How do you get through a serious carb crave?

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joyfullee
joyfullee Posts: 23 Member
I'm starting week three, down seven lbs and I started my time of the month and am craving carbs so incredibly bad!! What do you do to help yourself get through a serious carb crave?

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  • reblazed
    reblazed Posts: 255 Member
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    For ANY craving I eat bacon ... works for me. LOL

    YMMV
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,890 Member
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    A couple of things:
    * If I'm craving something specific, go on pinterest and find a LCHF/keto version of that recipe.
    * Keep some chocolate fat bombs or cream cheese clouds, sugar-free Jell-O, dark chocolate squares, etc. on hand and have one during those times.
    * Shift my focus to a food that's more LCHF-friendly, e.g. if I'm craving something sweet, I might start thinking about a food in another category (salty, spicy, etc.) would taste, e.g. how good some nice pepper jack cheese would taste, or bacon, or a pickle (I've been shocked at how often pickles work for me), or whatever. I just shift my focus to something spicy or savory, enjoy it, and sometimes that works surprisingly well for me.
  • anglyn1
    anglyn1 Posts: 1,803 Member
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    Hot tea with heavy cream!
  • noclady1995
    noclady1995 Posts: 452 Member
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    I had one of those today and always tend to crave cake, and I've tried a few recipes, but today I found a chocolate mug cake on Pinterest that had 2 net carbs...and it had NO flour of any kind. Just an egg, heavy cream, I used stevia, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract. It was just like regular cake, and not eggy like I was expecting. I ate it plain and it was so good!!
    https://www.reddit.com/r/ketorecipes/comments/1aptue/flourless_chocolate_mug_cake/
  • auntstephie321
    auntstephie321 Posts: 3,586 Member
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    Double check your macros, make sure your getting enough sodium and fat.
  • LowCarbInScotland
    LowCarbInScotland Posts: 1,027 Member
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    macchiatto wrote: »
    A couple of things:
    * If I'm craving something specific, go on pinterest and find a LCHF/keto version of that recipe.
    * Keep some chocolate fat bombs or cream cheese clouds, sugar-free Jell-O, dark chocolate squares, etc. on hand and have one during those times.
    * Shift my focus to a food that's more LCHF-friendly, e.g. if I'm craving something sweet, I might start thinking about a food in another category (salty, spicy, etc.) would taste, e.g. how good some nice pepper jack cheese would taste, or bacon, or a pickle (I've been shocked at how often pickles work for me), or whatever. I just shift my focus to something spicy or savory, enjoy it, and sometimes that works surprisingly well for me.

    ^^all of this!

    I'll have prosciutto wrapped around little bites of cheese if I'm seeking savoury, 90% dark chocolate or my quest peanut butter cups if I need sweet, and I just found that Parmesan crisps are the perfect solution when I want to enjoy a little crunch.

    I avoid the low carb breads and cakes and the sweet fat bombs because that would trigger more cravings and indulgences for me.
  • LinCharpentier
    LinCharpentier Posts: 1,129 Member
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    Wish I has of thought of having a dill pic kle when I lost it Sunday night. I had a bad cave in with sugar. I was lucky no weight gain from it. But I was supper good yesterday with only 48 carbs. I know that's not low to many of you. But to me who is only getting serious with this way of eating. I thought it was pretty good.

    See you all lighter.
    Linda
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,439 Member
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    Keep LCHF friendly foods available for these times! That way you can have something to eat, and maintain your carb macro goal!

    I used a sort of mantra that helped me get through these times! I would remind myself that I was making the choice to no longer eat carbs. I repeated this to myself, over, and over, until I was comfortable with my new habits! Seems simple, but it wasn't, because I had to make that choice! It's gotten easier now, after a year. I have zero desire for carbs now!

    @Linda, 48 grams of carbs is a huge success!! Just because your grams aren't as low as mine doesn't mean your doing anything wrong! I'm celebrating your achievement! Repeat each day!! :smiley:
  • carlsoda
    carlsoda Posts: 3,412 Member
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    Last night I was starving and craving any carb so I had an Atkins Milk Chocolate Protein Shake and it totally took my craving away and filled my tummy!
  • jemcult15
    jemcult15 Posts: 17 Member
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    I enjoy a cup of tea with heavy cream, a slice of cheese & pepperoni, or 85% lindt dark chocolate with sea salt. If that doesn't hit the spot, I think about my upcoming vacation (or some other positive thought). Sometimes I fail, but I still keep going.
  • WhatLouAte
    WhatLouAte Posts: 155 Member
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    I had one of those today and always tend to crave cake, and I've tried a few recipes, but today I found a chocolate mug cake on Pinterest that had 2 net carbs...and it had NO flour of any kind. Just an egg, heavy cream, I used stevia, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract. It was just like regular cake, and not eggy like I was expecting. I ate it plain and it was so good!!
    https://www.reddit.com/r/ketorecipes/comments/1aptue/flourless_chocolate_mug_cake/

    I made this on Saturday, it was good! although I tried to get away with using less sweetener as I only had Splenda so it was pretty bitter.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    Double check your macros, make sure your getting enough sodium and fat.

    This (and probably why bacon cures it, too). Also, make sure you're getting enough calories in general. Don't be too stringent about your deficit on days like this, because kicking the cravings is arguably more important than maintaining the deficit every single day. Our appetite swings on a day-to-day basis and it should average out over longer periods of time.
  • dietbepsi
    dietbepsi Posts: 136 Member
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    I had one of those today and always tend to crave cake, and I've tried a few recipes, but today I found a chocolate mug cake on Pinterest that had 2 net carbs...and it had NO flour of any kind. Just an egg, heavy cream, I used stevia, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract. It was just like regular cake, and not eggy like I was expecting. I ate it plain and it was so good!!
    https://www.reddit.com/r/ketorecipes/comments/1aptue/flourless_chocolate_mug_cake/

    I love this thread....and I'm definitely trying this!!
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
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    I second the notion of fats and sodium. Many times I try feeding the craving with salty foods first (works 90% of the time), and if not, I still work to have a good measure of fat before/with any carbs I do allow. I think it helps rewire our brains when we respond to certain cravings a different way.

    Much like the person who's allergic will crave the very thing they can't have, I think the carb reaction is habit more than anything. If we can get wired to want carbs, we can change and rewire our brains, too.
  • ettaterrell
    ettaterrell Posts: 887 Member
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    Double check your macros, make sure your getting enough sodium and fat.

    This! Also check sugar intake... When I have cravings I don't feed them because for me it just lead to more cravings. I look back the day before and find out what I did to cause them and usually it's sugar/carbs. (This will keep cravings at bay)
    Now to stop cravings I eat something with a lot of fat! Bacon was a good idea but anything that gives you more fat!
  • mnario313
    mnario313 Posts: 10 Member
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    carlsoda wrote: »
    Last night I was starving and craving any carb so I had an Atkins Milk Chocolate Protein Shake and it totally took my craving away and filled my tummy!

    Not sure if you're tried it, I make a chia pudding with the Atknis Chocolate Protein Shake. They are tasty.