staring to "diet" - coping with hunger and cravings

mamastevie

Hello all.
I always find that I'm so hungry the first couple of weeks when I start watching what I eat ... and find it difficult manage the cravings for sweets - sometimes it's unbearable.

I would love to hear what foods (snacks or meals) you eat; and how you cope with this struggle while getting started on a weight loss program.

Thank you for your help and comments.

rose313

I try to eat a lot of protein to keep me full. Nuts, hard boiled eggs, and high fiber cereal (Kashi) will fill you up fast.

specialkyc

For your sweet tooth, try some of those dessert flavored gums. They're only about 10 calories per stick.

dad106

If you are hungry, then eat.

Log what you eat to see how it plays with in your calories and then you an adjust from there.

ErinBeth7

If you are hungry, then eat.

Log what you eat to see how it plays with in your calories and then you an adjust from there.

Exactly. It's possible you are not netting enough calories.

Crochetluvr

I went off the sweets for 30 days to get rid of the cravings. It worked. Now sweets are an occasional treat that I work into my program.

angiemartin78

If you are hungry, then eat.

Log what you eat to see how it plays with in your calories and then you an adjust from there.

Exactly. It's possible you are not netting enough calories.

^^^This!

lporter229

Try buying protein bars (I use Think Thin because they are gluten free, but there are many others) to satisfy the sweet tooth. Most of them taste like candy bars. They are especially good to replace calories burned during a workout.

Other great snacks include vegetables and hummus, almonds and raisins, hard boiled eggs and avocado.

workoutgirl23

i know how you feel. those cravings can be so hard to fight. especially when first starting to diet. once your body gets used to dieting, it will start to get easier to fight the cravings. try foods and snacks that are more filling. such as foods with a lot of protein in them. protein makes you feel more full, and when your more full your less likely to snack. when i diet, i eat a lot of stuff like yogurt. greek yogurt is very high in protein. and granola and fiber bars. and since i crave chips bad, i tend to eat a lot of those special k cracker chips with sea salt. they are really good, but low in calories. you can do it. just look around for lower calorie options to satisfy the cravings you have.

BrieLP

Sugar free gum, and dessert flavored yogurt or fresh fruit keep me from grabbing an ice cream or cupcake

warpedlogic

Cravings is the body telling you that it needs something that it's missing. When you get a craving, figure out what an equivalent is in nature. Craving anything sweet? Try some strawberries or another sweet fruit. Craving something salty? Try some raw spinach or other leafy green. Once your body figures out what nutrients it gets from these cravings, your craving will morph to be more health conscious naturally.

For hunger between meals, have more protein in your meal or eat some peanuts as a snack between meals.

Remember that diets fail and that successfully losing weight is a lifestyle change of what we eat daily.

Goal_Line

Eat all the veggies you want.

Don;t think of it as a diet, think of it as a lifestyle change,

lindsiswatchingyou

It helps to keep healthy snacks with you. Carry a baggie of healthy cereal (I like shredded wheat) or a banana/fruit to eat when you get hungry. If you eat small things it will help control your hunger when you sit down for a big meal. I'm always more likely to make bad choices when I'm hungry.

Also, don't forget two things: One, that some days you'll be hungrier than others; just track it and move on. Two, if you're going to over-indulge or go over your calories, try to do it with healthy foods.

mama78loosinWeight

If you are hungry eat bigger meals. Vegetables are low in calories and high in fiber which = full. Add fruit in there. Cut out the processed sugars that leave you feeling empty and you shouldn't have a problem. 3 cups of veg a day and you won't be hungry. Try it.

ah13488

Diets don't work. A commitment to a lifestyle changing is what works. You need to track your food accurately and not deprive your self of a "treat". Diets say a cookie or a piece of cake are bad. But a lifestyle change you learn that as long as it is a "treat" here and there it is fine. If you are craving sugar try fresh fruit. Your body craves sugar because it is so use to having it, just like caffeine.

