Sweet, Sweet Problems...

Mac_X
Mac_X Posts: 110 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 6'0" and 268 lbs...my wife is 5'3" and struggles to stay above 100 lbs. She was raised in a family that always, always had dessert after a meal. Her mother had cakes and cookies and whatever ready for their family at all times. In 6 years of marriage, she has passed this craving on to me. I am struggling with always needing something sweet after a meal, and though my meals are getting healthier, I am at a loss for trying to account for the calories and general badness of the things I am craving AFTER the meal. I am trying to be strong and just suck it up and have nothing, but that leaves me kind of irritable/depressed. What are some low-cal, tasty options people have found to get around this? Or is "suck it up and go without" the best advice?
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Replies

  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    What is this "general badness" you speak of?

    Try having an apple.
  • windyleal
    windyleal Posts: 20
    I've been having sugar free jello with lite cool whip when I have a craving. I like to keep my cool whip frozen so it is more the consistency of ice cream. I also enjoy Emerald's cocoa roasted almonds when I'm having a chocolate craving. Best of luck!
  • maryannmiclat
    maryannmiclat Posts: 133 Member
    I was raised the same way your wife was. Being from a Southern family there never were any healthy options. I swear my mom is just like Paula Dean! What I do for my sweet tooth is eat fruit! If I feel the urge for something sweet I turn to fruit or just pop in a piece of gum. Sugar-free popsicles are another option, even though they are filled with bad stuff. If you look in the ice cream isle, there are some 100% fruit bars for like 80 calories you could try too. Or ask your wife to try and make some of the things healthier for you. I LOVE baking so I play around with my favorite recipes to make them a bit healthier.
  • firefoxxie
    firefoxxie Posts: 381 Member
    I can sort of relate. My family always get sugar cravings after dinner and then they go out to buy something like cake or ice cream(of course i would also get these cravings).
    What I would do is sometimes set aside a reasonable amount of calories to have one serving of dessert.
    Other times I would make myself some hot tea with cinnamon.(Cinnamon helps lots with sugar cravings!)
    Sooner or later my cravings went away and I was able to look at dessert like it was nothing.
  • chubby_checkers
    chubby_checkers Posts: 2,352 Member
    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2007/07/dessert-recipes.html

    http://www.skinnytaste.com/2007/07/baked-breads-cakes-and-cookies.html
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
    A guy I know always says if he isn't hungry for an apple, then he isn't really hungry.

    That being said, I have quite the sweet tooth too.

    I have Chocolite bars. They're about 95-100'ish calories, have about 10 grams of fiber and about 10 grams of protein. My husband likes the cashew caramel and cookies and cream. I like the cookies and cream, but I particularly like the Triple Chocolate Fudge. Those more than help with the sweet tooth, they come with the added benefit of protein and fiber, they taste awesome, and they aren't "expensive" on the food journal.

    I order them from the website healthsmartfoods.com
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    OP - it sounds like you're addicted to sugar. You can still have it, just have less and wean yourself off of it. You don't need sweets after every meal.

    Just FYI - I was born & raised in Texas - just because you're from the South doesn't mean you've eaten unhealthy, fatty dinners and ultra desserts all your life, promise. :bigsmile:
  • cedarghost
    cedarghost Posts: 621 Member
    Weight Watcher's Giant Fudge bars. 100 calories each. I always scoffed at "weight loss" food until I found these. They are the bomb...
  • Mac_X
    Mac_X Posts: 110 Member
    Hey thanks everyone...I figured I wasn't the only one. One of the only bad things about growing up down here in the South...everyone loves to feed you.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    You have a couple options:

    1) Replace your desserts with healthier options- Try microwaving a cut up apple with cinnamon, some stevia as desired, a little bit of butter or coconut oil if you can afford the calories, and a sprinkling of oatmeal and/or ground flax seed to thicken the mix up. Comes out like warm apple pie filling and only takes a few minutes. Frozen dark cherries work really well with the same recipe (or fresh- but I'm lazy).

