intense cravings?
whiteoutpen
Posts: 212 Member
Hey guys!
So I've been on MFP for around a year or so now, and I've had pretty good success- lost a bit of 50 pounds. I've been stuck between 175-179 for the past 3 months now, though, and I'm wanting to get down to around 130, so I've still got a decent way to go. My main problem is that lately, I've been cravings sweets, such as chocolate, baked goods, peanut butter, etc. like a mad woman.
It's strange, because until this Fall, I barely ever wanted sweets. I wasn't interested in chocolate. I literally hated peanut butter. And now I can't seem to stop craving them, and once I get my hands on it, I can't seem to practice moderation. I've tried, it just doesn't seem to work. I try to not keep it in the house, but I live with my parents, and there's always stuff lying around.
I was just wondering if anyone had a healthy way for me to satisfy my cravings. I'll be good for a few days, not eat any chocolate at all, then I've suddenly eaten multiple servings. I just don't know what changed, why I used to not care for it, and now I can't get enough.
Thanks for the help
So I've been on MFP for around a year or so now, and I've had pretty good success- lost a bit of 50 pounds. I've been stuck between 175-179 for the past 3 months now, though, and I'm wanting to get down to around 130, so I've still got a decent way to go. My main problem is that lately, I've been cravings sweets, such as chocolate, baked goods, peanut butter, etc. like a mad woman.
It's strange, because until this Fall, I barely ever wanted sweets. I wasn't interested in chocolate. I literally hated peanut butter. And now I can't seem to stop craving them, and once I get my hands on it, I can't seem to practice moderation. I've tried, it just doesn't seem to work. I try to not keep it in the house, but I live with my parents, and there's always stuff lying around.
I was just wondering if anyone had a healthy way for me to satisfy my cravings. I'll be good for a few days, not eat any chocolate at all, then I've suddenly eaten multiple servings. I just don't know what changed, why I used to not care for it, and now I can't get enough.
Thanks for the help
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Replies
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I took a peek at your diary for the past month or so. It's actually pretty empty/incomplete, so it's hard to say what the problem might be. On days that you do log, it looks like you usually come in pretty far below your calorie goal, which may be contributing to your cravings. If you log accurately, consistently, and come as close to your calorie goal as possible, it may help cut down on your cravings and get the scale moving again.
Sometimes if I'm really craving something specific, especially if it's a calorie-dense food like peanut butter, I just try to work it into my day. I am one of those people that will likely keep eating something if I have an endless supply in front of me, so I portion it out to the amount I've planned for and then separate myself from the rest of it. I find that putting some distance between myself and the food object of my desire usually deters me from going back for seconds and thirds. 0 -
Maybe you could make some compromises with both yourself and your parents/housemates? Pick one treat that's something to look forward to but not TOO dangerous. Like maybe a single serving pack of good peanut butter daily and make yourself eat it with an apple. And ask the folks to support you in your goals by keeping chocolate out for a while, or whatever's the worst temptation?
Or maybe take a break from dieting and try to eat at maintenance level for Dec. A year is a long time. You've done a lot!0 -
I took a peek at your diary for the past month or so. It's actually pretty empty/incomplete, so it's hard to say what the problem might be. On days that you do log, it looks like you usually come in pretty far below your calorie goal, which may be contributing to your cravings. If you log accurately, consistently, and come as close to your calorie goal as possible, it may help cut down on your cravings and get the scale moving again.
Sometimes if I'm really craving something specific, especially if it's a calorie-dense food like peanut butter, I just try to work it into my day. I am one of those people that will likely keep eating something if I have an endless supply in front of me, so I portion it out to the amount I've planned for and then separate myself from the rest of it. I find that putting some distance between myself and the food object of my desire usually deters me from going back for seconds and thirds.
I've been having trouble with logging, lately. If I binge, I just end up not bothering, because I know it'll just make me feel worse about it. Another problem I have, is I work at a restaurant where we don't have the nutritional info, so I have no idea how to log it. Or, if I end up drinking, I don't log, because I end up too drunk to even remember what I ate, haha. It's been a lame couple of months for my logging
I definitely have tried the portioning out thing, and I just end up going back for more. There's not really anyone to make me accountable for what I eat anymore, so I think that's the problem. I just really don't understand why I'm having cravings for things I honestly didn't used to care for.
