I can't quit sweets - ideas??

ktimer

Hi everyone - my eating is getting a lot better, but I just can not give up the sweets. I think I am doing okay until I look at my daily log and its candy here, mini cupcake there. Anyone have any ideas to help me break this addiction? I know people say fruit, but I eat a lot of fruit and it doesn't seem to work. HELP! I have a long way to go until my goal!

HeelsAndBoxingGloves

I'm the same way! I have the worst sweet tooth! I find it helps to cut back on the amount of sweets I'm eating and to not have them as readily available. Ex. I used to always keep some m&ms at my office but now I don't.... keeps me from snacking when I don't need to! Good luck!

winneau

I found that working more flavor into my food helped me to ease back on the sugar and salt. Now I use more flavors like mustard, ginger, horseradish, etc. in my cooking and that helps! When I have a major craving for something sweet, I'll have cup of a fruity herbal tea like the ones by Celestial Seasonings (blueberry, raspberry zinger, etc.) and that really helps! Good luck :flowerforyou:

Melis25Fit

I am (was) also a HUGE sweet eater.
I found if you stop eating them, you stop craving them.

True Story.

I can't just eat a bite, or a piece and let the rest go. I've learned the hard way that I have to refrain all together, and surprisingly, it gets easier!

Good Luck!

cammers74

Im challenging myself to quit all that crap too! Started on Monday and doing much better this week, only a slip up here and there (mainly down to a buffet lunch at work) but have so far gone all week without any sweets at all and only a teeny amount of chocolate.
Good luck - feel free to add me if you want egging on to leave it alone. You can help me in return!
Lynds

xsupertiffx

When I just have to have a sweet, I go for a 40 calorie fudgesicle. I calm the craving and feel like I have splurged.

onek9lover

Sugar free pudding is a nice treat. I also found a sugar free mousse that you can make with skim milk, thats about 60 calories a serving and still tastes sweet. We also like these frozen greek yogurt bars that are available at bj's or skinny cow ice cream sandwiches that only have 140 calories. This should help you a little bit. If anyone else has suggestions I would love to hear them too.

holli3586

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LivLovLrn

I too have a major sweet tooth. Have a hard time going a day without something sweet. So I have found sweet alternatives with more natural sugars; like grain sweetened chocolate chips, agave sweetened ice "cream" (it is dairy free, so not really ice cream), date juice sweetened sesame bars etc. Go to your health food store and find things that are better for you so you can have your "fix" without feeling like you are completely ruining your diet. Be careful, though. Even at health food stores the "natural" foods can have a lot of sugar in them, you have to be choosy.

dfborders

When I get the craving I chew some really good sugar free gum - whatever you like. Extra has some desert flavors like mint chocolate chip, strawberry shortcake, etc. that really help to hit the spot.

Mommawarrior

Quit putting it in your mouth. Quit buying it. No one can control what you put in your mouth but you. The more junk you put in the more junk you are gonna crave. The more you crave it the more you will eat it.....vicious cycle. Stop it but simply not putting it in your mouth.

vim_n_vigor

For me - what works is taking 2 weeks where I eat protein, a few servings of fruit, yogurt, and veggies. Within a few days, my cravings go down. At the end of that 2 weeks, I begin adding back the whole grains and continue to skip as much processed food as possible to keep those cravings from coming back.

jmikels67

I have major sweet tooth too. I have found if I choose the sweets I really love (mostly chocolate, but also ice cream) and have a little of that thing most days of the week I can manage it. For example, you can have 30 semi sweet chocolate chips for 7 calories - I eat 2 at a time, letting them melt in my mouth and really enjoying the flavor. Or I make sugar free fat free chocolate fudge pudding, add lite whipped topping to make mousse, and can enjoy a nice bowl. If you have Meijer - they have Slender Selections Ice Cream - a mint chocolate sandwich only 100 calories. Plus check the recipe boards for other great low cal treats. Also, I like Extra Sugarfree Dessert gum - my fave is Mint Chocolate Chip - tastes like the real thing, plus chewing satisfaction for only a few calories! Find what you love in sweets, and find a low cal way to enjoy it, and be sure to log everything you're eating (accountability) then you'll be able to moderate your intake! Good luck!

Ctyndall81

To me stopping smoking was easier then stopping the sugar cravings! Once you do though ive heard the cravings subside. Ive done this before and want to do it again. I hope you can find what works for you. Good luck!

Inlet

Diet soda makes it so much worse for me. I get my sweet fix from morning fruit smoothies or coffee.

thebunnies

tea is a good suggestion.. add some sweetener, you'd be surprised how delicious it can be. i love Tazo passion tea.

add naturally sweet things to your diet, like berries drizzled with honey. i also love greek yogurt mixed with sweetener and some mini chocolate chips, 100-cal sandwhich thins with some butter/sugar/cinnamon or even some peanut butter & choclate chips on top.

muffintopminx

I can't give up sweets - so I just try to find healthier alternatives. Sugar Free Jell-O, Cool Whip Free, Sugar Free Cookies from Whole Foods, Weight Watchers Ice Cream bars & pops, Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches, Frozen Yogurt, etc...

