CHIPS! ICE CREAM! FRIES! Help me, please!

Hopefully that got your attention, ha.

I want to know what tips people have for staying/feeling full and SATISFIED. Certain foods? Lots of water? What do you do to help with cravings???

Recently, someone just has to MENTION a certain food, and I WANT it. Wil power? Yeah, sure. BUT I literally wind up with an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach and mentally the only thing I believe that will fix it, is what I am craving.

I do not want to be uncomfortable. I want to eat and feel satisfied... or even FULL sometimes.

NO! I cannot do moderation. Sure, here and there yes. BUT, I cannot have just ONE chocolate or a FEW chips... it is best for me to have NONE in that case, cause otherwise I find myself bingeing.

So any tips would be helpful....

No one said this would be easy. I do not expect it to be easy. But, I am tired of my stomach feeling uncomfortable.
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Replies

  • mydeloo78
    mydeloo78 Posts: 328 Member
    Make a list of reasons why you want to lose weight. As you get better and lose weight these things will start to sound less appealing to you. Distract yourself when a craving hits. Say "i'm going to go do something else for 30mins, 2 hours.. whatever, if I still want the food at the end then I can have some" but you have to go do something else to distract yourself. Nobody said this was going to be easy, if it was everyone would be thin. Your reasons for wanting to be healthy have to be stronger than the food you want.
  • mydeloo78
    mydeloo78 Posts: 328 Member
    Oh and one more thing.. I eat every 3-4 hours so that I never get too hungry. Choose foods high in volume and protein to keep you satisfied longer. I plan my entire day out in the morning so I know exactly what i'm eating for the day, leaving no room for "what do I want?"
  • Brittany3914
    Brittany3914 Posts: 258 Member
    From one sweet-tooth-fried-foodaholic to another, I hear you.

    French fries are my weakness. Dinner doesn't feel complete without dessert, but here's what I've done and maybe it'll help you too.

    By eating cleaner and healthier, day by day, my palette has changed. I don't crave McDonalds like I used to. I crave spinach salad with fresh strawberries. It'll take time, but eventually, you will crave healthy, nutritious, colorful fruits and veggies and less sodium-packed, greasy fried foods :)
  • thinkcrystal
    thinkcrystal Posts: 48 Member
    Peppermint, raisins and jello pudding. I have the jello pudding in flavors....ie: birthday cake, strawberry shortcake, chocolate fudge brownie. i eat the jello when i have those bakery cravings. when ever i feel like chocolate bars or any type of candy i pop a peppermint in my mouth. And i keep the miniature box of raisins in my purse just for the quick sugar rush.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    I refuse to buy any on my triggers at the store, because stores always sell them in quantities where I will binge or have leftovers (which I'll binge on the next day). I only have goodies when out with friends, and then only rarely.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    This is going to take experimentation since it's different person to person. There are many times that if I feel "hungry" when I shouldn't that just talking a walk or even just a short bout of some fast exercise makes it pass.
    But my personal experience is that I can eat whatever I want and know when to stop.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Brittany3914
    Brittany3914 Posts: 258 Member
    I refuse to buy any on my triggers at the store, because stores always sell them in quantities where I will binge or have leftovers (which I'll binge on the next day). I only have goodies when out with friends, and then only rarely.

    So true! I've learned to completely avoid the chip aisle altogether. Same thing with Chex Mix Muddy Buddys (like puppy chow). I bought a bag with 10 servings this week and it was gone in two days. Eek.
  • 2moonNback
    2moonNback Posts: 61 Member
    I am the sweet tooth QUEEN! At night especially! The last couple weeks I have been concerned with my night time snacking. My husband is trying to quit his chew habit and has packs of gum all over the house and I saw one of the packs is Extra Lemon Bars! I tried a piece and it is awesome! It gave me something to chew on and it took care of my sweet craving. I hope it works for you!
  • RonandDi
    RonandDi Posts: 120 Member
    Personally I refuse to give up anything completely. I still eat chips, ice cream and fries...even hot wings (my downfall)...just a lot smaller portion than I used to. I don't think I could stick with this change in lifestyle, for a lifetime, if I couldn't have what I wanted. One thing I have started is when I get hungary for chips, I put some in a bowl. when the bowl is empty, I'm done. I no longer eat out of the bag.

