Cravings

DreamCatcherGirl

how do you deal with cravings? I think that is my biggest enemy. Even if I try to substitute my craving I end up eating it anyway. I don't have a particular thing that I crave, it might be chocolate one day, junk food the other. And that list can go in and on.
Please help

Ninkyou

I fit it into my calorie goal. I never deny myself something. There's nothing wrong with those foods. Just use moderation and fit them into your day.

nvmomketo

I think there are only two roads to follow here: eat the food in moderation or cut the craving triggers out of your life.

I was not good at moderating. I failed miserably actually. I ended up cutting most carbs from my diet and that eliminated cravings within days. It works for me.

goldthistime

Depends on the strength of the craving. When I get a gentle craving, like the poster above, if that treat fit into my calorie/macros for the day, I would probably have it. If it's a strong craving though I still don't trust myself not to go off the deep end. Distraction works. Especially exercise. Eating something high in protein often works too.

DreamCatcherGirl

Moderation doesn't work for me, unfortunately. Exercise works but it's not always possible. I often have cravings at work during lunch.

nvmomketo

Look into LCHF if carbs (sugar, chips, candies, breads) seem to trigger cravings. Atkins can be a good starting point.

Liftng4Lis

Fit it into your allotment.

senecarr

If you're early in your weight loss journey and you need to break some habits, I think removing the crave-able items from your life is a decent way to ease up some of the tension that resisting them makes.
I think the healthiest relation with food long term is to find a way that you can accommodate reasonable portions of things you want into your diet on a regular, if not daily basis. Also, preferable that you view these as just something to eat and not as a treat or reward that you have for avoiding all the other foods that day, or because you did X good in your life today.

lemurcat12

I agree with senecarr.

I'd add that you need to think through your cravings, when you have them, how often, and figure out why.

Sometimes people take cravings too seriously--you don't need to respond to them. But you also don't want to feel deprived, so if there is a specific food you find you are really wanting, maybe for a period of days, I'd find a way to fit it in. In general, though, cravings may be responses to habits or changing how you are eating, and you can retrain yourself.

One of the things I did was stop snacking. I would want to eat at times I was used to eating and if there was something tasty available at my office (there usually is) I might obsess about that. I just reminded myself that I wasn't really hungry, I'd had plenty for breakfast or lunch or whatever, for a while I allowed myself to snack on raw vegetables all I wanted to get over the desire to just eat, and I turned my thoughts to what delicious food I'd have for dinner. If I was wanting something spicy I'd figure out a way to make dinner spicy or respond in some way.

I found after about a week the cravings/desire to eat at unnecessary times went away.

When I was learning not to snack I cut out added sugar since for me that was a bigger temptation when stressing or emotional, but I quickly found that didn't really matter once I got used to my new eating times. Now I tend to include something sweet after dinner quite often and if I want something earlier in the day I'll remind myself I'll get it after dinner if I have the calories left.

Kalikel

If you really want them but cannot work in small amounts, then you have two choices: eat large amounts or eliminate them.

Elimination is possible. You'll hear differently, but I'm here to tell you that it can be done and done successfully! It's not easy! It really SUCKS A LOT at first. Especially the first time. But after a while, it gets easier. Eventually, people can offer you donuts, brownies, whathaveyou and it isn't even hard to say, "No, thank you" because you actually don't want it.

Focus n what you are eating and can eat. Prepare fruits in yummy ways. A bowl of berries all smashed up and mixed with some granola (or a smashed up Nature Valley Granola bar, Apple Crisp flavor only) is one of my favorite yummy things. It's a daily treat and one I enjoy even more than I once enjoyed donuts. Donuts and chocolate are sweet and yummy, but they don't have the zip that berries do. Frozen berries are actually better for the smashed-up, mixed with granola thing, IMO.

Some honeycrisp apples baked or roasted with tomatillos and onion - yum! Sweet and tart! To me, anyway. You'll find what you like.

Try to be strong when resisting the sweets and focus on how strong you can be as well as the new things to enjoy.

Hang tough! It gets easier! And it's worth it in the long run.