Literally, I've despised peanut butter my whole life. Nuts in general. And this past month, I developed an addiction to it. I don't understand! 0 -
Maybe you could make some compromises with both yourself and your parents/housemates? Pick one treat that's something to look forward to but not TOO dangerous. Like maybe a single serving pack of good peanut butter daily and make yourself eat it with an apple. And ask the folks to support you in your goals by keeping chocolate out for a while, or whatever's the worst temptation?
Or maybe take a break from dieting and try to eat at maintenance level for Dec. A year is a long time. You've done a lot!
I've pretty much been at maintenance for the past couple of months (I'd assume, I've been at the same couple of pounds for awhile). The problem is, my parents don't diet at all, and are both overweight, and eat whatever they want. I've come to the point where I buy and cook all my own food, but I find myself sneaking snacks from theirs at night. Or, I'll buy something I plan on portioning out, and it's all eaten in a couple of sittings.
I know it's all mind over matter, and I have to practice moderation, but I guess my mind just doesn't want it enough right now, and that's really frustrating. I think it could also have something to do with stress. I'm working 3 jobs and going to school full time, so it's been really hard to find time to want to actually prepare a meal, rather than just grab something on the go or reheat something frozen. And when I do have time off, all I want to do is lay in bed and veg out. Maybe it's a stress thing, and that's why I'm craving comfort food so much 0 -
Everybody usually says fruit. Or dark chocolate. If you really can't curb the cravings I would try to just make it fit into your diary. Pretty soon I'm sure your body will get sick of sugar and then it's on the the next craving lol0
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Everybody usually says fruit. Or dark chocolate. If you really can't curb the cravings I would try to just make it fit into your diary. Pretty soon I'm sure your body will get sick of sugar and then it's on the the next craving lol
Tried the dark chocolate, ended up eating a bunch of it I've really been into grapes lately, so maybe I should try eating those when the chocolate cravings start. Frozen grapes are really yummy too
I just wish I knew why these cravings came out of no where. I guess tastes just change.0 -
First off, I'd start by trying to find some routine for yourself and your eating habits, just try and find a medium; make sure you're eating enough that will fill and satisfy you during the day, so your cravings might not hit so hard at night. I don't have a huge sweet tooth myself, so I get how odd it feels when suddenly you sort of do-it has happened to me before too. I like to keep frozen raspberries in the freezer, but grapes, blueberries etc all work well took, when they're icy they take longer to snack on too. Even if you were to melt down a few squares of dark chocolate and coat some fruit in it-banana, strawberries, kiwi...whatever really, you might find the sweet of the fruit and the smaller amount of chocolate will take you further than accidentally eating through a whole block. I've also heard of people keeping all their chocolate in the freezer as it takes you longer to get through when you're eating it.
Also, perhaps preparing a few slightly healthier versions of the baked things you crave would help, have a hunt on line and find a few recipes that might help with your craving and fit into your planned day without you feeling the need to binge. I find that helps a lot; planning in the things you're weak at the knees about in moderation. I'm less likely to go overboard on something if it's 'allotted' for in my diary than if I've already had all my calories for the day and am going to go over on my first bite of chocolate or whatever-if I've already messed up my day, my head isn't as sensible about not messing it up with a whole block along with the square I already 'shouldn't have had'.0 -
I think the craving of things that you never normally would eat is your body's way of telling you it needs those nutrients. As its chocolate and nuts, I'm thinking you body wants fat.0
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You've gotten some great advice so far. I haven't read through everything, so apologies if I am repeating something... For me, smoothies were key to getting rid of those intense sugar cravings. I usually start my day with one or sometimes I'll make a half serving in the afternoon if I can't get that cupcake craving out of my mind. It's so easy to play around with the flavors too...they can be high in sugar though, depending on what you put in it, but I figure it's still healthier than binging on a box of cookies (which is what I would end up doing).
Tea also helps (if you don't want the extra calories), as does a piece of fruit. Another trick I use - if I'm having a craving (but I know it's just a craving and not hunger), then I have a glass of water and wait an hour or so. If the craving is still there, then I try to satisfy it in a healthy way. More often than not, the craving goes away. But as I said above, smoothies have been key for me in order to avoid cravings in general.0 -
I highly suggest #1 Out of sight/out of mind theory. Or #2 When u have some put it in a bowl/or whatever and put the rest AWAY this works well combined with suggestion #1. I'm always struggling with this too and these ideas will help u and make a difference. Good luck????☀️0
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Everybody usually says fruit. Or dark chocolate. If you really can't curb the cravings I would try to just make it fit into your diary. Pretty soon I'm sure your body will get sick of sugar and then it's on the the next craving lol
Tried the dark chocolate, ended up eating a bunch of it I've really been into grapes lately, so maybe I should try eating those when the chocolate cravings start. Frozen grapes are really yummy too
I just wish I knew why these cravings came out of no where. I guess tastes just chang
Grapes are high in sugar so try not to overdue them ????0 -
Hey guys!
