Best food to eat to resist binging

proteinbitch

Was craving ice cream today but managed to resist by making a big smoothie with soy vanilla yoghurt. Still way too much sugar but better than ice cream and very delicious. What are some other comparatively healthy alternatives to sweet/salty treats?

quiksylver296

I would eat ice cream.

Substitutes won't kill cravings for me.

I eat chocolate or ice cream for dessert every night. I save 200-300 calories and savor it. If I try to cut them out, I freak out after about a week and end up bingeing on them.

proteinbitch

I hear what you’re saying, I definitely haven’t stopped eating ice cream altogether. I guess my question is more, when you’d rather have A LOT of something close than a moderate portion of the real thing.

quiksylver296

proteinbitch wrote: »

I hear what you’re saying, I definitely haven’t stopped eating ice cream altogether. I guess my question is more, when you’d rather have A LOT of something close than a moderate portion of the real thing.

Here's what happens for me:

Hmmm, I'm craving ice cream. I should try something lower calorie. I eat something lower calorie. That doesn't kill the craving. I try something else lower calorie. Nope. Maybe a third lower calorie thing. Huh-uh. So, I give in and eat ice cream. I end up eating three times the amount of calories than if I would have just had ice cream in the first place.

cmriverside

I've been having greek yogurt with cheesecake flavored Jello pudding (like 6g of powdered pudding mix stirred in) and adding walnuts and frozen mixed fruit. A couple hundred calories and it satisfies without my wanting to go back for more.

I had to give up the ice cream. I absolutely cannot not eat the whole carton.

quiksylver296

cmriverside wrote: »

I've been having greek yogurt with cheesecake flavored Jello pudding (like 6g of powdered pudding mix stirred in) and adding walnuts and frozen mixed fruit. A couple hundred calories and it satisfies without my wanting to go back for more.

I had to give up the ice cream. I absolutely cannot not eat the whole carton.

Between @cmriverside and me, that's a pretty good representation between the difference between moderators (me) and abstainers (cmriverside).

proteinbitch

Lol ok well it just did work for me

quiksylver296

proteinbitch wrote: »

Lol ok well it just did work for me

Great! Glad you found what works for you.

Isn't it interesting how different we all are?

proteinbitch

Hehe yes!

jjpptt2

There are some things that I can eat a reasonable portion of that don't leave me wanting more (halo top ice cream, dark chocolate, chobani flips yogurt, hard candy, tootsie pops...) that will usually satisfy my craving... as long as the craving isn't simply about volume. If it's just about volume, I'll usually go with some kind of light pop corn and diet soda... lots of each of them.

But then again, sometimes I just eat all the foodz.


I do think this is going to be one of those things that is pretty subjective and individual. What I crave may or may not be what you crave, and what I do about it may or may not be what you do about it.

diannethegeek

Binge eating is so hugely individual that it's hard to say what may or may not help someone else. I know that for me, personally, if I don't include a fat source with my meals I'll end up feeling unsatisfied and snacky the rest of the day. Something as simple as a slice of cheese or some baby carrots and hummus will often do the trick. I like wasabi peas because I'm a lightweight when it comes to wasabi so I can't eat them more than one or two at a time.

Then again, most of my true binges are emotional. I had to learn my triggers and early warning signs that I wanted to binge so that I could get out ahead of them. I use the HALT acronym - don't let myself get to Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired because those are the times people tend to have less control.

If you're having serious binges (the kind where you feel outside of your body or like someone else is controlling you) then it might be time to talk to a professional. But if you're using the word more colloquially, then just pay attention and see what works best for you. It may change from time to time and all we can do is our best on any particular day.

whatalazyidiot

I have found personally the amount I eat overall helps way more than any individual food choices. My compulsive overeating and binging comes from not eating enough or over-restricting, then I'm starving, and lose all self-control. When I eat the amount of calories i am supposed to eat (including exercise calories), I have MUCH better control.

jjpptt2

diannethegeek wrote: »

Binge eating is so hugely individual that it's hard to say what may or may not help someone else. I know that for me, personally, if I don't include a fat source with my meals I'll end up feeling unsatisfied and snacky the rest of the day. Something as simple as a slice of cheese or some baby carrots and hummus will often do the trick. I like wasabi peas because I'm a lightweight when it comes to wasabi so I can't eat them more than one or two at a time.

Then again, most of my true binges are emotional. I had to learn my triggers and early warning signs that I wanted to binge so that I could get out ahead of them. I use the HALT acronym - don't let myself get to Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired because those are the times people tend to have less control.

If you're having serious binges (the kind where you feel outside of your body or like someone else is controlling you) then it might be time to talk to a professional. But if you're using the word more colloquially, then just pay attention and see what works best for you. It may change from time to time and all we can do is our best on any particular day.

To piggy back off this, which is golden if you ask me...

2 of the things that have most helped me with my binging is
- getting more sleep
- getting regular exercise


Yes, certain foods help at times, but these 2 things play a far bigger role. For me. I'm sure the exercise helps with the sleep, but it also helps my mood (usually), and my mood is a HHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE reason why I binge.

kshama2001

cmriverside wrote: »

I've been having greek yogurt with cheesecake flavored Jello pudding (like 6g of powdered pudding mix stirred in) and adding walnuts and frozen mixed fruit. A couple hundred calories and it satisfies without my wanting to go back for more.

