Cravings!!!!!! Not Pregnant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

goldyray1
goldyray1 Posts: 64 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What is with these cravings. I am only craving one thing........Dairy Queen M&M blizzards. What the heck???????????

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    So...go have one?

    Some of my obsessive thoughts can be stopped by something similar. Like frozen mashed up bananas with some chocolate and nuts can squash a Blizzard craving.


    I haven't had anything from Dairy Queen in 13 years, though...so, there's that. I do sometimes want Oreos on ice cream and I'll go buy one of those dollar size cups of Oreos and a pint of ice cream. Not often, because that's 1300 calories right there.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
    Is it a memory trigger?

    About this time of year I crave Sweet Tarts. I finally figured out it's because I used to always be traveling for work this time of year and my fave road treat was Sweet Tarts and Diet Sprite
  • lmf1012
    lmf1012 Posts: 402 Member
    Usually when I am craving something like that, I think about the effort to go get it and decide it’s not worth it lol

    Can you budget for a kid sized one? Or make your own with some frozen yogurt and a few mini m&ms?
  • goldyray1
    goldyray1 Posts: 64 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    goldyray1 wrote: »
    What is with these cravings. I am only craving one thing........Dairy Queen M&M blizzards. What the heck???????????
    DENYING oneself of food you like creates it. It's FINE to have some..............just be sure to account for the calories and maybe NOT consume a whole serving if it's high in calories to begin with. A little dab should do you.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    What kind of tips do you have for a 67 year old woman. Worked at a desk job for years. I do a little yoga (for seniors, very mild) and a little treadmill. I walk maybe 5 miles a week. Exhausted all the time. Reason for gaining weight, I was on prednisone for about a year and a half and ate everything in sight. I have about 30 more pounds to lose. Taking terribly long time. I get very impatient quickly. I started April 10 and I have only lost 11 pounds, and that fluctuates. Any tips are welcome. (Except: Don't eat so much!) LOL!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Any tips are welcome. (Except: Don't eat so much!) LOL!

    That is the only way, though.


    Eating the sweets just causes more cravings so it's a self-perpetuating problem.

    I'm your same age and I still have treats - occasionally. Not every day. Like I said earlier, I've found ways around things like ice cream for the most part. I still have it sometimes. No reason to cut it out completely.


  • Speakeasy76
    Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
    It really is a balancing act. If you find yourself thinking about it for days, ask yourself what is it about that particular treat that's making you crave it. Is it the actual taste of the product, or are there positive memories associated with it? Is it the fact that because you're trying to lose weight and know the volume to calorie ratio is high, so it can be difficult to budget it in to your daily allowance? Are there small versions or substitutes that would do the trick--like ice cream sandwiches or Dove mini's? It's not the exact same flavor, but Good Humor has an Oreo ice cream bar for about 150 calories in the freezer section of my grocery store.

    Another trick is to focus on how you feel physically after eating those treats. I love these really decadent ice cream sundaes from a local ice cream place--like Oreo and Reese's Peanut butter cups. Luckily, it's not that close to us and not really on our way to anything, so if we are going to go there it's a special occasion. Dairy Queen is a lot closer, but don't like there sundaes as much. Anyway, after eating something like that, I feel sluggish and tired, and really just kind of "blah." I'm also sensitive to cow's milk, which could be part of the reason, but I think all the sugar without a lot of protein is another reason. I just don't feel great after eating it--so it really is a special occasion, because I know how I'll feel afterwards.

    For me, the reason I make healthier food choices and eat less than I used to (I'm now maintaining) is because I just physically feel better. I still love sweets, but the more I eat foods with added sugar, unfortunately, the more I seem to crave them. I also have been doing this long enough that I better be okay with eating a smaller portion, or budgeting for it...which often crowds out more of the more nutrient-dense foods.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    goldyray1 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    goldyray1 wrote: »
    What is with these cravings. I am only craving one thing........Dairy Queen M&M blizzards. What the heck???????????
    DENYING oneself of food you like creates it. It's FINE to have some..............just be sure to account for the calories and maybe NOT consume a whole serving if it's high in calories to begin with. A little dab should do you.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    What kind of tips do you have for a 67 year old woman. Worked at a desk job for years. I do a little yoga (for seniors, very mild) and a little treadmill. I walk maybe 5 miles a week. Exhausted all the time. Reason for gaining weight, I was on prednisone for about a year and a half and ate everything in sight. I have about 30 more pounds to lose. Taking terribly long time. I get very impatient quickly. I started April 10 and I have only lost 11 pounds, and that fluctuates. Any tips are welcome. (Except: Don't eat so much!) LOL!

