How long until the cravings go away?

citygirl69
citygirl69 Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
For people that have had good success and have been at this for a little bit, how long until you no longer crave fast food/junk food? This stuff is very addicting to me and for me there is no moderation with it. I know I just have to quit cold turkey, because it's horrible for your body anyway...but whenever I've tried to I would last maybe a day or so but then I'd cave. I won't cave because I'm hungry, I make sure to always be full and have healthy snacks, I think it's just a matter of breaking the habit. How long until the cravings go away or does it take to form a new habit?

Replies

  • mwalle09
    mwalle09 Posts: 305 Member
    Have the same problem, any advice would be greatly appreciated!
  • jdashiell90
    jdashiell90 Posts: 13
    It's all about moderation, though! In my opinion, eating fast food occasionally isn't going to hurt you. Just make sure you log it into your daily calories. If you find moderation is hard, buy serving-size packages of whatever food you desire or go out to get it and throw away the leftovers once you're done eating it.

    I was on a really strict diet a few years ago and lost 90 pounds (gained most of it back because I only ate 1000 calories a day and burned 1000 calories a day working out). I find that once you get in the habit of eating healthier foods, junk food becomes easier to resist. Before dieting I'd never grab a green pepper as my late night snack, but now I love them. The more you eat a food, the more inclined you are to like it. So if you really want to completely cut out fast/junk food (though I think you're better off just trying to eat them in moderation), eat healthy foods that you like and slowly introduce the foods you don't like so much.

    For example, I don't really like carrots. However, each time I make a salad, I put a few more carrot slices in each time and I'm starting to like them more. You've gotta pair the healthy foods you don't like with the ones you do!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    I you want to have a McDouble and small fries, have a McDouble and small fires. Just work it into your overall plan, it's not a problem.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Either work it into your budget or just quit eating it. They say it takes 3 weeks to break a habit or form a new one so maybe 3 weeks is your magic number.
  • Followingsea
    Followingsea Posts: 407 Member
    Weeks to months before the associations broke and I started being able to enjoy my trigger foods in moderation. For some of them the associations are permanently broken, and I have no interest in eating them again.
  • dejamos
    dejamos Posts: 53 Member
    I would say it varies from person to person, but my short answer would be: Until you no longer crave it.

    For me, it was a few weeks both for fast food and for sugar (at different times - I didn't give both up at the same time.) The main difficulty with giving up fast food was that real food just didn't taste that good to me at first, but I kept with it until one day regular food started tasting really good to me. At that point I didn't want fast food any more, and within a short period of time after that I was able to have it in moderation. I still don't really like it any more, and I definitely don't like the way I feel when I eat it, but it is no longer a problem for me.

    The same thing happened when I decided I was eating too much sugar. I gave up all sweets and candy entirely until fruit and vegetables starting tasting sweet to me, and then I was able to eat sweets in moderation. That was two years ago and I have been able to enjoy everything without any of it triggering binges.

    edited because it was really annoying me to see how many times I used the word "really."
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    It's all about moderation, though! In my opinion, eating fast food occasionally isn't going to hurt you. Just make sure you log it into your daily calories. If you find moderation is hard, buy serving-size packages of whatever food you desire or go out to get it and throw away the leftovers once you're done eating it.

    I was on a really strict diet a few years ago and lost 90 pounds (gained most of it back because I only ate 1000 calories a day and burned 1000 calories a day working out). I find that once you get in the habit of eating healthier foods, junk food becomes easier to resist. Before dieting I'd never grab a green pepper as my late night snack, but now I love them. The more you eat a food, the more inclined you are to like it. So if you really want to completely cut out fast/junk food (though I think you're better off just trying to eat them in moderation), eat healthy foods that you like and slowly introduce the foods you don't like so much.

    For example, I don't really like carrots. However, each time I make a salad, I put a few more carrot slices in each time and I'm starting to like them more. You've gotta pair the healthy foods you don't like with the ones you do!

    This!^

    It's about lifestyle changes for me.....that's the only way I'm going to maintain a weight loss. I still have chocolate in small portions - I don't keep candy in the house except Ghiradelli squares. These are individually wrapped & I can work one in every day. Chocolate is my candy of choice.

    Every once in awhile I crave fries.....Culver's are my favorite...so I skip fries anywhere else.
  • Lives2Travel
    Lives2Travel Posts: 682 Member
    Um..... never. I still want to eat all the stuff I used to, but I don't (except very, very, very infrequently). I will say that every time I make the decision not to give in to a craving, it makes it easier to do so the next time. I didn't eat a single piece of Candy Corn during Halloween and the world kept on turning. Surprising.

    I will say that I do have trigger foods that I dare not bring into the house. Trader Joe's Triple Ginger cookies. Doritos and their cousins Cheez Its. Caramel Corn Mini Rice Cakes. You'd think I'd be safe with those, but I want to and have eaten the entire bag. I have ZERO control when faced with certain things.

