Suggestions for carb and/or cravings?

wila0081

My downfalls are bread and sweets. I can go strong with eating clean and right for almost a week. Yet I find myself craving for carbs and/or sugar! I can eat my meal plan as scheduled but there have been times I am shaking like I never ate anything all day. The first thing I grab is bread, rice, or crackers. It seems to calm me down. But once I calculate the additional, I killed my calorie count and tossed my macros. Any Suggestions or substitutes?

livingleanlivingclean

Plan your meals to include carbs?

WinoGelato

Ditch the arbitrary, vague and unhelpful classification of “clean eating” and focus on what really matters.... eating a variety of foods, at an appropriate calorie level for your goals, focusing on foods that provide nutrition, satiety and enjoyment.

That can include bread, rice, crackers and sweets in moderation and in the context of a balanced diet.

wila0081

I do. But apparently not enough. My intake to reach my goal does not have the room for it. I can make it work if add 2 more hours a day of a workout. Yet that would not be a vicious cycle of needing even more carbs.

wila0081

WinoGelato wrote: »

Ditch the arbitrary, vague and unhelpful classification of “clean eating” and focus on what really matters.... eating a variety of foods, at an appropriate calorie level for your goals, focusing on foods that provide nutrition, satiety and enjoyment.

That can include bread, rice, crackers and sweets in moderation and in the context of a balanced diet.

I stay within my MFP "parameters" but at times I feel like I am going to crash. I don't think the MFP calculations of 1280 cals to reach my weight loss goals are accurate for my body type

WinoGelato

wila0081 wrote: »

WinoGelato wrote: »

Ditch the arbitrary, vague and unhelpful classification of “clean eating” and focus on what really matters.... eating a variety of foods, at an appropriate calorie level for your goals, focusing on foods that provide nutrition, satiety and enjoyment.

That can include bread, rice, crackers and sweets in moderation and in the context of a balanced diet.

I stay within my MFP "parameters" but at times I feel like I am going to crash. I don't think the MFP calculations of 1280 cals to reach my weight loss goals are accurate for my body type

What are your stats?
How much weight are you trying to lose?
What rate of loss did you select?
Are you eating back the exercise calories?

amybethjack

Are you following keto? I am so I'll answer as if you are. I find that too many sugar substitutes actually make me crave the sugar/carbs more, not less, so I limit those as much as possible. Make sure you are eating some protien every day and include more healthy fats in your diet. Fats will keep you full longer and help reduce the cravings. Instead of crackers try making baked cheese crisps (http://insidekarenskitchen.com/baked-cheese-crisps/). They are great with guacamole, which helps to provide those healthy fats. I aim for 5% carbs, 25% protien and 70% fat every day with a caloric intake of less than 1200. Sometimes when I just have to have that snack I'll grab a couple olives from the fridge but I always stop to assess why I am eating before I eat anything. I'm working to overcome emotional eating and pay attention to what my body really needs and I'm feeling so much better when I eat for nutrition instead of boredom.

wila0081

WinoGelato wrote: »

wila0081 wrote: »

WinoGelato wrote: »

Ditch the arbitrary, vague and unhelpful classification of “clean eating” and focus on what really matters.... eating a variety of foods, at an appropriate calorie level for your goals, focusing on foods that provide nutrition, satiety and enjoyment.

That can include bread, rice, crackers and sweets in moderation and in the context of a balanced diet.

I stay within my MFP "parameters" but at times I feel like I am going to crash. I don't think the MFP calculations of 1280 cals to reach my weight loss goals are accurate for my body type

What are your stats?
How much weight are you trying to lose?
What rate of loss did you select?
Are you eating back the exercise calories?

Trying to lose 15 lbs. 1 pound a week. Gaining back exercise calories and sometimes an additional 100.

wila0081

amybethjack wrote: »

Are you following keto? I am so I'll answer as if you are. I find that too many sugar substitutes actually make me crave the sugar/carbs more, not less, so I limit those as much as possible. Make sure you are eating some protien every day and include more healthy fats in your diet. Fats will keep you full longer and help reduce the cravings. Instead of crackers try making baked cheese crisps (http://insidekarenskitchen.com/baked-cheese-crisps/). They are great with guacamole, which helps to provide those healthy fats. I aim for 5% carbs, 25% protien and 70% fat every day with a caloric intake of less than 1200. Sometimes when I just have to have that snack I'll grab a couple olives from the fridge but I always stop to assess why I am eating before I eat anything. I'm working to overcome emotional eating and pay attention to what my body really needs and I'm feeling so much better when I eat for nutrition instead of boredom.

I'm not doing keto but I appreciate the insight. Whenever I am about to crash I could be active or sediment. I was thinking it was my more active days but it's about equal. I may just need to up my intake of calories a day and not focus on the MFP calculations.

emmamcgarity

Are you eating fruit? Fruit helps me with much of my sugar cravings

kam26001

Have you had your glucose levels checked? Shaking is a worrisome sign.