I've been stuck between 175-179 for the past 3 months
and you mention later in another reply that you haven't been logging much for the last 2 months
I suggest you go back and do exactly as you were doing when you lost the 50lbs , get logging and learn to practice moderation
good luck0 -
Simple answer is.. you are eating too much.
You don't know what you are eating at work, you aren't fully logging everything and you are binging.
How do you estimate your calories burned? Are you using a HRM or MFP calculations?
Personally, I would take my own lunches into work if you have no way of counting the calories. Restaurant meals - even 'healthy' ones - can be deceivingly high in calories. Make sure you measure, weigh and log everything. If you know you are going out for a drink, make sure you plan your day around it. Eat before you go out.0 -
Your diary is so empty so it's hard to tell, but maybe you could use a little more protein? I recently made a conscious effort to eat more of it and it seems to help a little.0
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I just wish I knew why these cravings came out of no where. I guess tastes just change.
This is one reason logging consistently is important...so you can look for patterns and changes. For example...if I don't eat a variety of veggies for a few days in a row, I find that I start craving more "junk food" like chips or a lot of bread, and chocolate. If I don't eat a good amount of fruit each day, I crave things like ice cream or candy, but...fruit has a good amount of calories too, so I can't just shovel in as much fruit as I want as a preventative measure, I have to keep track. It's hard to keep a mental record of what I've been eating, even for just a few days. It helps to be able to look back and see, for example...oh, I've been doing eggs for breakfast all week and haven't had my share of berries, that's what I need today, or oops, the last time I had a big salad or full plate of veggies was 3 days ago, no wonder I couldn't resist that bagel.
Note: that doesn't mean I think ice cream or bagels are bad...but irresistible cravings for them are.
You said you work at a restaurant so you eat there and don't know how to log it? Find a way. Look at what's on your plate and do your best to estimate each ingredient. Ask the kitchen how they prepare things. Even if you don't get the calories exactly right, you'll be able to see WHAT you're eating and find the patterns.0 -
I just wish I knew why these cravings came out of no where. I guess tastes just change.
This is one reason logging consistently is important...so you can look for patterns and changes. For example...if I don't eat a variety of veggies for a few days in a row, I find that I start craving more "junk food" like chips or a lot of bread, and chocolate. If I don't eat a good amount of fruit each day, I crave things like ice cream or candy, but...fruit has a good amount of calories too, so I can't just shovel in as much fruit as I want as a preventative measure, I have to keep track. It's hard to keep a mental record of what I've been eating, even for just a few days. It helps to be able to look back and see, for example...oh, I've been doing eggs for breakfast all week and haven't had my share of berries, that's what I need today, or oops, the last time I had a big salad or full plate of veggies was 3 days ago, no wonder I couldn't resist tha
Note: that doesn't mean I think ice cream or bagels are bad...but irresistible cravings for them are.
You said you work at a restaurant so you eat there and don't know how to log it? Find a way. Look at what's on your plate and do your best to estimate each ingredient. Ask the kitchen how they prepare things. Even if you don't get the calories exactly right, you'll be able to see WHAT you're eating and find the patterns.
qft!0 -
I got around nearly ALL my cravings and THE HUNGER from going to leangains.com. It took three days of suffering for me, but then on the 4th day I woke up, and have not had insatiable anything since then (going on nearly a year now). I HIGHLY recommend it. I also love not eating a breakfast, my lunch and dinner can be much more filling.0
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You said that one of the reasons you don't log a binge is because it makes you feel bad.
I say, you must log a binge so you can see in black and white exactly what you ate and how many calories the binge contained.
You must do this and it will cause you to think twice about bingeing.
You have lots of excuses for your behavior with food. When you're ready to do something about it-you will. Nothing will stop you.
You know you can lose-you've done it before.
Make sure you're eating enough but with a deficit. That will help control the bingeing, but LOG everything or you won't know what's going on.0 -
Like most others have said... make sure you log everything you eat. Some people say eat fruit to curb the craving, but if I have a specific craving, I have to have whatever it is (bc otherwise it won't go away) and just have it in moderation. I have been doing low carb/high protein (it's been harder since the start of my pregnancy), but when I lowered my carb intake and increased my protein, within a couple of days, I was able to have less and less sugar/carb cravings. It might be something you want to look into.