    Figure out what you can handle in moderation and what you can't. Makes life a bit easier.
  • Saramelie
    Saramelie Posts: 308 Member
    If you really plan on ``quitting`` junk food for good, than I would say a couple of days to weeks. I quit eating sugar for a 2 year period at some point, and I stopped craving it after a couple of weeks. Now I eat it on occasions.
  • ModernNerd
    ModernNerd Posts: 336 Member
    It took a few weeks for me. I didn't quit entirely, but I eat far less junk food now than I used to. I had to set myself up for that though in a number of ways. For instance, I try not to carry much loose change in my purse going to work because I know I'll be tempted to use the vending machines. Another is brushing my teeth right after dinner to curb the urge to graze.

    Best of luck OP :flowerforyou:
  • citygirl69
    citygirl69 Posts: 6
    Thank you guys so much for your advice...Yes I think I have heard it takes 3 weeks to officially break a habit. When I go grocery shopping I buy healthy food, even some snack food as well. It's not so much store bought junk that I crave(chips, cookies) but rather fast food chains...I guess it's just a matter of resisting until the food I make at home makes me feel just as good.
  • focuseddiva
    focuseddiva Posts: 174 Member
    I've been on MFO for 2 weeks. I'm just now realizing I'm not craving junk like I did before. The first few days to week was the hardest. Keep going and you'll one day also go, "Burgers? Ick. No. Uh-nope."
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    For goodness sake you dont have to quit cold turkey. Go and have a burger. Doesnt have to be a massive one, but now and again it is just natural to let it go out.

    Then there is the revolutionary idea of burning it off with a jog if necessary.
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
    at least 2 weeks. Try fasting too.
  • jdctrumpet
    jdctrumpet Posts: 64 Member
    Practicing moderation should actually be easier with fast food places. If you want a burger and small fries, go order it and that's it. Don't pay for anything else. Not only will you eat as much, but your wallet will thank you too. Just make it fit within your calorie goal.

    I drive long distances to go home (CT) or to my girlfriend's parent's house (NY), and we pretty much always stop for fast food on the trip. I switched from getting a ton of food to getting a grilled chicken sandwich with a small order of french fries. That satisfies my craving and then I just have other stuff in the car to snack on if I still get hungry after.
  • speedy740
    speedy740 Posts: 141 Member
    As soon as I saw results that was my motivation to give it up.
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
    It went away from me when I stopped eating it for a couple of weeks and then ate it again.

    Just my personal experience bc I used to be a fast food junkie:

    Resist the urge for a couple weeks eating very clean then go treat yourself to it again. The experience won't be the same anymore. At least for me, when I tried eating it again my body just felt insanely crappy after. I still liked the taste when eating it but 5-10 minutes later I felt instantly bloated, weighed down, just sick to my stomach. Not sure if it was something mental or I could physically just feel the effects of really ****ty food. Either way, it makes me so sick now afterwards that it just doesn't appeal to me anymore.

    Except for chick-fil-a....that is still kinda awesome. Anything else, nope. Makes me sick now when I eat it.
  • airdiva1
    airdiva1 Posts: 198 Member
    It took me about three weeks.
    When I first started, I allowed myself once a week a small scoop of ice cream and one time during that first 30 days one cheat meal.
    By the third week, while I had my cheat meal at Five Guys and ice cream, it lost the appeal.
    Now I was a regular at Sonic to the point that the car hops saw my car and knew my order. The same for fried chicken at various places. In fact I have drove up to two hours to take care of my cravings.
    Since all the junk is out of my system, I don't crave the greasy food anymore. Even on my cheat days, it now mean just an extra piece of dark chocolate.
    I was so proud when going to the beauty shop on Tuesday that when leaving, just left the lot instead of going right next door to Sonic!
    Hang in there! It will get to the point that those cravings will no longer matter!
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
    Give up fast food? Hell to the no. There's no reason to give up fast food, that just sets you up in a "deprivation" mindset. I mean, if you want to suffer for weight loss, there's all kinds of ways to make it harder than it has to be, but I personally preferred the low-deprivation, low drama approach of just eating less fast food, with a few smart substitutions to painlessly whack the calories to fit within my goals. :drinker:
  • kcvance
    kcvance Posts: 103 Member
    My cravings never went away. I have junk food, just a smaller portion, which satisfies my craving and keeps me from obsessing over something I "can't" eat.
  • MissDireWolf
    MissDireWolf Posts: 14 Member
    My cravings have not gone away. However with each week (11 weeks of weight loss) they have diminished and I have a better perspective as to WHY I have these cravings. I agree with everyone who says to keep things into perspective and focus not on obsessing, but focus on limiting portions to still satisfy those cravings.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    Like others who have posted, the cravings have not gone away for me. That is what makes MFP so great IMO. You can still eat the stuff. It just takes PLANNING.

    For example, if all food was truly equal and calories didn't matter, I might go out for 3 meals a day and have donuts, cheeseburgers, ice cream, pizza, and nothing else. But I understand that's not a good idea and if I did that eating within my calories I probably would not get adequate nutrition, even if the cals were on target.

