My Peanut Butter Cup Crutch
LowCarbInScotland
Posts: 1,027 Member
The first time I went low carb, I started eating quest bars for lunch when I had to travel for work. I bought a variety box and it always included one of the Quest Cravings peanut butter cups packets. They were so disgusting to me that they would expire before I ate them.
Well clearly my tastes have changed. I'm addicted to these things! I'm eating at least one cup a day, sometimes both cups in the pack. It's not screwing up my macros and I rarely go over my calorie goal, and I'm losing weight at a good pace right now, but it feels like a naughty habit that I need to get under control. I think I feel so guilty because of the cravings I feel towards them.
Does anyone else have a less than desirable crutch they use? Have you tried giving it up? Do you feel like you should give it up? Or do you just allow yourself the crutch guilt-free?
Well clearly my tastes have changed. I'm addicted to these things! I'm eating at least one cup a day, sometimes both cups in the pack. It's not screwing up my macros and I rarely go over my calorie goal, and I'm losing weight at a good pace right now, but it feels like a naughty habit that I need to get under control. I think I feel so guilty because of the cravings I feel towards them.
Does anyone else have a less than desirable crutch they use? Have you tried giving it up? Do you feel like you should give it up? Or do you just allow yourself the crutch guilt-free?
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For a while, I lost weight eating Nutella and Fage for breakfast. I've given it up since going lower carb, and wanting to cut out as much sugar as possible. Making low carb, sugar free cheesecake has turned into an occasional crutch.0
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Quest bars are a huge problem for me. I do not consider them food. I consider them candy bars. When I do allow myself to have one, I will only eat 1/3 of it because I treat it like a dessert. I will be craving them non-stop if I eat the whole thing or try to have them regularly.
I had bought a variety pack months ago and have one bar left. It will take me the next month to finally finish that last bar because I cannot let myself just eat it like a regular food item.
So much of weight loss and health is mental. If something has a mental effect on you that you don't think is good, the best idea is to deal with it ASAP.0 -
Nuts. Nuts and cheese have always been my problem foods. They cause me to stall or gain, every time.0
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Quest bars are a huge problem for me. I do not consider them food. I consider them candy bars. When I do allow myself to have one, I will only eat 1/3 of it because I treat it like a dessert. I will be craving them non-stop if I eat the whole thing or try to have them regularly.Nuts. Nuts and cheese have always been my problem foods. They cause me to stall or gain, every time.
These! Nuts and dairy stalls me out immediately and kicks me out of ketosis (I think I get an elevated insulin response to them). And Quest bars are the devil - the delicious, addictive devil! They are not very common and very, very expensive comparatively here in Aus so that helps, but if I bought a box I could eat 4 in a sitting. The same with their powder - too sweet and same effect. For me, easier to abstain.
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Even though I eat plenty of fat, sometimes I eat a peanut butter chocolate fat bomb. Just one. I do like something sweet every now and then. There are only 120 calories, 4 carbs, and 4 grams of protein.0
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I sometimes eat a tbsp of peanut butter for the sweet hit. I have to be careful as this is not a good sign for me.0
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lithezebra wrote: »For a while, I lost weight eating Nutella and Fage for breakfast. I've given it up since going lower carb, and wanting to cut out as much sugar as possible. Making low carb, sugar free cheesecake has turned into an occasional crutch.
I've been doing something similar with fage, peanut flour and a little truvia...
Tastes like whipped peanut butter!0 -
I look at it differently. Life is too short to deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying something decadent!! The fact that we can eat food like Quest bars and not blow our way of eating is a blessing I treasure. On the other hand they're so da**ed expensive I only let myself eat one a day...and that's how I control my cravings
I also love peanut butter cups and have found the adkins ones to be reasonably prices, tasty and 16 grams of fiber in 2 cups! 0 -
I look at it differently. Life is too short to deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying something decadent!! The fact that we can eat food like Quest bars and not blow our way of eating is a blessing I treasure. On the other hand they're so da**ed expensive I only let myself eat one a day...and that's how I control my cravings
I also love peanut butter cups and have found the adkins ones to be reasonably prices, tasty and 16 grams of fiber in 2 cups!
