Giving in to cravings is great!

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Orphia
Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Giving in to cravings is great! (For me.)

Why should we always deny ourselves what we love? That's turning food into guilt, a "sin", a superstition.

I would never be able to plan my meals if I didn't give in to "cravings". I wouldn't know what to eat.

I eat what I feel like, within my calorie limit.

If I "crave" something, that's the plan for the day, and I make room in my allowance for it.

And before anyone freaks out, I crave seafood and veg more often than pizza or fries.

A little bit of indulgence keeps the binges away.

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Replies

  • spyro88
    spyro88 Posts: 472 Member
    I see what you're saying :) It's good that you have the self control to stay within your limit with it though! Sometimes in the past I've given in to a craving, say for a slice of pizza, which has been within my limit... but then once I've had a bit I want more the next day, or something else high in calories/ fat/ sugar, and I end up eating too much!

    So I have to be a bit stricter, and it's easier for me to generally stick to lower calorie foods, but I do treat myself now and again :)
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Cheers, @spyro88

    Yes, I'm not saying you can abandon all self-control.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    I love this. I tend to bulk my meals up with lots of veggies so I get the full feeling and still fit in reasonable size quantities of treats. I know many people pre-plan their days. I don't. If I want French toast in the morning, that's what I'm having. That being said, I have a pretty good idea of what fits in my day.
  • merryward13
    merryward13 Posts: 1,662 Member
    I try to satisfy my cravings in a healthier way. Like if I want something sweet, I opt for some protein nut butter.
  • merryward13
    merryward13 Posts: 1,662 Member
    I'm the same way! I'd rather make it myself and know that I at least put healthier ingredients in there.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    maryward88 wrote: »
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    maryward88 wrote: »
    I'm the same way! I'd rather make it myself and know that I at least put healthier ingredients in there.

    That's kind of not what I'm saying though.

    I've played around with making healthier versions of stuff and they are OK. Some better than others and some have goen on to form part of my weekly diet.

    But if I'm craving (say) a pizza then a cauliflower-base-low-fat-cheese-pizza-topped-with-grilled-vegetables thingy is not going to satisfy that craving. Neither is a supermarket pizza from their "value" range.

    If I'm craving pizza, its the full on 100% tipo 00 flour base with full fat mozzerella cheese type with anchovies, olives, red onion and a balsamic glaze type pizza that I'm going to spend my precious calories on. And, I'm going to enjoy it. It will satisfy my craving and then I can get back to my usual eating.

    Yeah. I totally worded my response wrong. But yes I agree with you. I'll make it at home so I know what's in it. And it's fresh and delicious.

    I get ya now! :)
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    maryward88 wrote: »
    I try to satisfy my cravings in a healthier way. Like if I want something sweet, I opt for some protein nut butter.

    I see. Seafood and veg and sanity are not healthy. Good to know.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,151 Member
    Click bait title, lel.

    My meals this week are planned around blueberry muffins (a 6 pack from the store). If I could've gotten 1 muffin, I would have, but they don't sell singles and no one else in the house eats blueberry muffins.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    I was wondering when I saw the title where the thread was going but yeah I totally agree, incorporating treats into our calorie allowance is a good idea imo, that way we never feel deprived.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,368 Member
    That's how I lost the weight, OP. You got to eat.. might as well eat what you want. You do have to decide what you really want though, while still keeping a balanced diet.
  • ilex70
    ilex70 Posts: 727 Member
    Been at this over 200 days now.

    Yeah, I fit in treats. Took a diet break too.

    Had Lay's potato chips, a square of chocolate, and 2 cookies yesterday. Hit my protein goal, okay on calories. All good.

    Thing it this is for keeps, at least if I don't want the weight back.

    Trigger foods are a thing though for sure. Some foods I can easily keep in check, and some are a bit more tricky.

    Ice cream can sit in the freezer until an icy crust forms. Cookies go stale. Sometimes even chocolate will sit and go brittle if I get one I don't like so much.

    Puffy cheetos? HA! I get lots of help with those though. And Triscuits...nom nom nom.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    I am more likely now to indulge a craving than I was in the past but I'm still careful about it. If I'm craving something like shrimp or veggies, I just go for it. But when I am craving something sweet or starchy I have to approach it with some mindfulness. Basically I can't let my carb consumption for the day get high enough that my protein levels suffer, or my cravings increase rather than get satisfied.
  • WendyLaubach
    WendyLaubach Posts: 518 Member
    The comment about making sure it's a gold-plated version of what I crave is right on for me. 1200 calories feels pretty strict to me. If I'm going to indulge myself and squeeze the budget for the day, it had better be exactly what I want, not something that will disappoint. I'm getting better at stopping if I start eating a high-calorie food on a whim somewhere, such as at a party, and I find that it's not completely satisfying. There's always lots more food around than I need, so why waste time with anything that's not exactly what will most delight? If I'm stuck somewhere with mediocre food, it's becoming second nature to eat no more than is necessary to sustain life for the next hour or two. If all else fails I can almost always find some carrots to get by on. But on the whole, I get huge enjoyment out of my food. I see no reason to make eating a joyless exercise. Eat a suitable amount, enjoy it thoroughly, move on.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 26,333 Member
    edited August 2016
    I made the decision when I started here that I was going to eat only foods I liked. :)

    Fortunately, I love veggies and fruit and brown rice and whole grain bread and chicken and lentils and cottage cheese and yogurt ...

