Unusual and intense cravings.

jmidd97

Hi everyone;

A few weeks back I started getting these strong cravings for ice cream - specifically ice cream sundaes from burger king. I don't know why, I've never been particularly interested in them before. Ice cream in general has always been a bit of a "nice, but prefer other stuff" sort of food for me. But these cravings won't go away, and I've been desperately wanting at least one a day. So I have been having one a day at least, and successfully kept it within my daily calories (1550). Until today. I had three. I'm so ashamed, I don't know why I did it. I just needed them so bad. I'm not even someone particularly prone to binging.
Anyway, these cravings don't appear to be going away, and its not a TOM thing (which I initially thought), so I thought I'd ask all of you: has anyone had this? I've heard cravings usually signify a nutrient deficiency - has anyone fixed ice cream cravings through macro adjustment, etc? I really can't have this happen again, its just the worst.

Thanks in advance. Apologies for the depressed tone of this post; the past 3 hours have consisted of cycles of mental self-beration, excuses and disgust. I honestly didn't realise how emotionally draining binging could be.

marm1962

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/08/food-cravings_n_1940299.html...PS, this was also posted in a health magazine

WBB55

I don't know anything about your current weight/heigh/rate of loss, but cravings are normal when you're at a deficit. It means your body is functioning and you have hormones that are doing their job. At a guess, I'd say your overall average deficit is slightly too low. MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE is that when my deficit is around 1000 calories per day (as in my TDEE is 2400, but I eat a total of 1400) that I'm fine for maybe a week, but then the urge to binge is simply too strong to ignore, especially if I eat a bit of a "trigger" food.

I found two solutions: (1) suffer and never have trigger food or (2) accept a smaller deficit. When my overall deficit (as in a TDEE of 2400 and eating a total of more than 1800-1900) is 500 or so, it's easier to rationally have a treat without it becoming a binge -- or to even say no to a treat. For me, there's some... little voice... that gets louder the closer I get to an average of 1000 calorie per day deficit. And that voice becomes a completely insatiable drive once I eat a trigger food in those circumstances.

Just my experience.

ilex70

Chocolate cravings are reportedly due to needing magnesium.

Ice - low iron. Don't know if this extends to ice cream. I had a serious ice pop habit though. They were small fruit ones and not a lot of calories, but at the time I felt like I HAD to have one about 3 times a day. Iron infusions fixed it. Now I have to get blood work done for iron a couple of times a year.

The other thing I've often craved is salt. Is is because I've been really sweaty and need it? Don't know.

I've read that a cravings for ice cream can be dehydration, so maybe try drinking more water.

And personally get cravings for fat sometimes...nuts, peanut butter. Hornsby just mentioned in another thread about fat + sugar being problematic. Also awesome though...nuts + sugar = yum. Bonus for a little salt in there too.

Queenmunchy

Are you possibly pregnant? I never had a problem with cravings until I was pregnant. I wanted gorgonzola salads, strawberry smoothies, and ice cream. One time my ex husband was going to drive four hours to get me a cinnabon in the middle of the night. No joke.

snickerscharlie

ilex70 wrote: »

Chocolate cravings are reportedly due to needing magnesium.

For me, chocolate cravings are due to needing chocolate.

StealthHealth

I don't subscribe to the idea that cravings are some sort of deficiency. I may be wrong, if someone can provide some reasonable/reliable study results I'll change my mind but for now I agree with this:

marm1962 wrote: »

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/08/food-cravings_n_1940299.html...PS, this was also posted in a health magazine

So, pregnancy excluded, I think it's a self control issue. That is not to belittle it, I've suffered from this myself and in that instance the cause was in my head and the result of a too long and too severe calorie restriction period.

OP I think you should tread very carefully here, this type of behavior could be (note the emphasis - I'm not saying is) an indication of a binge eating disorder.

jmidd97

Thanks everyone for your replies!
I'm not pregnant, that I know for a fact. I thought it might be hormonal because its my TOM right now, but like I said, its been going on for weeks beforehand.
I'm female, 18 years old, 5'3-5'4, and 118 lbs (or I was before that binge). I only intend to lose a few more lbs, so my deficit is only to lose 0.5lb a week. Such a small deficit, its easy to wipe out through bad logging, so if I even go 20-40 calories over my goal I negate it from the next day. And on most days I try stick to 1300 to he safe.
Maybe its possible my calorie intake is too low?

OhMsDiva

I have cravings all the time. Every day I want ice cream. While I am exercising I think about donuts. I dont have the cravings like I used to. Honestly what I do is say, I want ice cream or I want a donut. I know I probably won't have it, but after a while the craving goes away and I move on. If I really really keep thinking about something I will allow myself to have it. Usually what I find is that the thought of eating it was better than actually eating so the next time I get the craving I remember that I was not that satisfied after I gave in to the last craving.