But... I can't eat a quest bar and not blow my diet.. Not without applying the restriction to only eat 1/3 of it and only every now and then as a treat.
This is what makes the difference from one person to another and weather or not it works for each person to have the sweet foods that technically fit the plan.0 -
Nuts. Nuts and cheese have always been my problem foods. They cause me to stall or gain, every time.
Hey howdy to that. I still buy nuts but always the Planters Nut-trtion mix that comes in individual 1.5 ounce packages. (Eight grams carbs, four grams fiber, nine grams protein, available at Sam's Club in a 12 pack for a not exorbitant price, BTW.) If I buy nuts in a box or a plastic container, I stand at the kitchen counter looking like a squirrel in a bird feeder.
I can always open up a second package but that is a definite choice, not a mindless action. I did open two packages yesterday evening and halfway through the second serving I was over and done. And thirsty.
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »So much of weight loss and health is mental. If something has a mental effect on you that you don't think is good, the best idea is to deal with it ASAP.
I think you hit the nail on the head for me @Sunny_Bunny_
Even though I'm not blowing my diet/macros/weight loss with my daily 1 or 2 Quest PB cups (yet), it is definitely an addiction and I think I need to listen to my brain, instead of my stomach, and accept that this is not a healthy decision. I should be spending those 7 net carbs on more veggies, which offer more complex and natural nutrition. I think this will be my last box. I'm not yet at a place where I can have an occasional treat if I really enjoy something because it will quickly get out of control.0 -
For me, I actively try to eliminate anything that feels like a crutch because I don't want to be in a place where I'm physically and mentally unable to feel satisfied unless I have it. Except coffee...but even there, I was having a regularly BP coffee in the a.m. and a decaf in the evening. I'm trying to eliminate the evening one unless I'm low on fat because it was becoming a habit that I would start craving almost as soon as dinner was done. It was turning into "dessert". I'm not against the occasional LCHF dessert, but anything with a sweet taste is really dangerous for me...so I just stay away.
I feel deprived sometimes...but I also feel totally virtuous and that makes it worthwhile.0 -
I have one square of 90% dark chocolate a night...usually with a spoonful of peanut or cashew butter. I don't consider it a problem though because I just work it into my macros and if for whatever reason I don't have enough carbs then I'm ok without it. I don't so much crave it as just carve out space for it because I know I enjoy it.0
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »I look at it differently. Life is too short to deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying something decadent!! The fact that we can eat food like Quest bars and not blow our way of eating is a blessing I treasure. On the other hand they're so da**ed expensive I only let myself eat one a day...and that's how I control my cravings
I also love peanut butter cups and have found the adkins ones to be reasonably prices, tasty and 16 grams of fiber in 2 cups!
But... I can't eat a quest bar and not blow my diet.. Not without applying the restriction to only eat 1/3 of it and only every now and then as a treat.
This is what makes the difference from one person to another and weather or not it works for each person to have the sweet foods that technically fit the plan.
Exactly. Everybody is different.
There are some people who can moderate on-plan foods. And there there are others like me who react like a starving polar bear and rip into those things when given the chance as if they were the full-sugar thing. What I did to a can of peanuts and cashews on Saturday was obscene... And I have made LC desserts, like that pumpkin cheesecake mousse...Lord ha'Mercy, I had to put that stuff in the basement fridge so I didn't gorge myself on the whole pan. I've been low-carb for over a year and a half. If I had made only one serving it would have been ok.
So I'm of the opinion if you can indulge and moderate it, and it doesn't set you back, enjoy. If not, then don’t do it.
