How to keep cravings from becoming realities?

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karmac0matic
karmac0matic Posts: 285
in Motivation and Support
I've already eaten breakfast and lunch and I'm just deathly craving mac & cheese. First off, that would put me way over my calories and sodium, etc. So I can't do that. But I just don't know how to keep myself from getting up and making it. I'm sick so I don't really have much energy to distract myself with exercise (though i will be doing some exercise later, just walking and a little running)...

I've heard of drinking water to fill up but that never really works for me 'cause I always want the flavor of whatever I'm craving, not just to be filled up.

Help?!
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  • PinkCoconut
    PinkCoconut Posts: 655 Member
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    A few other things I do to distract myself (other than exercise) is to call someone on the phone to talk about ANYTHING but food. HOUSE CLEAN. If you have a hobby or something that you've been putting off, do that. Get OUT of the house! Just go for a walk if you can (it'll help to get some fresh air when you're sick). Read an engrossing book or just look at a lot of motivational websites so you won't want to eat it!

    Hope that helps! Feel free to friend me! :)
  • CA_Underdog
    CA_Underdog Posts: 733 Member
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    : First off, that would put me way over my calories and sodium, etc.

    Are you doing home-made? A roux-based mac 'n cheese only has a little cheese, and consequently only a little sodium. Use an extra-sharp cheddar so the cheese flavor shines through despite having so little. I could easily fit that in and make 2,300mg and with effort 1500mg sodium on a 2,000 calorie diet.

    If the 300 calories would make you go over, can you afford to eat a half portion, so you can have the flavor you crave? I had a half-cup of strawberry gelato yesterday. Very yummy!
  • karmac0matic
    karmac0matic Posts: 285
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    A few other things I do to distract myself (other than exercise) is to call someone on the phone to talk about ANYTHING but food. HOUSE CLEAN. If you have a hobby or something that you've been putting off, do that. Get OUT of the house! Just go for a walk if you can (it'll help to get some fresh air when you're sick). Read an engrossing book or just look at a lot of motivational websites so you won't want to eat it!

    Hope that helps! Feel free to friend me! :)
    That's actually really helpful :) I'm cleaning my room now to distract myself, then I'm going to look up some low-cal recipes and create a sort of online scrapbook. Thanks!
  • karmac0matic
    karmac0matic Posts: 285
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    : First off, that would put me way over my calories and sodium, etc.

    Are you doing home-made? A roux-based mac 'n cheese only has a little cheese, and consequently only a little sodium. Use an extra-sharp cheddar so the cheese flavor shines through despite having so little. I could easily fit that in and make 2,300mg and with effort 1500mg sodium on a 2,000 calorie diet.

    If the 300 calories would make you go over, can you afford to eat a half portion, so you can have the flavor you crave? I had a half-cup of strawberry gelato yesterday. Very yummy!

    My issue is sometimes when I get a flavor I like, I keep going with it. Like, I'll say to myself "only eat half a portion of such-and-such" and end up eating like 4-6 times what I meant to. I have a disordered-eating past/present so it's hard for me to just stop when I want to. So it's not a good idea for me to even take the first bite.
  • thecrushinator
    thecrushinator Posts: 76 Member
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    Try lemon or lime in your water. Also I detest dark chocolate, I keep a bag of 86% cacao in my desk to stuff in my mouth when I start thinking about cheating .
  • ChristinWrites
    ChristinWrites Posts: 119 Member
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    telling yourself you "can't" have something does tend to intensify cravings. Maybe instead of mac and cheese, you could have an ounce of a really good cheese and a handful of crackers? or even just an ounce of a good cheese with nothing else. That will give you the cheesy flavor. A lot of this is mental - instead of "I can't eat that" ... change it to "I choose not to eat that" - more empowering. Also, don't flat out deny yourself something you truly want - instead, empower yourself to find a way to have something healthier to satisfy the crave - the ounce of good cheese instead of box of mac and cheese etc.
  • CA_Underdog
    CA_Underdog Posts: 733 Member
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    > Like, I'll say to myself "only eat half a portion of such-and-such" and end up eating like 4-6 times what I meant to.

    Okay. Cook the smallest portion you can, serve yourself one cup, then toss the rest in the disposal. I am sure there's a way to sate your craving without denying yourself. For me, it helps to immediate "box" or "bag" what I won't be eating. This makes it less tempting to dig in and have one more serving.

    > telling yourself you "can't" have something does tend to intensify cravings.

    Agreed! Allowing myself to have anything makes it easier not to. :)
  • HardyGirl4Ever
    HardyGirl4Ever Posts: 1,017 Member
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    I struggle with this often. I find that it helps to post on here. It makes me think about what everyone would say, and somehow it helps. Then I just eat good things like veggies and fruit. This doesn't always work, cuz I have disordered eating as well. But I'm trying, and I take it one day at a time.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
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    > Like, I'll say to myself "only eat half a portion of such-and-such" and end up eating like 4-6 times what I meant to.

    Okay. Cook the smallest portion you can, serve yourself one cup, then toss the rest in the disposal. I am sure there's a way to sate your craving without denying yourself. For me, it helps to immediate "box" or "bag" what I won't be eating. This makes it less tempting to dig in and have one more serving.