    Alas, your only options are decreasing your Calories In and/or increasing your Calories Out.

    However, the TYPES of foods you eat may make it easier to stay in a calorie deficit. For example, some people are helped by keto, which is high fat and very low carb.

    I don't find fat very satiating, so for me eating less fat and more protein is helpful, as is getting my carbs from higher fiber foods such as legumes, fruit, and veggies.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    Another thing to consider: how big is your calorie deficit? If it's too big we're more likely to get cravings, to go on a binge. Having enough calories also means that there's space for snacks.
  • goldyray1
    goldyray1 Posts: 64 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    Another thing to consider: how big is your calorie deficit? If it's too big we're more likely to get cravings, to go on a binge. Having enough calories also means that there's space for snacks.

    Not sure I understand what 'calorie deficit' is. My diary is public is you want to look at it.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,885 Member
    goldyray1 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Another thing to consider: how big is your calorie deficit? If it's too big we're more likely to get cravings, to go on a binge. Having enough calories also means that there's space for snacks.

    Not sure I understand what 'calorie deficit' is. My diary is public is you want to look at it.

    Large calorie deficit = the number of calories you're eating are much less than what you need for weight maintenance = aiming for faster weight loss

    The larger your calorie deficit, the more likely your body is going to try to 'sabotage' you (cravings, water retention from the stress,...).
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    edited June 2021
    Lietchi wrote: »
    goldyray1 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Another thing to consider: how big is your calorie deficit? If it's too big we're more likely to get cravings, to go on a binge. Having enough calories also means that there's space for snacks.

    Not sure I understand what 'calorie deficit' is. My diary is public is you want to look at it.

    Large calorie deficit = the number of calories you're eating are much less than what you need for weight maintenance = aiming for faster weight loss

    The larger your calorie deficit, the more likely your body is going to try to 'sabotage' you (cravings, water retention from the stress,...).

    Yes - so when you did your MFP setup, did you plan to lose 1lb a week (which would be a 3500 calorie deficit per week, or 500 per day) or 2lb a week (7000 calories per week, or 1000 per day?) MFP does that math for you and gives you a calorie goal with the deficit built in.

    A higher deficit is harder on the body than a smaller one. Your body will use up your fat stores so you lose weight, but it really doesn't *want* to - it would like to use as little as possible to keep you alive longer (which makes sense if you're living in a situation with little food available and starvation is a real possibility - not so much in resource-abundant societies.) Trying to lose weight too aggressively will stress your body - cravings can be one response to that stress, to load up on a bunch of calories right away to maintain the status quo.

    I hope that explanation helps. :)

    ETA: I did take a look at your diary for the past week and it looks like your default calorie goal is quite low (1200 calories). That's as low as MFP will go for a woman. You do adjust upwards for exercise calories which is good, but on days you don't get much exercise and aren't eating above that 1200 I could see how that could really stress your body out.

    I also see that you weigh some things and not others. Restaurant foods are hard to do, but I would strongly recommend weighing everything you eat at home, even if they come in serving sizes, like bread, because even being prepared, cut and packaged by machines there will be variations from serving to serving. This can help you measure your intake more accurately to make sure you're not accidentally over or undereating. :)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    goldyray1 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    goldyray1 wrote: »
    What is with these cravings. I am only craving one thing........Dairy Queen M&M blizzards. What the heck???????????
    DENYING oneself of food you like creates it. It's FINE to have some..............just be sure to account for the calories and maybe NOT consume a whole serving if it's high in calories to begin with. A little dab should do you.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    What kind of tips do you have for a 67 year old woman. Worked at a desk job for years. I do a little yoga (for seniors, very mild) and a little treadmill. I walk maybe 5 miles a week. Exhausted all the time. Reason for gaining weight, I was on prednisone for about a year and a half and ate everything in sight. I have about 30 more pounds to lose. Taking terribly long time. I get very impatient quickly. I started April 10 and I have only lost 11 pounds, and that fluctuates. Any tips are welcome. (Except: Don't eat so much!) LOL!
    Increase your NEAT (non exercise activity thermogenisis). So instead of an escalator or elevator take the stairs. When you put laundry away, put it away one piece at a time so you have to walk back and forth alot. Park further away from stores. Clean your floors by hand.
    You have to increase your activity if you can't eat less to help to keep your deficit higher.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    I think of this as Planned Inefficiency. My mother is naturally good at this, although I would not call it "planned" in her case. She doesn't have a dishwasher or a clothes dryer, and mostly heats her house with wood. She has extensive vegetable (and flower) gardens.