    In my opinion, if you cut out stuff you love completely you are setting yourself up to fail. But like I said, that's just me.
  • casy84
    casy84 Posts: 290 Member
    From one sweet-tooth-fried-foodaholic to another, I hear you.

    French fries are my weakness. Dinner doesn't feel complete without dessert, but here's what I've done and maybe it'll help you too.

    By eating cleaner and healthier, day by day, my palette has changed. I don't crave McDonalds like I used to. I crave spinach salad with fresh strawberries. It'll take time, but eventually, you will crave healthy, nutritious, colorful fruits and veggies and less sodium-packed, greasy fried foods :)

    I'm with you on this one. Take things slowly, don't try to clean up all your diet at once. I started by giving up soda and fast food and worked my way up. If you make a big list of things to avoid you'll suffer for a few days and then binge on all of them at one meal. Be patient and give yourself time and I'm sure one day you'll end up craving apples instead of apple pie.
  • 2credneck208
    2credneck208 Posts: 501 Member
    I just try to keep the crap food out of my house. If its not around then I won't eat it. And yes water helps.
  • stellabobella79
    stellabobella79 Posts: 44 Member
    I have stopped eating out, except for taco bell. I'm just not strong enough yet. Im new and I also didn't have a clue what a "portion" was. I scoffed at moderation. I'm three weeks in though and I'm getting better. My go to "fried craving" snack are lean cuisine spring rolls. There are 6 per box, but they are divided into packs of three. Three is 200 calories, but if you eat all 6 it's only 400 calories...that's less than a 500 calorie large fry from McDonald's. Plus they are packed with protein to keep you fuller longer. I swear I need to be the spokesperson for these things! They have stopped me more than once from jumping in my car and driving to the mcd that's 1/4 mike away.

    For sweets, I eat special K fiber bars. Taste like a candy bar but they are full of fiber that will swell in your stomach. I totally did have a ice cream craving the other day so I bought my three year old one and "helped" him when it started to drip. I ate my fiber bar and that with a few licks of soft serve curbed my desire to buy a pint of Ben and Jerry's.

    If you are a junk food lover like me, eating salads or fat free Greek yogurt every day will just make you sad. There are lo cal versions of the things you love out there. Good luck!
  • Over time our desire for our high carb and high calorie foods dissipates and you get the same satisfactions from a more fruit and veg.. Orientated diet. My experience had been that the sweetness of all food gets more noticeable and more satisfying. It may be all mental but it's working so I don't over think it.
  • deprek
    deprek Posts: 101 Member
    Personally I refuse to give up anything completely. I still eat chips, ice cream and fries...even hot wings (my downfall)...just a lot smaller portion than I used to. I don't think I could stick with this change in lifestyle, for a lifetime, if I couldn't have what I wanted. One thing I have started is when I get hungary for chips, I put some in a bowl. when the bowl is empty, I'm done. I no longer eat out of the bag.

    In my opinion, if you cut out stuff you love completely you are setting yourself up to fail. But like I said, that's just me.


    I'm just starting my weight loss journey but I agree with this poster. I've decided that this is something I want to do for the long haul. And if I completely give up everything I like, then I think at some point I will fail. I dont' want to fail and I don't want to give up. Two weeks ago I was craving ice cream so as a treat, I took the kids to the custard stand and got a small custard. I wanted chips with my dinner the other night. I litereally counted out 15 lays bbq chips (1 serving size). Did I want more, sure. But I was happy to have what I did. Normally I would have had at least twice that amount. So for me, it's the little changes that I'm making that I hope will hlep me in the long run.

    Like some others, I try to figure out what I'm having for dinner, what the calorie count for that will be and plan the rest of my day around it. I've been having salads at lunch for the most part, but depending what you put on it, those calories add up quickly. As long as I'm within my calories range, if I can fit a treat in, I try to. Then I don't feel so deprived.

    Believe me, it's definitely not easy. And you have to find what will work for you. But you'll figure it out.

