How Do you Curb Your Carb Cravings?

SoDamnHungry

I eat them.

highervibes

I'm not trying to act like I know more than you do about your own body, but I would like to share my experience with you.

Low carb dieting worked for me once. I only needed to lose around 20 pounds at the time so I was just looking for a quick fix and was willing to restrict myself and work hard for a short period of time. I lost 22 pounds in two months (11 pounds in the first two weeks) by eating less than 50 carbs a day. After that, I continued to watch my carbs, but splurged often and just watched the scale to make sure I kept myself in check. I kept the weight off for a year and then I got pregnant. Since my son was born in 2010, I have tried to get back on the low carb train SO many times because it worked for me before. I just couldn't stick to it because it is so restrictive. I finally decided to stop trying (and failing) and allow myself to have all things in moderation and count my calories. I have lost 24lbs in 60 days - MORE than I lost while on a low carb diet.

I always thought low carb was the way to go because I saw quick results (e.g. 11 pound loss in two weeks) and that is what I wanted. I never realized I could see BETTER results while allowing myself to eat the foods I like.

Not everybody chooses low carb for a quick fix... I lose 1lb/week sometimes NONE but I prefer not to constantly battle carb cravings for the rest of my life. Funny enough I lost and regained on WW... so each person will tolerate different eating styles. OP has PCOS, LC is probably her best bet. Eating 50g/day or less and having lots of healthy fats is the perfect way to curb your cravings OP

Carnivor0us

STOP WITH THE "CARBS AREN'T YOUR ENEMY". They are damn well my enemy. Seriously people, just because you can stuff your face with bread at every meal, doesn't mean everyone else can too. My body HATES carbs, i mean hates them. The only thing I've found is to eat under 150g of carbs a day. And it's working. You have to think of substitutes. I go to subway, but i don't get the sub, I get everything in the salad that i would normally pile on a yummy bun. Up your protein so you don't feel hungry. Know that some days are going to be worse then others, up your veggie intake, stop with sauces and dips and try herbs and spices. Snack on almonds, edamame, blueberries, and drink tea and water. There's tons of low carb recipes online that are super easy to make. If you want baked potato with sour cream and bacon bits, try sweet potato with olive oil and herbs. Yes you're going to consume carbs every day, but it's all up to you how much carbs you eat.

^^^ This. I get tired of folks posting "EAT MOAR CARBS" on a thread started by a low carb dieter. It's what they chose, and you people don't know why they chose it; a lot of people go low carb for medical reasons.

myofibril

The OP's profile clearly states she has PCOS / insulin resistance.

Telling her to eat all the carbz is probably a bad idea...

JoelleAnn78

I discovered the Sara Lee Mini Bagels that are only 100 calories each! When I get a major carb craving, I pop one of those bad boys into the toaster, add just a hint of butter, and it makes the craving go away.

Sometimes, I am aware enough of my craving that I realize it's not a "carb craving" so much as a "Crunch Craving." When I want that satisfaction of crunching into something, I'll cut up a red, yellow, or green bell pepper and crunch to my heart's content.

This is very helpful! Thanks so much for posing the question.... I often miss the crunch vs carb factor.

4theking

This is a copy and paste from the group I started.
Hope it helps. I have noticed a difference since starting it.


From a weight loss standpoint, this could be my most important post ever if you suffer from cravings, specifically carb cravings. It's no secret after going off plan a bit this past weekend and then having the great pop tart mishap Tuesday, I had something going on. What was causing me to go astray when I typically don't? Why couldn't I control myself? After much research I believe I have found the answer. SERATONIN.

Serotonin is our happy hormone. It is our stay on task hormone.
What raises serotonin levels?
1. Sunshine
2. Physical touch
3. Thinking happy thoughts
4. Exercise
5. Carbohydrates

I am always a positive person. I always think happy thoughts. Recently I have jumped into my past hurts and emotions to write my book. To be honest, it has consumed my thoughts recently. Not in a bad way, I am just ready to tell the story and it is hard to find the time to get my thoughts on paper.

