Cravings

meaganmorrow1984
meaganmorrow1984 Posts: 21 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started MFP a few montha ago.... Lately I've noticed that all I want is snacks... Chocolate, salt anything non healthy anyone have any tips to power through this?
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Replies

  • HSingMomto7Kids
    HSingMomto7Kids Posts: 345 Member
    For me it is at night, but I have finished losing weight. Keep logging and keep going at it strong! I'm sure you are doing great!
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
    I buy skinny cow candy! It fixes my chocolate need and it's not too bad calorie wise!
  • JenKillough
    JenKillough Posts: 474 Member
    Unless you have problems with binges, it's fine to eat a little of what you're craving. That's a good way to power through it. Just fit it into your macros (protein, fat, carbs) and calorie allowance for the day.
  • julimonster
    julimonster Posts: 243 Member
    Use stevia as a sweetener, that helps me cut the sugar cravings
    Almonds, pretzel sticks, apples - best of luck to you!
  • jazzalea
    jazzalea Posts: 412 Member
    I just ate half a twix bar..... so I'm no help :)
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
    I just ate half a twix bar..... so I'm no help :)
    What do you mean, you're no help? You've lost 173lbs. You're exactly right. When we crave something we eat it. That's how it works. That's what we have learned on this sight! Losing weight without being hungry and unhappy. Thank you.
  • nbeth901
    nbeth901 Posts: 35 Member
    I keep a bag of semi sweets chocolate chips in the freezer (used for baking) After a few of those melting in my mouth, the craving is gone. It really is so much better than to break down and get a candybar.. or for that matter.. a whole bag of cookies.
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    I started MFP a few montha ago.... Lately I've noticed that all I want is snacks... Chocolate, salt anything non healthy anyone have any tips to power through this?

    There are many reasons why our body sends the signal to eat snacks. The only way to give you successful advice is if we know what triggers this or what is going on prior to it. Are you bored? Are you stressed? Are you lacking flavors you enjoy? Are you dehydrated? Are you addicted? Are you trying not to binge? As soon as we understand the psychological aspect of the snacking, I can give you advice on how to overcome it. Let me and the rest know when this craving happens and any feelings you have that occur at the same time.
  • brittanyanneg
    brittanyanneg Posts: 5
    Instead of eating bad sweets try natural sweets like fruits. That's what I do. Or limit yourself to one of your favorite sweets a week.
  • o0oJadeo0o
    o0oJadeo0o Posts: 46 Member
    I just ate half a twix bar..... so I'm no help :)

    I love this comment...very honest :smile: I had a ham and cheese toasty on WHITE BREAD for brecky and an ice coffee so I'm even worse!!!

    If I get a really bad craving and I can feel myself eyeing off the fridge I put on my shoes and go for a walk or get busy cleaning, anything to get your mind off it!

    Good luck :)
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    I know my post is getting buried so I'm just going to say it like this: we could suggest all the great snacking foods in the world, but your snacking is satisfying some kind of need for you, and the only way to make it stop is to look at the big picture and find out what's making you want these specific things. I say this because when I crave, I don't crave ANYTHING specific. I used to, but I got rid of the emotional reasons I was snacking and now when I crave I realize it's mealtime. So take my psychoanalyzing into consideration and really pay attention to the state your body is in when you reach for snacks.
  • meaganmorrow1984
    meaganmorrow1984 Posts: 21 Member
    I just ate half a twix bar..... so I'm no help :)

    lol, I hope it was good!!!
  • meaganmorrow1984
    meaganmorrow1984 Posts: 21 Member
    I know my post is getting buried so I'm just going to say it like this: we could suggest all the great snacking foods in the world, but your snacking is satisfying some kind of need for you, and the only way to make it stop is to look at the big picture and find out what's making you want these specific things. I say this because when I crave, I don't crave ANYTHING specific. I used to, but I got rid of the emotional reasons I was snacking and now when I crave I realize it's mealtime. So take my psychoanalyzing into consideration and really pay attention to the state your body is in when you reach for snacks.

    Great thinking! Thank you!
  • meaganmorrow1984
    meaganmorrow1984 Posts: 21 Member
    I started MFP a few montha ago.... Lately I've noticed that all I want is snacks... Chocolate, salt anything non healthy anyone have any tips to power through this?

    There are many reasons why our body sends the signal to eat snacks. The only way to give you successful advice is if we know what triggers this or what is going on prior to it. Are you bored? Are you stressed? Are you lacking flavors you enjoy? Are you dehydrated? Are you addicted? Are you trying not to binge? As soon as we understand the psychological aspect of the snacking, I can give you advice on how to overcome it. Let me and the rest know when this craving happens and any feelings you have that occur at the same time.

