How do you Avoid junk food cravings?

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Replies

  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    As many others have stated, I don't crave any foods because I know I can have them, providing I plan for it and make them fit into my macros/micros/calorie goal. Nor do I believe that any food is truly junk. Some choices are less nutrient dense than others and are harder to fit in. But by NOT giving up food I enjoy, I am able to stick with the program and will be able to maintain this lifestyle even after goal. That's what matters to me.
  • goodnamegone
    goodnamegone Posts: 237
    I am wondering what you mean by pretty healthy? My cravings for sugary things have almost completely disappeared since eating healthier. I think it's good to know exactly what it is you crave from the junk food and see if you can find it in healthier foods. For example I eat dates instead of chocolates/candy/cakes. That helps me a lot.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member

    Physical hunger can be put off an hour or two if now is not a convenient time to eat. Psychological hunger demands attention RIGHT NOW.

    Physical hunger can be sated by whatever food you happen to have around. Psychological hunger is usually focused on one specific item--anyone who couldn't resist the Snickers bar calling to them while at the grocery checkout knows what I mean here. Once you recognize that sudden craving as a psychological tick, that's it's not really hunger at all, it becomes much easier to say No to the candy bar.


    That isn't my experience at all. If I'm physically hungry, I have trouble concentrating on anything else until I eat. A snack will keep me from getting to that point, but if I've actually gotten hungry, I need a meal, with protein, fat, and carbs. A candy bar or an apple won't do. I've learned to bring a lot of food when I'm hiking or climbing, and to make sure that there is more cheese and jerky than dried fruit and crackers.

    Which brings me to another point, which is that eating a snack with protein keeps me from getting to the crazy hungry stage, if, for some reason, I can't eat a meal on time. Eating substantial meals that fill me up also helps me prevent all but the occasional craving.
  • zensugi
    zensugi Posts: 76
    I do not think of 'junk food' but I think of food that I can eat lots and often (e.g. salads, fruit, etc) and other food which I can eat in small portions and infrequently (e.g. french fries, alcohol, etc). Therefore in my diet there are no foods off limits, but there are portions and frequencies.

    I have also got fussier about some foods. For example, I'll prepare (from scratch) a gourmet pizza or drink a craft beer rather than, say, Pizza Hut or a cheap beer. That is, I have to thoroughly enjoy high calorie foods; calories have to be worth it.

    Another approach I use is that some times I exercise for longer if I want to go for high(er) calorie foods, so I'm creating a calorie deficit and I still end up—most of my time—within my calorie allowance.
  • kaeleij
    kaeleij Posts: 1
    Try increasing your activity level a little more! Try walking for a half hour a day and maybe banging out 10 pushups, even if they are modified pushups. The more active you are, the more you will crave healthy foods instead of the junk!

    My solution to the cravings is making banana whips! Freeze bananas, and blend one banana! Its guilt free ice cream! I usually heat up a tablespoon of peanut butter, then put the banana whip on top of that. I LOVE sprinkling it with a few dark chocolate chips and some granola. MMM, hope this helps!!
  • swindsong
    swindsong Posts: 8
    " If you are craving sugar and you drink a small 4 oz. glass of Welch's grape juice instead, your cravings are gone."
    If you drink this , your sugar craving hasn't gone you're still drinking sugar only it's a bit healthier coming from a fruit.
  • swindsong
    swindsong Posts: 8
    I don't know I might be wrong but after reading the comments I couldn't stop myself replying. A lot of people stated that they deal with cravings allowing themselves to eat, smaller portions/exercising more/ healthier versions.
    This seems like soothing the symptoms not curing the illness.
    I mean for me it's more important to dig deeper and find out the cause of my cravings and work on solving my issues which makes me think of food when I'm stressed/tired/fed up/feeling unloved etc and trying to create new habits instead of eating.
    If you don't change the foundation you will eventually give in. I saw it a lot of times, I made this mistake too. Women lost incredible amount of weight, maintained it for a year or 2-3, then something major happened or they just thought they could eat that one slice of cake and the flood gate broke. All the hard work had gone down the drain.
  • Minnie2361
    Minnie2361 Posts: 281 Member
    I don't know I might be wrong but after reading the comments I couldn't stop myself replying. A lot of people stated that they deal with cravings allowing themselves to eat, smaller portions/exercising more/ healthier versions.
    This seems like soothing the symptoms not curing the illness.
    I mean for me it's more important to dig deeper and find out the cause of my cravings and work on solving my issues which makes me think of food when I'm stressed/tired/fed up/feeling unloved etc and trying to create new habits instead of eating.
    If you don't change the foundation you will eventually give in. I saw it a lot of times, I made this mistake too. Women lost incredible amount of weight, maintained it for a year or 2-3, then something major happened or they just thought they could eat that one slice of cake and the flood gate broke. All the hard work had gone down the drain.