Nuts were a good crutch for me. Until they weren't. (Peanuts and cashews. More fibrous nuts don't trigger me as badly.) Now I respond to eating them like they were Hershey's Kisses. Which I would keep diving into until I ate the whole bag. So the pb cups may not be a problem now, but the body changes as we go. And what did not set you back before may start to stall you for various reasons. One being vaccum-cleaner-like food binges. That sucks but it can happen. 0 -
I've had quest bars, and enjoy the coconut one, and the one that tastes like oreos.
I've never had the peanut butter cups. Good? I'd keep them around for dessert if they are yummy.0 -
Amen! To all that! 0
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »I look at it differently. Life is too short to deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying something decadent!! The fact that we can eat food like Quest bars and not blow our way of eating is a blessing I treasure. On the other hand they're so da**ed expensive I only let myself eat one a day...and that's how I control my cravings
I also love peanut butter cups and have found the adkins ones to be reasonably prices, tasty and 16 grams of fiber in 2 cups!
But... I can't eat a quest bar and not blow my diet.. Not without applying the restriction to only eat 1/3 of it and only every now and then as a treat.
This is what makes the difference from one person to another and weather or not it works for each person to have the sweet foods that technically fit the plan.
I guess what I would try to do if I could not control the urge to fall off the wagon is figure out why and slay that demon. Maybe it's easy for me to say because I don't struggle with food urges anymore but I did...and I dealt with it. Rationing is a strategy but it's not a solution. I mean no offense to anyone who struggles...god knows i've been there but for long term success (at least in my opinion) you have to get to a place where you can enjoy food in moderation.
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Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I've never had the peanut butter cups. Good?
In what universe is combining chocolate and peanut butter ever not good? 0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »I look at it differently. Life is too short to deny yourself the pleasure of enjoying something decadent!! The fact that we can eat food like Quest bars and not blow our way of eating is a blessing I treasure. On the other hand they're so da**ed expensive I only let myself eat one a day...and that's how I control my cravings
I also love peanut butter cups and have found the adkins ones to be reasonably prices, tasty and 16 grams of fiber in 2 cups!
But... I can't eat a quest bar and not blow my diet.. Not without applying the restriction to only eat 1/3 of it and only every now and then as a treat.
This is what makes the difference from one person to another and weather or not it works for each person to have the sweet foods that technically fit the plan.
I guess what I would try to do if I could not control the urge to fall off the wagon is figure out why and slay that demon. Maybe it's easy for me to say because I don't struggle with food urges anymore but I did...and I dealt with it. Rationing is a strategy but it's not a solution. I mean no offense to anyone who struggles...god knows i've been there but for long term success (at least in my opinion) you have to get to a place where you can enjoy food in moderation.
There's something about sweet tasting foods that triggers a response that says "yummy! Eat aaaaaaaaall the sweets"! It's literally feels like a switch gets flipped on somewhere in the back of my brain and there's a little fire burning in there that is screaming for more.
I have gotten to a place where I can moderate, I cut 1/3 of that bar off and put the rest away and it's not allowed to be back in my diet for several days at least. My degree of moderation is just to allow less than yours.0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »
There's something about sweet tasting foods that triggers a response that says "yummy! Eat aaaaaaaaall the sweets"! It's literally feels like a switch gets flipped on somewhere in the back of my brain and there's a little fire burning in there that is screaming for more.
I have gotten to a place where I can moderate, I cut 1/3 of that bar off and put the rest away and it's not allowed to be back in my diet for several days at least. My degree of moderation is just to allow less than yours.
Well I truly hope that someday you can learn to ignore that switch and stomp out that fire. It's very liberating but it is tough. 0 -
Salted nuts of any kind and peanut butter. Either of those I can go waaaaaay overboard on.0
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I love this thread so much! I have eliminated pork rinds and my beloved Fage yogurt, just because of the psychological addiction. I'm slowly making a list of the foods that I must not touch when I am off my plan (vacations, holidays) because I see how negatively they impact my emotional sobriety with food. #1 - Nacho Cheese Doritos.0
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Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »
There's something about sweet tasting foods that triggers a response that says "yummy! Eat aaaaaaaaall the sweets"! It's literally feels like a switch gets flipped on somewhere in the back of my brain and there's a little fire burning in there that is screaming for more.