So by changing my thoughts from happy things to the extreme opposite, it is my belief my serotonin levels have dropped. Once I figured out what was causing me to stumble, I wanted to know if there was anything else I could do to raise my serotonin levels. So I started reading.
What causes carbohydrate cravings:
1. Low blood sugar
2. Sleep deprivation
3. Low serotonin levels.
The serotonin connection:
When your serotonin levels are low, your body will naturally crave carbohydrates. Carbohydrates quickly raise and then lower serotonin levels. So the phrase ‘comfort food’ is accurate. High carb foods do indeed release chemicals in the brain that increase a sense of well being.

Especially important in women:
Why do women tend to have more of a problem with carb cravings and with staying on task at hand? Again, it’s serotonin. Estrogen, the dominant female sex hormone, decreases serotonin receptor density. So when Estrogen goes higher through a woman’s monthly cycle, the amount of serotonin needed to feel well, to curb cravings, and to stay on task increases.

In men:
Fat men have more aromatase enzymes, meaning the higher their body fat, the more estrogen their bodies will have. This higher estrogen level will naturally give a man with more bodyfat, more carbohydrate cravings. So in theory, the higher your body fat, the more serotonin your body would need to feel good and decrease cravings.

Serotonin is made in the body by using the amino acid Tryptophan. Tryptophan is mostly found in plants and is not readily available in animal proteins. If you are on a low carb/high protein diet, odds are your Serotonin levels are low. Tryptophan is converted in your body to 5HTP. 5HTP is converted into Serotonin. 5HTP is one step away from becoming active Serotonin. By supplementing with 5HTP, studies show Serotonin levels do rise in test subjects. So if you suffer from carb cravings, depression, or staying on plan, you may want to give 5HTP a try.

Sqeekyjojo

Pick less processed carbs instead of baked goods. Jacket potato with skin, sweet jacket potato is great with savoury fillings. Lay off real junk foods of all varieties, whether high carb or high fat or both.

Get small individual wholemeal bread rolls, wraps or pittas, small prepacked pasta salads, that kind of thing.


Chances are that you'll either realise you don't actually like them much (my finding with white sliced) or you'll enjoy it then go into a carb driven stupor on the couch. Pasta does that one to me.

And then you go back to not having them again.

NoirDancer

I've been hardcore dieting for only sixteen days (10 lbs down, though!) and I have occaisionally given in to carb cravings without big consequences. One day I ate 43g of Froot Loops. Last Saturday I had fettucini alfredo at Carrabbas.

One little thing that might suit you is unflavored pork skins with a little melted butter, Splenda, and cinnamon sprinkled on. I still think it tastes a little porky, but my boyfriend liked them. It's sort of like a churro.

Also, have you tried Oreida baked sweet potato fries with a bunch of salt? They're pretty satisfying!

If you don't give in a litlte once in a while, you'll go crazy! I'd be insane if I knew I didn't have some tasty carbs coming my way within a week. That's how I make it through all the other 50 or less carb days.

If nothing else, a carb is 4 calories, so just work off the extra carbs before you eat them so you can enjoy your bread and potatoes guilt-free.

Good luck!

A carb is 4 calories!? That's super good to know.

NoirDancer

I've been doing low carb for a year now, and I've found that whenever I'm craving something carby, I just make the low-carb equivalent of it. You can adapt just about anything to low-carb, from pizzas to desserts. It requires a little more legwork than just picking up the phone and ordering in, of course, but I've found it's worth it in the long run!

Is your diary open? I'd love to see your recipes!

Ashshell

I'm not trying to act like I know more than you do about your own body, but I would like to share my experience with you.

Low carb dieting worked for me once. I only needed to lose around 20 pounds at the time so I was just looking for a quick fix and was willing to restrict myself and work hard for a short period of time. I lost 22 pounds in two months (11 pounds in the first two weeks) by eating less than 50 carbs a day. After that, I continued to watch my carbs, but splurged often and just watched the scale to make sure I kept myself in check. I kept the weight off for a year and then I got pregnant. Since my son was born in 2010, I have tried to get back on the low carb train SO many times because it worked for me before. I just couldn't stick to it because it is so restrictive. I finally decided to stop trying (and failing) and allow myself to have all things in moderation and count my calories. I have lost 24lbs in 60 days - MORE than I lost while on a low carb diet.

