Why do I get crazy bad cravings after a sugar binge?

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  • Dawnie44410
    Dawnie44410 Posts: 6 Member
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    The mind is a powerful thing. I have been a yo yo "dieter" all my life. I am an active 60 plus year old. My weight has never gone to the extreme but I just cannot maintain a comfortable weight. No problems sticking to usually healthy meals but the in between gets me into trouble. I love to eat. When I had an unknown health problem a while ago now I changed my eating habits. I managed to control my cravings for high carb rubbish for 5 months. Thought I had it sussed but health restored and I am back to square one. I have a fitbit and that is a great motivator for exercise. Recently found this website so here goes again. For the past three days I have recorded my intake. That certainly makes one stop and think. Fingers crossed.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
    edited June 2018
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    rickdkitson wrote: »
    When you eat foods with a high glycemic index, i.e. pure sugar, it goes directly into blood sugar since very little processing is needed by your body.

    This high blood sugar leads to your body producing insulin to convert the sugars into fat to store all that extra energy, unless you burn it off right away.

    The excess insulin causes your blood sugar levels to crash. The sensation of hunger is triggered by low blood sugar so you are hungry, hence the cravings.

    That is why people who don’t usually eat breakfast get hungry mid-morning when they do eat something for breakfast, especially if they eat a sugar cereal. Foods with a low glycemic index, i.e. complex carbs, take longer to digest and become blood sugars at a rate that you can burn off over time without wild swings in blood sugar levels and insulin production.

    When food is taken in a mixed meal with fat and protein, glycemic index means less.
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    If you're interested, check out The Hungry Brain by Stephan Guyenet. It covers things like calories, nutrition, palatbility, cravings, etc.

    51VWSWfhFkL._SX327_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

    Great book btw. Wish I had read it earlier in life. Stephan knows his stuff.
  • Idontcareyoupick
    Idontcareyoupick Posts: 2,835 Member
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    Everyone keeps talking about how much you eat but I get what you mean. Whenever I allow myself more sweets, I want them more and tend to fall off. Like right now, and will need to get back on track after these ice cream sandwiches......
  • kpk54
    kpk54 Posts: 4,474 Member
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    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    If you're interested, check out The Hungry Brain by Stephan Guyenet. It covers things like calories, nutrition, palatbility, cravings, etc.

    51VWSWfhFkL._SX327_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

    Count me #3 to highly recommend this book or any of the many youtube videos interviewing him.
  • amyepdx
    amyepdx Posts: 750 Member
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    saraonly9913 wrote: »
    Because processed food is scientifically created to make you love it and crave it. Food is made to be super highly palatable.

    What is “scientifically” added to plain yogurt, oatmeal, cottage cheese, canned tuna, frozen broccoli, etc? Processed foods all..,
  • tirowow12385
    tirowow12385 Posts: 698 Member
    edited July 2018
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    My hypothesis is that when deny or refrain yourself from the nutrient, your body switches and taps into your reserves in the body so you don't have cravings, once the body realizes there's an external source, it switches from tapping it's reserves and relies on that so you're craving it and wanting it when your body turns off the steady supply from the reserves.
  • teranga79
    teranga79 Posts: 202 Member
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    fiddletime wrote: »
    I may get wooed but if I eat one candy bar i want ten more. I don’t need to be hungry. And I’ve eaten ten more many times. Any time I splurge on cakes, pies, candy, or cookies I immediately want more. I can eat one protein bar or piece of fruit no problem however. So, we each have to be careful with the foods that we know are our Achille’s heel, our weak point. I avoid them all as best i can because I’m short and older and on 1200 cal and can’t afford too many overages.

    Same here. I'm (slowly!) starting to realise that I will just have to cut some foods out if I ever want to maintain a sensible weight. My brain just doesn't want me to have one biscuit, it wants me to have a couple of packets (which I frequently do!) I have no idea whether that's related to sugar, GI, or just a connection I've made in my head but what I do know is that once I eat cake or a biscuit the day is likely to end up 3-4000 calories OVER my target for the day.
  • EmbeeKay
    EmbeeKay Posts: 249 Member
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    I totally relate to the original post. And it doesn't have to do with my calorie intake at the time, I could be trying to gain on 2500 or trying to lose on 2000 and it doesn't matter. I have no problem (for the most part) sticking to my calorie goal UNTIL I introduce desserts. If I eat those highly palatable foods, high in sugar and fat, I crave more and more. I wake up the next day craving more. It takes a good workout to reroute my brain at that point. I do think it's a brain issue, those foods trigger pleasure centers and the brain wants more. My theory anyway!
  • joemac1988
    joemac1988 Posts: 1,021 Member
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    Blood sugar levels. Do some research.
  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
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    amyepdx wrote: »
    saraonly9913 wrote: »
    Because processed food is scientifically created to make you love it and crave it. Food is made to be super highly palatable.

    What is “scientifically” added to plain yogurt, oatmeal, cottage cheese, canned tuna, frozen broccoli, etc? Processed foods all..,

    Well... true. Any food like that has been processed in some small part. I can't speak from that posters exact thoughts, but i think most of us who use the word "processed" are speaking of hyperpalitable, highly processed foods that have been created to achieve bliss point.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    I also vote for a blood sugar crash. The binge will trigger an insulin response, which tamps down on the sugar available. The low blood sugar triggers a hunger response.

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