Help with Cravings!!!!!

itsallgood803

It's only been a week and a half of my healthy eating, and every day this week I've been craving greasy fast food. I've done great with my exercise and I haven't succumbed to the greasy salt monster....but it's tough. How do I get over these cravings of carbs covered in fat, salt and cheese?!?

BoxerBrawler

Just say no practice will-power and discipline. The longer you go without it the less you'll crave it.

quiksylver296

I save up some calories. I have to have a cheeseburger now and then, or I'll freak out and eat EVERYTHING!

Save up 100 calories per day through the week. You can then "afford" a cheeseburger or whatever you are craving, within reason.

kiiibbb112253

Drink water and eat protein! They are great for reducing cravings. Also remember that it's all a mental game. When you see that you want the greasy monster, You remind yourself that you don't need it. Then pop some sugar free gum in your mouth!

TeaBea

quiksylver296 wrote: »

I save up some calories. I have to have a cheeseburger now and then, or I'll freak out and eat EVERYTHING!

Save up 100 calories per day through the week. You can then "afford" a cheeseburger or whatever you are craving, within reason.

This^

Within reason. That's the key. It may be a small cheeseburger & a small fry......OR a small cheeseburger & half an order of fries......or skip the fries and have salad. It makes you prioritize. What is the thing you really want.

When you get to goal you won't be able to go back to "regular" eating habits completely. Some things will need to change permanently. Logging occasional fast food is a great learning tool.

wishfuljune

Save up some calories and allow yourself that cheat meal. Don't make a cheat day and undo all the good work you've put into your healthy eating. If you're craving something, learn to reward yourself in smaller amounts, that way you don't splurge.

If I've been good all week, I make sure to squeeze in a cheat meal! I also always work out on my cheat meal day.

cross2bear

Yes, I agree with TeaBea - if you really want it, figure out a way to afford it with your calorie budget. That way you will realize, literally, how much it costs and what you have to do to indulge.

KrisJ125

Give yourself a healthy fat instead of fried food/fast food. For example, have a slice of warmed 100% whole wheat bread (or multi grain if you prefer) with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to dip it into. The monounsaturated fat is very healthy and fats will satisfy your appetite more than carbs alone. The whole grains are good too because they are fiber-rich and that also is satisfying. If you don't like olive oil (hard for me to imagine...) you can have a sliced avocado on the toast or even a fruit smoothie with a little coconut oil in it.

pikachuFL

The first time I have a craving, I'll tell myself, I can have what I want but just not now. If I still want it the following day, I'll work it into my menu plan. Most of the time by the following day, that craving is over and I'm wanting something else!

Sometimes I'll continue this for a few days, telling myself each time I can have it tomorrow and it may be 4 days or a week before I finally get it.

Telling yourself you can't have a certain food is a sure way to develop a craving for it. Plus, you don't want to eat up everything in the house because you're not letting yourself have the one thing you crave. I've done that before on previous diets.

mudonthetires856

I agree with those that say save your calories for some greasy goodness. That was always my downfall. No sweet tooth, but give me a burger and fries or some hashbrowns dripping in grease. YUM!

Plan out and log your entire day starting with the fast food meal. If you can't see yourself starving all day for what you'd normally eat at that place, start looking for some lower calorie options so you can get more food in other meals that day. I love a couple Beefy 5-Layer Burritos from Taco Bell, but if it doesn't fit into my calories or I'd have to eat very little all day to fit it in, I'd still go to Taco Bell but will get Fresco Chicken Tacos. Still delicious and I still get my fast food craving taken care of.

You can also bank your calories all week. Eat 100 calories less everyday and then at the end of the week, have a nice little splurge.

This is definitely not something you want to do all the time, but if you're anything like me, you have to have these types of meals on occasion, or you'll never stick to it.

Heather_MXP

Mindfulness helps me stay on track. Someone explained emotions like being a waterfall and mindfulness like stepping behind the waterfall. You can still see it, but you aren't carried away by it. It allows me to acknowledge that I'm feeling a craving and console myself for needing to resist it. Sometimes I cave anyway. In those instances I'm able to be honest with myself about what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. That helps me get back on track much quicker and much easier. But I also do what others have recommended & "budget" in some splurges here and there.

Iamnotasenior

Make sure you are getting adequate vitamins and minerals. Sometimes deficiencies can create cravings. For example, a deficiency in Calcium and Magnesium can create salt and/or sugar cravings. http://www.prevention.com/food/nutrient-deficiency-and-overeating

nevadavis1

The first couple weeks are tough, but the cravings decrease over time.

wellthenwhat

KrisJ125 wrote: »

Give yourself a healthy fat instead of fried food/fast food. For example, have a slice of warmed 100% whole wheat bread (or multi grain if you prefer) with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to dip it into. The monounsaturated fat is very healthy and fats will satisfy your appetite more than carbs alone. The whole grains are good too because they are fiber-rich and that also is satisfying. If you don't like olive oil (hard for me to imagine...) you can have a sliced avocado on the toast or even a fruit smoothie with a little coconut oil in it.