SoulOfRusalka

I'm not a doctor but I subscribe to the idea that sometimes cravings can be a sign of a nutritional deficiency. When I had anorexia I used to get ridiculously strong cravings for macadamia and brazil nuts (which I never normally eat) because I needed fat. So especially if you've never been interested in them before and don't eat them habitually, it could be something like that.

Christine_72

snickerscharlie wrote: »

ilex70 wrote: »

Chocolate cravings are reportedly due to needing magnesium.

For me, chocolate cravings are due to needing chocolate.

LOL

I take plenty of Magnesium everyday, and still get chocolate cravings.

cerise_noir

It might be a nutrient deficiency (such as calcium) or just not enough of a certain macro like fat or protein. Why not check the nutrition section of the app or just check your diary to see exactly which macro or micro you may be lacking in? It could just be that you really want ice cream now due to the weather...or perhaps you need to hydrate more?

snickerscharlie wrote: »

ilex70 wrote: »

Chocolate cravings are reportedly due to needing magnesium.

For me, chocolate cravings are due to needing chocolate.

Ha! Indeed.

I like to tame the beast, not anger it.

Mouse_Potato

SoulOfRusalka wrote: »

I'm not a doctor but I subscribe to the idea that sometimes cravings can be a sign of a nutritional deficiency. When I had anorexia I used to get ridiculously strong cravings for macadamia and brazil nuts (which I never normally eat) because I needed fat. So especially if you've never been interested in them before and don't eat them habitually, it could be something like that.

This intrigues me. I get cravings for apples frequently, but I love apples, so that makes sense. Other cravings not so much. Lately, it's been pancakes. Why is this strange? Because I do not care for pancakes! I can't figure out what my body needs (or thinks it needs) that would be pushing me to the nearest IHOP, but it's there. Every day for 2-3 weeks now.

alyssa0061

Yesterday I wanted White Castle more than anything. I could think of nothing else all day except White Castle. I hate White Castle food. I just ate like normal yesterday, didn't deviate and today I'm fine. White Castle sounds as gross as ever.

jmidd97

Okay, I'm glad I'm not the only one getting strong cravings for foods we'd otherwise just ignore.
I've had a look at my nutrients tab (thanks cerise_noir) and looked at my macros (weekly view), specifically from around May 20, which is when my cravings intensified significantly.
What jumps out at me is how I'm consistently lacking in iron (each week I have between 89-93% 'left'), vitamin C (50-96% left), potassium (about 3000mg left) and I always have about 30g of protein 'left'. Im not sure how significant any of these numbers are though, or when one should take action about it? My calcium levels are also a bit low.
I guess I'll try getting more protein, iron and vitamin C into my diet. I just don't know how to do that without going over my calories.

marm1962

jmidd97 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for your replies!
I'm not pregnant, that I know for a fact. I thought it might be hormonal because its my TOM right now, but like I said, its been going on for weeks beforehand.
I'm female, 18 years old, 5'3-5'4, and 118 lbs (or I was before that binge). I only intend to lose a few more lbs, so my deficit is only to lose 0.5lb a week. Such a small deficit, its easy to wipe out through bad logging, so if I even go 20-40 calories over my goal I negate it from the next day. And on most days I try stick to 1300 to he safe.
Maybe its possible my calorie intake is too low?

I don't know what your activity level is, but this is if you are sitting for most of the day....so if you are exercising or have a more active lifestyle than a desk job then go to the website and put in your activity level -- 1359 is how many calories for a sedentary lifestyle and that's with a 1/2 weight loss prediction per week



http://www.sailrabbit.com/bmr/

Vegplotter

Don't fret. You are just being human. This is a classic example of normal hunger turning into an ice cream fantasy. Here's my take on it:
HUNGER
Hunger is a normal and welcome feeling in people who are not overweight. If you were overweight and gaining for some years before your diet, you won't recognise the feeling. It comes from a very old part of your brain and is shared by all animals - as far as we know.
CRAVINGS
Cravings come from your imagination, which is generated in a far more sophisticated and 'modern' part of your mind. It's a bit if the mind that only humans have (we think).
You're on a diet therefore you will feel hunger. That's good. Appetite primes the whole digestive system to get going. But being a sophisticated and imaginative person your mind is translating hunger into a craving for one particular type of food. That's just a phycological glitch.
SOLUTION
The mind is very complex and there may be something in the ice cream that your body needs (Fats?) but you will need strength to recognise that you don't need three portions of it, perhaps just a bit more milk on your cornflakes in the morning.
I hope that if you learn to listen to your body's hunger you will be able to satisfy it with something more modest. Happy listening. And don't beat yourself up!