Good luck!!

kk_inprogress

When I'm craving something, I first drink water because my worst cravings are usually caused by thirst. If that doesn't work, I fit an appropriate amount of it into my calorie goals and enjoy it.

senecarr

hi135 wrote: »

I chew on ice cubes....did that today and wondering why I didn't do this sooner

Because people will think you're iron deficient and you might affect your teeh.

kk_inprogress

senecarr wrote: »

hi135 wrote: »

I chew on ice cubes....did that today and wondering why I didn't do this sooner

Because people will think you're iron deficient and you might affect your teeh.

Yup. Be careful with chewing ice.

atypicalsmith

kkenseth wrote: »

When I'm craving something, I first drink water because my worst cravings are usually caused by thirst. If that doesn't work, I fit an appropriate amount of it into my calorie goals and enjoy it.

Even if you don't think you are thirsty, drink the water anyway and it will fill your stomach which takes away the cravings.

senecarr

senecarr wrote: »

hi135 wrote: »

I chew on ice cubes....did that today and wondering why I didn't do this sooner

Because people will think you're iron deficient and you might affect your teeh.

That was flagged? Really?
I used to like to chew ice, and my mother always said that was a symptom of iron deficiency (even though I've never been anemic). Take a moment to look it up - while no one understands the underlying mechanism, there is a correlation of people with iron deficiency and chewing ice.

AlabasterVerve

I don't know the answer for you but for me I stopped eating foods that caused cravings on a regular basis and the cravings went away. Willpower and little dieting tricks only got me so far so I needed something easier for me to maintain -- even when I'm not in gung ho diet mode and I don't particularly care.

PinkPixiexox

I have cravings a lot - I have a huge, huge appetite that I know I need to control forevermore if I want to stay at a healthy weight. I personally don't give in to cravings because I've kind of 'trained' myself not to. Of course, I allow myself the odd indulgence here and there but most evenings I crave a big chocolate cake filled with squirty cream - and that's just not a normal everyday craving for the majority - I ignore it and it goes away! If I gave in to every single craving I had, I would be overweight and that's not what I want anymore.

Everything in moderation!

veephil31

I always give in to my cravings, though in a way that won't ruin me. I've realized if I really want an oreo, and I try to eat something else, I end up eating more calories then if I would of had the orero in the first place! I do not keep any of the junk foods in my house. If I really want something bad enough, I have to go to the store and get it (sometimes that alone makes everything go away). If I get a craving I will wait 10 minuets before doing anything about it. After that, I allow myself a portion (or 2 depending on how many calories i've eaten that day).

Sued0nim

Ninkyou wrote: »

I fit it into my calorie goal. I never deny myself something. There's nothing wrong with those foods. Just use moderation and fit them into your day.

^^^ yup

Francl27

Yep moderation. If you think you can't do that, buy a single pack. Also... focus on what you're eating. Eating in front of the TV or the computer etc = mindless eating and you're not really savoring your food. Moderation will be easier if you really take the time to savor every bite... and knowing that you don't have to eat the whole package, you can just have more any time your craving hits because there's nothing 'wrong' with that food as long as you only have a reasonable portion.

But yeah if I crave something and have something else, guaranteed I'll end up eating both anyway... so now I just have a little bit of it of what I was craving in the first place... And if I deny myself too long, that's when I'll end up eating way too much of it.

Sunny_Bunny_

nvmomketo wrote: »

I think there are only two roads to follow here: eat the food in moderation or cut the craving triggers out of your life.

I was not good at moderating. I failed miserably actually. I ended up cutting most carbs from my diet and that eliminated cravings within days. It works for me.

I found this to be true for myself as well. I've had great success completely eliminating sweets, which was my major problem, from my life. I found a new way to enjoy sweet flavors with a low carb diet. Mostly with coffee/tea, dark chocolate and low carb yogurt. I was able fight back the cravings for a few weeks out of will power then the lchf woe helped from there on and now I can have the sweet flavors that fit my plan and am able to control my portions. This eating style is my plan going forward because I believe my cravings can get out of control if I reintroduce real sugar.
Another strategy I heard about recently is one anyone can do and has been mentioned as using a distraction. But it can be difficult to focus on the thing you are trying to use as a distraction sometimes. I heard of someone using the game Tetris on their phone as their distraction. I'm sure it could be any game you like, but they talked about how it required thinking about the current move and planning the next move so their brain was fully engaged in the game and they just couldn't also be thinking about the craving at the same time. They would just play a few rounds and could better deal with the initial craving better afterward.

