buy it. You're probably thinking conflicting thoughts (i.e., "Don't buy it" vs. "But it looks so good! I really want to have it!"). You're just allowing the "I really want it" side to win.
Sometimes we just have to buck up and tell ourselves "no". You say that doing that isn't not going to stop you, but that's a cop out. No one is controlling you. It's your decision. I'm not saying it's easy to do, but it can be done. And the more you do it, the easier it'll get.
And as long as you continue to blame "forces beyond your control" instead of taking responsibility for your own actions, it will remain difficult for you to resist the impulse to overeat.
Good luck!0 -
Could be the new meds - but one thing I have learned in the 3 years I have spent on MFP - there are many excuses we can use. We have to learn to do what we need to do, regardless of what life throws at us. Is it easy? No. Is it necessary? Yes. When you are ready to do the work to lose weight, you will. You have to be 100% in on the decision. Then the self talk that convinces you to eat things you don't want to eat, will be silenced.
It's a long road. There are many bumps and ruts. Knowing what to eat, how much to eat, and what your body needs is really the easy part. It's putting all that into practice every day that is hard. Good luck.0 -
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booksandchocolate12 wrote: »Nakeshia88 wrote: »dawniemate wrote: »Don't buy it! !
Like I said, I'm not even thinking when I'm buying it, when the cravings are at their strongest thinking 'oh, no, don't do it' isn't going to stop me!
Sorry, I call BS on this. Buying food isn't an involuntary process, like breathing. You ARE thinking when you buy it. You're probably thinking conflicting thoughts (i.e., "Don't buy it" vs. "But it looks so good! I really want to have it!"). You're just allowing the "I really want it" side to win.
Sometimes we just have to buck up and tell ourselves "no". You say that doing that isn't not going to stop you, but that's a cop out. No one is controlling you. It's your decision. I'm not saying it's easy to do, but it can be done. And the more you do it, the easier it'll get.
And as long as you continue to blame "forces beyond your control" instead of taking responsibility for your own actions, it will remain difficult for you to resist the impulse to overeat.
Good luck!
This, but also adding to it; I completely understand cravings, I do get them at least a couple times a month, and before I learned how to control them, I was in the same place you are now.
The thing is you can control them. Just because you may have failed and binged a couple time, or 5 times, or 10 times does not mean that you can't control yourself. Don't give up, keep saying no and keep trying all the advice people have given you in this thread, and slowly you will start to gain control and be able to reduce the number of times you give in.
Another trick that helps me is to log all my meals and exercise on to MFP first thing in the morning or even the day before. I try and include some chocolates or nice yogurts if I can, and try to compensate with exercise if I know I will go over.
You can also alternate days when you have a treat. Save up a couple hundred calories from today to have a nice treat tomorrow, and knowing that you CAN have the treat, just not right now is easier than telling yourself NO! you can't have the treat because it is bad food.
Remember it is a process, a journey! You can't make a massive change in your lifestyle one day and expect not to slip a few times before it sticks!
Good luck!!0 -
Nakeshia88 wrote: »For the last few days I've had intense cravings for sugary and carb-loaded food, and I've been giving in every single time I get a craving..
I'm hoping it's just temporary, my body is out a whack as I've just switched to a new antidepressant, but until I'm back to feeling in control, is there anything I can do to stop myself pigging out on rubbish?
Make sure that fats and proteins are the foundation and majority of your diet to minimize carb cravings. Fats especially provide a long lasting nutrient that keeps thoughts of carbs at bay for long periods of time. Although it could be the drugs driving the cravings, lots of good fat will tame them. Also, I'm my experience carbs beget carbs, so try and avoid them until later in the day to minimize total intake.
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Imagine your favourite unhealthy food crawling with maggots... Or Google a mouldy picture of it. Gross I know but it works!0
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One other little trick I've found that helps is that I will eat the snack ... if it fits within my calorie limit ... but I will eat it very, very, very slowly.
I got in the habit of wolfing back my meals, snacks and everything. One second it would be on my plate ... 3 seconds later there isn't a crumb in sight.
But now I dwell over my food. I pause to really enjoy the flavour. I might take a small nibble, and then have a swallow of water or coffee or whatever might enhance the flavour. Then another small nibble, and a few minutes later another drink.
I have one particular meal I make for lunch that takes me about 45 minutes to eat.
One bite, one drink, a little bit of work, one bite, one drink, a little bit of work ... It tastes great and it leaves me full for a long time. 0 -
lrachel011 wrote: »Imagine your favourite unhealthy food crawling with maggots... Or Google a mouldy picture of it. Gross I know but it works!
Blerrrgggh!
Thanks for that! Bye bye Ben and Jerry's fish food ice cream (with maggots in it instead of bits of marsh mellow)! (Vomit)0 -
lrachel011 wrote: »Imagine your favourite unhealthy food crawling with maggots... Or Google a mouldy picture of it. Gross I know but it works!
Actually, I just have to imagine that whatever it is has been sitting on the shelf for a long time and is dry and stale. And actually, with a lot of stuff on the shelves in an office ... it is on the verge of being dry and stale. The few times I've tried something ... it's rarely as good as I thought it might be.
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lrachel011 wrote: »Imagine your favourite unhealthy food crawling with maggots... Or Google a mouldy picture of it. Gross I know but it works!
Blerrrgggh!
Thanks for that! Bye bye Ben and Jerry's fish food ice cream (with maggots in it instead of bits of marsh mellow)! (Vomit)
Funny story ...
My favourite Clif Bars (an energy bar cyclists use), way back when, was one with little chocolate covered coffee beans in it. I thought it was delicious.
Until one day, I cycled through swarm after swarm after swarm of flying bugs ... dark brown or black in color, with hard shells, looking almost exactly like chocolate covered coffee beans. They got in my helmet, in my hair, in my clothes, in my nose, everywhere!!
I stopped for a break when one swarm kind of eased up a bit and pulled out my Clif Bar to have a bite ... and meanwhile I was still removing bugs from my hair and everywhere. So I kept thinking that the chocolate covered coffee beans were these bugs. I started picking them out of the bar and checking to see if they were chocolate covered coffee beans or bugs. About a third of the way through the Clif Bar, the situation got the better of me, and I could not finish it.
I've never touched those Clif Bars again.
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