How do you handle cravings?

comittobethin
comittobethin Posts: 42 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So recently I have been CRAVING chinese food. Greasy lo mein noodles, sesame chicken, egg rolls. I have been avoiding it and eating other things but it just hasn't gone away. I am craving it even after I have eaten a whole meal and am full. What are some tips/tricks that you guys implement to satisfy the craving without going overboard or to turn the desire from your mind off? There are sometimes when I think about ordering it all day. When I have given in to my cravings before, they subside for a few days and are back again. Has anyone experienced this with a specific type of food? Thanks in advance

Replies

  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    If I am craving something that badly, I go ahead and have it. It doesn't mean you have to be a hog and scoff down 6 egg rolls, a tray of lo mein, etc. Have one egg roll, a reasonable portion of sesame chicken or noodles, and log it. If you are going to live the rest of your life not being overweight, you have to learn at some point how to eat the foods you love without restricting yourself for years on end.
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  • megginanderson
    megginanderson Posts: 276 Member
    I plan 1 cheat meal a week. I dont put any limits on it, but its just one meal. Usually out to dinner or take out.
    That way I am able to stay focused all week at 100%. I can satisfy my craving on Saturday and get it out of my system.
  • wannakimmy
    wannakimmy Posts: 488 Member
    If I am craving something that badly, I go ahead and have it. It doesn't mean you have to be a hog and scoff down 6 egg rolls, a tray of lo mein, etc. Have one egg roll, a reasonable portion of sesame chicken or noodles, and log it. If you are going to live the rest of your life not being overweight, you have to learn at some point how to eat the foods you love without restricting yourself for years on end.

    Yep, have what you want, but in a healthier portion.
  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
    If I am craving something that badly, I go ahead and have it. It doesn't mean you have to be a hog and scoff down 6 egg rolls, a tray of lo mein, etc. Have one egg roll, a reasonable portion of sesame chicken or noodles, and log it. If you are going to live the rest of your life not being overweight, you have to learn at some point how to eat the foods you love without restricting yourself for years on end.

    This. I may delay myself a day or two but, if I'm still craving it then? I go and have it in a reasonable portion, log it, and carry on with life.
  • spicegeek
    spicegeek Posts: 325 Member
    get it - serve yourself a reasonable but small portion - throw the rest in the trash - sit down eat enjoy ! ( in that order so once you are done with your portion you have no way to get more )
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i love take out sesame chicken. i still order it from time to time, however i learned how to make it myself. it's actually pretty simple. why not make some of your own chinese food?

    i use this recipe http://www.food.com/recipe/sesame-chicken-44321
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    I look at photos of all my cravings on instagram and think how strong I am for sticking to my healthy eating and loosing weight

    My problem with that is this: how will you sustain this long term? Is there a large list of foods you will never eat again? I just don't see how having a list of banned foods good for the long term. Sure, you will lose weight but how do you plan to sustain that weight loss for the rest of your life? By avoiding all of those foods forever? My reasoning is, better learn how to live with them now rather than forbidding yourself to eat foods you like. Everything you are learning as you lose weight is setting you up for how you will live your life when you are in maintenance.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    I eat.
  • littlelaura
    littlelaura Posts: 1,028 Member
    I have had intense cravings this week due to pre tom, stress on many issues, cabin fever, you name it, I just wanna eat comfort foods. I originally began to give into some for the weekend and called myself out on it. I have lost some weight, it didn't come easy. I don't want to undo what good I have done. So I sat down and made a list of why I want this more, I sat and visualized myself at my goal weight, being active, running, having fun, enjoying life more in that new body. I still had the craving but I ignored it and ate up on something healthy and then went and walked or worked out till it passed.
  • Noogynoogs
    Noogynoogs Posts: 1,028 Member
    Try slim aid patches :smile:
  • bitterpeaches
    bitterpeaches Posts: 55
    Eat it. It'll satisfy the craving. Just don't eat it all. Split it into portions. So if you make a large order, just separate them and stick the rest in the fridge. And then log it.

    And feel satisfied~ 8D Sometimes the body craves certain things and we can't avoid it forever.

    If the number looks ugly, then so be it. Some days will always be worse than others. If anything I always work out more the day I know that I'm going to be eating more.
  • monstergirl14
    monstergirl14 Posts: 345 Member
    So recently I have been CRAVING chinese food. Greasy lo mein noodles, sesame chicken, egg rolls. I have been avoiding it and eating other things but it just hasn't gone away. I am craving it even after I have eaten a whole meal and am full. What are some tips/tricks that you guys implement to satisfy the craving without going overboard or to turn the desire from your mind off? There are sometimes when I think about ordering it all day. When I have given in to my cravings before, they subside for a few days and are back again. Has anyone experienced this with a specific type of food? Thanks in advance

    Eat a small portion of what you crave! Make sure you order a small amount, or at least hand off the excess to someone else. If you get food guilt, go work out. Log what you eat. Be happy! This isn't a jail sentence where you can't eat what you love. :)
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    Stop thinking about food. It is enjoyable but not necessary for 24 hours a day. Get a hobby maybe..
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  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    I eat whatever I want. Just not *how much* I want.

