cravings

:devil: I am craving everything from candy to French fries and yes I know it is OK to "cheat" from time to time but this is not just the normal (I want a cookie, so I have one and I feel better) I quit smoking 4 weeks ago and I have been using gum to help with that, but in all the years of dieting I have never wanted food so much and of course I don't want the ok foods I want the bad ones. I find myself thinking about bad for me foods all the time and even dreaming about them. Anyone have any idea's :cry:

Replies

  • ixa73
    ixa73 Posts: 24 Member
    Hi,
    I've noticed that my cravings go in cycles, some days I could eat throughout the entire day and I get really annoyed that I'm hungry all day. Not hungry for salad mind you! Hungry for calorie dense rubbish that makes me sluggish, gives me bad breath, a bad mood and fluid retention... Other days I'm not hungry and can easily stick to eating clean... I think it's hormonal partly but also a few days of carb overload make you crave more and more carbs... What has worked for me in the past is 4 straight days without processed, sugary foods - it usually fixes the cravings. Only trouble is at this point in time I am struggling to last till 10 am and therefore on here to look for some motivation too!
    The other thing that was working for me (before I slid back into bad habits) was not to deny myself the things I really do love (cake, chocolate, fries) but swap a small portion of the calorie dense type for another carb e.g. if I have a mini chocolate bar (20g) approx 80 cals then something else has to go (e.,g. smaller portion of sweet potato with dinner or swap bread with lunch for corn thins (round crackers available in Australia). Admittedly hot fries are a little hard to swap with anything unless you forego an entire meal! Also diet soft drinks can make you crave real sugar since the brain isn't fooled by the fake sugar.
    Good luck and if anyone else has good ideas to stay motivated and reduce cravings please post!
  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
    Sometimes this indicates a nutritional deficiency.
    Here's an interesting article:
    http://www.fitsugar.com/Food-Cravings-What-Really-Mean-312981
  • ixa73
    ixa73 Posts: 24 Member
    Thanks that is really interesting (i.e. cravings article) I will research this some more. Thank you
  • I find that i crave more unhealthy foods(ie junk food) or find myself just wanting to eat more period when i up my workout that day. I normally work out for at least 30mins before work but somedays its less or more depending on what i have going on at work that day. I find that if i increase the intesty i seem to want more food just cant fight off hunger.I know that some cravings come from not drinking enough water and my body needs to rehydrate but it just seems on these days that it does not help. I have my cheat days but still i feel as if i fall of the wagon if i eat the way i want. Just wonder if this happens to anyone else?:huh: