Food alternatives to help keep sugar cravings under control?

fpsmoto
fpsmoto Posts: 31
edited November 7 in Motivation and Support
Sugar is my kryptonite. I'm addicted to it and I've always had trouble with cravings. Besides simply not buying foods that are not high in sugar, what are some good alternatives that will not only curb the cravings but also make me feel full?

Replies

  • ericarenee2005
    ericarenee2005 Posts: 91
    I've heard before that craving sugar all of the time could be a potassium deficiency. I dunno but it might be worth a try to look into a supplement or eating more foods with high content of it.
  • daydreams_of_pretty
    daydreams_of_pretty Posts: 506 Member
    If you can go 3-4 days without eating added sugars the cravings won't be overwhelming unless you eat too much sugar at one time. If you still want sweets, look for dark chocolate that is lower in sugar (like Godiva 72% Cacao), frozen fruit pops, Good Pops (a type of popsicle), fruit, or yogurt. Also, try not to eat too many carbs at one time because the cravings will come back.
  • RonnieLodge
    RonnieLodge Posts: 665 Member
    Sugar is my kryptonite. I'm addicted to it and I've always had trouble with cravings. Besides simply not buying foods that are not high in sugar, what are some good alternatives that will not only curb the cravings but also make me feel full?

    Bacon!

    Seriously though, try a week of NO sugar (and plenty of fat).

    If I eat sugar I just crave more of it and break out in pimples. So the best bet is to reduce it as much as possible and be prepared with something fat & yummy.

    I currently have a ready supply of fat bombs (google that shiz), bacon fat, aioli, cheeses, coconut cream, avocados, cream and butter.

    Fat is calorie dense but will make you feel full and after a day or two I find I don't have sugar cravings anymore.
  • squishprincess
    squishprincess Posts: 371 Member
    you could try a banana, i mean it's like one of the sugariest fruits but it's filling and is a healthier alternative than cookies or cake. or you could try a bit of peanut butter with apple slices or celery sticks. or maybe like a square or two of dark chocolate every now and then. oh! also kettle corn is what i love. very filling and 3 cups popped is like 45 cals
  • gnomers
    gnomers Posts: 5 Member
    IM the same. Sweets as well as salty snacks are mine. I love watermelon, It's super filling and usually gets rid of my sweet tooth. If I really want something sweet I also go for flavored Greek yogurt or plain yogurt with honey and fruit. You could also try upping your water intake. Someone earlier said to try to stay away for a couple of days. That might work too...
  • Phoenix__Rising
    Phoenix__Rising Posts: 9,981 Member
    Anything protein is pretty awesome.
    It will satiate and give a boost to fitness performance as
    opposed to sugars spiking but have a little carb with it.
    Eating too many carbs will make you more hungry for an
    abundance in them. You may need to revise and look at
    your macros.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    It takes me three days. I stop all sugar and all carbs during that time.
    I eat eggs, bacon, cheese, full fat greek yogurt. Also a huge salad each day with cold cuts and luxurious high fat salad dressing.

    After three days I can go back to a careful diet that includes beans, nuts, lentils, avocados, one piece of fruit a day.

    Good luck.
  • kingscrown
    kingscrown Posts: 615 Member
    I have a huge sweet monster I have to control. I found it's only half as big a monster if I don't consume any artificial sweeteners. When my craving get strong I start reading labels for ways it can sneak into my day. Latest culprit... vitamins.
  • kablackwood
    kablackwood Posts: 6
    A little bit of sugar is not bad, if you are like me and you looooove everything sugary, it's probably going to be your biggest struggle in this entire ordeal, as it has been for me. I have porridge in the mornings which has some sugar in it, and it tends to get rid of my cravings until about lunch time. I also have one chocolate bar every Sunday afternoon which also gives me something to work for and look forward to. If I have plans on the Friday or Saturday night with friends, I will eat as normal and skip the chocolate bar. I have found over the last couple of years that weight loss is simply maths. But don't let the equations take over your mind like they have mine! Good luck :)
  • kikityme
    kikityme Posts: 472 Member
    For me, I always thought it was sugar I was craving. When I cut the carbs down severely the sugar cravings stopped. Yes, I know carbs are sugar. But, I would eat a sandwich thinking it would curb my craving for a cookie, and it made it worse. So then I had had a sandwich AND (30) cookies.

    I dropped my carbs (all carbs, no free passes to anything) to about 100g/day spread evenly through my meals. It's sustainable.

    Other than that, try something sour. A sour fruit or a bite of lemon....
  • Chuck_Finley
    Chuck_Finley Posts: 29
    I'm not a sweet tooth but I LOVE Diet Coke (and Coke Zeros okay too I guess). Diet Soda in general is pretty decent. I can't taste the difference between some of them like Grape sodas.
  • mrshunt3
    mrshunt3 Posts: 13 Member
    I love sweets and all things carb as well so it's been really difficult to find something that works for me, but I did. I've found that when I am really craving sweets-or anything-right now it feels like hunger. It's not hunger, it's thirst. Water (bottled or tap) just doesn't cut it so I've gotten flavored, no cal sparkling water and Lipton Diet Citrus Green Tea. All of them are sweet, but no calories. A non-sweet, but still tasty water is the flavored La Croix water…especially the lime flavor and the peach pear. All of these help curb the cravings as well as add to my daily water intake! I also drink coffee, so a cup of fresh brewed coffee with a tablespoon of low fat half and half is also a good way to chase away the cravings for sweets and doesn't add tremendously to the calorie intake.
  • Illyrien
    Illyrien Posts: 7 Member
    For me it was a long battle to get rid of sugar, especially since I did now know that path to take, and I still have occasional lapses. In any case, my observations would be that:

