Cravings

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

Plan for it--maker better bad choices.

SarahCW1979

I keep a bag of semi sweets chocolate chips in the freezer (used for baking) After a few of those melting in my mouth, the craving is gone. It really is so much better than to break down and get a candybar.. or for that matter.. a whole bag of cookies.

Im going to try this! Usually I just drink water with a straw when I get hit with a craving (dunno why the straw works) but I end up visiting the ladies FAR too often!

naschulze

My first advice would be DON'T BUY IT. If you don't buy something, you can't eat it, so it starts in the grocery store with avoiding all the unhealthy foods you would typically go for. Also, you know yourself best, so think of things you like and substitute those things for healthier alternatives, or try something new altogether.

One snack I eat when I'm craving chocolate is a chocolate-strawberry smoothie, made with 1/2cup milk, 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup frozen strawberries and 1 yogurt and a couple cubes of ice. I will blend it or just eat it (minus the milk & ice), but I make sure to keep out of the chocolate chip bag inbetween. Those calories really add up.

NewAngel35

Hey
I have a really sweet tooth. I eat things like a bowl full of strawberries not much in cals and fat free vanilla yoghurt.Its filling too.(approx 150kcals)..Or a trick i learnt was to by very hard boiled sweets have about four under a hundred cals and make yourself suck them . Its time consuming and it gives you that sugar.Good if your sitting on the couch in the evening.Like someone said as long as its in your daily allowance.

Gramps251

When I crave I do a quick 30 minute arobic workout followed by some lean protien. An ounce of almonds can help too.

Alford96

For sweets, try fruit (you'd be really amazed but a handful or two of grapes does help with that sweet craving)
for salt, try pickles
if you crave chocolate, try something dark or semi-sweet (a small piece and let it melt in your mouth) Or melt nutella or something similar and drizzle it onto your fruit, YUMMY!
if you're snacky because you are bored, go do something. I am not a big tv person myself but I find that if I am snacky because I am bored, I do something that involves movement (walking, folding clothes, crafting). You know just something to distract yourself.

I did find that by limiting carbs like those in white bread, chips, etc... that my cravings went WAY down but every once in a while, it's ok to indulge within reason. Also, of all the weird things, I used to crave cheese (I wasn't eating much because of the calories and it was when I had just started and didn't know any better) but since I started portioning it and including milk in my diet on a regular basis, my craving went down-in that case I felt that my body needed calcium (and indeed, when I went back and looked through my nutrients, I was way low on calcium intake)

at any rate, all this to say, if you have a craving for something, indulge in moderation on occasion and work it into your calories/macros. If your craving because you're bored, get un-bored. I'm sure it didn't but I hope this helps.

TrailRunner61

A few things I have done that work for me are:

Make room for a 'treat' in your daily cals. once a week so you don't have crazy cravings. One thing I did in the beginning was to have a small blizzard on Fridays. It worked great and I still lost weight. Now I'm over that and I'll have a cone instead because I know how many cals. I have to burn to have it!

Make room in your daily cals for a small daily treat. I have a smoothie or a low cal frozen treat after dinner.

If you crave chocolate and don't want to eat a whole candy bar, try making a fruit smoothie and adding a 25 calorie, sugar free hot cocoa packet to it. 2 T. of Chocolate Redi Whip works too and it's more 'natural'. Chocolate Crunch rice cakes aren't bad either.

If I'm actually hungry, not craving, I will eat fruit, pre-cut veggies or boiled egg whites. If you're TRULY hungry, those will satisfy you.

When you are craving something and you don't have time, like at the end of the day, to exercise more, do something to keep yourself busy and you may soon forget about what you craved.

Drink a glass or two of water.

Brush your teeth. Just about everything tastes horrible right after brushing.

Go for a walk.

Tell yourself that each time you deny your body something that is not going to nourish it, you become stronger.

Make a list of WHY you want to do well with your diet and exercise today. Keep it on the frig. or wherever you'd be looking for a non healthy snack. Rewrite it every time you feel stressed about eating.

Do not have unhealthy snacks in your house, period. A tough one for me since my son moved back home and he buys his own food. Ugh. It takes a LOT of willpower to stay out of that crap but I know I have goals..

You can do this, one day, one hour and even sometimes ONE minute at a time and you WILL reach your goals!

Good luck and <hugs>

islandgirl3333

I know my post is getting buried so I'm just going to say it like this: we could suggest all the great snacking foods in the world, but your snacking is satisfying some kind of need for you, and the only way to make it stop is to look at the big picture and find out what's making you want these specific things. I say this because when I crave, I don't crave ANYTHING specific. I used to, but I got rid of the emotional reasons I was snacking and now when I crave I realize it's mealtime. So take my psychoanalyzing into consideration and really pay attention to the state your body is in when you reach for snacks.

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I am trying to listen to my body when I feel cravings. Am I really hungry ? Or do I just want to eat cause I enjoy it? Usually I just want to eat for enjoyment so I go to MFP to try and find encouragement to keep me on course, or look at a picture when I was at my highest weight and remember I don't want to go back there. Also I tend to be a binger so once I start I may not stop so best to not start at all. On the other hand if I am hungry I go ahead and have something I like the preportioned snacks as it helps me control the amount I eat.

Gramps251

I did find that by limiting carbs like those in white bread, chips, etc... that my cravings went WAY down but every once in a while, it's ok to indulge within reason.

^This too.

NewAngel35

When I crave I do a quick 30 minute arobic workout followed by some lean protien. An ounce of almonds can help too.

Wow. I would be working out all day hahahaha.Thats commitment

liketheseaa

I get snacky at night, especially after working out and usually have a banana and a tablespoon of peanut butter. It provides the sweet and salty fat that I am craving in a remotely healthy way. It's plenty satisfying and delicious. Easily my favorite snack!