How to resist an extreme sweet tooth?

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lmv88
lmv88 Posts: 12
in Food and Nutrition
I really need help with this. I like food, but I LOVE sweets. Cakes, pies, candy, ice cream, any kind of sweet treat. Obviously I cannot have these things and still lose weight- does anyone have any tips on how to curb these sweet tooth cravings? They are really really bad. (Please don't mention will power as a method :P )

Replies

  • biggirlstrawberry
    biggirlstrawberry Posts: 1
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    what about some gum or fruit is good for you:bigsmile:
  • Tamiash
    Tamiash Posts: 106 Member
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    bump
  • bigmommy2011
    bigmommy2011 Posts: 47
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    Try sugar free gum.Hope that helps.:tongue:
  • mommyjen7
    mommyjen7 Posts: 12
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    I would much rather spend my calories on cheesecake and cookies than real food. Unfortunately at some point your health and blood sugar really goes haywire. I either have to have none of them at all or if I have a bite or two and the availability, I'm toast.....If you get any great feedback on how to control this I would appreciate as well.
  • 2011_4mygirls
    2011_4mygirls Posts: 298 Member
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    A few things that I have tried:

    1 - chew sugar free gum
    2 - increase your water
    3 - if still wanting something sweet - try a 100 calorie snack pack (I really like the oreo crisps!)
    4 - if still wanting a piece of cake or pie - eat a small piece, b/c if you feel like you are cheating yourself, you may not stick with it. This journey is a lifestyle change, it is really not what you eat but HOW much you eat.
    5 - if you end up doing #4, just increase your calorie burn
    6 - whatever you do, do not beat yourself up over it! We are human and we are going to make mistakes!!!!

    I hope this helps!!!
  • CallMeMamaBoo
    CallMeMamaBoo Posts: 295
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    sugar free sweet tea
    sensible portions-apple cinnamon straws
    fat free low cal homemade brownies
    cinnamon burst cheerios
    yoplait yogurts like apple turnover and cherry cobbler are my favorites
    1/2 serving of anything chocolate like hershey kisses and m&ms
    Quaker 90 calorie packs, chocolatey mint is my FAVORITE!!!

    Those are just a few things that I find helps me and they are mostly still good for you!
  • pchinow2000
    pchinow2000 Posts: 9
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    I have the same problem it's horrible. I try to eat the low cal low fat sweets when I get my cravings. Like the light klondike bars. I also eat the no sugar added fudgesicles. They only have 40 calories and are low in fat and sugar.
  • bbush18
    bbush18 Posts: 207 Member
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    I'm the same way!! Especially when late night! I find it that if I drink 6-8 oz of water, I feel full so I don't crave as much. However, for the times I forget to drink water to curb the craving...I stash the healthy sweets in front of the unhealthy ones! Try frozen yogurts in place of ice cream and vita muffins in place of cakes/breads. Look hard for low fat/low cal candies...it's hard, but they're out there!! Also, if you're filling your body with high protein low fat things throughout the day, you're a lot less likely to get those cravings. But I believe in the once-in-a-while indulgence!! :wink:
  • lmv88
    lmv88 Posts: 12
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    A few things that I have tried:

    1 - chew sugar free gum
    2 - increase your water
    3 - if still wanting something sweet - try a 100 calorie snack pack (I really like the oreo crisps!)
    4 - if still wanting a piece of cake or pie - eat a small piece, b/c if you feel like you are cheating yourself, you may not stick with it. This journey is a lifestyle change, it is really not what you eat but HOW much you eat.
    5 - if you end up doing #4, just increase your calorie burn
    6 - whatever you do, do not beat yourself up over it! We are human and we are going to make mistakes!!!!

    I hope this helps!!!


    Thanks for this! To answer most of you, I chew gum like it's going out of style.. haha. I don't drink ANY water unless I'm working out (don't yell at me! I started this journey last week, and I HATE water!)
  • TJ26
    TJ26 Posts: 35
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    I have the same problem..lol. I have found that when I'm craving something it's usually when I'm watching tv or reading so I try to go for a walk or crank the music and do some housework. Something really weird too that really helped me last summer was to smell a really fruity/coconut tanning lotion to remind me of the beach and how much better I would feel if I was thinner in my swimsuit. Good luck!!!!!
  • blackblack1
    blackblack1 Posts: 1
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    try fruit or applesauce and sometimes you can just be thirsty. I have the sames problem at nite time, so my goal is to avoid anything that has alot of calories in it. You Can Do It!!!! blackblack1
  • kellybones
    kellybones Posts: 281 Member
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    I try to keep myself to Vitatops - any of the chocolate kind or else I have 5 dark chocolate Hershey's kisses.

