Sugar craving after meals (especially lunch)

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Ninonll
Ninonll Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Everyone!

I've been logging my food for a few weeks (not always perfectly, but I'm more regular) and lost a few lbs already. (but my scale broke 2 weeks ago, and I'm not really interested in the number on the scale, I'm more of a "I want to be healthy and fit" kind of gal)
I'm feeling so much better in my stomach when I pay attention to the amount of food I eat, I sleep much better too, and I even started running! (which I love, and i'm really surprised to admit it!)

I noticed (and actually, I'm experiencing it right now) that I have a huuuge craving for something sweet right after my meals, especially my lunch. I try to always end my meals with something sweet, like a low fat yoghurt or a fruit, and it helps me keeping that craving under control. But isn't that weird? I'm definitely full and not hungry at all, but I'd die for some milk chocolate right now!!!

Since I'm very overweight, and I want all this to be manageable on the long term, on a first phase I'm trying to eat around 1900/2000cal a day (calculated with http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/ ). I will reduce this number as my weight will go down, but right now, my main concern is to stop eating all the time and only eat as following :

- a small breakfast around 9am (as I can't seem to digest anything before that)
- a proper meal for lunch around 1pm (I'm french, and we have "real" meals for lunch)
- a small snack in the afternoon around 4pm, If I don't have it, I end up eating something bad around 7pm when I end my work day
- dinner around 9pm (I know, us, french people do eat really late ... but , so it's hard to have dinner before that when you leave worl at 7pm... )

I wonder why do I have those after meal sugar cravings, I don't think I had those when I wasn't paying attention to my diet...

In case some additionnal numbers could be useful :
H : 5.7
W : 262lbs
GW : around 154lbs (but I'm looking more for an overall look more than a number on the scale)

thank you for your answers!!!!

Replies

  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
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    It could be the something sweet you have at the end of lunch. Carbs cause cravings for sweets.
  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
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    I just looked at your food diary. You are not eating enough protein and way too many carbs. Protein keeps you feeling full and satisfied the longest, fat is in the middle for satiety, and carbs leave you craving more after an hour.
  • Ninonll
    Ninonll Posts: 8 Member
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    Thank you for your answer, and I thought too it might be that, so I tried a few days last week not to eat this something sweet, and it was actually even worst... (like running-to-the-cafeteria-to-buy-a-kinder-bueno worst...)

    It's weird, because I really thought my multiple afternoon snacks would be the ones I would miss the most... (I spend my day working on a computer, and I've always eaten chocolate candies when I'm on my computer...)
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,153 Member
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    I just looked at your food diary. You are not eating enough protein and way too many carbs. Protein keeps you feeling full and satisfied the longest, fat is in the middle for satiety, and carbs leave you craving more after an hour.

    This is good advice. Also if I get sugar cravings after I eat I drink a lot of water or tea until they go away.
  • mag131
    mag131 Posts: 542 Member
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    In addition to upping your protein and lowering your carbs, I would also cut out the sugar free food and drinks in your diet. Artificial sweeteners can actually cause you to crave sweets.
  • Ninonll
    Ninonll Posts: 8 Member
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    For the proteins, I'm afraid that my stomach just can't process them very well, I fell awfull when I eat more of them, It's a little better with vegetal proteins, but when I eat more proteins, I get heartburns...
  • percypat
    percypat Posts: 26
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    I have a mega sweet tooth so I know what it's like, needing to finish a meal with something sweet (and I've spent two years in France, and know how lovely and abundant your desserts are!). I've found the best way of getting that sweet tooth under control (for me at least) is avoiding sugar altogether. I recently did a Whole 30 (30 days of strict paleo eating) and while I didn't get the weight loss so many people report, I did get my sweet tooth under control. At first it was hard steering clear of sugar, but it got easier and easier and in the end it wasn't hard at all. That might be something to try as well.

    If you want to add friends at all, feel free to add me. J'aimerais beaucoup avoir une amie francophone sur ce site :smile:
  • vikramtag
    vikramtag Posts: 67 Member
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    Check your carbs and have a little dark chocolate :)
  • charliedog20
    charliedog20 Posts: 76 Member
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    Try a piece of sugar free gum. I love the Extra Delight Desserts.
  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,396 Member
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    I have the same problem and have a weird solution. I have 1 atomic fireball jawbreaker after I eat. (not breakfast, don't have the sugar craving then). I swear it works! Only 20 calories in 1 fireball and it takes awhile to eat since it's so hot. I'm a carb person too so know how you feel.
  • swtz_ankay
    swtz_ankay Posts: 1
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    I'm actually having the same problem. It just started recently but I've been cutting my carbs. Does anyone know if that could cause sweet cravings too?
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    No help here, it's always been this way for me! I just make room in my calories for something sweet after my lunch.
  • jodybo2
    jodybo2 Posts: 116 Member
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    I have one Hershey's kiss after my lunch. 22 calories. Satisfaction! And if lunch just didn't do it for me, a little trail mix with m&m's for my afternoon snack :) Chocolate is not something I am willing to give up! Especially when TOM arrives!
  • fast_eddie_72
    fast_eddie_72 Posts: 719 Member
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    In addition to upping your protein and lowering your carbs, I would also cut out the sugar free food and drinks in your diet. Artificial sweeteners can actually cause you to crave sweets.

    I know this is really true for me. I do eat a little sugar every day, but getting off the diet soda wagon helped me a ton. Really got the cravings under control.
  • kauto92
    kauto92 Posts: 7 Member
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    Ive not long started recording my food consumtion on here and in a diary at home. I have found that the more carbs I eat the more likely I am to dig into the choccie!

    It doesn't mean I have stopped myself from having it but I don't allow myself to go over my calories.
    I think the worst thing you can do is deny yourself of the things you enjoy otherwise the diet thing becomes a chore.

    I thought a comment left on here about drinking water and tea was good.

    I've found whenever I have a sugar craving or feel a need to eat something I go and have a black tea which has no calories! YAY! :).

    Of course, you need to find out what works best for you and what you like :).

    Moderation is certainly the key but if it is sweet things you like, find something sweet with hardly any calories in to pick at. My husband went through a phase of keeping bags of dried fruit around to have a quick nibble and get the craving gone.

    Keep posting, let us know how you get on :)
  • jameslquinlan
    jameslquinlan Posts: 1
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    It was suggested in an earlier post that the more Protien we have the less we have a sugar craving.

    I have found that Kellogg's special K protein mix is a powder that you add water and it adds 5 g of protein in 5 g of fiber which is ideal for my attained goal for the day :happy:

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