Sugar Cravings?

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mjshmily
mjshmily Posts: 137 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My downfall....starchy sugar cravings. The feel good foods. The one cookie that inevitably ends up being 6 cookies. My lack of self control and will power. I pretty much have to avoid the treats all together or I sugar binge.

Does anyone have good tips for eliminating the craving for sugars, or ways to enjoy them in moderation?
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Replies

  • nat102
    nat102 Posts: 118 Member
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    wish i knew.. i'm the same way!

    bump
  • idiocracy
    idiocracy Posts: 275 Member
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    don't have them in the house. less temptation and the thought of having to go buy them may eliminate the cravings. replace cookies with fruits.
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
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    the nice thing about sugar cravings is that they go away when you avoid processed sugars. often will power is fighting a losing battle when the food you put in your body creates cravings for more food. this happens when you ingest processed sugar...and really, any food that is medium to high on the glycemic index. study the index and start eating carbs with a low GI number and your body will stop craving more sugar.
  • acrue21
    acrue21 Posts: 22 Member
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    This is my downfall!! I LOVE cookies!!! It definelty takes some will power, i've found allowing myself one cookie helps, just one though. Try replacing all the cookies in your house with fruit with some kind of dip low in sugar. www.skinnytaste.com has some awesome recipes. Drink LOTS of water it helps
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
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    fruits help me. And I don't buy it. If it is in the house I will want to eat it.
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
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    don't have them in the house. less temptation and the thought of having to go buy them may eliminate the cravings. replace cookies with fruits.

    I totally agree with this. there are a few items that I cannot keep in the house because I will give in, eat "a few", have cravings for more, and eat more. I mean, who can stop at only a few Cape Cod salt & vinegar chips (reduced fat version or not, I'm better off without them in the house).

    Most of the kids snacks don't tempt me so they don't have to miss out just because I avoid bringing a few things into the house.
  • tladame
    tladame Posts: 465 Member
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    don't have them in the house. less temptation and the thought of having to go buy them may eliminate the cravings. replace cookies with fruits.

    ^^
    Yup. I just don't keep them in the house. It's funny, I don't really get bad cravings for sweets until I actually start eating them. Then I just want more!
  • stanchfielda
    stanchfielda Posts: 28
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    I know how you feel girl! It is so hard--- once I start I can't stop! I bought some fresh strawberries and fat free whip cream- That is a nice refreshing sweet treat. And I also found some weight watchers ice cream candy bars. Those always completely satisfy me and I am never tempted to eat another one.

    Good luck! :-)
  • MIMITIME
    MIMITIME Posts: 405 Member
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    Chobani fat free Strawberry Yougurt helps me sometimes. There are lots of strawberries on the bottom so when you mix it up, you to get some sweetness from the strawberries. Other times, I give in and immediately list it on my food chart then try to undo some of the damage with my other calories for the day.
  • dedication6
    dedication6 Posts: 184 Member
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    Banana and glass of milk. The mix of potassuim and calcium helps cut the sugar cravings.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Kashi makes some cookies that are very high fiber and therefore very filling but have a very chocolately taste. Honestly, one fills me up. I can't imagine eating many of them at once.

    I also like a handful of cocoa roasted almonds. They don't have a lot of sugar, but it's all on the outside so it tastes sweeter because the sugar hits your tongue first, and they are also filling so you don't need a lot to be satisfied.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    My downfall....starchy sugar cravings. The feel good foods. The one cookie that inevitably ends up being 6 cookies. My lack of self control and will power. I pretty much have to avoid the treats all together or I sugar binge.

    Does anyone have good tips for eliminating the craving for sugars, or ways to enjoy them in moderation?