    It usually is when I'm bored.. Just sitting and watching tv or if I'm worried about something (upcoming trip across Canada) I haven't caved and eaten anything too bad but its the want and its just making sure i don't actually eat it...
  • betrue76
    betrue76 Posts: 10
    I drink Silk Pure Almond Dark Chocolate milk if I get a craving in the evening or a half serving of peanut butter.

    Another trick my friend does is she counts to 30 if the craving is still there she drinks water instead of getting the snack. 30 seconds is enough to give you time to make the better choice.

    Good Luck.
  • MommaKit79
    MommaKit79 Posts: 852
    I have Extra Desserts Gum in my purse for those "SWEET TOOTH" days. the salt days are rough but, sometimes, I have a small handful of chips or bugles or something and I am good. Another thing that helps with my sweet tooth is Fiber One Brownies. :)
  • MelSabourin
    MelSabourin Posts: 68 Member
    I am in the same boat. I am sitting at work right now eating a bag of snap peas (yay me)...imagining they are french fries.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    Personally, I sometimes crave chicken (weird I know lol), or then again it might be something sweet or salty

    After a meal I have a little teaspoon of nutella, or I have a a handful of salted peanuts, or if it is the chicken thing, then I eat some, yep you got it chicken!

    Sometimes those cravings are just the mind/body saying it misses something, so go with it, indulge, but if it is something high calorie that is going to blow your day out of the water then just a little to treat yourself.

    You are on a lifetime change here, so you can not deny yourself everything all the time.

    You have to work it in or you can work out to make up for it?
  • KatLifter
    KatLifter Posts: 1,314 Member
    I've really found that adding something delicious to a protein shake helps. Here is my go-to craving buster mocha chocolate chip smoothie:

    1 scoop chocolate protein powder (Vitamin Shoppe Whey 24 Chocolate flavor is delicious with 24g protein, 110 calories, 1g fat, and 3 carbs)
    1 tbsp peanut butter or PB2
    4 oz unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
    Dash of instant coffee
    1 Tbsp Dark Chocolate chips
    3 Ice cubes
    Water for desired consistency

    Good luck!
    Kat
  • lisarennick
    lisarennick Posts: 2
    I crave ice cream almost daily. I make a lot of smoothies filled with ice and no dairy to curve those cravings.

    As for something salty, I've been having corn on the cob. I know it sounds like an odd thing to eat in the middle of the day for a snack, but using some sea salt on a cob of corn has been my life saver. You don't feel like chips at all after eating that.

    As for chocolate, I like to drink a cup of chocolate milk (either 1% or almond) through a straw. It helps to prevent you from gulping down the entire glass in a matter of seconds. If you have self control, buy halloween sized candy bars. They range from 60-90 calories a bar. Pop them in the freezer so they take a little longer to eat. It also prevents you from eating 2 or 3 because they take longer to thaw.

    Hope some of this helps!
  • LaurenLite
    LaurenLite Posts: 87
    When you're craving sweet, try fruit (you would be surprised how satisfying melon [cantaloupe, water melons, honeydew] can be).

    Craving chocolate? Try one square of Lindt's 90% cocoa- more antioxidants than FOUR plums and at 58 calories, it's not a complete diet kill. It's strong and an aquired taste so you may have to start lighter (70%). I break up the square into 2-4 pieces and eat it for a pick-me-up

    Salty- Skinny Pop popcorn is great. Also try a piece of Boarshead Oven roast turkey sliced on 1 (the thinnest) on 1/4 of an 80 calorie whole wheat wrap, a little smear of tzatiki, some spring mix lettuce, and it's a quite satisfying and very low cal snack.

    Apple Jacks- one of my favs. 25 cals for 1/4 of a cup of sweetness but it also has some vitamins.

    Total- 1/4-1/2 cup with Flax milk is a VERY nutritious snack.

    Often cravings are our body's way of saying it's missing some nutrient. The trick is to figure out what that is. You can snack on veggies regularly without doing damage (I graze throughout the day on celery, carrots, a berry or two here and there, 1/4 of a cup of cereal)

    Kemps fat free chocolate frozen yogurt is a GREAT go-to instead of ice cream. It has probiotics and you can eat 1/4 of a cup for 45 calories.