Francl27

Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

I think there are only two roads to follow here: eat the food in moderation or cut the craving triggers out of your life.

I was not good at moderating. I failed miserably actually. I ended up cutting most carbs from my diet and that eliminated cravings within days. It works for me.

I found this to be true for myself as well. I've had great success completely eliminating sweets, which was my major problem, from my life. I found a new way to enjoy sweet flavors with a low carb diet. Mostly with coffee/tea, dark chocolate and low carb yogurt. I was able fight back the cravings for a few weeks out of will power then the lchf woe helped from there on and now I can have the sweet flavors that fit my plan and am able to control my portions. This eating style is my plan going forward because I believe my cravings can get out of control if I reintroduce real sugar.
Another strategy I heard about recently is one anyone can do and has been mentioned as using a distraction. But it can be difficult to focus on the thing you are trying to use as a distraction sometimes. I heard of someone using the game Tetris on their phone as their distraction. I'm sure it could be any game you like, but they talked about how it required thinking about the current move and planning the next move so their brain was fully engaged in the game and they just couldn't also be thinking about the craving at the same time. They would just play a few rounds and could better deal with the initial craving better afterward.

Well, some people can just cut the stuff out. I tried. It worked for a few months. Then my sister brought me back my favorite chocolates from France and I ate the whole box in 2 days.

So I figured there were just a few options... 1) restrict and binge, 2) not eat the stuff at all anymore, 3) just get fat again, 4) learn moderation. I love sweet stuff. I have no intention of never eating it again (plus as the chocolates showed, I apparently can't anyway). So I made the choice of going with 4.

Sunny_Bunny_

Francl27 wrote: »

Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

I think there are only two roads to follow here: eat the food in moderation or cut the craving triggers out of your life.

I was not good at moderating. I failed miserably actually. I ended up cutting most carbs from my diet and that eliminated cravings within days. It works for me.

I found this to be true for myself as well. I've had great success completely eliminating sweets, which was my major problem, from my life. I found a new way to enjoy sweet flavors with a low carb diet. Mostly with coffee/tea, dark chocolate and low carb yogurt. I was able fight back the cravings for a few weeks out of will power then the lchf woe helped from there on and now I can have the sweet flavors that fit my plan and am able to control my portions. This eating style is my plan going forward because I believe my cravings can get out of control if I reintroduce real sugar.
Another strategy I heard about recently is one anyone can do and has been mentioned as using a distraction. But it can be difficult to focus on the thing you are trying to use as a distraction sometimes. I heard of someone using the game Tetris on their phone as their distraction. I'm sure it could be any game you like, but they talked about how it required thinking about the current move and planning the next move so their brain was fully engaged in the game and they just couldn't also be thinking about the craving at the same time. They would just play a few rounds and could better deal with the initial craving better afterward.

Well, some people can just cut the stuff out. I tried. It worked for a few months. Then my sister brought me back my favorite chocolates from France and I ate the whole box in 2 days.

So I figured there were just a few options... 1) restrict and binge, 2) not eat the stuff at all anymore, 3) just get fat again, 4) learn moderation. I love sweet stuff. I have no intention of never eating it again (plus as the chocolates showed, I apparently can't anyway). So I made the choice of going with 4.

I fully understand everyone is unique. I was just throwing out my own experience and thought I'd also mention what I had heard about a possible way to create a distraction that I had just heard about someone else using successfully.
It's all about finding the right personal method for ourselves.
Anyone that has had success in controlling their cravings will have some valid tips and ideas. It's nice to have the collaborative brainstorming to think about which ones might fit for our own personal application.
Since cravings are often a big issue for anyone struggling with overeating, gaining control over it is monumental. Congrats on your success with it @Francl27
OP, I hope you find the way that's right for you too.