Devil Worship and Intervention

Protranser

Has anyone migrated their taste preferences away from soda, candy, and cakes to fruit and sweet vegetables? Was this a choice you had to commit to, or did it suddenly happen for you, like it did for me?

Background is below, feel free to skip.

My SO really likes sugar, is pre-diabetic and on medication. I realize there's nothing wrong with sugar in moderation, and I get the impression moderation is harder for people who have a dietary preference for candy, soda, and cakes.

I've never been a huge fan of soda, I do love cake and pastries, and I am okay with candy. I frequently find myself eating fruit and some veggies for sweet flavors, versus pouring sugar into my food/drink. This is not to say I completely abstain from devil worship. I enjoy the occasional demonic possession, and run into a nearby parking lot to cry when I'm done eating it, as is the proper way to atone for sin.

ShrinkingKerrie

When I need sugar, no fruit or vegetable will do. I can put it off for hours,days even but eventually it will happen. I have cut down significantly since joining mfp but got a really bad headache in the first week from withdrawal.

tomatoey

I think sugar's sugar no matter the source, and if she's eating tons of fruits, it's not going to make a difference for her health (re the diabetes anyway). I knew a diabetic who would eat a grocery bag full of apples, oranges, pears etc. by himself.

Personally I was never that into sugary stuff. (But I was a big fan of savoury indulgences like fast food and chips, and typically want less of that the better I eat on the whole. Conversely, the more indulgences I eat, the less I prefer good-for-you savoury goodness.)

If your girlfriend's going to make changes, though, they're probably going to come from her.

Protranser

Hmm, for you two, do sugar cravings outweigh cravings for other flavors? Like when you are hungry, and if you are in a supermarket, and had to put together a meal that would magically have 0 calories, what would you go for?

tomatoey

Protranser wrote: »

Hmm, for you two, do sugar cravings outweigh cravings for other flavors? Like when you are hungry, and if you are in a supermarket, and had to put together a meal that would magically have 0 calories, what would you go for?

Almost never have sugar cravings. LIke once a month, maybe, for chocolate. Although I did have a stupid amount of butter tarts yesterday, but I'm recovering from a health issue (not diabetes or insulin related) and my appetite is doing crazy things.

Usually, if I'm hungry and I eat something sugary (rare but has happened when e.g. I forgot to eat breakfast & was hungry, and someone passed cookies around & I didn't have other food options), I feel nauseous. Cake icing is in my top 3 disgusting things to avoid, hated most of the gross birthday cakes I had to eat in the early 80s as a kid for that reason.

Usually, it's a nice and very optional thing after a meal of real food, but even then I might have a couple of bites and stop there naturally.

My 0 calorie meal would be a burrito or maybe a curry.

wizzybeth

I have noticed since doing MFP and paying attention to meeting the minimum goals for my protein and fat intake, that my cravings for sugary foods have gone down drastically - not 100% - as every so often the sugar-monster makes an appearance and I have to have something like a Little Debbie cake or a Rice Krispies treat or a lollipop - but I've gone from wanting it daily, every time I'm hungry, to only wanting it every so often.

Protranser

wizzybeth wrote: »

I have noticed since doing MFP and paying attention to meeting the minimum goals for my protein and fat intake, that my cravings for sugary foods have gone down drastically - not 100% - as every so often the sugar-monster makes an appearance and I have to have something like a Little Debbie cake or a Rice Krispies treat or a lollipop - but I've gone from wanting it daily, every time I'm hungry, to only wanting it every so often.

Hmm. Okay. Next time I cook, I'll try to add in more protein. My SO has no desire to lose weight or change diet, so when we spend time together, I'm trying to see if I can at least mitigate some of the poor diet choices my SO makes. This is probably the wrong idea though; when we're not together, my SO will just go back to eating a low protein, high fat, high sugar/carb diet, all the while maintaining a mostly sedentary lifestyle with no meaningful exercise.

Protranser

NothingsGoing2StopMe wrote: »

I was finding the more sugar or things with sugar substitutes I ate the more sugar I wanted. If I stay away from them entirely I do seem to seek out the natural sugars that are in fruits. (like the fresh strawberries I grow) They satisfy that need for sweet and do not give me that eternal gnawing craving for more.

Ah, so you made an active choice to try to limit your sugar intake. I do remember a time when my palate was so desensitized to salt and sugar that I needed a lot of salt to register (and satisfy a craving for) a salty flavor, and a lot of sugar to register (and satisfy cravings for) sweet flavors.

I know now that I prefer less salty/less sweet flavors in my food. Somewhere between then and now I must've made an active decision to stop wanting so much of these things in my diet. Perhaps it was my demonization of sugar and high fructose corn syrup that allowed me to just leave it all behind. Now I have those things again in my diet, but in very meticulously monitored moderation. I don't expect that type of solution to be applicable to all people, obviously... but I would like to see what my SO's palate changes to if it weren't for the preferential treatment of sweetened anonymous-suitors.