    Mom is 83 and so active that she struggles to stay above Underweight.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    penguinmama87 wrote: »
    Lietchi wrote: »
    goldyray1 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Another thing to consider: how big is your calorie deficit? If it's too big we're more likely to get cravings, to go on a binge. Having enough calories also means that there's space for snacks.

    Not sure I understand what 'calorie deficit' is. My diary is public is you want to look at it.

    Large calorie deficit = the number of calories you're eating are much less than what you need for weight maintenance = aiming for faster weight loss

    The larger your calorie deficit, the more likely your body is going to try to 'sabotage' you (cravings, water retention from the stress,...).

    Yes - so when you did your MFP setup, did you plan to lose 1lb a week (which would be a 3500 calorie deficit per week, or 500 per day) or 2lb a week (7000 calories per week, or 1000 per day?) MFP does that math for you and gives you a calorie goal with the deficit built in.

    A higher deficit is harder on the body than a smaller one. Your body will use up your fat stores so you lose weight, but it really doesn't *want* to - it would like to use as little as possible to keep you alive longer (which makes sense if you're living in a situation with little food available and starvation is a real possibility - not so much in resource-abundant societies.) Trying to lose weight too aggressively will stress your body - cravings can be one response to that stress, to load up on a bunch of calories right away to maintain the status quo.

    I hope that explanation helps. :)

    ETA: I did take a look at your diary for the past week and it looks like your default calorie goal is quite low (1200 calories). That's as low as MFP will go for a woman. You do adjust upwards for exercise calories which is good, but on days you don't get much exercise and aren't eating above that 1200 I could see how that could really stress your body out.

    I also see that you weigh some things and not others. Restaurant foods are hard to do, but I would strongly recommend weighing everything you eat at home, even if they come in serving sizes, like bread, because even being prepared, cut and packaged by machines there will be variations from serving to serving. This can help you measure your intake more accurately to make sure you're not accidentally over or undereating. :)

    Along these lines:

    https://www.aworkoutroutine.com/1200-calorie-diet/

    uuhc7uhwhlg7.png
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,620 Member
    Lietchi wrote: »
    goldyray1 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Another thing to consider: how big is your calorie deficit? If it's too big we're more likely to get cravings, to go on a binge. Having enough calories also means that there's space for snacks.

    Not sure I understand what 'calorie deficit' is. My diary is public is you want to look at it.

    Large calorie deficit = the number of calories you're eating are much less than what you need for weight maintenance = aiming for faster weight loss

    The larger your calorie deficit, the more likely your body is going to try to 'sabotage' you (cravings, water retention from the stress,...).

    Based on her reported total weight loss, OP's *average* deficit is around 600 calories daily +/-. However, she's had other threads where she talks about getting off track in some way. I'm not sure, or can't remember, whether that's been more about eating above goal calories, skipping logging, eating presumed "bad foods", etc.

    @Goldyray1, I see that your diary does have some days where you didn't log. I have no way to interpret that. If you're finding your calorie goal too challenging, and going off track - eating more calories than you'd intended or hoped - then you don't log . . . well, that would be the kind of scenario some of the recent posts on this thread are talking about, where a too-low calorie goal is impractical, maybe causing feelings of deprivation or hunger/cravings, resulting in very uneven eating patterns.

    Your average weight loss rate overall doesn't seem excessive, but if it's the result of eating at a low calorie goal for a while, then having day(s) where you can't do that and eat lots more, then it might be more productive to set your goal a little higher, and eat more on most days but avoid the unplanned overages. You could end up getting the same average weight loss rate, but with less stress involved.

    If logging itself isn't onerous to you, it would help if you could get to a place mentally where you log carefully and honestly every single day, to the best of your ability, even if you have to estimate, and even if you think the day was a "bad day". By doing that, you would then have a total calorie intake over X weeks that you could compare with your weight loss over the same X weeks, and get a better understanding of what your true calorie needs are, for a given rate of weight loss.

    That kind of information is very, very valuable for guiding weight loss, and for keeping the loss manageable . . . it's much better than the *estimates* from MFP or a fitness tracker.
    penguinmama87 wrote: »
    Lietchi wrote: »
    goldyray1 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Another thing to consider: how big is your calorie deficit? If it's too big we're more likely to get cravings, to go on a binge. Having enough calories also means that there's space for snacks.

    Not sure I understand what 'calorie deficit' is. My diary is public is you want to look at it.

    Large calorie deficit = the number of calories you're eating are much less than what you need for weight maintenance = aiming for faster weight loss

    The larger your calorie deficit, the more likely your body is going to try to 'sabotage' you (cravings, water retention from the stress,...).

    Yes - so when you did your MFP setup, did you plan to lose 1lb a week (which would be a 3500 calorie deficit per week, or 500 per day) or 2lb a week (7000 calories per week, or 1000 per day?) MFP does that math for you and gives you a calorie goal with the deficit built in.

