How do you suppress your cravings?
CoachAHOP
Posts: 4 Member
I’m getting better at eating healthier but I still have a lot of cravings for junk/fast food!! What do you do that helps get rid of these bad cravings?
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Replies
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I don't. If I want junk food, I make it fit. Unless you're planning on never eating said junk food again, why cut it out?23
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If it doesn’t go away in 15-20 minutes for me, it’s not going to go away. If I try a substitute thinking maybe I’m just craving something salty/crunchy/sweet/savory/etc and that doesn’t get rid of it, it’s not going away.
So I find a way to fit whatever I’m craving into a day somewhere. I’m not going to live without Ben & Jerry’s forever.14 -
I think about what I really feel like eating, then juggle my portions and calories for the day to allow room for everything I most feel like.
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I don’t have a sweet tooth but I find when I’m craving junk I make myself a low calorie hot chocolate and it helps fill me up and suppress my cravings for takeout. I also try and be creative in the kitchen and replicate my fave foods in a healthy way. Every Sunday we have “hot chip day” where we bike into town. I plan my Sunday’s so well that I can allow myself to still enjoy some takeout on a Sunday without going over my calories. I think if I said no to takeout full stop I would fight it and cave in to a huge takeout feast3
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if i want something bad enough, i make it fit.6
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I think early death and diabetes that's what keeps me away from it...junk food and fast food speed you to an early grave all in the name of greed/ profit. Is it any wonder why healthy food costs so much? Because corporations don't want you to eat healthy. They want you to eat pizza, burgers, fried chicken, fries with gravy, cookies, candy, chocolate bars, Sugar crisp cereal, soda pop... the list goes on and on. They provide easy access at a good price to keep people coming back for more...why do you think "drive thru's" were invented?52
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No food is is 'junk' to me. It's just food. Some more caloric than others. Some more nutritious than others. But still food.
Provided I have the room in my calorie 'budget' and that my macros will still be met, I eat whatever I want. Maybe just not as much of it as I would have previously eaten.
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The moment I tell myself that I absolutely cannot eat something ever again is the moment I want it more. I don't do that anymore. I give myself permission to eat or drink anything I want that fits in my day or week. Oddly enough this helps keeps most of my cravings in check. It doesn't necessarily mean they will go away but usually it means that I don't have to deal with them right this minute or risk a binge.
The one thing that is really true for me though is that I never indulge in a craving when I am really hungry. I always eat something else first so that I can resist the urge to eat outside of what I believe is moderation.18 -
I think craving food is fine. I don’t always give in but I still eat most ‘junky’ foods in moderation. Sometimes when I know my carvings is just boredom or hormones than I’ll make some hot tea with lemons (sweet craving), drink some chicken broth (salty craving), and then see what I can make for dinner tomorrow that includes whatever I’m craving like pizza or a burger or fries or an extra half cup of ice cream. If I know I’m going to eat it later that week than I get kind of excited for my next day.4
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It depends on what you are talking about. If I'm tired and get home late and don't have something in mind to make, that's usually when I'd order Indian or Ethiopian food (or some other favorite delivery). I don't consider it junk, but it has more calories and is more expensive than what I'd prefer to do on a regular evening. (I don't like most fast food, but I suspect if you are tempted to get fast food on the way home it might be something like that.)
What helps me is having something fast that I like at home, a plan for a dinner I know can be done quickly (omelet or leftovers or whatever it is). Also helpful to make sure I always have staples in the refrigerator/on hand, so I won't feel like I have to go shopping. And usually I can get myself more excited by what I plan to cook than ordering if I peruse some recipe ideas and start thinking of ways to make my dish tasty.
If you are talking about thinking that you'd just really love some pizza (which also is not or doesn't have to be junk food in my mind, plenty of pizzas are made so that they are as healthful and nutritious as any other meal would be), why not have an evening of the week when you fit in whatever your special beloved food is? For me, if I want something, often I can just think "oh, having that Sunday" and it goes away.
If you mean you'd like a little something sweet, find a way to fit it in. I don't have a huge sweet tooth right now and haven't been eating sweets at all, but when I was actively dieting I'd save 200 cal for ice cream after dinner, and it was nice and I had plenty of cals for everything else I wanted to eat to meet nutritional needs.