Hope you find something soon that works for you 0 -
First of all, congrats on losing 53 pounds, esp when you can't control your environment. Kudos!
Also stress may be a huge component--make sure that you are getting sleep.
Try to eat some protein at every meal, stop at the grocery and pick up some roast turkey or roast beef, already cooked. Rotisserie chicken is only 5 or 6 dollars and you can eat a lot of meals from it. Canned tuna, you get the drift. Even if you don't have time, you can make a sandwich. You can preboil eggs and keep them in the refrigerator for a quick snack.
Logging, logging, logging.....and more logging, even when you have had a bad day. It's the only way to be able to see a pattern.
Drinking alcohol----well, you are young, but it has a lot of calories. If you can, stick to only drinking one beer or one glass of wine. Also soft drinks have a lot of calories. Try to drink water mostly or tea or skim milk (if not allergic). I drink black coffee, but not everyone is a fan.
Good luck! I wish you well! You have really accomplished a lot.0 -
Oh I agree...once I have the craving, I need that specific thing to satisfy it! When I talk about eating certain foods, it's a proactive approach...when I eat the "right" things, the cravings are less frequent and there's less to fight against.Some people say eat fruit to curb the craving, but if I have a specific craving, I have to have whatever it is (bc otherwise it won't go away) and just have it in moderation.
I'll also add that I eat dark chocolate almost every day, 50-100 calories worth. Because I know that's something I'll want so I work it in. When the rest of my diet is on track, that small serving is enough to satisfy me.0 -
Fiber One makes some awesome 90 calorie brownies that I eat with lunch to give me my chocolate fix. Nature Valley has awesome peanut butter bars and oatmeal squares that can satisfy a craving. 0
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I always crave sweet foods. I tried to cut them out or reduce how much I eat them and that just makes me a terrible person to be around and then I end up bingeing.
So now I have something sweet every day - usually a tablespoon of peanut butter at breakfast and then a sweet cereal (like chocolate chex or PB cheerios) for a mid morning snack. Later if I STILL want something sweet I'll have a small glass of chocolate milk or a Fiber One Brownie! Love those things.0 -
I find the more I eat the refined sugars and chocolate the more I crave it. If I can struggle through without eating it for at least a week or two the cravings will disappear. If I start eating it again, I'll begin to crave it again.
Another thing I found that helps is the "Raw Brownie." I make these all the time and freeze them so that I can have one every day. They are made from Dates, Walnuts, and Cocoa powder. Never thought I would like them but YUM! They really do taste very much like a raw brownie. Because they are not made with refined sugars, but the natural fruit sugars from the dates, you shouldn't get that sugar craving from them. Mind you they are not low calorie, so you don't want to pig out on them. However, they are healthy and all natural! Take 1 1/2 cups of walnuts and process them in a food processor. Add about 17-18 medjool dates, pitted and cut into small pieces. Process until throroughly chopped and mixed. Add 1/3 cup cocoa (I use dark cocoa to make it even healthier) and process until mixed. I process each step for quite a while so that it really looks like a dough when you are done. Then just roll into balls and freeze. I usually make 20-24 balls and they are roughly 90 calories each. Do a google search for "Raw Browies" and you will get variations on this recipe.0 -
I think you just have to fight through the cravings. Will Power! The more you fight it and succeed, the easier it gets.
I tend to get cravings after 9:00 p.m. If I start getting one, I just go to bed!
You've lost 50 lbs, so you have to know that it isn't easy! It's hard work and takes a significant amount of mental strength.
Anyone who says they have lost weight but says they never have cravings or never fight through them is lying! If losing weight was easy nobody would be fat!
You can do it!0 -
Thank you everyone, so much for the replies and advice! I know my logging's been really crappy, but I decided there were more important things to stress out about than maintaining an accurate log. I work 3 jobs and go to school full time, so it's a lot of stress, and often logging just falls by the wayside.
My problem is, I work at a fancy pizzeria, where we serve Neopoletana style pizza, which is different from traditional pizza. I don't know everything that's in it, and I try to stay away and only get salads, but they can get really monotonous. And it's really hard to say no to a slice when it's just sitting in the back, and I'm insanely hungry.
I've been trying out the no eating past 9 pm thing, but I often don't get off work until past 10 pm, so sometimes that doesn't work out. I've also been trying to take food with me to work, but sometimes I don't have time between school and work. But yeah, I'll definitely try and make it a priority. Any tips on what I could bring? We don't have a microwave or a fridge I can use, so it has to be able to just sit out.