I have gotten to a place where I can moderate, I cut 1/3 of that bar off and put the rest away and it's not allowed to be back in my diet for several days at least. My degree of moderation is just to allow less than yours.
Well I truly hope that someday you can learn to ignore that switch and stomp out that fire. It's very liberating but it is tough.
The thing is, I don't need to eat sweets at all. The only time I even miss them at all is when that feeling is triggered. If I don't trigger it, I can sit right by the most beautiful cake on the planet and not even identify it as food. I don't want it. Frankly, things that are full sugar (real sugar) smell gross to me.
I guess I just don't understand the idea of "life is too short to not allow yourself the enjoyment of something decadent". Not anymore anyway. I guess I decided that's not something I should consider as fulfilling and adding enjoyment to my life because I really an developing a "food is simply fuel" mentality. I don't even have being able to moderate that stuff (full sugar stuff) as a goal. I just don't want to eat it. Being able to moderate the low carb kind is definitely a goal and I think I've mostly gotten there, but I'd still rather just be able to see it the same way I see the full sugar stuff honestly.
I do fully understand the uniqueness in both our situations and it's certainly a more advantageous place to be where you are, in being able to not trigger those feelings I mentioned. But, I'd rather not even try to work on that as a goal because I've been very successful in total elimination, regarding real sweets and moderation with lc sweets when I apply the strict rule.
I think there is an emotional aspect to the cravings but I firmly believe there is a chemical aspect that is only able to be controlled by preventing the hormonal reaction in the first place, and no amount of will can stop it from happening. Will can however, pull us past it.0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »I guess I just don't understand the idea of "life is too short to not allow yourself the enjoyment of something decadent".
Well, my take...we're all here because at some point in our life we enjoyed food a little too much and have since made decisions and efforts to undo some of the damage(whether it be physical weight or emotional...or both). I've always believed that the best diet is the one you can stick to but at the same time, at what cost? Foods taste good for a reason...because it's not just fuel...or at least it can be both, fuel and enjoyable.
I love lifting weights and I work out 4-6 days a week and if I wanted to I could cut down to <10% bf and look like a body builder but I enjoy alcohol, sweet things and salty things. I've found a way to enjoy them in moderation and still maintain a healthy weight and so that's what I do. I could restrict those things completely but to me it's not worth it. Keto is a great way to help manage those cravings as well, but personally I would never want to cut out the foods I love, just moderate them to the point where I get enjoyment out of eating but keep my weight and health where they should be.
I never thought of developing an aversion to sugar or specific food types that can be dangerous. I can see it being a strategy and I truly hope it continues to work for you as it has(amazing progress!) and if you truly never want to be able to enjoy some of those foods again in moderation then i'll leave it at that. For me personally, it wouldn't work.0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »I guess I just don't understand the idea of "life is too short to not allow yourself the enjoyment of something decadent".
Well, my take...we're all here because at some point in our life we enjoyed food a little too much and have since made decisions and efforts to undo some of the damage(whether it be physical weight or emotional...or both). I've always believed that the best diet is the one you can stick to but at the same time, at what cost? Foods taste good for a reason...because it's not just fuel...or at least it can be both, fuel and enjoyable.
I love lifting weights and I work out 4-6 days a week and if I wanted to I could cut down to <10% bf and look like a body builder but I enjoy alcohol, sweet things and salty things. I've found a way to enjoy them in moderation and still maintain a healthy weight and so that's what I do. I could restrict those things completely but to me it's not worth it. Keto is a great way to help manage those cravings as well, but personally I would never want to cut out the foods I love, just moderate them to the point where I get enjoyment out of eating but keep my weight and health where they should be.
I never thought of developing an aversion to sugar or specific food types that can be dangerous. I can see it being a strategy and I truly hope it continues to work for you as it has(amazing progress!) and if you truly never want to be able to enjoy some of those foods again in moderation then i'll leave it at that. For me personally, it wouldn't work.
