Stopping the cravings....

Sophielouisecat

Hi everyone!

I've been trying to change my lifestyle recently, and haven't been doing to badly if i do say so myself! I've been filling up on protein and lots of fruit and vegetables, but the thing is, usually in the evening time, I get terrible cravings for junk food; crisps, sweets, chocolate, pizza! It's driving me crazy!

I was just wondering if anyone could explain why i get these cravings, and if there is anything i could do to supress them. I do also try and drink a lot of water, but it doesn't seem to help.

Thanks :-)

(feel free to add me!)

Meerataila

If it was just your old habit to eat those foods in the evening, it can take awhile for cravings to subside.

If you aren't eating enough during the day and are really hungry, you might be craving high calorie foods for that reason, too.

Since you're eating lots of fruits and vegetables already, maybe a huge evening salad will fill you up without putting you over calories.

Sabine_Stroehm

It could be any number of things. A few that come to mind:

Are you eating enough? Really eating enough?
You say you're eating lots of protein, fruits and vegetables? That's good. Add some good fats, and maybe cut back on some of the more sugary fruits. They cause cravings in some folks.

For me? I had to go a few weeks cold turkey. No sweets, no sweet fruits, no breads. From there I could carefully add in the good stuff.

Perhaps it's a matter of creating a new habit? Have a cup of tea and allow yourself a few small pieces of dark chocolate?

Good luck! And again: are you eating enough to fuel your body (and do you really need to lose pounds)?

BigT555

alot of people will disagree with me here, but this is what worked for me;

cut out all the foods you get cravings for COMPLETELY for a month or so, until you can get your cravings under control. then slowly work them back into your diet

tomee638

I used to really want something sweet after dinner too and it was more when I ate something either really spicy or really salty for dinner...or lunch. It didn't really matter. I've combatted it at lunch by eating more meals in the day so I'm periodically snacking so I'm not hungry.

As for dinner, for awhile I would eat like half a protein bar or because they were kind of sweet and were pretty good for me. I personally like Quest bars so I would eat the Cookies and Creme one or the Chocolate Chip Cookie one. Another thing I've done is I used Shakeology for awhile because it's pretty healthy and was also kind of sweet. Mix that with almond milk and it helped curb my cravings. Hope some of this helps and good luck!

beastmode_kitty

Make sure you are eating enough protein during the day. ANd in the evening if you feel that urge to eat sugar/salty type foods, drink a full glass of water and see if that helps.

Kimmer03

I know I used to crave salty(more)/sugary(less) snacks before I started The Doctor's Diet. I have discovered that adding healthy fats and crunch at the right times has helped curb these cravings. I also have whole grains 1-2x a day. I have 1/2c whole grain oats in the morning stirred into my plain Greek yogurt and berries and something like a whole grain tortilla with avocado or slice of bread with 1/2-1tbsp nut butter on it to satiate me during the day. I also buy unsalted raw almonds in bulk and count out 20 of them and put in a baggie for times when I'm on the run; 20 almonds = approximately 200 calories and contain protein and healthy fats to satiate me. Adding healthy fats into your diet will help curb some of those cravings. Also, if it is soda you crave, drink sparkling water like Perrier. I drink plain water with Co2(carbonation) and a lime or lemon wedge and find it much more thirst-quenching than soda ever was, and I can add it to my water intake.

Good luck!