Stop sugar cravings?

DetroitKilljoy
DetroitKilljoy Posts: 37
in Food and Nutrition
How do you guys stop your sugar cravings without adding any calories? I always find myself doing great for the most part but everyday, I just HAVE to have that sweets bomb which adds anywhere between 200-350 calories to my very small calorie allowance (1200). It sucks because otherwise I eat pretty well but while I can find a way to balance things out to equal around 1200, it pushes me close to 1300 a day, making me exercise even more.
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Replies

  • DetroitKilljoy
    DetroitKilljoy Posts: 37
    bump
  • clarebrad
    clarebrad Posts: 188 Member
    bump keen to see ideas
  • caseyg9888
    caseyg9888 Posts: 36
    Um. Stop eating sugar. Once you stop eating it you stop craving it. Its not that difficult.
  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
    Eat a piece of fruit? Have a piece of dark chocolate?
  • sespi
    sespi Posts: 17 Member
    I usually go for fruit or sugar free fudgesicles ( they have something like 35 calories and they totally kill the sweet craving for me). Oh and sometimes the slow churned ice cream - if you actually measure out 1/2 a cup, it's only 140 calories or something like that, which isn't bad if you just really need some ice cream.
  • jennings1331
    jennings1331 Posts: 4
    Yep! This is true! Force yourself to stop eating so much sugar and then you quit craving it! If you MUST have some then choose dark chocolate :) Much healthier! I also try to eat natural fats like almonds. They help stop cravings too.
  • MissKalhan
    MissKalhan Posts: 2,282 Member
    I LOVE my sweets. I subsitute for fruit, dark chocolate(they say a piece a day has benefits for your body) and frozen yogurt. Hope this helps :flowerforyou:
  • Car0lynnM
    Car0lynnM Posts: 332 Member
    Instead of eating the whole thing (200-350 is a lot) just eat a bite or two. I love chocolate. I have one bite sized piece at night. 46 calories.
  • jaharrison763
    jaharrison763 Posts: 99 Member
    I have 2 or 3 Dove Dark Chocolate Promises (slowly melt in my mouth - yum.....) or 1/2 cup slow churned ice cream at night. At about 100 calories, it's just enough to give me a sweet treat without going over calories for the day.
  • sandiburn
    sandiburn Posts: 149
    Um. Stop eating sugar. Once you stop eating it you stop craving it. Its not that difficult.

    It is that difficult.... When you have been eating sweets all your life its hard to just walk away.

    I read on Jillian Michael's site that you tend to crave sugar more when your tired. That's why it is sooo hard at night to resist it. I have started keeping fresh cherries in the fridge. I can "pick " at them and they are way better for me.
  • Montemuscle1970
    Montemuscle1970 Posts: 21 Member
    There was some research that showed that processed sugars in sweets actually trigger similar responses in the brain as heroine or cocaine. So, that kinda sucks. Mostly, its recommended to stop consuming them cold turkey.

    A lot of trial and error to find something that will satisfy those cravings in place of that stuff. Plus if you're on a diet, your body will be looking to take in calories any way it can, especially if you reduce your calories too much. Sugary foods are the easiest way to get those extra calories, so that makes the cravings worse. Make sure you're not on a diet that's too extreme.

    Honestly, if you can, throw all that sweet crap in the trash or give it away to someone that's not in your house, and give it some time. You won't be thrilled, but you'll decide driving all the way to the store for brownie mix isn't worth it...hopefully!
  • jsky55
    jsky55 Posts: 5
    Adding lemon to your water is supposed to calm your sweet tooth
  • Kathy53925
    Kathy53925 Posts: 241 Member
    Fruit does it for me. I have fruit every night before bed. I also get the Hershey's Special Dark bars for a treat when I have chocolate cravings.
  • KT022
    KT022 Posts: 46 Member
    Try a flavoured green tea? I always have green tea that has strawberry infused in it, sooo good!
  • kateowp
    kateowp Posts: 103 Member
    There was some research that showed that processed sugars in sweets actually trigger similar responses in the brain as heroine or cocaine. So, that kinda sucks. Mostly, its recommended to stop consuming them cold turkey.

    This! I had to go cold turkey to get rid of my cravings. Almost a week of living hell (worst for my husband who had to listen to me whine about wanting ice cream or a candy bar, or even a spoonful of jam) and then it was all over. I havent eaten or wanted sweets for 2 months.
  • girlykate143
    girlykate143 Posts: 220 Member
    There was some research that showed that processed sugars in sweets actually trigger similar responses in the brain as heroine or cocaine. So, that kinda sucks. Mostly, its recommended to stop consuming them cold turkey.

    ...Make sure you're not on a diet that's too extreme.