Wiseandcurious

I crave salty and savoury things typically, but I wouldn't say that I like tem less the better I eat. I just get into the habit of recognising the urges and either budgeting for them or convincing myself that a pickled gherkin will do instead. Or, if I really, really want those chips, buy a small bag, not beat myslef over the fact that it netted me a surplus and get on with life the next day.

Oflamez

I gained 20 kg of pure FAT from being sugar "addicted" binging daily on chocolate, about 1000 calories everyday for about 4 years.

Now that I track my diet I have no room for sweets, even with whole foods yesterday I ate 3325 calories and woke up feeling hungry. I will try to progressively decrease my calories to 2800 or just do 3000, I do a lot of weight lifting.

A dark chocolate 75% cocoa is very nutritious and much much less sweet maybe 20 grams like eating a banana, so while high in calories it helps you get away from sugar and has nutrients and healthy fat.

On the other hand if you eat sweets you won't really have much room for real fruits, also milk and honey contain sugar.

I wish I could get away from it forever, it's a high but ruins your physique. And it doesn't satisfy you in the long run just get's you high.

Lourdesong

My preferences have pretty much stayed the same. I've never been a fan of sugary stuff that wasn't tempered by fat in some way, so sweet fruit and sugar candy (like jolly ranchers and such) alike were unappealing to me. And I've never been a fan of anything that sticks to my teeth - like caramel, nougat and taffy.

I still love pastries, cakes, cookies, custard, chocolates and so on. And I still would rather reach for any one of them than sweet fruit. And I usually do.

I do like veggies a lot, and non-sweet fruits. And I eat a lot of them. I don't feel like sugary fruits or veg is oh so beneficial that I ought to choose them over chocolate or a cookie or whatever. In the context of my diet, that is, which already includes lots of non-sweet fruit and veg.

jgnatca

I agree that switching to fruits and veggies for your sweetness does change your tastes over time. In fact I prefer my veggies now.

I am sorry your SO is not making any significant changes to her lifestyle. Even a few small changes can make such a difference. My daughter in law has lost over twenty pounds in three months simply by switching from sugar sodas.

She would have so much more energy too.

kshama2001

NothingsGoing2StopMe wrote: »

I was finding the more sugar or things with sugar substitutes I ate the more sugar I wanted. If I stay away from them entirely I do seem to seek out the natural sugars that are in fruits. (like the fresh strawberries I grow) They satisfy that need for sweet and do not give me that eternal gnawing craving for more.

Yes, this was my experience with replacing baked goods with fruit, which also have the advantage of being much lower in calorie.

sprc1616

I always loved meat & veg but I had binge eating problems with sugary candy. I'd buy one of those theater-size boxes at CVS and tell myself I'd eat only a few and wind up eating the whole thing. At work parties I'd eat two cookies and a piece of cake.

I've been using MFP for seven months and while my binge moments have not been entirely eliminated, they've been drastically reduced. I've also turned to only buying tiny amounts of sugary stuff or restricting myself to 1 or 2 small chocolates to the receptionists desk. I also have eliminated all soda consumption save for Cherry Coke Zero, and instead drink flavored seltzer and tea.

I don't think my fruit consumption has changed much at all.

kshama2001

wizzybeth wrote: »

I have noticed since doing MFP and paying attention to meeting the minimum goals for my protein and fat intake, that my cravings for sugary foods have gone down drastically - not 100% - as every so often the sugar-monster makes an appearance and I have to have something like a Little Debbie cake or a Rice Krispies treat or a lollipop - but I've gone from wanting it daily, every time I'm hungry, to only wanting it every so often.

This too - I've upped my protein in relationship to carbs and want carbs much less. Now I'm fine with just having a small to moderate amount of treats after dinner, instead of wanting them throughout the day.

bigislandgrrl

I satiate my need for sweets by enjoying a bowl of cereal and milk. When learning about the calories I had been consuming, I decided that a big bowl of cereal and milk was far more satiating than 2 oreos (or insert any calorie dense sweet here). My go to? Berry Berry Kix with full fat milk, yum!

usmcmp

I like sweet things and if I want something sweet I fit it into my goals. Cutting out candies or cookies caused binge eating for me, so allowing them as a small part of my diet keeps me on track. Some people have better success when they stop allowing them. Personal preference/adherence is the most important factor (besides medical necessity).

MorganMoreaux

I primarily eat whole foods and have done so for a while, but used to get horrible sugar cravings that I would fight as long as I could. It would usually end in a binge. I really started paying attention to how much fat and protein I eat, and dramatically increased those. I find that I don't have the sugar cravings like I used to, and it's been much easier to stay on track. I am not a fan of breakfast, but have been forcing myself to have some kefir and a homemade protien bar in the mornings, and again in the evenings and this has all but eliminated the before bed craving for sugary treats.

Lounmoun

I've always been more into salty/sour foods. I think more about reducing my sodium intake.
I eat things with sugar but not really to excess. It really isn't a change for me. I have noticed that when I'm hitting my protein, fat, fiber goals then my sugar goal is usually at or below the amount MFP gave me.

mbaker566

nothing has really changed in my preferences