    Use small dishes to make it feel like you're eating more. It's very psychological, if you put a little on a big plate you often feel like you need more. If you put the same amount in a small dish (like a custard dish) you're satisfied.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    You should try low-carb eating. It fixed my craving for sweet and starchy "comfort" foods. Now, the thought of a piece of cake makes me vaguely nauseated. A couple of pieces of fruit a day are all I ever eat that is sweet. I don't miss the starches and sweets at all. I haven't had a cookie in a very long time--don't want one. I used to be tempted in social situations to "just this once" have a dessert but I know that would be the beginning of putting me back on the wrong track. I have lost 15 lbs, and feel better than I have in a long time. The key to staying on it though is to eat a bit more fat than is allowed on most diet plans. Contrary to what we have been taught, fats do not make you fat---sugar and starch do. Our ancestors ate way more fat than we do but they did not eat sweeteners as they were very expensive for the common man to buy. They were also much more physically active than we are of course--which also reduces blood sugar. High blood sugar is the culprit behind the obesity epidemic. To counter it one needs to stay away from sugars and starches. They are empty calories anyway. I will never go back to eating them. I eat a VERY healthy diet with lots of organic vegetables and fruits. I save so much money on skipping the cereals, breads, and sweets that I can splurge on organic fruits and veggies. Independent studies show that organic fruits and vegetables not only taste better, they are more nourishing as well, containing more macro-nutrients as well as vitamins and phyto-extracts (despite what Big Agriculture tells us). Big Agriculture has a vested interest in dissuading us from organic fruits and veggies so they sponsor supposedly "impartial" studies that declare that there is no difference between organic and non-organic. Don't believe it.
  • toriaenator
    toriaenator Posts: 423 Member
    are you depriving your body of anything?? maybe too little natural sugars/fat/carbs? i found that once i was eating a good balance of macros my cravings disapeared to the point where now i can sit in front of a plate of cookies and not even want one (when before i would have wolfed down the lot hehe)
  • zoober
    zoober Posts: 226 Member
    Almonds or pistachios can help stem the urge for the salty snacks. I've been getting those little Jell-O sugar free pudding cups, 70 calories per, for when I'd really like some ice cream.

    Also, here's a piece of advice that really helped me. If it's not in your house, you can't eat it. So don't buy it in the first place. Do your shopping a week at a time, allow some treats, and when they are gone, that's it till next week!

    Good luck, keep logging, don't cheat on yourself there. We're all with you. 8-)
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    I started MFP a few montha ago.... Lately I've noticed that all I want is snacks... Chocolate, salt anything non healthy anyone have any tips to power through this?

    There are many reasons why our body sends the signal to eat snacks. The only way to give you successful advice is if we know what triggers this or what is going on prior to it. Are you bored? Are you stressed? Are you lacking flavors you enjoy? Are you dehydrated? Are you addicted? Are you trying not to binge? As soon as we understand the psychological aspect of the snacking, I can give you advice on how to overcome it. Let me and the rest know when this craving happens and any feelings you have that occur at the same time.
    i

    It usually is when I'm bored.. Just sitting and watching tv or if I'm worried about something (upcoming trip across Canada) I haven't caved and eaten anything too bad but its the want and its just making sure i don't actually eat it...

    Emotional eating is no good. Do you keep a diary/journal or have people to talk to in order to keep your mind off what makes you anxious? Food is a terrible way to overcome boredom (lack of stimulants) and worry (anxiety). I am afraid the only way to beat this is deprive yourself of snacks in the house at all until your brain learns to cope differently with your emotional urges.
  • chicadejmu
    chicadejmu Posts: 171 Member
    I just ate half a twix bar..... so I'm no help :)

    Uh, you ate HALF a twix bar. Why not the whole thing? (because you were controlling yourself...) You're a huge help. :)
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
    I started MFP a few montha ago.... Lately I've noticed that all I want is snacks... Chocolate, salt anything non healthy anyone have any tips to power through this?

    This totally isn't going to help you right now, but I just got got used to not eating anything "unhealthy". Eating the same types of foods day in and day out will kind of adjust your taste buds (or at least it did with me) and you generally don't want that stuff. I do have unhealthy things occasionally though, usually in social settings. And only homemade!! :)
  • lunatikchik
    lunatikchik Posts: 30 Member
    for my choco cravings this is awesome and is on the south beach phase one list for desserts:
    1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
    1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
    1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 package sugar substitute
    1 dash espresso powder
    5 mini chocolate chips
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    [/quote]

    It usually is when I'm bored.. Just sitting and watching tv or if I'm worried about something (upcoming trip across Canada) I haven't caved and eaten anything too bad but its the want and its just making sure i don't actually eat it...
    [/quote]

    Aha! The key, then, is not to become bored. Go for a walk. Clean out your closet. Pay bills.

    But, too--indulge in a little if that's what you want. Fit it into your macros. I find that I have a much easier time sticking to my plan if I'm not completely depriving myself.
  • pammye65
    pammye65 Posts: 177 Member
    I just ate half a twix bar..... so I'm no help :)
    What do you mean, you're no help? You've lost 173lbs. You're exactly right. When we crave something we eat it. That's how it works. That's what we have learned on this sight! Losing weight without being hungry and unhappy. Thank you.
    great wt loss!!

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