What Are Your Tips on Limiting Sweets ?

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  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
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    Most of the time I opt for a lighter alternative during the week, like yogurt with honey or light cocoa to nip the craving, but once in a while I'll have some chocolate or ice cream, a couple of times a week.
  • julianadelbosque
    julianadelbosque Posts: 84
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    I like the small single serving type of treats, like the Ghirardelli squares. One square is between 70-80 calories depending on the filling, and if I eat it slowly it's a nice, satisfying pre-bed treat. I often eat it when I've already gotten in bed haha. Or the Pound Plus Chocolate from Trader Joe's. I eat more dark chocolate these days, so one square of the milk chocolate Pound Plus is very satisfying to me! And it's just about 70 calories.

    I also like to fill up on healthy foods I see as treats, like sweet potatoes and greek yogurt. I don't feel like I'm depriving myself because I love eating those foods, so I don't feel the need for sweets nearly as much.
  • jasonalvear
    jasonalvear Posts: 72 Member
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    If I want it I make room for it, I never deny myself.

    ^

    Deprivation has one definite result, binges.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
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    I downloaded the MFP app to my smartphone. That way, If I want to eat something, I can just pre-log the food. Usually seeing the calorie content is enough to give me the will power to resist.
  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
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    I like the small single serving type of treats, like the Ghirardelli squares.

    Yes! Little bits of chocolate are just fabulous.

    One distinct difference I've noticed since moving to Europe compared to the US is that the portion sizes are smaller, ESPECIALLY desserts. Yet I think if savoring the food, a small slice of something truly delicious is just as enjoyable as a mammoth choco thunder at Outback (for example)

    Less can be more and work on a regular basis.
  • mhematia
    mhematia Posts: 13 Member
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    I find it helpful to swap sweets out for other treats which you find equally as appealing. Or you can just limit yourself to one per day. Fill out your food diary completely and add in a treat but then print the diary and leave it by the fridge or cupboard (wherever you keep the treats). It helps having the visual reminder there.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
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    I just find I tend to binge more when I eat them. They are a trigger food for my eating disorder. If you don't have disordered eating, each a little bit of the best possible things: the ones that are real TREATS, for special occasions, or a square of really good chocolate.I have tried a year on and a year off sugar in the past few and the year totally off was way lower on binges (like maybe only a quarter of my binges).
  • mandyneedtolose
    mandyneedtolose Posts: 398 Member
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    Dark chocolate sometimes helps with the sugar cravings. You just have to have the will power to say no! You can do this!!
  • NH_Norma
    NH_Norma Posts: 332 Member
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    Don't deny...modify and analyze before you take a bite. Tempted by the cookie? Look up the calories first. Then log it. Then think about what else you could do with those calories. How long would you have to work out to burn it off? Still want it, and think you'll want more than one? Log 2 or 3 and go through the same process. Then, go ahead if you still want to. At least you'll know it isn't mindless eating.

    Personally, I save calories for a treat of some kind every day. Sometimes it is at lunch, sometimes I save it up for evening. I prefer to save it for evening because sometimes when evening comes around I no longer want it and can create a slightly bigger calorie deficit.

    I also use my sweet tooth as a motivator. If I didn't save enough calories for a treat, or I want 2 in the same day, I will exercise harder and/or longer to earn the calories for it.

    EDIT: Also...fruit. It takes a week or two to train your brain to appreciate the natural sugar, but it definitely helps!
  • bellesouth18
    bellesouth18 Posts: 1,070 Member
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    I changed my mindset. I am no longer living to eat--I am eating to live. :drinker:

    I'll have a treat when I want one, but I stopped rewarding myself with food about 40 pounds ago. There's a picture I've seen floating around. It reads, "You are not a dog. Don't reward yourself with food." And there's a mantra that runs through my head 24/7. Someone mentioned it earlier: Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
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    When you eat them, eat them very slowly. At least that's what I do. Not only do I savor them more, but my craving for them gets satisfied.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
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    I have a great big serving of my absolute favorite sweet treat practically every day. It's kind of a big deal in a casual, non-stressful way -- I make time for it, I make a separate trip to get it, I sit outside and enjoy every bite, so it's a satisfying "me time" break in the day too. Like many other posters here, I just work it into my calories; it's a given that about 300 calories are going to the froyo fix at some point in the day. Knowing I'm gonna have my daily fix (or that I've had it already), I'm just not that interested in the random cookies, candies, or other junk I might encounter along the way.

    ETA: It's also my main source of calcium. So it's health food too! :wink:
  • aimeemarie150
    aimeemarie150 Posts: 354 Member
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    The biggest thing you have to ask yourself is why do you want the sugar? Are you hungry? Did you not get enough vitamins from your meals? Chances are that's the wrong time to eat the treats. Coming from a major eating disorder where I had/have a food addiction, you have to resist. For those of us who had major problems with binge eating, chances are a sugary treat every day is not the best idea.

    I agree if you feel deprived, you will fall off the wagon. The point is to change your mindset so you don't feel deprived anymore. I bought a pop the other day because it was a flavor I'd always heard of, but never tried. I drank a few sips and was finished with it. Not because it didn't taste good, but because I don't want all of those empty calories.

    Ultimately, you have to make the best decision for you. Everyone handles their weight loss differently. For me, I choose not to eat sweets because those are a major trigger for my binge eating. Every once in a while I will have something, but it's a slow road to controlling that desire to binge.
  • MagicalLeopleurodon
    MagicalLeopleurodon Posts: 623 Member
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    If im hungry, i eat them. If im not hungry, i avoid them.
  • Jkn922
    Jkn922 Posts: 74
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    It's much harder at home because my family love to spoil me with chocolate but at Uni, it's a lot easier due to the fact that I don't have them around me. If I want it bad enough, I'll go out and get one but just one - I stopped buying packs even if they are cheaper because I'll finish them within 3 days.

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