Rocbola

emmamcgarity wrote: »

Are you eating fruit? Fruit helps me with much of my sugar cravings

This! Fruit has enough sugar to help with the cravings, and it's bulky enough, and low calorie enough to satisfy your hunger, while not adding a lot of calories.

josedillo1307

You can always have a little protein icecream for your sweettooth.

Cbean08

How much are you exercising? Are you eating any of those exercise calories back?

You might also try playing with your meal timing. If you are waiting too long between eating times and letting yourself get too hungry, you're likely to feel irritable, irrational and possibly shakey.

If you are a carb- eater, then eat your carbs! Nothing wrong with them. You could try eating things like dessert sweet potato or oatmeal when you're craving something sweet.

Dessert sweet potato
microwave sweet potato until soft (not mushy), and then cut into wedges.
spray with cooking spray and dust with cinnamon, Splenda and nutmeg
bake until they start to crisp a bit
serve with vanilla yogurt for dipping

wila0081

Thanks everyone for the tips

candjiverson

Google fathead dough. It's a crust/biscuit made with almond flour, cream cheese mozzarella cheese and eggs! 2g net carbs and fills the bread void. Pinterest has tons of great recipes!

Lillymoo01

candjiverson wrote: »

Google fathead dough. It's a crust/biscuit made with almond flour, cream cheese mozzarella cheese and eggs! 2g net carbs and fills the bread void. Pinterest has tons of great recipes!

Or just have a slice of bread which is cheaper and less calories. Nothing wrong with carbs.

nvmomketo

wila0081 wrote: »

My downfalls are bread and sweets. I can go strong with eating clean and right for almost a week. Yet I find myself craving for carbs and/or sugar! I can eat my meal plan as scheduled but there have been times I am shaking like I never ate anything all day. The first thing I grab is bread, rice, or crackers. It seems to calm me down. But once I calculate the additional, I killed my calorie count and tossed my macros. Any Suggestions or substitutes?

this sounds like reactive hypoglycaemia. It can be the early stages of insulin resistance. Basically, when you eat carbs, blood glucose starts to rise. It often goes a little high until there is finally lots of insulin released. That lowers your BG quickly, often below where you started from. You aren't actually hypoglycaemic but you get the same symptoms because the brain detects such quickly falling BG.

The easiest way to fix this is by lowering carb intake, especially those that raise BG a lot. The carbs you do eat should be of a low glycemic load.

When I dropped my carbs very low, I was pleasantly surprised that my shakes, light headedness, fatigue and hangries were gone within a couple of weeks. Now it only returns when my carbs are over around 50g a day. Before I dropped my carbs, I had to eat every couple of hours and people were commenting on my hands.

I also used to crave carbs. That too went away when I dropped carbs. I treat refined and highly processed grains and carbs as problem foods, and carbs like veggies and fruits as something to consume with caution.

wila0081

nvmomketo wrote: »

this sounds like reactive hypoglycaemia. It can be the early stages of insulin resistance. Basically, when you eat carbs, blood glucose starts to rise. It often goes a little high until there is finally lots of insulin released. That lowers your BG quickly, often below where you started from. You aren't actually hypoglycaemic but you get the same symptoms because the brain detects such quickly falling BG.

The easiest way to fix this is by lowering carb intake, especially those that raise BG a lot. The carbs you do eat should be of a low glycemic load.

When I dropped my carbs very low, I was pleasantly surprised that my shakes, light headedness, fatigue and hangries were gone within a couple of weeks. Now it only returns when my carbs are over around 50g a day. Before I dropped my carbs, I had to eat every couple of hours and people were commenting on my hands.

I also used to crave carbs. That too went away when I dropped carbs. I treat refined and highly processed grains and carbs as problem foods, and carbs like veggies and fruits as something to consume with caution.

Exactly my life! I go from hangry to savage at times. There are times I cannot unwrapped or prep my food fast enough that I have to rip through and go at it. You would have thought I have not eaten in days.

Thanks for the tip. I been doing more veggies and fruit but still having starvation mode. Had my labs checked and everything is within normal limits. May have to consult a nutrition all together.

fb47

Eat these:
1) High Protein foods
2) High fiber foods
3) Complex carbs (No need to get rid of them, my favorite is oatmeal, that *kitten* makes me full a long time)
4) Drink lots of 0 calorie liquids (Water, coffee, green tea, etc...I suggest you drink 1 cup before and another cup after you eat. Just watch out with caffeine, you do not want to overdose on it)

deepwoodslady

If your blood sugar drops, eat smarties. They are cheap. Easy to keep in your purse or car. The rarely crush or melt. And you can eat one whole pack at a time about 15 minutes apart until your blood sugar stablizes. It is a bit lower in calories and carbs. Also, if you are T2D, talk to your doctor about taking less meds during the diet. As you lose, you will find you need less later and will likely never go back to what you are taking now.