I had to give up the ice cream. I absolutely cannot not eat the whole carton.

Yup, I cannot convince my brain that one carton of Ben & Jerry's is more than 1 serving size.

I tried Halo Top, etc, but my brain does not see them as real ice cream.

Sometimes low fat Ben & Jerry's works, or full fat yogurt plus strawberries.

My general tips for cravings:

1. Get sufficient sleep
2. Exercise regularly - when I get the happy hormones from exercise, I'm not prone to seeking them from food.
3. Get sufficient protein in relationship to carbs. I'm not low carb, but reducing carbs and upping protein worked for cravings for me. See also http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html
4. Eat moderate amounts of fruit. This makes me less interested in higher calorie sweets.
5. Take a magnesium supplement. This can be especially helpful for women premenstrually.
6. Save foods like chocolate for after dinner, in small amounts
7. Stay hydrated
8. Have a calorie deficit that is appropriate for the amount of weight I need to lose. An overly aggressive goal can definitely lead to cravings.
9. Eat at maintenance when my appetite goes up premenstrually.

JeromeBarry1

Back when I was eating lots of carbs, last week, I'd try to limit the damage by eating what I wanted and then jumping on the cardio machine in my living room to do an hour or two of exercise.

This week, while I'm at the beginning of a long period of avoiding carbs, any craving I feel has to be satisfied with fat, protein, or salt. I'm ok with that.

AnnPT77

proteinbitch wrote: »

Was craving ice cream today but managed to resist by making a big smoothie with soy vanilla yoghurt. Still way too much sugar but better than ice cream and very delicious. What are some other comparatively healthy alternatives to sweet/salty treats?

Not to negate any of the foregoing (which I read and agree with, even some of the posts that disagree with each other, since we are all different ).

I 100% agree that finding your personal satiation formula is the best way to minimize "incidents", along with the other good advice about sleep & such.

While I sometimes eat ice cream (there's a slow-churned brand I like that comes in individual serving cups for about 180 calories - I don't find Halo Top satisfying), another thing I enjoy is frozen mixed berries (still frozen) mixed with a combination of nonfat plain Greek yogurt (a staple for me so always in the frig), and chocolate PB2. Tasty, a little sweet, sound nutrition. I also enjoy Yasso frozen Greek yogurt bars (80-100 calories).

On the salty side, I like pickles (cucumber pickles for sure, but also virtually any other vegetable), raw sauerkraut, crunchy veggies (cucumbers, jicama, hakurei turnips, etc.) possibly with a herbed salt, and higher-calorie salty things that contribute some nutrition, like crispy chickpeas, dry-roasted soybeans, crispy broad beans, and that sort of thing.

I also like microwaved popcorn (from kernals, not pre-pack) with my own salt/seasonings, packaged puppodums microwaved without oil, or a small number of pasta para duros moistened with water, then dipped in salt/chili powder and microwaved.

This didn't especially taste like Doritos, but was pretty good: http://naturalchow.com/2014/03/healthy-dorito-flavored-popcorn/

shaunnapple

I’ve been mixing plain nonfat Greek yogurt with a spoonful of Valrhonna Cocoa powder. I top it with chopped strawberries and sometimes unsweetened coconut flakes or crushed almonds for texture. The cocoa powder is only like 30 calories. It’s divine. Kills my chocolate craving as though it were a bowl full of dark chocolate truffles.

Howl_Of_Solace

Sweet and salty popcorn is good because it's low calorie and low fat and you can eat a large volume of it and it's so light.

Alternatively if you're craving icecream you can try Halo Top icecream which had less fat, sugar and calories than regular icecream. Or you can smash up some strawberries and raspberries, mix it with 0% fat natural yogurt and freeze for a cold, sweet and healthy treat

GottaBurnEmAll

whatalazyidiot wrote: »

I have found personally the amount I eat overall helps way more than any individual food choices. My compulsive overeating and binging comes from not eating enough or over-restricting, then I'm starving, and lose all self-control. When I eat the amount of calories i am supposed to eat (including exercise calories), I have MUCH better control.

This is the case for me as well. I have to struggle to not over-restrict in a rush to lose weight or a panicky feeling like the process isn't working, because I know when I do that, I will eventually start to feel the urge to binge.

As long as I am eating at a reasonable deficit and foods that have a good mix of the macros that satiate me, I have no urge to binge whatsoever and no cravings.

lildickybarrett

Be mindful, know what hunger feels like and come to terms with the fact your going to be hungry at times if you want to lose weight.

However your calorie quota for the day is like a budget, you can spend your dollars any way you want, splash them all down on a fancy burger and go hungry for the rest of the day or be frugal and eat best bang for the buck foods like an apple.

Personally I like fibrous fruits, cups of coffee with almond milk (its very low cal) and snacks like pickles etc If your taking protein supplements try whey isolate instead of the regular stuff, just smart choices and coming to terms with your feelings.

You also become what you eat, do you want to look like a bowl of icecream or a lean steak Everyday we do whats important to us, if losing weight is important to you, you will buckle up and find something else or enjoy the feeling of being hungry.