If you feel like you are constantly craving whatever you see in the breakroom and it has lots of high cal stuff, I personally think about whether it's worth the calories and what I'd have to not eat to fit it in. But more than that, it helps me to eat to a schedule and not eat between meals -- once in the habit I don't really think about snacky stuff.
These are just some possible examples. To really give helpful advice, I think we need more details.5 -
I think early death and diabetes that's what keeps me away from it...junk food and fast food speed you to an early grave all in the name of greed/ profit.
Not if you eat moderate amounts within the context of a healthful overall diet that is calorie appropriate.
So often people seem to blame eating fast food or junk food (I suppose you mean ice cream and other dessert type foods), when the real problem is either eating excessive calories (fast food companies give calories, you can see how much they are) and very often simply NOT making sure that most other meals are also calorie appropriate and nutrient dense, with lots of veg, plenty of protein. If you choose to eat a poor diet, that's on you, not food sellers.Is it any wonder why healthy food costs so much?
Healthy food does not "cost so much." Food of all kinds is basically cheaper than ever in the US, anyway. Meat is cheaper than it should be, since it's subsidized. Some kinds of fish can be expensive, but there's a huge amount of cheaper fish available than in the past too (unless you were catching it yourself). Beans and potatoes and eggs are as cheap as ever, and vegetables and fruits aren't expensive either -- and don't have high margins so no one is making them more expensive than they otherwise would be. Of course, where I live right now nothing is in season, so if you want cheaper options go with sales or buy frozen. (I buy some frozen, mostly not, because I don't find any of it all that expensive unless you go for the pre cut stuff which is marked way up -- many people buy it anyway, of course, which is why they have it.) In season, buy local and in-season.
Margins on pre-prepared, restaurant foods and sweets are all higher than on fresh foods. Thus, they are in fact more expensive.12 -
Better sleep has helped a lot.
Caffeine helps, so does being busy.4 -
What saves me is PGX which is a natural fiber Plus club soda when I have a craving I tell myself I can indulge after an hour after drinking the pop then by that time the PGX has taken away the sugar craving and the bubbles have made me feel full0
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It depends. I have a sweet tooth. If I do a longer run, I allow myself extra indulgences i.e. ice cream or beer. I make it fit in my calorie goal for the day. Sometimes I will have something sweet for lunch instead of a healthier lunch (i.e. cinnamon roll or muffin instead of cheese sandwich). I also have a lot of years of asking myself "Do I really want that or am I just bored, tired, or frustrated?" I try not to indulge in emotional or bored eating. I'll go do some yoga or get on the bike instead. I only eat out about once a week, since the calorie count for restaurant meals is so high. I try to make it something I really enjoy, not just junk food. If I go over, I don't worry about it.0
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Also... figure out what you're craving and why. Knowing those things might make the cravings easier to manage/mitigate.1
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I don't avoid them. I eat a chocolate daily. i make it fit.
if i am craving something (fish and chips, pizza) then i plan for it and have it. usually once i do that particular craving will pass. pizza i may make at home as i find that equally enjoyable and easier to manage portions. other things I will plan to eat next time i am out with family/friends.5 -
MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »I don't. If I want junk food, I make it fit. Unless you're planning on never eating said junk food again, why cut it out?
For me it's hard to control portions. Better to not have it in the house at all.4 -
MadelineBean_ wrote: »MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »I don't. If I want junk food, I make it fit. Unless you're planning on never eating said junk food again, why cut it out?
For me it's hard to control portions. Better to not have it in the house at all.
I'm the same way. There are some foods that, having a reasonable portion size of, does nothing for me. I get very little enjoyment out of and only feeds into (exacerbates) the cravings. I admire the people who can "just make it fit" for everything they want all the time, but I am not one of those people.5 -
oh, for sure. definitely one of those things that is easier said than done.0 -
I’m getting better at eating healthier but I still have a lot of cravings for junk/fast food!! What do you do that helps get rid of these bad cravings?
1) I make food at home that I enjoy. Eating just to eat instead of making eating an enjoyable activity can be self defeating
2) I make sure I have a lot of options in the house. Sometimes it is just food that I am craving and my mind jumps to the local pizza delivery or fast food drive thru because it is a complex brain that can be satisfied with something else.
3) I get out of my clothes and into the pajamas, even if it is 6 PM. Can't go out in my jammies.
