What would you recommend.....

Gemmz2014

After my 21 days are over of completely avoiding sweets, I'm a little concerned about what to do next. I don't want to cut it out entirely from my life as I feel deprivation will cause some problems but then I'm also afraid of beginning again and returning to eating them the way I used to, which is primarily binge eating.

I am seeing a counselor who I will ask as well but I would love to hear your thoughts as many of you are in the same boat.

Thanks in advance!

4legsRbetterthan2

This is not science its personal opinion: Keep em out as much as possible. If I don't eat sweets then I don't eat them. If I try to incorperate them in a little bit then I start expecting the little bit and then it grows into more and more sweets. Blame is on lack or willpower or whatever you want, but since I know the trend I can work with it....

miceyl

I love sweets also. I eat a lot of fruit, but when that doesn't work, I try to make the best choices I can (most bang for my buck). I use portion control and work them into my daily calorie goal. Most importantly, I am honest with myself and log it no matter what.

FP4HSharon

If you do not have the self control to eat something in moderation, then it's better not to have it in the house. Even if it's healthy, but especially if it's not. I LOVE mandarin oranges, which are very healthy, & I would try to buy the little 4 packs (each pack is 80 calories), w/the intent of eating maybe 1/day. BUT it seems that whenever I buy them, I eat one...and then another....and another...usually 3-4 at a time...NOT good. So I've decided it's best if I not buy them, because for whatever reason, I'm more tempted by them than other things. Moderation....but if you can't do that, then skip sweets completely, except perhaps on very special occasions like b'days or anniversaries, possibly when you are a guest at someone's home & wouldn't be tempted to ask for seconds.

sloth3toes

So far, I think the best advice might have come from your other thread.

If it's an addiction at all, it's an addiction to hyperpalatable food.

So after reading thru several articles from reputable sources, according to them, the best way to beat an addiction to foods that are high in sugar, fat, and salt, is to choose whole foods that only have one ingredient. Try to stay away from processed foods and restaurant foods that combine these 3 magic ingredients in a way to make you overeat them.

Choose fruits- they have sugar, but not fat.
Nuts-they have fat, but not sugar.
Just don't eat foods that combine fat and sugar, and especially not those that combine them with salt.

Perhaps some MFP's can suggest foods that might fit this criteria and some of us who 'believe'. we have issues with hyperpalatable foods, could test them out, and see if they are easier not to binge on.

janeite1990

This is not science its personal opinion: Keep em out as much as possible. If I don't eat sweets then I don't eat them. If I try to incorperate them in a little bit then I start expecting the little bit and then it grows into more and more sweets. Blame is on lack or willpower or whatever you want, but since I know the trend I can work with it....

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This is me. Sometimes I succeed and others I don't, but really, it comes down to not starting.

keykey48

i noticed that when i stopped eating sweets, i stopped craving them. now i can have a few bites of something and it's enough and i can often pass up dessert. i do eat a lot of fruit, so that may be satifying the need. once you get past your 21 days see if you even want them. if the desire is still strong, it would probably be best to avoid them but if you can take them or leave them, it may be safe to have one now and then.

Derpes

Find lower calorie alternatives such as angel food cake and fat free cool whip, sherbert, etc..

You could always have ice cream with sugar free syrup too.

If you REALLY want sweets, just buy a candy bar so you do not have more laying around.

MinnieInMaine

It may come down to trial and error or just really thinking about whether or not you feel you can control yourself with certain foods. I'm an eat everything in moderation type of person but I also know my limits.

Ice cream in the home is a definite no-no. Thankfully Hubs doesn't have a sweet tooth so no worries there. If I REALLY want it, I have to either settle for McD's cone (only 150 cal!) or earn a real ice cream through exercise (take a long walk/run, stop at the dairy bar on the way home). Pizza is another bad one for me. I don't eat as much at one sitting as I used to but the leftovers don't last more than a day! For instance, this past Friday's dinner, Saturday's breakfast and Saturday's lunch were all pizza.

Chocolate is 50/50 for me. I absolutely love it but can actually control myself pretty well. I've bought packaes of those Ghiradelli squares and been able to limit myself to 1 or 2 a day. And I had a bag of dark chocoalte chips in the freezer for about a month, slowly taking 10 or so pieces at a time when my sweet tooth acted up.

Things like popcorn aren't a problem for me so I can keep them in the cupboard and not be tempted. But those 100 cal packs are great to keep on hand in case I've got the munchies or a random craving.

Be really mindful of your choices and how you react. Keep a food journal if you think it'll help. As soon as you recongize a problem, get the food out of your house (share with friends, neighbors, co-workers, church, etc) and promise yourself not to buy it to keep around. If you have a bad eough craving, go buy one serving, not a whole package/bag.

If you're also cheap (like me), having to only buy one serving can be painful and may get you out of buying the thing altogether. DO NOT let it tempt you into buying the whole package just because it's cheaper per unit.

Mandylynne1979

after not eating them for a while your body shouldn't crave them as much...that's what I find going on with myself anyway

Gemmz2014

Thank you everyone for your responses. I haven't decided what to do yet. I'm still craving them and it's almost two weeks that I haven't had any, although, it is getting better.