If you want a accountability/support person let me know I will be that for you.. I know that has helped me with this journey of losing weight, getting healthy and finding my energy again.

marypatmccue

I've lost 20 pounds... by not "dieting" but actually eating... I eat between 1700-2200 calories every day. There's a HUGE group of us on here that believe if fueling your machine and lifting heavy to gain lean muscle mass and change your body... by depriving your body, you're just going to become "skinny fat" ... and I don't know about you, but that's not something I'm interested in at all!

If you're fueling your body properly, you won't be hungry

Hello all.
I always find that I'm so hungry the first couple of weeks when I start watching what I eat ... and find it difficult manage the cravings for sweets - sometimes it's unbearable.

I would love to hear what foods (snacks or meals) you eat; and how you cope with this struggle while getting started on a weight loss program.

Thank you for your help and comments.

Asha0714

I try to eat a lot of protein to keep me full. Nuts, hard boiled eggs, and high fiber cereal (Kashi) will fill you up fast.

She beat me to it! Protein will keep you full. Also, plan your meals and snacks so you have something when you get hungry or cravings. In my daily meal plan, I sometimes plan to have a "skinny milkshake."

tubaman58

Fresh fruit is low in calories and will (sometimes) take care of the cravings

TexasSunny

I did Atkins for awhile, which got me off of sugars, breads, and all junk foods. So now it's easier mentally to figure out something healthy.

For me... POPCORN!!! A big ol' bowl has very few calories. Also, for a sweet tooth..... sugar-free jello, tea, ice coffee (homemade!), and learn to make desserts low-cal and fat-free. I should say fruits and WATER..... they are my struggle...I'm working on that.

susjan

Hello all.
I always find that I'm so hungry the first couple of weeks when I start watching what I eat ... and find it difficult manage the cravings for sweets - sometimes it's unbearable.

I would love to hear what foods (snacks or meals) you eat; and how you cope with this struggle while getting started on a weight loss program.

Thank you for your help and comments.

If you treat this as a diet, then it becomes restrictive. If it becomes restrictive, you will feel like you are depriving yourself and it won't last. It really is a lifestyle change. Whole foods vs processed foods (I'm still learning this) and you will feel fuller longer... but if you are truly 'hungry'... eat.

marthathebear

I eat the mini boxes of raisins. Satisfies my sweet tooth. Good Luck!

rschmmidt

I found that I could snack on fruit if I crave something sweet - raisins, watermelon, grapes and such - and have significantly reduced the amount of sweets I eat. It takes time to train your body to be satisfied with change, stick with it.

Also, eat high protein foods that fill you up, like almonds, and eat several times a day. You don't want to be hungry. Everything falls apart for me when I get hungry, that's when I have no control. I probably eat 5 times a day, just small amounts, like a couple of forkfuls of tuna or a hard boiled egg.

Starting out is hard, but it will get easier - good luck!!

RilantheFirebug

Don't think of it as a diet, a diet implies you intend to stop eating this way someday. Its a life style change. That said, you don't have to cut out things you like 100%. Do I still have the sweets I like? Yes, I log it and make sure it fits into my daily calorie intake and its every once in a while not all the time. If there are some foods that you know you absolutely can't control yourself around then eliminate those from your diet (and home) either permanently or temporarily until you can build up some willpower.

Linda_Darlene

If you are hungry, then eat.

Log what you eat to see how it plays with in your calories and then you an adjust from there.

Exactly. It's possible you are not netting enough calories.

For me, it was all mental. The first week or so I just started tracking what I ate without making changes. Then, I just gradually adjusted my intake.

kie_kie

The same exact thing use to happen to me and I end up not sticking to the diet because I feel so deprived.

After starting myfitnesspal I realized I don't need to diet, all I need to do is eat healthy and in small portions.
If I feel like having an ice cream I do! lol I dont deprive myself. Its not like I eat ice cream everyday.