    Honestly, if you can, throw all that sweet crap in the trash or give it away to someone that's not in your house, and give it some time. You won't be thrilled, but you'll decide driving all the way to the store for brownie mix isn't worth it...hopefully!
    I just made up my mind that it wouldn't be forever, but that I *would* stop cold turkey. Set it for 30 days, then as 30 days came closer, decided on 45 days. Yes, it was difficult, but for me, I had to do something. And this something meant cutting out all processed sugars for 30 days. It's a nice goal and you'll be better off within like 4 days. Cliche, but nobody can do it BUT you.
  • hello_miffy
    hello_miffy Posts: 29 Member
    I had the same problem, I was completely addicted to sugar and would go mad and binge then give up. I am now doing low carb (keto) diet and its been 2 days and I've pretty much stopped craving it already, I just had to cut it completely
  • sunnyskyjb
    sunnyskyjb Posts: 258 Member
    bump...great topic
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    I love fiber 1 browines only 90 cals and a good amount of fiber plus the sugar is actually pretty low in it
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    I do the dark chocolate thing too. I don't really have a sweet tooth, but when I DO get a craving, I eat a piece of dark chocolate every night for a few nights and that kills it dead. Sometimes, if I'm out, I'll buy a natural liquorice bar instead for about 100cal and munch that.
  • Aunt_Kiki
    Aunt_Kiki Posts: 47 Member
    I keep Dreyer's Fruit Bars in the freezer (might be Edy's where you are) - the strawberry ones are 80 calories and they taste AMAZING! You can also get them in no sugar added form, but I'm just not that good :) For chocolate, I freeze Rolo's candy and allow myself one or two a day - 28 cal/piece.
  • pwittek10
    pwittek10 Posts: 723 Member
    The only way is to not eat sugar.
    A little only makes you want more.
    I do not always follow my own advise, but I must ti keep the weight off
    Good luck
  • manda1978
    manda1978 Posts: 525 Member
    I just had a cup or strawberries with non fat yoghurt, thats about 100 calories. That hits the sugar cravings for me.

    ALso have a look at your diet overall, hig GI carbs will give you a blood sugar slump hence a sugar craving. Try to stick to low GI carbs and that helps keep your blood sugar levels stable and reduces sugar cravings.

    Also alot of it is habit and in your head (sorry!). You don't NEED it, you WANT it. You just have to stop. It only takes about a week and you'll be over it.
  • danigirl056
    danigirl056 Posts: 2
    I had to have sugar every night as well. I started reading how poisonous it is to your system and decided to quit. I had no sweets for a month and then went out to dinner where i had a sweet treat. The next day i felt aweful, like a hangover. I did not have any alcohol with dinner. It is my feeling it was the sugar. It was tough quitting but the cravings went away.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    I learned to use Stevia and only sometimes other sweeteners (I don't like all the chemicals), but a few chemical sweetners now to help lose weight is healthier than being obese. Being obese has it's own health drawbacks. Pick one or the other.

    You can use any combinations of honey, stevia, sweetener, molasses, maple syrup, to make foods taste good.

    Agave is essentially as bad as high frutose corn syrup.

    I like vanilla stevia on greek yogurt.

    I like english toffee stevia in my coffee

    A light coating of raw honey on one slice of sour dough bread

    Any kind of fresh fruit.

    Once you get used to these things you have less cravings for sugar.
  • ebony__
    ebony__ Posts: 519 Member
    Cravings of any kind usually pass after around 20 minutes so if you can occupy yourself for that long, call a friend go for a walk that kind of thing it may help.

    Also sugar has a big affect on our bodies. Sugar is practically unavoidable in out diets but definitely try and go for natural sugars in fruits etc..

    Also just be prepared that when cutting out (or down) on processed sugars a lot of people ( and they don't even realise why) have withdrawals, it's normal to feel a bit down or headaches or irritated for the first few days while your body adjusts. Don't worry, our bodies are incredible and will adjust an it will get easier.


    Just want to point out that a lot of people on mfp state their opinions as gospel. There are always exceptions to every rule and different variables for everyone :)

    Good luck
  • rockchalk03
    rockchalk03 Posts: 54
    Gum, gum, and more gum:)
  • Voncreepy2
    Voncreepy2 Posts: 1,450 Member
    I mostly eat dried fruit, fresh fruit and nuts as far as snacking goes but used to have a bad sweet tooth. It really does help to just stop eating the sweets until you get it under control. I also love the no sugar added icecream and mind my portion sizes. I feel like I don't do without. Just watch your portion size,
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
    I don't try to stop mine. I just make MUCH better choices. Even at 1200 calories, it's possible. I did it for a long time before I changed my goal.

    I save approx 150 calories per day for my sugar. I buy skinny cow candy (110 or 120 depending on type), skinny cow also has ice cream sandwiches/bars that are 140-150 each, or the individual cups (like that come with a wooden spoon) aren't bad, the brand I buy is 110 per cup. Fiber one makes brownies that are 90 calories. You could also buy frozen yogurt or slow churned dryers ice cream, those are usually under 150 per serving...however, I find it WAY easier to have things that are prepackaged, then I'm not justifying an extra scoop.

    It is way easy for me to stay within my calories (even when they are low) but buying items like this. Yeah, they may be a bit expensive but to me, it's worth it. The biggest problem I had was only having 1 bar or 1 brownie or 1 ___. Sometimes, depending on what it is, I can have 2. But, I would MUCH rather have 1 of something then none.

    So, you can do it, just research what works best for you!
  • ebony__
    ebony__ Posts: 519 Member
    I learned to use Stevia and only sometimes other sweeteners (I don't like all the chemicals), but a few chemical sweetners now to help lose weight is healthier than being obese. Being obese has it's own health drawbacks. Pick one or the other.

    You can use any combinations of honey, stevia, sweetener, molasses, maple syrup, to make foods taste good.

    Agave is essentially as bad as high frutose corn syrup.

    I like vanilla stevia on greek yogurt.

    I like english toffee stevia in my coffee

    A light coating of raw honey on one slice of sour dough bread

    Any kind of fresh fruit.

    Once you get used to these things you have less cravings for sugar.

    Stevia is not a chemical sweetener its a very natural plant. I have it growing and the most mineute amount can sweeten a whole dish and will be better for you than to much honey or mayple syrup :)

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