    2) Make room for the calories for the desserts you want. Don't sacrifice actual nutritional elements of your diet for dessert, but you can always adopt a "WILL RUN 4 DONUTS" attitude.

    3) Try something small but satiating- a single square of good dark chocolate will cost you around 50 calories, but it's totally worth it!
  • bradwwood
    bradwwood Posts: 371 Member
    dried apricot really hits the sweet tooth spot for me. great thing about them is they are small, have a good shelf life, and they really pack a flavor punch.
  • Sondrasr
    Sondrasr Posts: 49
    Someone on here, sorry I don't remember who turned me onto to del monte no sugar added very cherry fruit cup and I am in love with it. I eat the whole can for 100 calories. To me it is a lot and I feel like I got a lot more for 100 calories.

    I also love blue bunny ice cream. The is one that is vanilla dipped in chocolate or chocolate dipped in chocolate for 100 calories each. When I want ice cream it really is enough for me.

    Hope tis helps.
  • ctgirlscout
    ctgirlscout Posts: 90 Member
    Sugar-free jello with cool whip, sugar-free pudding, sliced up apple with sugar-free caramel ice cream topping (used as caramel dip). These are the main things I use to fight my sweet tooth. I, too, was raised always having dessert after dinner, so these have helped me.
  • maryannmiclat
    maryannmiclat Posts: 133 Member
    Hey thanks everyone...I figured I wasn't the only one. One of the only bad things about growing up down here in the South...everyone loves to feed you.

    So true! My grandma's feeling get hurt if I don't eat what she puts in front of me. The same thing goes with Filipino culture. My husband is Filipino and he and his family love me with food, LOL. Most of our friends are Filipino and it's always "Mary Ann, eat! Eat!" So hard to say no sometimes.
  • Mad_Dog_Muscle
    Mad_Dog_Muscle Posts: 1,251 Member
    You have a couple options:

    1) Replace your desserts with healthier options- Try microwaving a cut up apple with cinnamon, some stevia as desired, a little bit of butter or coconut oil if you can afford the calories, and a sprinkling of oatmeal and/or ground flax seed to thicken the mix up. Comes out like warm apple pie filling and only takes a few minutes. Frozen dark cherries work really well with the same recipe (or fresh- but I'm lazy).

    I'm going to try this one!!!!
  • farmwife3815
    farmwife3815 Posts: 326 Member
    I do the cut up apple with stevia and cinnamon. A little splash of lemon juice and pop in the microwave for 30 seconds. I then add a 1/4 cup of walnuts. so good!!
  • kmbweber2014
    kmbweber2014 Posts: 680 Member
    If you like bananas: take a banana cut it up and put it in the freezer, once frozen throw it in a blender with just a touch of liquid ( I use coconut milk but anything works), then blend. It's just like ice cream, I add peanut butter or Nutella on days I have the cals to do it.
  • maryannmiclat
    maryannmiclat Posts: 133 Member
    I do the cut up apple with stevia and cinnamon. A little splash of lemon juice and pop in the microwave for 30 seconds. I then add a 1/4 cup of walnuts. so good!!

    I've done this. I must try it with walnuts! :)
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
    I'm not a big advocate for any particular "diet" BUT phase one of Dr. Ian Smith's Fat Smash Diet is designed to help break bad eating habits and cravings. It's very strict but healthy and only last NINE days. Plenty of fruits and veggies. I lost 6 pounds when I did it.

    If that doesn't help, then you'll need to factor in the sweets into your daily count. Try exercising a little more to allow for it, or eating a lighter lunch or dinner. It would be best to come up with healthier options. Perhaps fat free yogurt with nuts and berries. Make it pretty in layers in a glass dish. Presentation goes a long way.

