Evil carbs

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longiraffe
longiraffe Posts: 5
in Food and Nutrition
Omg I need help!!!! I am craving carbs and not the good ones!!!!! I want to eat chips of every variety, bread, cheese!!! Agh!! What is happening to me!!

How do you deal with your cravings?

I have tried drinking water and taking my mind off it but can't control it! It's really annoying me as it's starting to ruin my calorie count and weight plateauing!!!!!!

Replies

  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I deal with my cravings by not assigning morals and values to food.

    The best way for me: Lots of water, tell myself I will have some tomorrow, keep my hands busy, go to sleep if need be. You would be surprised how much you crave carbs when you're tired.

    ETA: I make room in my calories. I can't have high-calorie foods all day every day, but I make sure I have chips and cheese from time to time. I will gladly eat salads for lunch and dinner if I can have potato chips at night.
  • fearlessleader104
    fearlessleader104 Posts: 723 Member
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    Get yourself together
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Change your thinking and see that carbs are carbs.
    They are not good or bad.
    They exist in the universe. It is your choice how to handle them.

    I moved away from them as I move toward things and people that are part of both my short and long term goals.
  • richjones1968
    richjones1968 Posts: 25
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    I love carb loaded food as well. Find a way to fit them in sensibly (if you don`t then you`re going to go straight back to them once you finish the diet and undo all the good work anyway).
    If you want chips, have oven chips but weigh out a portion before you cook them - I was laughing at the pathetic size of the portion on the baking tray but once cooked and on a plate it wasn`t as bad as I thought.
    - I also love bread and we have an independent baker only 500 yards away, who bake daily on the premises. The trouble is the bread isn`t loaded with additives so doesn`t last long that was always my excuse for eating a whole fresh loaf in a day. Now when I treat myself to bread from the bakers I buy one roll instead and don't have that problem of the rest of the loaf sat in the cupboard begging to be eaten.
    - Again with the cheese. Don`t make it into an evil demon. Decide that you are going to have some but make it a positive decision. Just weigh out a portion and fit it into your calorie count. Try making it a goal reward - either do an exercise session telling yourself that this is to earn the cheese or have it when you`ve lost the next 2 or 5 pounds.
    - Making the changes to the way you fit these in to your life is what will make the long term change to maintain the new slimline body you`re working for
    -
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I find a way to fit them into my daily intake, then do my best to keep portions reasonable. It usually works, but not always. Like everyone else, there are good days and bad days... just keep the bad days in check (not too frequent and not off the charts bad) and you should be fine.

    Also, find ways to keep busy. If you just sit around thinking about food, how long do you really expect to hold out?
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
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    Since when is cheese a carb?
  • joneallen
    joneallen Posts: 217 Member
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    How dare you speak of carbs as evil!! :p
  • thecrushinator
    thecrushinator Posts: 76 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Try high fat or high protien snack, then start playing tetris. The high calories will fill you up and the game of OCD will distract you.

    Edit: I don't like bread carbs either. Try eating something starch heavy once a week. (potatoes, root veggies,the occasional gluten free cacker)
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Carbs aren't evil. They're just carbs.
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
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    I think my cravings are controlled because I keep my protein and fiber intake quite high, and allow myself to have moderate portions of goodies every day. So while I'll still crave "bad" "evil" carbs (carbs are neither, by the way, and cheese isn't a carb), I don't really have much an inclination to throw my brain in the trash and binge.
  • christinehuds
    christinehuds Posts: 42 Member
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    Don't see carbs as "evil" and don't restrict too much. The key to long term success is to let yourself enjoy the foods you love in moderation. The more you label foods you love as evil and forbid yourself to have them, the more your body and mind will crave it. It's ok to have a serving size or two of chips every once in a while.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    edited January 2015
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    fearlessleader104 wrote: »
    Get yourself together

    Yeah, mostly this.

    Are you on a low carb diet? If so, maybe it's not for you.
    Do you have PMS? If so, I have no help. I usually just ate the chocoloate. :\

    Whatever the cause, you can control it. Some days are just harder than others.
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    uhhhhhhhh......... eat them? Make them fit your carb allowance.
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
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    Yes - for me "carbs = satan" sometimes too! LOL

    A few things:
    • Get more fiber and protein in.
    • If you're going to have a carb, have a protein first. (Protein takes longer to digest, and carbs burn off more quickly.)
    • Make sure you're taking vitamins...sometimes the body can mask nutrient deficits as "cravings" for things should not ought to have.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    fearlessleader104 wrote: »
    Get yourself together

    I see Edna Mole smacking Mrs Incredible across the face with a newspaper when I read this.

    PULL.
    YOURSELF.
    TOGETHER.

    You're an INCREDIBLE!!!!

    lmao
  • bluesdivaca
    bluesdivaca Posts: 27 Member
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    Where are you emotionally? Carbs are my go-to for comfort. If you need self-soothing then find that somewhere... a pedicure... anything but food. When I crave carbs (sugar & fat combos - cakes, pies) it means I need to check in with something emotionally... first. If the craving persists, eat something non-carb and see if it is hunger. Although this works usually for me, it may not work for all people.

    At home, I do not keep those foods so they are not easily eaten. Regardless of all - I drink water and wait five minutes to see if I still want it. Not easy considering I am retraining behavior but it sorts it out for me since - I apparently - am unable to do this quickly :wink:
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited January 2015
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    xcalygrl wrote: »
    Since when is cheese a carb?

    This was my first thought. Have we entered a world where "carb" ceases to have any actual meaning and just means high calorie food?

    That said, eat cheese. IME, cheese is not only delicious, but satiating. Just watch your portion size. (Same advice goes for most anything, though.)

    On cravings, is it just that you want to eat stuff? If so, it's your body fighting back against the change. Ignore it, realize your next meal isn't that far away, and eat then. If you think you are starving and can't wait, eat carrots or something--that's a good way to teach yourself that you aren't really hungry.

    If it's a specific craving for a specific food that lasts, then you may well want to indulge it. I'd do it in the context of a meal and not in an unlimited way. For example, if one is craving chocolate eating some high quality chocolate in a small quantity after a meal is a good option. For chips, just measure out some or get a small bag and eat that with a meal that has protein and veggies and such too. DON'T just grab a big bag and have a handful, as for most people that leads to one more and one more, since it makes portion control hard. The issue is not eating chips, but eating too many chips.

    If it's not a specific food but just more carbs, maybe you are too low for your needs. Try adding some wholegrain bread or roasted potatoes to a meal and see if that hits the spot.

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