    I think you have made a valuable point. Stopping and taking stock of what is driving the eating. I remember having a difficult encounter by phone with another individual and found myself in the kitchen eating a peanut butter sandwich. I had an ah ha moment and could see I was soothing myself by eating. Not a good habit to get into. I didn't have other tools to work with back then , but along the way in life I learned a few meditative techniques.

    One is called surfing the urge. You can do a google online and look for it on you tube. For me I call it surfing the anxiety, or feeling mad or bad, it is recognizing it is a feeling, taking the time to deal with it , breath it in and breath it out, then letting it go. I no longer have to act on the feeling. The feeling passes . It is a technique not only for dealing with food but difficult people
    It is a short meditative technique originally developed for people to give up habits such as smoking and drinking.

    I watched that HBO documentary on the Weight of a Nation this last Friday and saw they are using meditative tools in dealing with eating. People are taking time to smell and breath their food before taking the first bite then taking time to chew on it.
    It allows them to tune into their body and read the bodies signals.

    Now that I am typing this I realize I had my breakfast with my mind elsewhere and woofed it down. I think it is time for me to slow and take the time to notice what I am eating.

    P.S.
    I recently discovered they are using this technique to deal with stress and the reduction of a stress hormone that causes the body to store belly fat.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1099086-stress-cortisol-belly-fat-mindfulness
  • Amykins2828
    Amykins2828 Posts: 31 Member
    Depends on how bad the craving is for me. I eat chocolate every night, because I will end up binge eating if I dont. (Skinny Cow Candy Bar - 130 calories). If its a serious craving (chips, fried food, etc) I usually go ahead and eat it but *try* to remember the 3 bite rule -- That your taste buds only really register the first 3 bites. But I do try to work those calories into my daily allotment!

    PS: A spoonfull of frozen cool whip often does the trick for me!
  • Amykins2828
    Amykins2828 Posts: 31 Member
    Same for me! Skinny Cow Caramel Candy Bar. I tried the ice cream sandwiches, but I cant seem to stop after just 1. So I stick with the candy bar nightly! :)
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    I don't know I might be wrong but after reading the comments I couldn't stop myself replying. A lot of people stated that they deal with cravings allowing themselves to eat, smaller portions/exercising more/ healthier versions.
    This seems like soothing the symptoms not curing the illness.
    I mean for me it's more important to dig deeper and find out the cause of my cravings and work on solving my issues which makes me think of food when I'm stressed/tired/fed up/feeling unloved etc and trying to create new habits instead of eating.
    If you don't change the foundation you will eventually give in. I saw it a lot of times, I made this mistake too. Women lost incredible amount of weight, maintained it for a year or 2-3, then something major happened or they just thought they could eat that one slice of cake and the flood gate broke. All the hard work had gone down the drain.

    I think you have made a valuable point. Stopping and taking stock of what is driving the eating. I remember having a difficult encounter by phone with another individual and found myself in the kitchen eating a peanut butter sandwich. I had an ah ha moment and could see I was soothing myself by eating. Not a good habit to get into. I didn't have other tools to work with back then , but along the way in life I learned a few meditative techniques.