    I've also decided to make some small goals and when I hit those goals, I'm going to treat myself, wether it's a manicure, or a new coach bag, etc. Just something that will make me feel special for hitting a goal. Maybe that will help you as well.
  • I am craving a buffalo chicken wrap, but I didn't have the ingredients to make it at home, and I didn't want to buy one because who knows how many calories are in one of those. So I made myself a fish taco with cottage cheese, which was wierd. Didn't work. Still craving. I think maybe you have to choose your battles.
  • llkilgore
    llkilgore Posts: 1,169 Member
    I can go through an entire package of fig newtons in an evening, and WILL if they're within reach. I can't have them in the house anymore. Ice cream isn't a problem, though. I can eat a half cup once or twice a week and be completely satisfied. I don't know... maybe it's the fat content that makes the difference. Most of the time I just eat fruit and maybe peanut butter when I want something sweet.

    Similar situation with non-sweet high carb foods: a baked sweet potato satisfies, as do standard servings of pasta or rice, while regular potatoes leave me uncomfortably hungry. As much as I love potatoes - while I'm eating them - it's just not worth it anymore.
  • If you want something sweet and tasty, try Jell-o (sugar free of course.) It tastes good like the regular sugary jell-o but a fraction of the calories. Add fruit to it!

    Good luck!
  • stellabobella79
    stellabobella79 Posts: 44 Member
    From one sweet-tooth-fried-foodaholic to another, I hear you.

    French fries are my weakness. Dinner doesn't feel complete without dessert, but here's what I've done and maybe it'll help you too.

    By eating cleaner and healthier, day by day, my palette has changed. I don't crave McDonalds like I used to. I crave spinach salad with fresh strawberries. It'll take time, but eventually, you will crave healthy, nutritious, colorful fruits and veggies and less sodium-packed, greasy fried foods :)

    Very true that your palate will change! I'm starting to feel unimpressed by super sweet things and processed carbs. I took a bite of white bread the other day and spit it out (how ladylike!). It tasted like flavorless goo and the though of putting it in my body grossed me out.
  • lizzybethclaire
    lizzybethclaire Posts: 849 Member
    edited
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    When a craving seizes me, I do my best to get busy with something that keeps my hands and mind occupied (anything - ironing, aquarium maintenance, beading, spinning). Usually the craving passes, then I can have an appropriate meal at the time I've established. Often I can find a way to make something similar to what I was craving and be satisfied with it (for example - a cheeseburger on an English muffin using low fat burger and reduced fat cheese).
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    Personally, as I've seen results and stayed at this for 6 or 7 months now I've actually come to embrace being a little hungry every now and then. Its not going to kill you. My palate has changed as well. Don't need sugar anymore to feel happy after a meal. The key is to stay busy when you are not supposed to be eating. Go for a walk. Do a project around the house. Keep yourself busy. The rare moments I watch TV now instead of having food with me I have an ipad.
  • LOTS of water...chewing gum. If I crave salty things I eat seaweed (it just has like 15 calories per serving, and the seaweed "chip" is good tasting and satisfying.
  • lizzybethclaire
    lizzybethclaire Posts: 849 Member
    No food porn pics which sucks, but here is what I do.
    I always eat a Fiber One bar with lunch. Tames the chocolate beast.
    I watch my sodium like a hawk, so I try not to buy so much processed foods.
    I made a rule for myself: Thou shalt not eat anything I dislike just because it's healthy. I eat veggies, but I hate and refuse to ever eat another salad (unless it is at the diner near my house with homemade blue cheese dressing).
    I indulge, but I limit it. I am indulging during the superbowl.
    I make all my junk healthy and modify recipes accordingly.
    I try to exercise 5 days a week. I wish I could all week, but my schedule gets crazy.
    I eat six smaller meals a day or at least try too
    I drink 8 to 10 glasses of water
    I don't feel like I am on a diet. This isn't a diet. This is a lifestyle change. I feel better now and still eat what I love, just modified versions.
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
    I only buy chips if they are made so I can eat more of them. Pop Chips are great! You can eat a decent amount and not feel like you're trapped to 7 chips as a serving. Basically, start looking for the healthier version and add some cardio so you can have a few munchies. That works for me.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    IMO you will either just have to deprive yourself and be miserable, or stop using the word "CAN'T" as a reason to overeat.

    You CAN do the moderation thing if you really want. You can do anything you want, if you want it bad enough.

    There is no reason you should never feel full while losing weight. Are you eating enough calories? Enough fat? Enough protein? Are you exercising and eating more when you do?