    I also heard that brushing your teeth is supposed to help minimize cravings. :noway: *shrugs*
  • doitforabby
    doitforabby Posts: 137 Member
    During the day i chew sf bubble gum, i have a skinnycow ice cream sandwich almost every night!
  • booboo68
    booboo68 Posts: 302 Member
    Get an angel food cake mix, dump in a can of sugar free cherry (or any other fruit filling), stir and bake. Delish. Do not add other ingredients to the cake mix and bake at temp directions say.

    Spice cake mix, add can of pumpkin, bake at temp box says. Do not add other ingredients on the box such as eggs, etc.
  • all4my3boyz
    all4my3boyz Posts: 94 Member
    Work what you crave into your daily calories. I have Peanut M&M's almost every night after dinner. As long as you have calories availible, use them. If you don't have calories left, go exercies so you can eat more! :wink:
    I personally work out so I CAN eat more!
  • rcavazos83
    rcavazos83 Posts: 14
    Agreed! The WW Fudge Bars. YES!

    I have also had Jamba Fruit bars. They are a mix of yogurt and fruirt. The strawberry options is really good and its low cal and low sugar, but it still tastes really sweet.

    I love sweets and candy so I do feel your pain.
  • Mac_X
    Mac_X Posts: 110 Member
    See!? It use to not be a problem...while still a bad habit, I use to ignore dessert in favor of another helping of something savoury. But now...oh no, it has to be sweet. Thanks, wife's awesomely sweet family who run a cake business and bake cinnamon bread in their free time!
  • abbyface
    abbyface Posts: 15
    2) Make room for the calories for the desserts you want. Don't sacrifice actual nutritional elements of your diet for dessert, but you can always adopt a "WILL RUN 4 DONUTS" attitude.

    This is pretty much what I do. I find that most healthier alternatives don't calm the craving and I end up eating what I originally wanted anyways.
  • barb1241
    barb1241 Posts: 324 Member
    We make ff sf jello pudding using almond milk. You can add a drop of extract to it, or as we do, add some canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Not very many calories, and it still tastes like dessert. Buy some gingersnaps or lf graham crackers, and toss 'em into the blender to make tiny crumbs, then sprink a tsp on top-tastes nearly like a pumpkin pie. Cool whip lite.

    Try going to hungrygirl dot com-there are a lot of recipes there for things that are decademnt tasting but lower in cals. I'm sure your tiny wife isn't trying to do you in. She is prolly trying to show you the love-and I bet she would be willing to try some of the skjinny desserts for you-my non-dieting friends can't tell the difference. Sometimes its low cal and other times the full calorie version-and they never knoiw which is which.

    barb
  • KeriW626
    KeriW626 Posts: 430
    there are so many ways to make even your favorite dessert healthy now a days... maybe she can help there. Also for me , and just me... I am craving something sweet. So for dinner (not dessert) I am having a cup of butternut squash, with 1 tbls of sugar and some pumpkin spice... mmmm always fills me up.

    1 cup baked butter nut squash
    1 tbls white sugar
    1 pat of butter (opt)
    1 tbs pumpkin pie spice. = 163 calories...

    another option is 6 oz of citris yogurt and 6 oz of low fat cottage cheese. If you use pina coloda yogurt, makes it even better. calories = 160 calories.

    Hope this helps... Have a great day.
  • crazylovergrl
    crazylovergrl Posts: 97 Member
    maybe bake an apple with some cinnamon? A dessert smoothie? My fave though is

    1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
    1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
    1 tsp (or so) powdered stevia extract
    70 cals or so!!


    mix the cocoa powder with a small amount of yogurt at first to avoid lumps then dump it all in and enjoy!
  • Mac_X
    Mac_X Posts: 110 Member
    You guys are coming up with so many ideas I may have to hit up the grocery store on the way home from work. This is insane!
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
    so the other night I put 2% greek yogurt, a scoop of vanilla protein powder, half a frozen banana and a couple of teaspoons of cinnamon in the blender. Winning!

    You can try it with any frozen fruit, comes out like frozen yoghurt and the macros are awesome!

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