Glad that works for you. For me I would feel even more deprived, and end up eating the burger on top of that. Although I've found as I lower my calories and eat better, highly greasy foods don't agree with my stomach, and don't taste as good as they used to. Ive found that by only indulging occasionally, I crave these foods less and less.

hlblakeley

My favorite option is to do a "copycat" or make at home version so I can control what goes in and be sure of my portion sizes. I also don't have someone trying to up-size, or add extras that I don't need. Makes it easier to fit into both my calorie budget and my wallet's budget. I do agree though sometimes you have to give in, and the best thing to do is plan ahead for it, log it, and don't let the craving or feeling like you failed win. I have totally derailed myself many times in trying to lose weight with that mindset. I have to remember it's the long haul and even if I have extra calories today, if I'm on point the rest of the week it will be okay.

dfwesq

itsallgood803 wrote: »

It's only been a week and a half of my healthy eating, and every day this week I've been craving greasy fast food. I've done great with my exercise and I haven't succumbed to the greasy salt monster....but it's tough. How do I get over these cravings of carbs covered in fat, salt and cheese?!?

Will power and gritting your teeth doesn't work for everyone. You might look into a low-glycemic diet as a way of reducing food cravings. A lot of people have had good results with them. There are several sound ones out there - ask your doctor or a dietician what they think.

lilawolf

pikachuFL wrote: »

The first time I have a craving, I'll tell myself, I can have what I want but just not now. If I still want it the following day, I'll work it into my menu plan. Most of the time by the following day, that craving is over and I'm wanting something else!

Sometimes I'll continue this for a few days, telling myself each time I can have it tomorrow and it may be 4 days or a week before I finally get it.

Telling yourself you can't have a certain food is a sure way to develop a craving for it. Plus, you don't want to eat up everything in the house because you're not letting yourself have the one thing you crave. I've done that before on previous diets.

SOOOO much this. Procrastination is a great tool. Later is always easier than NO.

Sometimes I procrastinate... Sometimes I make/get a healthier version (must be at least 90% as good or don't bother)... Sometimes I will wait until I find the perfect thing. I had a fried chicken craving that took nearly 5 weeks to take care of. Finally found an awesome hole in the wall place and ate ALL of the chicken. It was amazing, and of course, like others say, I just fit it into my weekly calories. I am currently nursing a donut craving (which is odd for me), but I refuse to just get one from the grocery store. Once it gets strong enough that I go out of my way to go to a fancy, well-reviewed donut shop, I will. Until then, I'm procrastinating.

I try to go into the weekend with 700-1000 extra calories which gives me a lot of wiggle room for some big meals. Extra calories have to come from exercise to make sure I get base nutrition.

HollyFromTexas

I restrict most sugar (which carbohydrates also turn to sugar) that helps the cravings go down. Before you know it youll have to force yourself to eat because you don't have an appetite.

itsallgood803

mudonthetires856 wrote: »

I agree with those that say save your calories for some greasy goodness. That was always my downfall. No sweet tooth, but give me a burger and fries or some hashbrowns dripping in grease. YUM!

Plan out and log your entire day starting with the fast food meal. If you can't see yourself starving all day for what you'd normally eat at that place, start looking for some lower calorie options so you can get more food in other meals that day. I love a couple Beefy 5-Layer Burritos from Taco Bell, but if it doesn't fit into my calories or I'd have to eat very little all day to fit it in, I'd still go to Taco Bell but will get Fresco Chicken Tacos. Still delicious and I still get my fast food craving taken care of.

You can also bank your calories all week. Eat 100 calories less everyday and then at the end of the week, have a nice little splurge.

This is definitely not something you want to do all the time, but if you're anything like me, you have to have these types of meals on occasion, or you'll never stick to it.

Omg that is me too! I can keep cookies, or cake or anything else sweet in the house and I have no desire to touch it, but some fried potatoes and crispy bacon...and I'm defeated!

itsallgood803

pikachuFL wrote: »

The first time I have a craving, I'll tell myself, I can have what I want but just not now. If I still want it the following day, I'll work it into my menu plan. Most of the time by the following day, that craving is over and I'm wanting something else!

Sometimes I'll continue this for a few days, telling myself each time I can have it tomorrow and it may be 4 days or a week before I finally get it.

Telling yourself you can't have a certain food is a sure way to develop a craving for it. Plus, you don't want to eat up everything in the house because you're not letting yourself have the one thing you crave. I've done that before on previous diets.

I think I've been doing that all week..not really on purpose. I've really been wanting to order some greasy pizza, but I keep telling myself that I'll do it Friday. But now I've moved on to wanting some Mexican food.

kommodevaran

Greasy? You need enough dietary fat every day. Maybe you are getting too little salt, fat, carbs and general taste and nutrition. "Healthy eating" often goes astray and end up as restrictive and monotonous and boring, and we can only do that for a while. Eat food you like, just don't eat too much.