    Today, after 5 hours of classes, I was walking back to work and feeling a bit hungry. The thing I craved was fruit. Happily, when I got to work, there was a fruit tray in the lunch room. There must have been a business lunch or something. So I helped myself to a few pieces of pineapple, pear, and rockmelon. I also had a banana and mandarin from my own collection. Yum!! Just hit the spot!


    And I fulfil my pizza cravings on the weekends where I do long bicycle rides. I usually have a pizza as a recovery meal. :grin:
  • srecupid
    srecupid Posts: 660 Member
    My cravings have gone down significantly since I started logging. Like I'm going on vacation in 23 days planning a cheat day where I watch all the Harry Potter movies straight. I'm able to thing to myself "yeah some canolis and eclaires sound like a good idea" without immediately wanting either. The worst it gets is when i'm at the end of the night and still have 400 or so calories left to play with and i can have anything i want. But, I had met all my goals previously
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I'd alter the original statement to something like, "Giving into cravings for foods that I can healthfully eat is great."

    I'm a celiac. I can't eat a lot of foods no matter how much I want to. I also have insulin resistance (like about half of all North Americans do) so I can't eat all the carbs or sugars that I would want.

    I do give in to cravings for the foods I can eat and overindulge in calories on occassion.
    teetertatertango wrote: »
    I think that OP may have a different experience with cravings than some do. If I felt like eating a normal portion of seafood and veggies one day, I wouldn't even think to categorize that as a "craving".

    One definition of craving involves intense/urgent/abnormal longing, and I think that fits better with what people want to avoid when avoiding cravings. Enjoying food is different than THAT feeling.

    I agree.
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    When I want tacos, I eat tacos.
  • Redbeard333
    Redbeard333 Posts: 381 Member
    "Everything in moderation" is my mantra. I made a blueberry pie last night, and will have a slice today. Bacon? I have it every day. No food is totally off-limits :smile:
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    I understand what you're saying and have found that there is truth when they say "you crave what you eat". All I crave is fresh fruits and tons of veggies :smile:
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,889 Member
    My meal plan is built up of food I love, and these are foods I like and can eat to satiety. I couldn't have maintained a healthy weight for so long (21 months) without eating food I truly enjoy (believe me, I have tried). I avoid foods that trigger overeating. It's easy, and life is too short to fight with myself every day. Cravings and "cravings" are obviously not the same.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,502 Member
    teetertatertango wrote: »
    I think that OP may have a different experience with cravings than some do. If I felt like eating a normal portion of seafood and veggies one day, I wouldn't even think to categorize that as a "craving".

    One definition of craving involves intense/urgent/abnormal longing, and I think that fits better with what people want to avoid when avoiding cravings. Enjoying food is different than THAT feeling.

    Indeed. I "crave" overeating. Regularly giving in to that craving doesn't work out very well.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Meh, some cravings I give in to and some I don't. If I gave into every craving I had I'd be as big as a barn.
  • lalee115
    lalee115 Posts: 185 Member
    If I want something, I plug it into MFP, stare at the calories and how it affects my day and then decide if it's "worth it" to me. Helps me determine if I really want that particular thing or if something else would work instead.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,488 Member
    I think I am incredibly lucky
    I don't have trigger foods or binge.

    When I decide I want something that will take me way over my calorie range for the day I have it and move on.

    I have also not felt deprived by my calorie allotment. I fit everything I love in, just slightly smaller portions, so don't go over very often.

    This worked well while I was losing, and the 6 years I have maintained without counting.

    cheers, h.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    teetertatertango wrote: »
    I think that OP may have a different experience with cravings than some do. If I felt like eating a normal portion of seafood and veggies one day, I wouldn't even think to categorize that as a "craving".

    One definition of craving involves intense/urgent/abnormal longing, and I think that fits better with what people want to avoid when avoiding cravings. Enjoying food is different than THAT feeling.

    This guilt/binge cycle appears to me to be a munted form of eating nutritious and treat foods in moderation.

    As the OP, I'm saying the little voice that tells me to eat seafood and veg is the same voice that says to eat chocolate.

    It's all about being kind to yourself.

    There doesn't need to be anything pathological about it.
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