And this is what it truly comes down to. Each of us working out the way that works for us. It's possible to learn moderation and not have the triggered feelings as @Smoked33 has achieved and others might have to do more elimination of the triggering foods. If we are honest with ourselves, we know which category we fall into and weather or not the way we choose is sustainable long term, is really just a matter of how in control we feel.
This group is great for being able to discuss these different methods. The whole process is learning and adjusting, listening to your body and being flexible and willing to try new things.
I appreciate your experience on the subject, @Smoked330 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »
There's something about sweet tasting foods that triggers a response that says "yummy! Eat aaaaaaaaall the sweets"! It's literally feels like a switch gets flipped on somewhere in the back of my brain and there's a little fire burning in there that is screaming for more.
I have gotten to a place where I can moderate, I cut 1/3 of that bar off and put the rest away and it's not allowed to be back in my diet for several days at least. My degree of moderation is just to allow less than yours.
Well I truly hope that someday you can learn to ignore that switch and stomp out that fire. It's very liberating but it is tough.
I genuinely don't believe I have it within me to EVER moderate certain things. I'm not wired that way. My particular switch for certain foods is either all on or all off. I don't do, "just one chocolate." I've tried. The switch flips to ON, and Ms. Hyde comes out. The wiring is screwy and stuck ON until the stomach is so full that I can not physically consume anything else, or I run out (at which point I'll look for and rapidly consume anything similar until I can't stuff any more in.) It is an insane compulsion.
Chicken? I'm fine. Pork rinds and dip? Cheese? Bacon? I LOVE them, but I can stop eating them. I am satisfied with my portions, and I stop.
Peanuts or cashews? Switch gets stuck on. Sugary chocolates? The same. French fries? Yikes. Potato chips? Eat the whole bag and can't stop. If I run out of that food, I frantically search for more of my trigger foods after that and inhale them, too. I will eat the trigger foods until full and/or sick. No matter how much I tell myself to stop or that I am pathetic. Like @Sunny_Bunny_ said, it burns in my head. 4-alarm blaze and there is no fire dept. I have to be very careful with low-carb desserts, but some of them, if I make 1 serving, I'm ok and I don't go off on a carb-rampage after.
I'm broken. But I've come to terms with that. I know how to keep the crazy-switch off.
Sometimes I discover other crazy-switches, like the peanuts and cashews recently. And then I fix it by staying away from them. There is no "medium." There is "on" or "off."
So, I had to hack my brain. It stinks to have limitations. But I'm too ornery and stubborn to let food rule me like that any more. So if it means "restricting a food," so be it. I'd be a blithering IDIOT to keep doing something I KNOW hurts me.
"Hey! Let's let the ravenous beast out! There'll be unmitigated carnage on an epic scale! Come on, it will be fun!" Said no one. EVER.
Unless maybe you're Loki...which is my food-demon's name. And I'm not listening to him any more.0 -
bluefish86 wrote: »lithezebra wrote: »For a while, I lost weight eating Nutella and Fage for breakfast. I've given it up since going lower carb, and wanting to cut out as much sugar as possible. Making low carb, sugar free cheesecake has turned into an occasional crutch.
I've been doing something similar with fage, peanut flour and a little truvia...
Tastes like whipped peanut butter!
I do this with the 24 hour Greek yogurt I make, and almond butter - yum!0 -
What I can't seem to do is eat a balanced diet and have treats. I can eat treats and not eat too many calories - no problem. But when I eat my veggies, I have to stay off the treats or I won't stop. That's why I'm not eating veggies today. I had 3/4 cup of heavy cream in my breakfast. That's a treat.0
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@baconslave
What you lack in ability to moderate food intake you more than make up for in analogous literary prowess!
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Thanks to the mere title of this thread, last night I had a dark chocolate square with 1 tsp of Simply Ground peanut butter on it. Mmmmm ... (And oh, the power of suggestion!
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