    Get yourself some Chinese food, work it into your diary.
  • massromanticfool
    massromanticfool Posts: 34 Member
    I just eat it with moderation. If I know I'm going to have a splurge meal, I also try to plan it for dinner, so that I can have a light breakfast and lunch and then work out to make room for it in calories.
  • sunman00
    sunman00 Posts: 872 Member
    I read some of the 'success stories' on here, keeps it ALL in perspective
  • Trukngrl
    Trukngrl Posts: 106 Member
    Have one, but not all, your cravings. Stop in and get an egg roll only, or just some low mein. Look up healthy alternatives or recipes to make yourself and control the ingredients - up the fiber and protein, lower the number of noodles - you get your flavor and your craving satisfied while making it fit your needs in your daily intake. Also, go for a walk before/after, everything can fit....Just not all at once
  • Slim_strategy
    Slim_strategy Posts: 199
    I tried the whole avoidance thing before and it eventually fails xD I went months without ice cream, thought I'd treat myself to a small portion, BAM whole ice cream tub is gone in one sitting . Now I just eat what I want, when I want, as long as it fits into my calories :) a lot better.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Suprisingly I've found that they've pretty much gone away since I've been on MFP. It seems that hitting my macros satisfies me. Maybe you need to look at your fat intake if that's what you're craving. When I want sweets now, I have a tbls of mixed nuts--roasted sunflower seeds, almonds and pumpkin seeds (unsalted)--that I keep in a jar. This works for me. There's something wrong if you eat the food you're craving and it doesn't satisfy you.
  • ohiotubagal
    ohiotubagal Posts: 190 Member
    Oooh I love Chinese food...I feel your pain! I recently read Eat This, Not That and he gives suggestions of the healthy alternatives at lots of different restaurants. My fav is Panda Express. After I looked at the calorie and sodium content for my favorite dishes there, it turned me off. I did go with a healthier dish and found that it satisfied my craving. And since I ate half, I had lunch for the next day. I've also shared dishes with my kids...then there is no temptation to eat more than I should.

    Another thing...I opted for the stir fry veggies as a side instead of the rice or noodles. Still yummy!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Just have some. One night is not going to kill you. Typically I try and make healthier versions of what I crave but sometimes it just won't cut it.
  • catsandtats
    catsandtats Posts: 29 Member
    I zig zag my calories so there is always one day a week where I have a few extra calories than my normal day-to-day calorie intake. I use those days to go ahead and eat whatever it is I'm craving. Personally, I find that "substitutes" don't really do the trick. I have to have "the thing." I try to keep the portion within reason, though. Oftentimes, I also find that whenever I tell myself "yes, I can have this food, but just later this week," I don't want whatever it was anymore when the day finally rolls around. And, if I still do, that's awesome and I go for it with no regrets (but I don't take leftovers or anything like that -- just one portion, one meal).
  • kmclamb13
    kmclamb13 Posts: 220 Member
    If you think about it even when your full it will probably cause you to over eat if you don't have it.If i eat something i really want and not over do it its better.Have it and share it with someone .That way its not left there for you to finish off Later.
  • laureneliset
    laureneliset Posts: 50 Member
    If you are going to live the rest of your life not being overweight, you have to learn at some point how to eat the foods you love without restricting yourself for years on end.

    Couldn't have put it better myself.

    A tip from me about how I am managing this: The more I tell myself I "can't" have something, the more I want it. The way I approach it now is that I can have anything I want, however I equally want to stay within a weekly calorie limit and ensure 40% of those calories are from protein. So if I want gummy sweets then I will allow myself enough to satisfy my craving without putting out my calorie and carb count. What makes it more manageable is once I stop telling myself I "can't" have something, it tends to take the edge off the craving so it's easier to control the portion size. Win-win.
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
    If I am craving something that badly, I go ahead and have it. It doesn't mean you have to be a hog and scoff down 6 egg rolls, a tray of lo mein, etc. Have one egg roll, a reasonable portion of sesame chicken or noodles, and log it. If you are going to live the rest of your life not being overweight, you have to learn at some point how to eat the foods you love without restricting yourself for years on end.

    ^^^^This. Some binge eaters abstain from trigger foods to avoid bingeing, but if that isn't your problem, have some greasy Chinese take away in controlled proportions. If you don't it will become an issue in your life - that makes the food all the more important.

    :flowerforyou:
  • Wtn_Gurl
    Wtn_Gurl Posts: 396 Member
    I try to NOT feed my cravings, however, if I am doing well all week, if i choose to eat something, it better be really worth it... but in the overall picture, if you are doing well all week, and you happen to eat some crap food, then it probably wont hurt you in the long run, you MIGHT gain a pound (or what looks like a pound) of weight the next day, but it will go away shortly.

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