I tried out the logging my binge last night! It wasn't really a binge, but I definitely went over on my calories. It was good for me to see that I need to eat less, and that I definitely didn't need everything I ate. I'm gonna try logging more accurately, but with the holidays and a vacation coming up, I'm not sure how well it'll go. But the new year should hopefully bring a better start. That's when I found my motivation to lose the 50 pounds I've lost so far.0 -
Have you tried medjool dates? They are so sweet and tasty, but also have some nutritional value. I use them for sweet cravings. I try to have 1/4 cup almonds, the date, and then water. It helps a lot. I also find that if they rest of my day is filled with nutrient rich food, than I feel more satisfied overall.
Try something like maybe:
Breakfast:
lemon water
green smoothie (Mine is 1 cup water, 2 cups baby spinach and baby kale or other greens, 1/2 banana, 1/3 cup blueberries, I also add 1/3 cup fage yogurt or 1 tbl peanutbutter for protein-I don't like protein powders, a few mint leaves, cilantro leaves, a tiny bit of ginger)
2 boiled eggs with salt, pepper, paprika, and a little extra virgin olive oil
Snack:
1/4 cup raw unsalted almonds or other nuts
Lunch:
lean chicken or fish
lots of veggies (especially green)
Snack
1 gala apple or other fruits/veggies
Dinner
lean chicken of fish
lots of veggies (especially green)
sweet potato
LOTS of water, add lemon, cucumber, mint if you want
After dinner "tea":
1/4 lemon juice
few mint leaves
few cilantro leaves
tiny bit of fresh ginger
add boiling hot water, drink after a few minutes
Some form of activity as often as possible every day. (cardio 3x, strength 3x, walking whenever possible)
Medjool dates for any sweet cravings. Mix up the fruit and veggies and it can have tons of variety. A high quality multi-vitamin might be worth adding as well. The idea here is to work towards a healthier lifestyle that involves foods that nourish the body with vitamins and minerals, not just empty calories. I really hope this helps.0 -
Anytime someone "wonders why" the first thing to look at is their diary.
Your first job is to keep an accurate food diary, including all the booze, and all the food from the restaurant. All the binging, and all the double portions. You are currently out of control. You can look up 1/2 cup carrots, it's in the list, just break the meals down.
Tough love time:
YOU are responsible and accountable for what goes in your mouth, so look in the mirror every morning and remind yourself you have to look yourself in the eye tomorrow morning and every morning.
When you get control back you will start losing again. Add me if you like, I've lost a similar amount to you and I'm still losing too.
I won't give you platitudes, but I will tell you to pull your socks up and get back in the zone. Also my diary is keep religiously up to date.
You CAN do this. Life is busy for us all, I have three jobs too, we just find a way to be consistent.0 -
I had the same problem with intense cravings until I discovered the LCHF diet. It works for me (consistently losing more than 1 lb per week, without cravings). I hope you find what works for you.0
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Anytime someone "wonders why" the first thing to look at is their diary.
Your first job is to keep an accurate food diary, including all the booze, and all the food from the restaurant. All the binging, and all the double portions. You are currently out of control. You can look up 1/2 cup carrots, it's in the list, just break the meals down.
Tough love time:
YOU are responsible and accountable for what goes in your mouth, so look in the mirror every morning and remind yourself you have to look yourself in the eye tomorrow morning and every morning.
When you get control back you will start losing again. Add me if you like, I've lost a similar amount to you and I'm still losing too.
I won't give you platitudes, but I will tell you to pull your socks up and get back in the zone. Also my diary is keep religiously up to date.
You CAN do this. Life is busy for us all, I have three jobs too, we just find a way to be consistent.
Oh, trust me, I totally understand that it's my fault I haven't been losing. I know I've been slacking off in the logging and being healthy in general department, and that I need to get back on track. I just was seeking some advice as to why I'm having such intense cravings.
The problem I have with the drinking, is I'm often too drunk to log, or I just don't remember the next day. And I know, you can tell me to drink less/not at all, but it's going to fall on deaf ears. I'm young, and that's just part of my life right now.
It's just been a struggle working over 40 hours a week, and trying to keep up with going to class, writing papers, studying, etc. And then trying to actually maintain a social life and find time for myself, my logging just hasn't been getting the attention it deserves.
Thank you for the tough love, I know I'm going to get exactly what I put into it. I just need to find my motivation again.0
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