When will the drug like cravings stop?

Jujubeez330

I've put myself on 1200 calories a day. I've been successful with that for almost a week!!! WOOT (that is HUGE for me). I also walked 3 miles today, jogging maybe 1/3 of a mile of that distance. I drink tons of water, but that isn't new for me. I never have liked pop and only drink hot coffee in the morning.

Despite a healthy stash of Ben and Jerry's FroYo and 100 calorie chocolate covered pretzels my mouth will just water for processed junk about three times a day. Its so powerful I seriously feel like I'm withdrawling.

Will this go away soon? Because I FEEL great and I know I'm healthier already so why am I craving crap so bad?

cmriverside

Sugar is an insidious drug and will give you serious withdrawal symptoms if you are eating it daily. See my signature below.

BrendaLee

I wish I could tell you when/ if it will go away, but that's the one beast I haven't tamed yet. I've been off of the sweets for a week now, and the past 2 days have been torture. I think staying away from them completely is easier than trying to moderate since sugar induces cravings for sugar (so do artificial sweeteners supposedly).

mimi7grands

I think the other answers are right on. I do much better - fewer cravings by far - if I stay away from sugar. I still eat it as a once in awhile treat but I have to watch out for the cravings that want to bite me that day. Stocking up on veggies and fruits is a big help too. They chase the cravings away. Hard for me to believe but they really do.

augustbells

I've been eating healthy since Jan. 1st and I still get really bad cravings every couple of days. They will usually go away after a 100 calorie chocolate snack but not always...sugar should be labelled a drug!

TwentyTen

i just had a very tough week quitting coffee, which I always loaded heavily with sugar. The withdrawl was no picnic, and I am sure it was as much due to the detoxing from the sugar as it was the caffeine. It took several days for that to ease up at all. One week exactly now, and i still have some craving, but it is less every day. Repeated attempts at cutting back or weaning off were counter productive. I had to go cold turkey, to none. Any sugar at all , just like a drug, makes you want another hit.

courtney_love2001

haha it's funny that you say this b/c when I first started my mouth would seriously water thinking about food all the time. It lasted about 2 weeks, and I was starting to think there was something medically wrong with me. Luckily, it went away and I never looked back. Just keep chugging along and you can make it! Fill up on water and it will help too

KISS

I've found the best way to stop the cravings all together is to completely stop eating refined sugar, even just a little taste on a daily basis will keep you wanting it. It's very hard i know, and you will have some horrible withdrawls but its worth it in the long run. I found after a week or two i totally lost the taste for sweets and don't crave it at all anymore. Goodluck!

BetterVersion

In my experience, the first two weeks are the hardest. After that, it tends to get a bit better each week. I think it's probably a different experience for everyone, but I rarely crave much of anything these days. I've been at this for five months now, and I would say for the last 2-3 months I honestly haven't "craved" junk. I think it has a lot to do with mindset.

BrendaLee

One tip that may help- when you have anything sweet or artificially sweetened, make sure you have it with fiber- that includes carbs, because they act like sugar in your body. If your blood sugar spikes and falls quickly like it does when you eat sugar and/or "bad" carbs, it will cause you to crave more, and the cycle goes on and on. Fiber slows down sugar absorption into your bloodstream which prevents that rise and fall.

DrBorkBork

naughty, delicious things will always call your name... you just have to choose to stop listening

gisii

its all about being in that state of mind for me.... i stopped eating meat complete and its been 20 days, i was die hard meat eater before but i set my mind in that stage where am like... no meat and it works.... tell urself u can keep away and u will... you control u!!

Jujubeez330

Thanks for the advice ladies! Its so encouraging to see all your tickers. I would love to look at my profile one day and see "34lbs lost" as that would be within my target weight range!

Good for ALL of you

kwardklinck

I pretty much gave up chocolate after New Years. I think I've had it maybe once since then. I just don't crave it anymore. I put a sweet creamer in my morning coffee, I eat yogurt every day, and I have fruit every day. I do however crave salt and I'm still struggling with trying to eat things that aren't just filled with it. It's hard because I eat lots of canned veggies and soups and I also happen to like frozen entrees. My coffee and my hot tea and my yogurt pretty much take care of my sweet craving. It did take about a month to get there though.