    A higher deficit is harder on the body than a smaller one. Your body will use up your fat stores so you lose weight, but it really doesn't *want* to - it would like to use as little as possible to keep you alive longer (which makes sense if you're living in a situation with little food available and starvation is a real possibility - not so much in resource-abundant societies.) Trying to lose weight too aggressively will stress your body - cravings can be one response to that stress, to load up on a bunch of calories right away to maintain the status quo.

    I hope that explanation helps. :)

    ETA: I did take a look at your diary for the past week and it looks like your default calorie goal is quite low (1200 calories). That's as low as MFP will go for a woman. You do adjust upwards for exercise calories which is good, but on days you don't get much exercise and aren't eating above that 1200 I could see how that could really stress your body out.

    I also see that you weigh some things and not others. Restaurant foods are hard to do, but I would strongly recommend weighing everything you eat at home, even if they come in serving sizes, like bread, because even being prepared, cut and packaged by machines there will be variations from serving to serving. This can help you measure your intake more accurately to make sure you're not accidentally over or undereating. :)

    Speaking as someone in the same demographic, she's in a class of people for whom 1200 *could* be an OK goal, at least in theory. While her effective loss rate is IMO OK-ish for her current remaining weight to be lost (little over a pound a week, 30 pounds to goal) that obviously doesn't mean the eating patterns are not stressful in some way.

    It's probably irrational of me, but when people post threads with many exclamation points in the title or text, I tend to tentatively assume that they may be somewhat stressed, whether by situation or by personality.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Fair warning that this may not work for you, at least in the short term, but what works for me is to try to figure out what my body is really craving, if my tastes weren’t skewed by years of eating nutrient-poor, over-processed foods. So, for example in your case I would have some Greek yogurt with vanilla, cacao powder, frozen berries, and shavings of dark chocolate. About 150 calories for a large serving instead of over 300 for a small serving, plus you get loads of nutrients. And it’s my experience that once you get used to eating real food, it honestly tastes better.

    I used to have a crazy thing for Coke icees. Then I was diagnosed with diabetes and the icees were no longer an option. I cut out added sugar and a lot of quick-digesting carbs such as white breads completely. I cursed, I swore, but the worst cravings only lasted about two weeks and then I discovered my taste buds completely reset. I had to have a sip of my husband’s coke the other day to swallow a pill and it tasted so sweet to me that it made me gag. In the meantime, things like bean sprouts taste so sweet, like candy used to. Not everyone experiences the same effect but I have talked to many other people who had a similar experience when giving up added sugar. If your cravings are making you feel out of control you might consider it.
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    I didn't read the other responses but the poster names I saw generally have great advice.

    I had this exact same problem. I ended up buying some Klondike bars last week and that seems to help. They're 250ish calories, which is quite a bit less than a small blizzard, and so far that's been doing the trick.
  • goldyray1
    goldyray1 Posts: 64 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    goldyray1 wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    goldyray1 wrote: »
    What is with these cravings. I am only craving one thing........Dairy Queen M&M blizzards. What the heck???????????
    DENYING oneself of food you like creates it. It's FINE to have some..............just be sure to account for the calories and maybe NOT consume a whole serving if it's high in calories to begin with. A little dab should do you.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    What kind of tips do you have for a 67 year old woman. Worked at a desk job for years. I do a little yoga (for seniors, very mild) and a little treadmill. I walk maybe 5 miles a week. Exhausted all the time. Reason for gaining weight, I was on prednisone for about a year and a half and ate everything in sight. I have about 30 more pounds to lose. Taking terribly long time. I get very impatient quickly. I started April 10 and I have only lost 11 pounds, and that fluctuates. Any tips are welcome. (Except: Don't eat so much!) LOL!
    Increase your NEAT (non exercise activity thermogenisis). So instead of an escalator or elevator take the stairs. When you put laundry away, put it away one piece at a time so you have to walk back and forth alot. Park further away from stores. Clean your floors by hand.
    You have to increase your activity if you can't eat less to help to keep your deficit higher.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    Great tips! By the way, I do clean my floors by hand, like hands and knees. So that is good. I also mow most of my yard with a push mower, (gas powered). So that burns a lot of calories. I will spend a couple of hours doing that. At work we have two 15 minute breaks so I walk with a coworker and we can get in almost a mile during that time. If I have been totally lazy for a day, I will put in a mile or two on the treadmill. Thanks lots!!!!
  • RosyBest
    RosyBest Posts: 303 Member
    Eat it. Deprivation may cause a binge later. Just don't make dairy cream blizzards a habit.

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