Cravings are getting the best of me!

Shelalala

So I'm a pretty strong willed person when it comes to cravings, I can usually avoid them or sub them for something healthy yet still satisfying. My weakness is sweets. But for the past few days I've succumbed to my cravings and I can't resist no matter how hard I try to convince myself not to. I believe in moderation in order to avoid insanity lol I'll still have a cookie if I really want to, but this is just too much. I'm binge eating desserts, even if it's fruit I keep going overboard. Example: Within a one-two hour period I ate my dinner (soup with veggies and a lot of basmati rice) then a crunchy oat bar, then a cookie, then two bowls of watermelon, then a bowl of cantaloupe, then a bag of dried fruits and nuts, and I was about to grab a bag of candy when my sister snatched it out of my hand and made me snap out of it. I don't understand why I'm feeling this way because I've been doing so good for the past week and maintaining my calories and weight really well without feeling like I'm deprived at all. I need help, I don't know how to stop/avoid these cravings and binge eating. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

GreatDepression

If you restrict yourself, you'll most likely give in to out-of-control binges at some point (and/or be miserable because you're thinking about that stuff you can't eat all the time). Many here advocate abstaining from all that trigger food but some like myself recommend working into your diet food you truly enjoy (regardless of its nutritional value). If you practice mindful eating and intuitive eating, reasonable portions CAN feel satisfying. It's a way of eating that I'm working on myself since it's a skill you must practice in order to master.

I know what you're going through is difficult. I deal with some pretty bad eating binges but I believe I can finally heal my broken relationship with food through mindful eating.

TavistockToad

veggie soup and rice has little fat or protein... try increasing both those things so you're not just eating carbs and then craving even more carbs...

Jim_Barteck

Cravings usually indicate your body is not getting the nutrients you need.

Your diary isn't open, so it's impossible to tell how you're doing on your macros. But I agree with TavistockToad, that the usual culprit is a protein deficiency.

Also, take a look at the overall nutritional profile of the foods you're eating. If you're not getting the recommended amounts of all your vitamins and minerals then your body will also send hunger signals as well. If necessary, consider supplementing with a daily multivitamin.

Hope this helps

gypsy_spirit

Sometimes, if you are eating enough food during the day and are meeting your nutritional needs, the cravings are about something else entirely. That was me.

It can be mindless eating or cravings that have an emotional basis. That's the key. You have to think through the "whys". Once you do that, work on delaying for 5 minutes. Keep working on increasing the time. Basically, it's about changing the thought process.

Also, getting up and doing something will help me snap out of it.

ElkeKNJ

TOM?
If so, in my experience, there are two options: give in to the cravings (they are temporary), or be very very cranky.
Did that last time, lost some additional weight...

CindeeMaree

I suffer with the same problem. I'll go along with no problems at all and then all of a sudden it hits. Usually right after lunch, like I can't eat enough and since I've had my "lunch", I'll go for snacky foods like fruit, cookies, frozen yogurt. The only problem is that a little doesn't help stop the binge. Fortunately it doesn't happen often!
The comments that have been made so far have been very insightful. I'll really have to examine what I'm eating before I get that overwhelming craving. Maybe it is a lack of protein or something else missing. Thanks for your comments people.
Hope they helped you too Shelalala!

Francl27

Have one of the things you crave. Then make a cup of tea or coffee, and drink it slowly. Usually by then my cravings are gone... or I go for a walk or something.

spmode

You're not alone in your cravings. What has worked well for me is to keep healthier snacks around such as nuts, my choice being almonds, and also by drinking a lot of water. When you get a craving just chug a glass of water and wait a minute or two and see if it goes away. Although having sweets once in a while isn't a totally bad thing!

Patttience

fatigue/tiredness/depression/stress/low seratonin levels/ eating too many carbs/ allowing yourself to go too long without food/ being underweight/ and no doubt a variety of other explanations could be part of this.

One or more of the following. TRy to identify which ones could be at work.

I have had this problem in the past i'm over it now.

Reduce your sugar intake to less than 6tsp a day every single day. Make it a hard and fast rule.

To clear your current issue, try a one or two day fast. I find a short fast helps reset your system. A pure water fast is very difficult but can be done of course. I did in January for one day.

Or you can go for a 500 calorie a day fast and try it for two days.
When you come off the fast, don't eat anything with sugar in it.

Try to learn to eat fresh or strewed fruit for sweetness. you can get used to living without it though at first its tough to see sweet stuff about. Now a days i can have oatmeal without sugar at all. Or sweetness of any kind and i like it just as much as i used to when i put honey on it.

I don't use any artificial flavours but now, after 7 months i'm starting to experiment with sugar less desserts. Some are high in calories though with butter and nuts so i have to be careful. I also use dried fruit but again care and restraints is required with these too as they are quite sweet.

If you limit the amount of sweetness in your food as a flavour and then over all as an ingredient, you can learn to live without sugar.

And it doesn't take long but it does take a serious commitment. I love it. And will do this forever. Just like i quit cigarettes 17 years ago.

you gotta have firm rules.

I have had normal desserts but i'm tired of writing now so i will just say - only 6 times this year so far. special rules. It could have been on 3 occasions or 30. Its not entirely up to me.

SXMEnrico

yeah I also try to keep healthy snacks around. My go to is nuts. If that doesn't satisfy my craving I resort to peanut butter which usually does it.

But remember, it takes a few weeks to instill a good habit, so set a goal for yourself to only go to a healthy snack for 2 weeks. If you break down, reset the goal again. Keep aiming for it unitl you achieve it.

The way the brain works is that behavior is burned in via synaptic pathways. If you want to modify your behavior, you're going to have to create new pathways. This usually takes 2-4 weeks of repetition.