4) I buy a controlled portion. You don't have to get a Value meal, just get a burger and diet drink. Stop at the gas station and buy a snack size bag of chips or a candy bar. Go to the grocery or bakery and get one cupcake or one donut. Stop at KFC and get one chicken breast.3 -
I’m getting better at eating healthier but I still have a lot of cravings for junk/fast food!! What do you do that helps get rid of these bad cravings?
1) I make food at home that I enjoy. Eating just to eat instead of making eating an enjoyable activity can be self defeating
2) I make sure I have a lot of options in the house. Sometimes it is just food that I am craving and my mind jumps to the local pizza delivery or fast food drive thru because it is a complex brain that can be satisfied with something else.
3) I get out of my clothes and into the pajamas, even if it is 6 PM. Can't go out in my jammies.
4) I buy a controlled portion. You don't have to get a Value meal, just get a burger and diet drink. Stop at the gas station and buy a snack size bag of chips or a candy bar. Go to the grocery or bakery and get one cupcake or one donut. Stop at KFC and get one chicken breast.
#3 is great!0 -
I don't try to suppress them. I acknowledge them and then make a decision about whether or not I want to have something. Sometimes I will, sometimes I won't.
For me personally, knowing that I *can* have something when I really want it does make it easier to say "no" to things when they really don't fit my plans for the day.
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I eat pretty well most of the time so a little "junk" here and there isn't a big deal. I don't really have a sweet tooth so there's no issue with that really...I can have a little piece of dark chocolate or a cookie or something for desert and I'm fine with that.
Things like pizza I just plan for once or twice per month...same for pub grub like fish 'n chips (I crave more savory foods) The only thing I don't really keep around the house are BBQ potato chips and tortilla chips and salsa because once I get going, I'm not stopping. We have chips and salsa as an appetizer when we have guests, and that's about it. Potato chips I only indulge in when camping or occasionally I'll got to Subway for a sub and get the little single serving package of chips.2 -
I plan it until I'm ready to level up and cut it out. Being at peace with food is such a great thing... and it's really encouraging to me when I can just casually say... ya know what.. I'm good on that today.
Edit to say: Not cut it out completely or forever. Just when I no longer want it. Sometimes I think just saying "I can have this anytime I really want." does something mentally where I say... cool... it will be there when I want it and I don't have to have it in this moment.4 -
janejellyroll wrote: »I don't try to suppress them. I acknowledge them and then make a decision about whether or not I want to have something. Sometimes I will, sometimes I won't.
For me personally, knowing that I *can* have something when I really want it does make it easier to say "no" to things when they really don't fit my plans for the day.
^ this works for me.3 -
I acknowledge the craving. "Oooh, a bacon cheeseburger sounds amazing right now."
Then I plan. "I can't make it fit today. I'll plan to have it Friday to kick off the weekend."
Many times, by Friday, I'm not craving a bacon cheeseburger any more anyway.
Smaller cravings, I just make fit into my day. I budget 200-300 calories to have chocolate or ice cream every night.12 -
Thank you guys so much! After reading, the main things I’ve learned is:
1) As long as it fits into my daily calorie goal, it’s okay.
2) I shouldn’t view foods as “good or bad” but either they’re more nutritious or less.
3) Plan to have it later on. If I reaaally want that food or meal, I can have it then but most times I won’t even have the same craving by then!
4) Everything’s okay to have in moderation & I should reject myself from having what I love.
Keep the posts coming! 🙌🏾22 -
Thank you guys so much! After reading, the main things I’ve learned is:
1) As long as it fits into my daily calorie goal, it’s okay.
2) I shouldn’t view foods as “good or bad” but either they’re more nutritious or less.
3) Plan to have it later on. If I reaaally want that food or meal, I can have it then but most times I won’t even have the same craving by then!
4) Everything’s okay to have in moderation & I should reject myself from having what I love.
Keep the posts coming! 🙌🏾
^ that's spot on. Virtually all the successful people I know (with varying goals) follow these tips and have a much easier time of it.4 -
I love threads like this. Don't suppress cravings so much as amend your behaviors to ensure you succeed in your goals. I don't eliminate any foods, but go through a budget process e.g. I want a beer tonight, so I need to carve out 300 calories to make this happen. Just as I would a financial purchase. This means I either have to put more effort and work out, eat a bit less of other foods, and make this happen.
Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence. - Vince Lombardi3
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