Struggling with cravings

godlikepoetyes

This sounds like binging and it is bothering you because it FEELS bad. I am having the same problem. For me, it's not because of deprivation or depression. It's just because. It is what it is. I did this over Xmas holidays. I just have to ride the wave, keep logging everything, keep my eye on my goal and look back at what I've achieved. The worst thing is to beat yourself up. And based on my weight loss, eating over will not wreck your progress. Look up a TDEE calculator--I did this this morning after reading a post on MFP. No wonder I've been losing steadily even overeating! It's an eye-opener.

Francl27

One cream egg a day should perfectly fit with a reasonable deficit.

DebSozo

I get cravings sometimes. They come in like a flood at times mid-afternoons for me, and I hate the gnawing feeling and the angsty-anxiety it produces. I used to give into them just to make the tummy pangs go away. What I discovered is that if I leave the kitchen and allow the bad craving sensations happen, that I can "ride the wave" out so to speak. In 45 minutes or so the craving wave ends. I feel empowered and proud if I don't give in and win against cravings! I always feel terrible giving in but never regret standing up against cravings. These are not real hunger pangs BTW in my case.

DebSozo

SezxyStef wrote: »

I made a point of not giving up those things I crave/love.
I eat chocolate a lot....I either do one of two things. Ensure that there is room for it or make room for it with exercise. I prefer that to "will power"

I can't do that. If I have a "little" chocolate I crave more. I keep chocolate out of the house along with Cheeto's or ice cream. I have to keep eating it if I start. Then it snowballs. I make sure trigger foods do not make it to the freezer, cupboards or pantry. Some people do well with "moderation" and some don't. I know what sets me into a relapse, and I keep away. I walk way around the chocolate aisles! And I stay away from party tables that have them.

ogtmama

Even if you try super dark chocolate? one square of 85% lindt chocolate kills my cravings every time

SezxyStef

DebSozo wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

I made a point of not giving up those things I crave/love.
I eat chocolate a lot....I either do one of two things. Ensure that there is room for it or make room for it with exercise. I prefer that to "will power"

I can't do that. If I have a "little" chocolate I crave more. I keep chocolate out of the house along with Cheeto's or ice cream. I have to keep eating it if I start. Then it snowballs. I make sure trigger foods do not make it to the freezer, cupboards or pantry. Some people do well with "moderation" and some don't. I know what sets me into a relapse, and I keep away. I walk way around the chocolate aisles! And I stay away from party tables that have them.

I try to understand this as I don't have this insatiable need to eat anything.

So you will have to forgive me as I say...as an adult why not just say no to yourself after a serving?

godlikepoetyes

So you will have to forgive me as I say...as an adult why not just say no to yourself after a serving?

Being an adult has nothing to do with it. If you have issues with binging and purging or depriving, it's a psychological problem, no just a weight issue. If you have not experienced it, then you cannot understand unless you really listen.

Wicked_Seraph

There's no rule saying you can't have chocolate, nor that you have to be STARVING in order to have one.

If you want something sweet, eat it.

beautifulwarrior18

godlikepoetyes wrote: »

So you will have to forgive me as I say...as an adult why not just say no to yourself after a serving?

Being an adult has nothing to do with it. If you have issues with binging and purging or depriving, it's a psychological problem, no just a weight issue. If you have not experienced it, then you cannot understand unless you really listen.

It's very likely that if she's craving sugar this bad she is addicted to it. (All an addiction is is your brain telling you that you need something you don't need so let's not argue about whether you can be addicted to sugar or not). It's like asking a heroine addict why not just do one hit, not quite as immediately dangerous but you get the point. If she wants to get her sugar cravings under control giving into them is not a wise choice.

I'd suggest completely cutting added sugar and artificial sweetners out of your diet to deal with these cravings for at least 4 weeks but preferably 8 or more. If those cravings last longer than a week or two it's likely because you still have sugar in your diet. Watch out for sneaky sugar in processed foods like ketchup and bread. Any time you're craving something sweet eat a piece of fruit. You'll find that after a few weeks of doing this most sweetened foods will become to sweet. Doing this has ruined heinz ketchup for me and that used to be my favorite because it much less sweet than hunts. But now all I can taste is the sugar. I can't even drink a diet soda anymore without feeling sick but I would eat fruit all day long if I could fit it in my macros! But beware if you fall off and start eating a lot of sugar again those cravings are going to come back. Whenever I restart my healthy eating because let's be real I fall off the wagon I always crave sugar something horrible the first week or two. But once I make it through a week it gets a lot easier to avoid.

DebSozo

eveandqsmom wrote: »

Even if you try super dark chocolate? one square of 85% lindt chocolate kills my cravings every time

I have not tried it. My dad used to eat a bag of M&Ms a night and switched to a square of dark chocolate instead successfully. I think that I may be sugar sensitive.

SezxyStef

beautifulwarrior18 wrote: »

godlikepoetyes wrote: »

So you will have to forgive me as I say...as an adult why not just say no to yourself after a serving?

Being an adult has nothing to do with it. If you have issues with binging and purging or depriving, it's a psychological problem, no just a weight issue. If you have not experienced it, then you cannot understand unless you really listen.

It's very likely that if she's craving sugar this bad she is addicted to it. (All an addiction is is your brain telling you that you need something you don't need so let's not argue about whether you can be addicted to sugar or not). It's like asking a heroine addict why not just do one hit, not quite as immediately dangerous but you get the point. If she wants to get her sugar cravings under control giving into them is not a wise choice.