When I feel for something I go for it but I eat small portions so it doesn't hurt my progress. And I have lost 9 pounds since doing this.... I don't exercise everyday either I try to do it at least 5 days a week but when I only do 4 I don't beat myself up about it

So my advice is not to diet but to eat healthy because after you finish dieting your probably gonna go back to old eating habits and gain back the weight so start eating healthy and make that your life style:)

HotAshMess

I have a major sweet tooth and sugar problem. I've noticed that when I cut sugar...I crave pasta and when I cut breads and pastas....I want alcohol. It is a terrible cycle. You need to learn the difference between your body "craving" because it needs something (like an earlier poster said, try and figure out what is natural that your body could be craving) or because you aren't eating enough and your body "craving" because it wants to eat...or because you want sugar.

Some of the things I've done......putting lemon in water (adds a hint of sweet and makes it easier to get that water down). Chewing dessert flavored sugar free gum. Adding more fruits to your day. Adding more protein and fiber to your day (90 calorie protein bars--some people are against them....I personally love them, peanut butter and a slice of bread or some crackers in the afternoon, ect). I keep protein bars in my purse and in my desk. I also have a stash of Snackwell's white chocolate drizzeld caramel popcorn (130 calories) for day when I think I need something sweet. Sometimes....if I had my sweet treat and I'm still craving, I go and brush my teeth...not many people like eating sweets after brushing your teeth. I also like to do the opposite of what my cravings tell me...I love pickles and the brand I get is about 10-12 calories per pickle. So when I'm craving sweets...I grab a pickle and that sharp, sour taste cuts right through it and calms the hunger. Sodium for the day gets screwed....but it helps stay under calories more than an ice cream bar would. Popcorn is good. Flavored waters sometimes give you the sweet flavor without the calories.

WABeachWalker

I know how you feel! I've been doing this for 4 weeks and I felt I had quite the learning curve the first couple of weeks. I am not diabetic, but I felt a little low a couple of times. One tablespoon of peanut butter is good for the "lows" too, but nw my main strategy is to have a little protein with each meal and to space my food out so that I'm having a little something every 3 hours or so.

Staying well-hydrated is also effective for me to curb a craving. I made about a gallon of home-made iced tea and I add a little lemon juice and some stevia powder then top each serving with ice and enjoy. It's sooo goooood! I make it decaf, too, so that I can have it anytime.

Once your eating patterns change and your blood sugar levels become more level, those unreasonable cravings for sweet things will be satisfied by a slice of melon or an orange rather than by unhealthy things. Since I don't have the greatest amount of willpower ever, I also cleaned up my environment. Out went the stuff that should not have been here in the first place. In came fresh fruits and veggies, lean chicken, beans, nonfat dairy, etc.

You deserve a healthier and happier you! You can do it one day at a time!

crafterpaula

eat air pop corn and if you eat it with out salt its even better and drink a tall glass of waater ith it it will fill you up!

shezzamess

I learned a long time ago that if I ate anything with artificial sweetners in it, my cravings for sweets got worse! My advice would be to eat lots of protein and sip sip sip water all through out the day. It usually took about 3 days to conquer and I know that sounds like a long time to have to deal with cravings! But I also think it is more managable when there is an end in sight.

I lost 116 pounds about 5 years ago and this is the method I used to curb my cravings for sweet things. I cut out all sugar free products and things went smoothly from there!

Hope this helps you like it did for me.

flowersofdawn

eat air pop corn and if you eat it with out salt its even better and drink a tall glass of waater ith it it will fill you up!

This is exactly the snack I ate when I first lost 60 lbs. It's yummy and now there are lower calorie sweet Kettle corn options out there - think mini-bags!

ohnuts14

I actually find it helps to prevent cravings if I eat more during the day. Have a nice sized breakfast, snacks throughout the day, a good lunch -- and things that are high in fiber I find prevent a lot of my cravings. However, my sweet tooth is sometimes unbearable. My doctor recently put me on chromium picolinate, you can get it over the counter, any vitamin store will have it. It helps with the really bad late night cravings. Not only with sweets, but cravings in general, but particularly those related to carbs and sweets. If you have any form of insulin resistance, chromium picolinate is especially helpful. I usually take it after dinner. It's good to ask your doctor before trying anything new, but I'm sure they'll be okay with it.