    So I plan ahead and have that delicious donut and coffee once a week, following it up with a lighter version of nachos for lunch (homemade) and then salmon, corn on the cob, and salad for dinner. I still get to satisfy my craving. Or I'll have a breakfast taco (again, homemade) every work day morning, bring a healthy lunch like a low cal wrap with fruit, and then go out for dinner some evening(s) and eat 1/2 or maybe even 2/3 of the portion I formerly ordered...but I don't order salads without dressing when I go out. I still get pasta, pad Thai, etc. I just do it less often with smaller portion sizing and indulge a bit less.

    Cooking is a HUGE part of my 100 lb (as of today) weight loss. If you learn to make food at home that you love to eat, you'll go out less. You are in control of what's in the food you eat, and don't let anyone kid you...banana Nutella crepes I make at home are far less caloric than those I'd order in most restaurants. Even though it is still an indulgent & decadent food it can be a part of my diet with no issues.

    Planning ahead is vital when it comes to breakfast and lunch for me. I used to grab fast food breakfast and/or lunch OFTEN when I was at my heaviest. It didn't seem like a big deal. Just a little toaster sandwich, small burrito, or latte. But those calories add up quick. I have learned to set myself up for success by having a super-quick and delicious breakfast every morning and planning ahead for lunch as well. I almost never dine out for those meals, and when I do it's a special treat to me rather than just a quick meal.

    One last tip that has helped me, is learning to satisfy cravings with protein and/or tiny portions. If I still have remaining calories in the evening and I'm hungry and craving something...I will eat a boiled egg, string cheese, or 5 chocolate chips with a tiny bit of marshmallow crème, or 8 almonds...stuff like that!
  • LalaBerlin
    LalaBerlin Posts: 10
    My cravings never went away. I have junk food, just a smaller portion, which satisfies my craving and keeps me from obsessing over something I "can't" eat.

    This.
  • jensiegel39
    jensiegel39 Posts: 163 Member
    I've been at this a little under 2 months, and I had some things I really craved. I found substitutes. For example, I love potato chips. So, I found the Special K Cracker Chips, and they satisfy that hunger. As for fast food, that's something I never like. I always question exactly what the meat is and it grosses me out to no end. I was going to try a Whopper one day because I had a ton of calories to eat to make my macros for the day, but when I got to thinking about it, I decided to make dinner at home instead. As for chocolate, which I'm not craving that much really, I eat sugar-free fudge pops and sugar-free chocolate pudding, and that does it.

    So, find some things to substitute. Overall, find things you really like that are good for you and the cravings will go away. I just went to a work party where everyone was eating all kinds of cookies and such. Even though I love cookies more than anyone in the world, I kept saying to myself that I wasn't going to ruin all my hard work in the gym by eating them. And then I just focused on what I was eating and the conversations with others and it was no big deal.

    You'll get there. Just find some things you like to eat that are healthy is the best I can tell you. I am a super picky eater, so it's been a struggle, but I'm getting the hang of what to make that I actually like and getting a better cooking and cleaning routine going that's not too overwhelming, and when you've experienced some success, that'll be your motivator to stay away from the junk.

    Good luck to you!
  • airdale8263
    airdale8263 Posts: 2,155 Member
    It's all about moderation, though! In my opinion, eating fast food occasionally isn't going to hurt you. Just make sure you log it into your daily calories. If you find moderation is hard, buy serving-size packages of whatever food you desire or go out to get it and throw away the leftovers once you're done eating it.

    I was on a really strict diet a few years ago and lost 90 pounds (gained most of it back because I only ate 1000 calories a day and burned 1000 calories a day working out). I find that once you get in the habit of eating healthier foods, junk food becomes easier to resist. Before dieting I'd never grab a green pepper as my late night snack, but now I love them. The more you eat a food, the more inclined you are to like it. So if you really want to completely cut out fast/junk food (though I think you're better off just trying to eat them in moderation), eat healthy foods that you like and slowly introduce the foods you don't like so much.

    For example, I don't really like carrots. However, each time I make a salad, I put a few more carrot slices in each time and I'm starting to like them more. You've gotta pair the healthy foods you don't like with the ones you do!

    ^^ This.

    Cravings never truely go away they are supressed. I quit smoking 15 yrs ago, do I still crave a cigarette when a certain "trigger" happens, yes but do I have one -no

    Moderation/portion contrrol is the key. I still have pizza but I do not eat like I did. Instead of eating the whole pie - I limit myslef to 2 slices.

    Veggie snacks help in the cravings (at least with me).

    Good luck on your lifestyle change.
  • EDesq
    EDesq Posts: 1,527 Member
    Cravings are about what you actually eat or what you 'think' you want. If you are getting real physical cravings then it is because you are eating trigger foods or the actual item that causes the craving. Monitor what you eat and when you eat it; notice if during say up to 3 hours if you crave something specific. Example; When I eat bread, I will crave sweets later...Starches are HARD to breakdown in the Body because they are COMPLEX Carbs so they linger and make for more craving. So Bread is a trigger for Me to crave more. Also, if I see something, usually on TV that looks good, I MUST reinforce to Myself that I will NOT have it.

    Cravings are baffling, that is why many people cut some items TOTALLY out of their diet, when some People can do certain things in Moderation others Can Not (because certain foods are Triggers...). So the Best thing is to KNOW YOURSELF and act accordingly.
    Be Well, Live Well

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