I always thought low carb was the way to go because I saw quick results (e.g. 11 pound loss in two weeks) and that is what I wanted. I never realized I could see BETTER results while allowing myself to eat the foods I like.

Not everybody chooses low carb for a quick fix... I lose 1lb/week sometimes NONE but I prefer not to constantly battle carb cravings for the rest of my life. Funny enough I lost and regained on WW... so each person will tolerate different eating styles. OP has PCOS, LC is probably her best bet. Eating 50g/day or less and having lots of healthy fats is the perfect way to curb your cravings OP

I didn't imply that she was looking for a quick fix. I did say that *I* was looking for a quick fix. I'm not telling her to stop low carb dieting. I just wanted to share my experience because it took me awhile to realize that counting calories worked exactly the same for me. I did not look at her profile so I was unaware that she had medical issues that affect her ability to lose weight. I wasn't looking for a debate here. Just wanted to offer a bit of positive information that may help the OP if she finds it difficult to stick to a restrictive diet.

NoirDancer

I hope you liked that alliteration I did there ;-). I'm a carb addict but know that low carb is the gateway to my weight loss. The instant I started, I lost 12 lbs in about a month. Now, I'm getting the desire to go back to carb eating, especially bread and potatoes, and I'm just wondering how you avoid going back!

glycogen and water prob accounted for most of those 12 lbs

Andddddd what is your point exactly?

NoirDancer

I hope you liked that alliteration I did there ;-). I'm a carb addict but know that low carb is the gateway to my weight loss. The instant I started, I lost 12 lbs in about a month. Now, I'm getting the desire to go back to carb eating, especially bread and potatoes, and I'm just wondering how you avoid going back!

What's wrong with bread and potatoes if they meet your macros?

My body doesn't do well with bread and potatoes. While I eating those things I wasn't able to lose weight, now that I have, I see that more than likely I was insulin resistant and not breaking them down well.

NoirDancer

I see from your profile that you have insulin resistance & PCOS so you are going to have to watch your carb consumption clearly.

Personally, I think the way to curb cravings is to not have them to begin with - you don't have to fight something that isn't there. I think one of the keys to this is to not be hungry (which can be an indication of fluctuating blood sugar levels.)

I think your best bet maybe to focus on lots of veg and high quality protein sources, sufficient calories to stay in deficit but not so low it creates lethargy and bad mood etc and eat when you feel hungry not at socially ordained meal times.

If you can handle some potatoes / bread whatever in moderation then by all means do that as well. Some people can, some people finds it triggers binges. It's going to depend on you really.

Thanks! This is awesome advice.

NoirDancer

DO NOT!!! HEY i just dropped 20 lbs eating as many carbs as I wanted...I do not think that carb depleting is your gateway...trust me....its your gateway to temporary water weight loss and an unhealthy body and life! CARB up ALWAYS
Kristian Rocco

You know, in this forum people get upset when a vegan OP wants vegan tips to increase protein levels and someone responds with "OMG EAT MEAT". Since this OP is a low carber, so your advice to "CARB up ALWAYS" isn't helpful, and I'd hope you'd respect that choice.

Exactly! Thank you :-)

NoirDancer

This is a copy and paste from the group I started.
Hope it helps. I have noticed a difference since starting it.


From a weight loss standpoint, this could be my most important post ever if you suffer from cravings, specifically carb cravings. It's no secret after going off plan a bit this past weekend and then having the great pop tart mishap Tuesday, I had something going on. What was causing me to go astray when I typically don't? Why couldn't I control myself? After much research I believe I have found the answer. SERATONIN.

Serotonin is our happy hormone. It is our stay on task hormone.
What raises serotonin levels?
1. Sunshine
2. Physical touch
3. Thinking happy thoughts
4. Exercise
5. Carbohydrates

I am always a positive person. I always think happy thoughts. Recently I have jumped into my past hurts and emotions to write my book. To be honest, it has consumed my thoughts recently. Not in a bad way, I am just ready to tell the story and it is hard to find the time to get my thoughts on paper.