    Workout a little extra or harder to "earn" the calories for treats if you need to. Tell yourself if you eat healthy foods all week, you can have the treat on the weekend. Do whatever tricks you need to do to make yourself healthy and happy. Happy is important, too.
  • jessicawrites
    jessicawrites Posts: 235 Member
    If you have trouble stopping at a reasonable portion of a favorite snack, would it make sense to only buy individual portion sizes? Ice cream makers sell mini-cartons for one, chips come in single sizes, etc. Don't stock up on them and tempt yourself to plow through a pile of small bags of chips, but what I sometimes do on my lunch break is take the 10-minute walk to the store near my work, buy 1 small item of what I'm in the mood for, walk back, and eat it.
  • After the 1st couple weeks the craving really went away for me once I was eating a more balanced nutrional diet. Here are the tricks I used when I got hungry and staying on track.

    1.) I measure everything for portion control - this is huge.
    2.) I went from my large dinner plates to the smaller salad plate. Correct portions of food will fill the plate and when you finish you have the same feeling of accomplishment that you get from the big plate. Most of us were brought up to clean our plate.
    3) When I start getting hungry I drink water. A lot of the time your really not hungry your actually dehydrated.
    4) If water doesn't work then I use the apple test. I keep an apple with me all the time. I ask myself are you hungry enough to eat an apple? If your not hungry enough to eat an apple then your not really hungry.
    5) For my chip fettish I keep Special K cracker chips around. There really yummy, give you the crunch, the salty satisfaction. The best part is a serving size is 27 of them so you really feel that you having a snack.
    6) When and if I do have regular chips. I measure out the serving and put the bag up and away. Amazing if out of sight & you have to get up for it you won't usually go back for a 2nd. Again the smaller amount looks correct with a snackwich on the smaller plate.
    7) Ice cream craving - I have a ninja so I take frozen fruit add a little milk or silk or what ever you drink and blend you get a wonderful fruit sorbet which takes care of the ice cream craving.
    8) Chocolate - Hersey kisses or miniture bars works. A hersey kiss is only 22 calories. So eating a few of these will take care of the craving without being detrimental to your diet.
    9) Exercise - Sometimes just getting up and walking and getting your heart rate up with help subside a craving while at work, plus you burn off some calories.
    10) When I know I am going out for dinner to a resteraunt I make sure that I get some extra exercise in to accomodate the glass of wine I know that I'm going to have with dinner.

    So far it has worked for me I have lost 19#'s in month and a total of 9.25" from my waist, hips, thighs, & bust. Hope this helps.
    Tina
  • Personally I refuse to give up anything completely. I still eat chips, ice cream and fries...even hot wings (my downfall)...just a lot smaller portion than I used to. I don't think I could stick with this change in lifestyle, for a lifetime, if I couldn't have what I wanted. One thing I have started is when I get hungary for chips, I put some in a bowl. when the bowl is empty, I'm done. I no longer eat out of the bag.

    In my opinion, if you cut out stuff you love completely you are setting yourself up to fail. But like I said, that's just me.

    My plan is to still have these once n a while for a treat... my issue is though if I do a small portion of something like that it intensifies me wanting more and more
  • IMO you will either just have to deprive yourself and be miserable, or stop using the word "CAN'T" as a reason to overeat.

    You CAN do the moderation thing if you really want. You can do anything you want, if you want it bad enough.

    There is no reason you should never feel full while losing weight. Are you eating enough calories? Enough fat? Enough protein? Are you exercising and eating more when you do?

    Workout a little extra or harder to "earn" the calories for treats if you need to. Tell yourself if you eat healthy foods all week, you can have the treat on the weekend. Do whatever tricks you need to do to make yourself healthy and happy. Happy is important, too.

    It isn't that I "can't"... because I am doing it. I barely go out and eat these things. However, I find myself always wanting them. And every time I want them there isn't much point going every single day and trying to have JUST some because something clicks in my and makes it more difficult and I then want to binge eat once I have the taste in my mouth. For now I sit around uncomfortable and cranky craving these things. That is the part I need help with.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    There are certain things that I don't buy - like trail mix or roasted nuts - because it's too easy to have "just a pinch" more. Next thing I know, I've plowed through half a cup or more.

    Unfortunately, my husband still buys that stuff, so I really have to get more organized and do the shopping for things he enjoys that don't tempt me.