    One is called surfing the urge. You can do a google online and look for it on you tube. For me I call it surfing the anxiety, or feeling mad or bad, it is recognizing it is a feeling, taking the time to deal with it , breath it in and breath it out, then letting it go. I no longer have to act on the feeling. The feeling passes . It is a technique not only for dealing with food but difficult people
    It is a short meditative technique originally developed for people to give up habits such as smoking and drinking.

    I watched that HBO documentary on the Weight of a Nation this last Friday and saw they are using meditative tools in dealing with eating. People are taking time to smell and breath their food before taking the first bite then taking time to chew on it.
    It allows them to tune into their body and read the bodies signals.

    Now that I am typing this I realize I had my breakfast with my mind elsewhere and woofed it down. I think it is time for me to slow and take the time to notice what I am eating.

    P.S.
    I recently discovered they are using this technique to deal with stress and the reduction of a stress hormone that causes the body to store belly fat.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1099086-stress-cortisol-belly-fat-mindfulness

    I enjoy eating. Eating foods that I like is neither a disease nor a moral failing. It only becomes a failing if I eat too much, too often, or eat such a poor diet that I'm malnourished. Even if I occasionally eat for stress relief, that response isn't necessarily unhealthy, unless it's frequent and habitual. Sometimes food is the perfect response to stress, like when my organic chemistry teacher brought us cookies and coffee for midterms and finals.

    P.S. I've kept an extra 15 pounds off for more than 15 years. I was treated for an eating disorder in my teens, and I have gone to the extremes of eating and not eating. I don't think I'm on the verge of giving in to any uncontrollable cravings or compulsions at this point in life.
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
    I don't know I might be wrong but after reading the comments I couldn't stop myself replying. A lot of people stated that they deal with cravings allowing themselves to eat, smaller portions/exercising more/ healthier versions.
    This seems like soothing the symptoms not curing the illness.
    I mean for me it's more important to dig deeper and find out the cause of my cravings and work on solving my issues which makes me think of food when I'm stressed/tired/fed up/feeling unloved etc and trying to create new habits instead of eating.
    If you don't change the foundation you will eventually give in. I saw it a lot of times, I made this mistake too. Women lost incredible amount of weight, maintained it for a year or 2-3, then something major happened or they just thought they could eat that one slice of cake and the flood gate broke. All the hard work had gone down the drain.

    IMHO, there are 2 or more ways to look at this. One way, is how you just described... getting to the root of the problem... searching for cause and effect.... nipping it in the bud, so to speak. Another way, is the way that alot of posters have said.... which is to simply 'control' it.... and don't let it get out of hand. Your way may work for you, and their way may work for them.

    This makes me think of the term 'food addiction....' I often wonder if this term has any real meaning... since we all HAVE to eat, right? So, what exactly IS a 'food addiction?' I think I might have to use the SEARCH on this.

    :bigsmile:
  • Stephanie198907
    Stephanie198907 Posts: 163 Member
    I try to find a raw vegan alternative.

    -Raw vegan cheesecake is delicious and super simple to make!
    -Raw coconut truffles (whole foods).
    -Kale chips in place of regular chips (not the same crunch but the flavor profiles are the same). I buy the Brad's brand of kale chips.
    -Mashed frozen bananas blended with dates in place of ice cream. Taste even better with dark chocolate bits, peanut butter, and/or espresso/coffee shot
    -"iced coffee" blend. - raw bananas, dates, crushed ice, cold water, raw cocoa powder, and 1/2 cup of coffee. This tastes like dessert!
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  • Charliejl82
    Charliejl82 Posts: 57
    I don't buy it. But then once a month I give into to all cravings. Like today I've eaten what I want. It helps me stay focussed or otherwise I'll just pick at bits of naughty foods throughout the week. I'd rather have a binge once a month to keep me on track. It's never hindered my progress.
  • sunsetzen
    sunsetzen Posts: 268 Member
    I dont avoid junk food cravings. I feel them, I think about them and if my calorie count allows, I have something. If it doesnt, its pretty easy to fool my brain by eating something else instead or drinking water.

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