I had a major problem with the mid afternoon slump, that was my main trigger for sweets and I just started getting a cup of tea. Every time I wanted a sweet I got a cup of tea (this was 4-6 cups of tea every afternoon sometimes, lol). After 1 month, I overcame that specific issue.

sandeev

Hi Kt, I find that popping a stick of sugar free flavored gum in my mouth helps when I crave a sweet. Can't mention a brand name, but my favorite flavors are 'mint chocolate chip' and 'key lime'. If you can dicipline yourself to eliminate sugar from your eating plan you'll soon lose your 'sweets' craving and feel sooooooo much better. Only eat 2 fruit servings a day and eat them before 2pm. Eat a lot of low carb, low sugar veggies. Hang in there, it gets better with dicipline, NOT willpower.:flowerforyou:

rml_16

Just a piece of fruit isn't going to do it. I know. I'm a reformed sweets junkie!

I've mostly cut out most sweets from my diet and after a while, you stop craving it, but it takes some time. A couple of my tricks:

Almost every day, I have 6 little squares of Green & Black's 85% cocoa dark chocolate with a little peanut butter. Yes, it's a sweet (candy), but a healthy one -- dark chocolate has healthy fats, antioxidants, iron, calcium, protein ... and dark chocolate is an appetite suppressant, so it's filling (and tastes like chocolate cheesecake!). I also have Blue Diamond cinnamon and brown sugar almonds -- I'll measure out an ounce for a snack or an extra protein with a meal.

Finally, I have a fruit smoothie almost every evening and the way I make it is like a dessert:

1 banana
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup each of raspberries and blackberries
1T Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams Peanut Butter
Ice
Dollop of LIGHT whipped cream

Those things give you a sweet fix in a healthy, filling way.

And if you have junk around the house, get rid of it. The temptation is too much! If you actually have to leave to house to get that stuff, you won't unless you REALLY want it.

rml_16

tea is a good suggestion.. add some sweetener, you'd be surprised how delicious it can be. i love Tazo passion tea.

add naturally sweet things to your diet, like berries drizzled with honey. i also love greek yogurt mixed with sweetener and some mini chocolate chips, 100-cal sandwhich thins with some butter/sugar/cinnamon or even some peanut butter & choclate chips on top.

Tea, too! Glad someone else mentioned it. :-) I add a little honey to mine.

joymeg1

I've found I have a lot less sugary cravings since eliminating the diet soda. I used to have a big sweet tooth, but feel I have much better control over it since quiting 8 weeks ago.

MamaKatel

have you tried Nature Valley granola thins? They only have 80 calories and always fix my sweet tooth! You can get them with chocolate or peanut butter, they're really good you should give'em a try!

jenng38

I am a major carb addict, whether it is chocolate chip cookies or spaghetti and meatballs, I have the hardest time resisting. And I do have to resist. Just a small portion of these foods just kicks off more cravings. About 3 weeks ago my Dr put me on a low carb diet and since quitting refined carbs (white flour/sugar) I feel much more in control and the longer you go without it, the less severe the cravings are. joymeg1--I have also noticed a big difference since quitting diet soda! that stuff is junk!

Marylovell

Marking everything on MFP helps me, because I see the calories. I've changed my sweet habit by cutting it down to very very very small portions, and trying to actively savor everything. I also buy very expensive sweets, like fancy chocolates, instead of say, M&Ms. Then I want to make them last longer. Try to make small changes. I think everyone has a different method. Some people go cold turkey. This just didn't work for me. It was a deny and purge cycle. I believe that sweet cravings are very real and very hard to challenge with will power because they have an addictive component. (This is JUST MY OPINION.) Keep it in the front of your mind, so that you can take pause everytime you make a decision to eat a sweet. Do so consciously. That has worked for me to cut my sweet waaaay down. Good luck with this. I totally get the struggle.

4theking

Why quit? Life is too short, enjoy it! Just work them into your plan.

joymeg1

My sweet tooth has been way more controllable since I cut out the diet soda. Eight weeks and counting. Know I just want a small morsel of good dark chocolate about once a week.

rml_16

Why quit? Life is too short, enjoy it! Just work them into your plan.

I agree with this. But when you have major sweet cravings, you have to get them under control before you can start working them back in.

Loverj79

i find it hard to quit the sweets too! and it really dont help that i have a five year old. she dont eat a lot of sweets but sense i stop buying the treats that i like i find my self looking at her stuff. and its stuff that i dont like so that kind of helps cause even if i try and eat it i end up spitting it out cause i dont like it and its too sweet. ex. kids fruit snacks(like the gummy ones) gross!! hahaha. but i eat alot of fruit.

glypta

LIke a few other posters, one bite opens the floodgates for me - it's actually easier to do without. Once the sugar's out your system, I swear, you DO crave it less, and I'd go as far as to say not at all, though realistically, it's a wee craving that you can ignore. It's hard the first few days but after that, it's a cinch!

rml_16

i find it hard to quit the sweets too! and it really dont help that i have a five year old. she dont eat a lot of sweets but sense i stop buying the treats that i like i find my self looking at her stuff. and its stuff that i dont like so that kind of helps cause even if i try and eat it i end up spitting it out cause i dont like it and its too sweet. ex. kids fruit snacks(like the gummy ones) gross!! hahaha. but i eat alot of fruit.

She doesn't need that stuff regularly, either. My mother never kept sweets around the house when I was little, and when I got a treat, it was limited. You daughter eats those things because you buy them and feed them to her. I think if you stopped doing that, she wouldn't miss it and you wouldn't have the temptation.

Start teaching her healthy eating habits now so she doesn't have to join us all here later! :-)

Lexiehsub76

I have a sweet tooth as well what I do I look for low calorie sweet snack like the skinny cow new candies that are to die for! I also get the 100 calorie snacks, sugarfree jello or freeze pops, when all else fails I grab some good old fruit!!!