    * Eating sugar makes me want it even more
    * Eating sugar makes me much more hungry
    * Things with sweeterners (like Coke Zero) arent as good as the originals with sugar, but good enough most of the time.
    * Eating tons of veggies seems to take away most hunger, turning it manageable.
    * Oddly enough lots, of exerciese (I bike about 90 min per day as transportation) makes me less hungry, including less hungry for sugar.
    * Once I had escaped sugar's dominance, most of the cravings left. Sure, I have the occasional weekend when I eat a lot of sugar, but letting go afterwards is much easier.
    * For me, finding some steady meal without sugar was of serious importance. I eat about 100-200g of bacon and 500g of frozen veggies daily as be evening meal. Cheap, low carb and hunger killing. Wish I had know about that years ago.
  • EmotionalEater84
    EmotionalEater84 Posts: 311 Member
    Fruit. You'd be amazed what an apple, grapes or watermelon can do for the sugar cravings :) Natural sugar FTW!
  • JenH1550
    JenH1550 Posts: 46
    Cinnamon helps stabilize blood sugar. I just loaded up on Big Red gum and cinnamon sticks to chew on. It's spicy, sweet, and helps the large spikes and crashes in blood sugar. Plus it gives me something no cal and no carb to put in my face.
  • SharonNehring
    SharonNehring Posts: 535 Member
    For me it was a long battle to get rid of sugar, especially since I did now know that path to take, and I still have occasional lapses. In any case, my observations would be that:

    * Eating sugar makes me want it even more
    * Eating sugar makes me much more hungry
    * Things with sweeterners (like Coke Zero) arent as good as the originals with sugar, but good enough most of the time.
    * Eating tons of veggies seems to take away most hunger, turning it manageable.
    * Oddly enough lots, of exerciese (I bike about 90 min per day as transportation) makes me less hungry, including less hungry for sugar.
    * Once I had escaped sugar's dominance, most of the cravings left. Sure, I have the occasional weekend when I eat a lot of sugar, but letting go afterwards is much easier.
    * For me, finding some steady meal without sugar was of serious importance. I eat about 100-200g of bacon and 500g of frozen veggies daily as be evening meal. Cheap, low carb and hunger killing. Wish I had know about that years ago.


    Love this! The more sugar you eat the more you crave it. I used to eat a ton of cookies, donuts etc but no more. I forced myself to tough it out for a couple of weeks and the cravings lessened considerably.

    Fruit is a good replacement for sweets. I freeze banana slices then have 2-3 slices with a bit of peanut butter YUM! Frozen grapes take me longer to eat. Frozen blueberries are great to add to drinks (blueberry hard lemonade is favorite LOL). Apple slices with cheese. If you combine protein with fruit, it's more filling and prevents that sugar rush.

    Skinny Cow products are my choice when I must have chocolate. Their crisp bars come in several flavors and taste like a candy bar while being lower in sugar, carbs and calories. Their caramel truffle ice cream bars are to die for. :)
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Sugar is my kryptonite. I'm addicted to it and I've always had trouble with cravings. Besides simply not buying foods that are not high in sugar, what are some good alternatives that will not only curb the cravings but also make me feel full?

    Have you seen a Doctor? Sugar cravings can be an indication of the onset of diabetes as Obesity is one of the risk factors it would be worth seeing a doctor
  • sho3girl
    sho3girl Posts: 10,799 Member
    Bump

    .. i go over my sugar - with FRUIT .., will look into the cinnamon gum thanks
  • elliexxgeorge
    elliexxgeorge Posts: 58
    Liquorice herbal tea works for me each time!

    I'm amazed but it's true :-)

    and at 0 calories I'm not complaining lol :bigsmile:
  • Sharon5913
    Sharon5913 Posts: 134 Member
    Like many of the other posters, I use gum and fruit. I am still in the middle of weaning myself off sugar, but this is a couple of things that has helped me. I also love the sparkling zero calorie waters.

    Sharon
  • nickle2dime
    nickle2dime Posts: 23 Member
    Green Smoothies KILL sugar cravings!! Ever have one?
  • fpsmoto
    fpsmoto Posts: 31
    no haha but doesn't sound too appetizing. I have juiced in the past though. My favorite combo was garlic, celery, cauliflower, green onion, carrots and tomatoes and parsley. The tomatoes and garlic make it taste like liquid salsa. only problem is juicing can get expensive.
  • kevinsmithrn
    kevinsmithrn Posts: 70 Member
    Like most responses NO sugar for 3 days will help... it worked for me. It is a huge struggle. Read up on all the bad stuff about sugar and what it does to our bodies - that may give you the motivation to pass on a particularly bad craving episode. Good Luck!
  • makeschanges
    makeschanges Posts: 1
    I heard the Paleo Diet even for a week will help reset your system ridding your food cravings
  • MomFLYer
    MomFLYer Posts: 47 Member
    I am going to try the 3 days without sugar - but now I need a good substitute for my Pepsi Freeze - anyone know if I can order a Chai Latte without sugar?
  • vgnfarmer
    vgnfarmer Posts: 108 Member
    No chai latte without sugar but you can get a chai tea bag and just add milk to that tea. High fat, low carb for a few days helps to reset me when I notice I want sugar all the time
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