    I know this isn't going to be the most popular answer, but, for me, to reduce those cravings, I completely cut them out of my diet - for a while. I don't believe in saying I will never eat something, but I do know that I need to clear my system and adjust to new types of food. It usually takes me a few months of cutting out the triggers before 'safely' adding them back into my diet. Good luck! It is different for everyone.
  • idiocracy
    idiocracy Posts: 275 Member
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    Oh, I got another idea. If you DO buy the cookies, put them in ziplocks according to portion sizes. If 2 cookies is a portion size, then put 2 cookies inside. Then, write on the bag "Cookies, 250 calories/serving=30 minutes aerobics". Once you see that, it's less likely you will continue eating, if you actually visualize how much work it requires to "shed" the cookie.
  • akaChuck
    akaChuck Posts: 233 Member
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    I'm really bad with sweets too. The best way for me to not have a bad binge session with them is to use the "out of sight, out of mind" theory. Even if they are in the office just walk away or keep your back to them-it works!
  • mjshmily
    mjshmily Posts: 137 Member
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    I don't keep many in the house...just a few things to pack in kid lunches-usually homemade cereal bars etc.-It's tough to not eat the cookies or squares you made yourself!!

    I struggle when I get to work too and someone brought in the box of donuts or a plate of cookies. Someone suggested when a sugar craving hits to eat or drink something that definately wouldn't go with sugar (like pickles) and that can sometimes end the craving.

    But some good suggestions. Thanks!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I know this isn't going to be the most popular answer, but, for me, to reduce those cravings, I completely cut them out of my diet - for a while. I don't believe in saying I will never eat something, but I do know that I need to clear my system and adjust to new types of food. It usually takes me a few months of cutting out the triggers before 'safely' adding them back into my diet. Good luck! It is different for everyone.

    I agree with this. If you really want to gid rid of sugar cravings, cold turkey is the way. I used to eat a lot of baked desserts and cookies were my favorite. Then I went on a macrobiotic diet for a while, which recommends little to no sugar and only natural sugars (molasses, which I hate, natural syrups, honey) when you have them. Like most people who start a really strict diet, I didn't stick with it forever, but after months without sugar I found that I didn't crave it anymore. And when I do eat it, I can't eat much without feeling sugar overload.
  • pettmybunny
    pettmybunny Posts: 1,986 Member
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    don't have them in the house. less temptation and the thought of having to go buy them may eliminate the cravings. replace cookies with fruits.

    I wish I could do that! I have a home based cake and cupcake business. I always have tubs of frosting, scraps (to be turned into cake truffles/cake pops), assorted chocolates etc. in my house.

    One thing that I find helps me is to have a very minty (peppermint, strong spearmint) gum in the house. If I have a sweet craving, I chew the heck out of that gum. And replace it often! If I decide I want a spoonful of frosting, and I spit out that gum, the frosting tastes nasty! Kind of the same principal of brushing your teeth, but lasts longer :)
  • mjshmily
    mjshmily Posts: 137 Member
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    Oh, I got another idea. If you DO buy the cookies, put them in ziplocks according to portion sizes. If 2 cookies is a portion size, then put 2 cookies inside. Then, write on the bag "Cookies, 250 calories/serving=30 minutes aerobics". Once you see that, it's less likely you will continue eating, if you actually visualize how much work it requires to "shed" the cookie.

    I like this idea. Sometimes I have to really keep my focus on the goal. I could eat a yogurt for 35 calories and not have spend my day hungry if I stay within my caloric goal. But stopping and thinking about it makes a huge difference rather than impulsively eating it. What I need to do is make a chart that compares the calories in the different tempting snack stuff so I really have to think about if that cookie/donut/entire cheesecake :ohwell: is worth it to me.
  • kducky22
    kducky22 Posts: 276 Member
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    I buy those skinny cow 80-120 calorie icecream bars (depending on the flavor -- mint chocolate being my fav :love: ). I don't have too many sugar cravings, but when I do, these are perfect and don't kill whatever good eating or excercise I've done for the day.
  • LycosNyctereutes
    LycosNyctereutes Posts: 61
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    This may not help most people, but when I found out I am type 2 diabetic and started taking medicine for it, my sugar cravings almost completely disappeared. If you have INSANE, insatiable sugar cravings, you should have your glucose and insulin levels checked. I used to literally feel a "switch" in my brain get turned on by eating sugar. I felt a flood of endorphines like a big bong-hit (ok, so I wouldn't know exactly...) whenever I put ice cream in my mouth.
    I tried a tiny slice (1/2" thick) of birthday cake the other day, it did not flip my "switch" and it made me soooo sick from the sugar spike and crash. I will not do that again, it was not worth it. If you are truly addicted to sweets, check out Insulin Resistance.

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