I'd suggest completely cutting added sugar and artificial sweetners out of your diet to deal with these cravings for at least 4 weeks but preferably 8 or more. If those cravings last longer than a week or two it's likely because you still have sugar in your diet. Watch out for sneaky sugar in processed foods like ketchup and bread. Any time you're craving something sweet eat a piece of fruit. You'll find that after a few weeks of doing this most sweetened foods will become to sweet. Doing this has ruined heinz ketchup for me and that used to be my favorite because it much less sweet than hunts. But now all I can taste is the sugar. I can't even drink a diet soda anymore without feeling sick but I would eat fruit all day long if I could fit it in my macros! But beware if you fall off and start eating a lot of sugar again those cravings are going to come back. Whenever I restart my healthy eating because let's be real I fall off the wagon I always crave sugar something horrible the first week or two. But once I make it through a week it gets a lot easier to avoid.

Yah I won't go there with you as I have seen lots of threads go down hill very fast due to this....

And with that I am walking away from this thread as I refuse to even entertain the idea of sugar addiction...let alone it being equated to heroine.

Totally insulting to those recovering from an actual heroine addiction.

DebSozo

godlikepoetyes wrote: »

So you will have to forgive me as I say...as an adult why not just say no to yourself after a serving?

Being an adult has nothing to do with it. If you have issues with binging and purging or depriving, it's a psychological problem, no just a weight issue. If you have not experienced it, then you cannot understand unless you really listen.

I think in my case it is pysiological. It raises my blood sugar. Then, when it crashes, I need more to raise it. If I eat protein with simple carbs I can eat a small bit. But I can't eat simple carbs including sugar, wheat or corn flour by themselves or it causes cravings.

If I eat them in a meal with complex carbs, veggies, and lean protein I'm fine. I CAN eat a small ice cream or cookie after or with a meal. But if it were a stand alone late night snack it would trigger cravings.

DebSozo

I think I may have undiagnosed metabolic syndrome but not full blown diabetes.

indiacaitlin

I struggle with cravings too - you might want to have a look around and see what kind of healthy sweet snacks you can get. I usually have some Greek yogurt with a flavoured protein powder mixed in, that usually kills my cravings - places like My Protein also sell calorie free flavour drops you can add to things like yogurt to get the sweetness you're craving in without the calories and fat!

Also, make sure you're not under eating. I was struggling really hard on 1400 calories with cravings, I've upped it to 1600 now and I've actually started losing more without half the cravings I used to have.

chocolate_owl

Wow, what the broscience happened in this thread?

Wanting one sweet thing at the end of the day is not sugar addiction/binging/out of control. It's putting her 150 calories over her goal, still well below her maintenance calories, and not leading to extreme eating behavior. She's been restricting calories for a long time, long enough that she's missing foods she enjoys. Her behavior indicates she's capable of moderation; it's just a matter of deciding if she raises her calories a bit and gets to her desired weight a little slower or if she finds strategies to keep her at the same calorie goal.

There's several people in here projecting their own food issues on the OP. If you'd like to discuss your concerns about sugar addiction, insulin resistance, binging, etc., that would probably be best done in your own thread instead of hijacking hers.

DebSozo

indiacaitlin wrote: »

Also, make sure you're not under eating. I was struggling really hard on 1400 calories with cravings, I've upped it to 1600 now and I've actually started losing more without half the cravings I used to have.

That is awesome that you figured that out!

Curlykae89xx

I sometimes get like this too. There is no harm in having a little bit. Try dark chocolate as after one square I am usually satisfied as it is so rich. But could eat a full bar of milk choc. Also I find options hot chocolate sachets pretty good xx

DebSozo

mskessler89 wrote: »

Wow, what the broscience happened in this thread?

Wanting one sweet thing at the end of the day is not sugar addiction/binging/out of control. It's putting her 150 calories over her goal, still well below her maintenance calories, and not leading to extreme eating behavior. She's been restricting calories for a long time, long enough that she's missing foods she enjoys. Her behavior indicates she's capable of moderation; it's just a matter of deciding if she raises her calories a bit and gets to her desired weight a little slower or if she finds strategies to keep her at the same calorie goal.

There's several people in here projecting their own food issues on the OP. If you'd like to discuss your concerns about sugar addiction, insulin resistance, binging, etc., that would probably be best done in your own thread instead of hijacking hers.

Sometimes I learn from other people's problems or issues. If they don't pertain "eat the chicken and spit out the bones".

godlikepoetyes

I misunderstood her original post. I looked back. I thought she'd said that she ate cream EGGS, not just one. I agree. This is neither binging nor "addiction."

canadianvampyregurl

I get a sweet craving every now and then too. I make sure NO foods are off limits but I do try to recognize what I want to use my calories for and what I don't. Yesterday, for example, I was craving chocolate in a huge way. I had a Nanaimo bar. I logged it and was I happy with the calories it used up? Not entirely but dam I enjoyed that bar !!!!

I stayed within my calorie goal yesterday but I didn't make the healthiest choices throughout the day. It's not going to deter me from my health journey though. I'm still working out 4-5 times a week, I log EVERYTHING that goes in my mouth (sorry-didn't mean to sound dirty lol) and I drink no less than 10 cups of water a day. I'm doing something right and it's working for me - I've lost 7.2 lbs since April 23

If you want the cream egg, eat the cream egg Make sure you log it and move on with life Sounds like you are doing awesome and should be proud of yourself.