So by changing my thoughts from happy things to the extreme opposite, it is my belief my serotonin levels have dropped. Once I figured out what was causing me to stumble, I wanted to know if there was anything else I could do to raise my serotonin levels. So I started reading.
What causes carbohydrate cravings:
1. Low blood sugar
2. Sleep deprivation
3. Low serotonin levels.
The serotonin connection:
When your serotonin levels are low, your body will naturally crave carbohydrates. Carbohydrates quickly raise and then lower serotonin levels. So the phrase ‘comfort food’ is accurate. High carb foods do indeed release chemicals in the brain that increase a sense of well being.

Especially important in women:
Why do women tend to have more of a problem with carb cravings and with staying on task at hand? Again, it’s serotonin. Estrogen, the dominant female sex hormone, decreases serotonin receptor density. So when Estrogen goes higher through a woman’s monthly cycle, the amount of serotonin needed to feel well, to curb cravings, and to stay on task increases.

In men:
Fat men have more aromatase enzymes, meaning the higher their body fat, the more estrogen their bodies will have. This higher estrogen level will naturally give a man with more bodyfat, more carbohydrate cravings. So in theory, the higher your body fat, the more serotonin your body would need to feel good and decrease cravings.

Serotonin is made in the body by using the amino acid Tryptophan. Tryptophan is mostly found in plants and is not readily available in animal proteins. If you are on a low carb/high protein diet, odds are your Serotonin levels are low. Tryptophan is converted in your body to 5HTP. 5HTP is converted into Serotonin. 5HTP is one step away from becoming active Serotonin. By supplementing with 5HTP, studies show Serotonin levels do rise in test subjects. So if you suffer from carb cravings, depression, or staying on plan, you may want to give 5HTP a try.

Awesome info!

rosemaryhon

I hope you liked that alliteration I did there ;-). I'm a carb addict but know that low carb is the gateway to my weight loss. The instant I started, I lost 12 lbs in about a month. Now, I'm getting the desire to go back to carb eating, especially bread and potatoes, and I'm just wondering how you avoid going back!

I'm a carb addict too and I was really over doing bread and potatoes before starting my new lifestyle. I've quelched that craving since February by finding satisfying alternatives.

My current fav is ~ in the grocery produce section I buy the bag of pre-shredded, raw cabbage ~ it's "Dole Classic Cole Slaw Mix" (but not dressed with mayo). I like it heated in the microwave for 20 seconds and than I top it with all sorts of sauces & dressings. i have it with just about every lunch & dinner. It even looks like a pile of mashed potatoes on my plate . I love it ~ it's so convenient and satisfying. Last nite I topped it with Italian salad dressing and broiled fish. Today I had it with a few ounces of chicken breast, a tbs of cheese dip, and an over easy egg on top ~ OMG soo good and truly filling!

Good luck

Francl27

I've never had that problem so I might not be able to help much, but I'd suggest switching to whole grains instead of white stuff. Also start very slow or you might gain a lot of the weight back. Personally I'm not really watching carbs but try to avoid more than one carb heavy meal a day.

richardheath

With the insulin resistance, you will probably find that being low carb helps with the blood sugar levels. Let your glucose meter tell you what your body can and cannot handle. I ate spaghetti last night - I just didn't eat very much of the actual pasta and my sugar levels were fine.

I try to spread my carbs out over the day - taking in a small amount with each meal seems to help keep the insulin response more normal. Snacks in between meals help too. Consistency is supposed to be the key here - small amounts at regular times (although I'm not very good at that!). I notice from your profile you do intermittent fasting too - you may need to reconsider that, but again, let your glucose meter guide you.

I do know there are things I can't eat - like several slices of a thick crust pizza. But I'm OK with a thin crust pizza, so I don't have to feel pizza-deprived. I find restaurant Chinese food puts me over every time, but I can cook a stir fry at home and have it with a small side of white rice. Brown rice would probably be better, of course!

So, I guess I'm saying I curb my "carb cravings" by limiting the amount I have at any time, but not cutting out things I enjoy completely. And I still drink beer, dammit!

jennb44

I find that eating something every 2-3 hours is the key to not have carb cravings.

NoirDancer

All these suggestions are great! Thanks so much