    Both of these sweet snacks are 100 calories.

    Totally giving up sweets makes me binge so I compromise and have reasonable, pre-portioned amounts that I know exactly how many calories are in them!
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
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    I have an extreme sweet tooth myself! If I could each sweets all day every day and be thin and survive, I would do it in a heartbeat. I has taken 2 months but I am a little better. Granted this past weekend I had a baby shower and bday party to attend and I ate 3 pieces of cake. I would not call that under control. Anyway, my point is to enjoy everything in moderation. DH and I have dessert every single night. We do the skinny cow bars or sandwiches. It helps but my biggest thing is to just not have it around. If it is not in the house, it is not a temptation. Also, I no longer carry change or cash to work so that I will not hit up the vending machine that screams my name every time I walk by.
  • BabyDuchess
    BabyDuchess Posts: 353 Member
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    Sweets is how I became 145 lbs overweight and I knew I had to get it under control but I also knew it wasn't realistic to think I wasn't ever going to have sweets again.....so I devised a plan. Every Friday or Saturday I have a dessert of my choice and I try to stick within my calorie range for that day but if I go over, I don't sweat it. I've been consistently losing weight since Dec. 13, 2010 with this plan....I even have sweets sometimes during the week but I make sure it's low in fat and calories....like Skinny Cow Ice Cream....M'mm Hope this helps and remember in the big scheme of things you have to come up with a plan that you can live with for a lifetime! Good luck to you!
  • audjrey
    audjrey Posts: 360 Member
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    The law of nature dictates - you attract that which you resist. That said, don't resist your sweet tooth. Instead, manage it better. Find healthier sweet choices that compliment your new goals, habits and lifestyle. My suggestion is to make a list of all the sweet things you like and then post it here on MFP asking others for similar yet healthier alternatives. You just might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.
  • lyndsloo
    lyndsloo Posts: 242
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    Hi there! Great question! Eat 1 sweet treat a week and make it good. I definitely don't do the low-cal stuff when I'm eating a treat. If you're going to eat it, go all out. It's worked for me! I definitely calculate it and wait patiently for my chocolate cake. I am very cautious of what I eat the day before and the day after. I used to not think my day was complete unless I had dessert, but now I rarely think about it. Lately, I haven't even wanted the weekly treat. Your body adjusts!


    Try it and see what happens. Good luck!
  • lmv88
    lmv88 Posts: 12
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    I have an extreme sweet tooth myself! If I could each sweets all day every day and be thin and survive, I would do it in a heartbeat. I has taken 2 months but I am a little better. Granted this past weekend I had a baby shower and bday party to attend and I ate 3 pieces of cake. I would not call that under control. Anyway, my point is to enjoy everything in moderation. DH and I have dessert every single night. We do the skinny cow bars or sandwiches. It helps but my biggest thing is to just not have it around. If it is not in the house, it is not a temptation. Also, I no longer carry change or cash to work so that I will not hit up the vending machine that screams my name every time I walk by.

    Ah yeah, my live in boyfriend is not so much on the healthy band wagon either, and so sometimes there are lots of sweet things around. We are both trying to be healthier though, so it's really cut back. Also the cash thing! I am a college student, and vending machines are soooo accessible! I make/made it a point to have quarters on me all the time just in case.
  • momof3babes
    momof3babes Posts: 103
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    I love the skinny cow treats. I try to save some calories and treat myself to an ice cream sandwich once or twice a week. Also, I love to use lite cool whip and mix it with fresh strawberries or blueberries when I'm craving sweets. It really seems to help nix it!
  • Dawn111567
    Dawn111567 Posts: 46
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    How I did it was to detox my body of them. I started by eating only protein, vegetables, some fruits (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) & healthy fats for two weeks. By the end of the two weeks (actually before) the cravings were gone. I cut everything white unless it was a vegetable like cauliflower. Everyone thinks that it is hard but it really is not. The first few days for some are very hard I will not lie but it really depends on the individual.
  • cng1117
    cng1117 Posts: 225 Member
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    Bump!! It's a terrible thing :tongue: but I'm SOOO happy there are others out there suffering with the same vices!!

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