    > telling yourself you "can't" have something does tend to intensify cravings.

    Agreed! Allowing myself to have anything makes it easier not to. :)

    This or put the rest in the freezer in small portions for the next craving. I also sometimes just have cauliflower with some cheddar melted on top. It is usually the cheese I crave so I switch around the thing I put it on.
  • SelkathNuggets
    SelkathNuggets Posts: 37 Member
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    I'm also really bad with portion control. What's been working for me (around 20 pounds lost so far over 3 months) is just minimizing/eliminating calorie dense food around my house. When I'm looking for a stress food fix, grapes work just as well as chocolate chips but I'll prey on the chocolate 100% of the time if it's available.

    Wrapping grapes in iceberg lettuce gives a strangely satisfying crunchy/juice flavor, definitely recommend trying that out.
  • etscher
    etscher Posts: 41 Member
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    I've found it helpful when I have a craving for something only to make a single serving of that thing, so I don't have the temptation to eat a whole pan of it (which I've done way too often).

    If you look on Pinterest, you can usually find single serving recipes of ________ and call it a day. Besides, even if you want more than that one serving, making another serving all over again will be too much work and too many dishes, so you'll be less likely to binge on it.

    But that's just me; if I don't eat the thing I'm craving right then, I'll eventually binge on it.
  • karmac0matic
    karmac0matic Posts: 285
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    Thank you everyone! Really appreciate the advice. What worked for me was getting some exercise (went for a 50 minute walk, 10 minute jog), keeping my fluid intake up, and (since I have a restrict/purge type disorder) thinking about how much I'd rather not feel like I have to make myself sick. I also have moved from my regular place on my laptop in the family room (which is connected to the kitchen) up to my bedroom so I'm not as close and don't feel as tempted to go into the kitchen.

    As for the "putting extra portions away" - if I made a full package of something like mac-n-cheese and put the majority of it away in the freezer, I know that I would have a VERY hard time not taking it out once I'm done my portion. I don't ever really "binge" but I do lack some control when it comes to portions.

    And regarding getting rid of the bad-for-me stuff, I live at my parents (I'm 20) so I can't just go throwing out their food. Best I can do is learn to control my cravings and portions. Thanks everyone!
  • LinziT123
    LinziT123 Posts: 43 Member
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    hey,

    heres what ive been doing today, if i think i gonna do a fridge raid i get up and walk, even if its back and forth in the living room (which ive been doing today) and time yourself, and log how long you walked for..its amazing how much calories can be burned even if its 5 mins!!!:smile: im hoping that is gonna help me keep on track and get some calorie burn in! xx
  • xscat
    xscat Posts: 80 Member
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    Took a look at your dairy and it looks like you've been eating less than 500kcal a day and calling yourself "doing good"?
  • karmac0matic
    karmac0matic Posts: 285
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    I think i mentioned somewhere I have disordered tendencies (I apologize if i never did... i've had disorders mostly ednos since i was 11). when i say doing good, it means i'm actually eating something and haven't purged at all that day and getting some exercise. i'm working on working up my calories. i know it's not great but i am trying. i had lunch and breakfast today which is more than i can usually say.

    i dont want to crave something, feel like i ate too much, and then feel the need to purge basically. so comparatively speaking, i'm doing well. . .
  • xscat
    xscat Posts: 80 Member
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    Understand where you are coming from then. It IS hard. I've been there :)

    Yes at early stages of recovery not purging is a success already. What helped me was to eat things your stomach is comfortable with to ease my body in digesting food again....basically carbs for me.... Not super healthy i know, but sometimes we really have to focus only on one priority :)
  • kimmers1027
    kimmers1027 Posts: 122
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    Water with lemon really helps with the cravings for me. It keeps me full. :)) Good luck.
  • birkona
    birkona Posts: 24
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    When I started eating healthy and exercising two weeks ago, I had the roughest time trying to fight off chocolate cravings. It was like I would crave chocolate all day, everyday. Then I read online that lemon water helps reduce cravings.

    I started taking a cup and a half of warm water and squeeze half a lemon in it, than i would cut the lemon into four parts and put it in the water. Make sure to keep the skin on, from what I read, that's what will keep your cravings low. It has helped me so far. I'm on week two and barely get any cravings now.

    Lemon water also has a ton more benefits to it. I usually drink it before lunch.
  • karmac0matic
    karmac0matic Posts: 285
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    When I started eating healthy and exercising two weeks ago, I had the roughest time trying to fight off chocolate cravings. It was like I would crave chocolate all day, everyday. Then I read online that lemon water helps reduce cravings.

    I started taking a cup and a half of warm water and squeeze half a lemon in it, than i would cut the lemon into four parts and put it in the water. Make sure to keep the skin on, from what I read, that's what will keep your cravings low. It has helped me so far. I'm on week two and barely get any cravings now.

    Lemon water also has a ton more benefits to it. I usually drink it before lunch.

    That's actually a really good idea, I'm going to try that!
  • paintlisapurple
    paintlisapurple Posts: 982 Member
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    Maybe try melting some really good cheese over some veggies?

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