How do you suppress your cravings?
Options
Replies
-
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.
9 -
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 -
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.
This is me as well. There's been lot's of advice about fitting it into your calories, to not to deprive yourself, which is great if that works for you. But as @jjpptt2 and @MadelineBean_ mention, it doesn't always work for everyone.
2 -
I don't really have cravings for junk/fast food any more, and here's what worked for me. I plan out my meals and snacks, and make a point of having something in the house that fits within my calorie budget if I decide I want something. A single serving packet of something crunchy for when I want that, and some kind of ice cream treat if I decide I want dessert. I've been digging blue bunny mini cones lately. I don't eat fast food - stopped a few years ago and I don't miss it. I would have to google to find out which fast food places are around here, I just don't even notice them anymore. Same thing for a lot of foods, I don't have them in the house, so I forget about them.
Tracking my food and figuring out my macros was a huge help for me. If I start feeling hungry, I can just pull up my diary and see where I am for the day, then pick something that fits. Usually, it's an "oh, no wonder, I'm low on _______," and that's much easier in guiding my choices than just finding something to satisfy the urge to eat. It's become a new normal that is easy for me to manage.2 -
A lot of times if I am craving something it means my body is lacking iron, calcium, protein, etc.2
-
I only eat at set times. My body and brain like routine.0
-
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.
This is me as well. There's been lot's of advice about fitting it into your calories, to not to deprive yourself, which is great if that works for you. But as @jjpptt2 and @MadelineBean_ mention, it doesn't always work for everyone.
That's certainly true. Trying it and making the necessary adjustments is all you can do.1 -
One other thing to avoid is getting too bored. Different people have different thresholds on this and some people don't seem to care if they eat the same thing every single day. I haven't seen many of the monotony clan come through here but there have been some.
I will do this to myself on occasion and suddenly I just crave "something different". It is non-specific but if left unchecked it can still cause me problems.
0 -
Coffee helps me. I think I’d be obese if it wasn’t for coffee.1
-
coffee. or wait it out. it always passes.3
-
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! 🙌🏾
Fantastic! Yep, you get it!! Well done, CoachAHOP!
Hey, what do you coach?0 -
I'm learning to plan for it, eat it, and count it.
I was watching a cooking show and it made me want Starbuck's banana bread SO BAD. So the next morning I got it for breakfast. It was a lot of calories but I enjoyed it and planned accordingly for the rest of my day.
Also, I drink a lot of hot tea to get me through tough times when I want to stuff my face. It fills me up and there's something about holding the hot cup that makes me feel better.1
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.3K Introduce Yourself
- 43.4K Getting Started
- 259.6K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 387 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.2K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 911 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions