How Do you Curb Your Carb Cravings?

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

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.

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.