Intense Cravings and Subsitutions

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nickycole92
nickycole92 Posts: 6 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've found recently that when I don't give into a craving for a long time (several weeks) I don't crave it anymore and when I finally do indulge a little... it's not as good as I remember!

Today I was craving Taco Bell. HARD CORE CRAVING. I used to eat it more than once a week. I craved it before the gym. Even after the gym when usually I think "nah I'm not gonna mess up that hard work with wayy to many calories" - I still wanted it.

Instead, I went home, tossed some chicken in taco seasoning and cooked it up in olive oil with some veggies. Mexican knock-off craving - satisfied.

My questions is- What do you crave? What do you substitute it with?
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Replies

  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
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    Anything and everything, and I eat it.

    I can't see the point in depriving yourself of the things you like.
  • My_Butt
    My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
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    Cheese sauce. I skip the jar stuff since I'm cheap and I just mix 2% milk, Italian spices, and grated Parmesan cheese.
  • My_Butt
    My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
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    cityruss wrote: »
    Anything and everything, and I eat it.

    I can't see the point in depriving yourself of the things you like.

    I like twinkies, but there's nothing nutritious about those. I'm not gonna bust my buns doing 2 hours of working out to ruin it on a box of twinkies.
  • KitkatcuteNYC
    KitkatcuteNYC Posts: 150 Member
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    cityruss wrote: »
    Anything and everything, and I eat it.

    I can't see the point in depriving yourself of the things you like.

    Actually there is a point.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
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    KitkatcuteNYC wrote: »
    cityruss wrote: »
    Anything and everything, and I eat it.

    I can't see the point in depriving yourself of the things you like.

    Actually there is a point.

    ...go on
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
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    kojiro44705 wrote: »
    cityruss wrote: »
    Anything and everything, and I eat it.

    I can't see the point in depriving yourself of the things you like.

    I like twinkies, but there's nothing nutritious about those. I'm not gonna bust my buns doing 2 hours of working out to ruin it on a box of twinkies.

    Twinkies don't contain nutrition?

    What are you ruining and how are you ruining it, by eating something you like, and remaining in a calorie deficit?
  • Isabelle_1929
    Isabelle_1929 Posts: 233 Member
    edited February 2015
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    cityruss wrote: »
    Anything and everything, and I eat it.

    I can't see the point in depriving yourself of the things you like.

    Well, when you're a short 43 years-old woman and you must not exceed 1200 calories to lose a pound per week, and that you just CANNOT STAND being hungry, then you have to deprive yourself of many many many things you like. That is the point. For me anyways.
  • RebelDiamond
    RebelDiamond Posts: 188 Member
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    I use substitutes in cooking, for instance, if I'm making a thai curry I'll use almond milk rather than coconut milk and lots of veggies rather than lots of rice.
    Or I'll substitute sugar for stevia in baking. Similar taste but lower calories and fits into my goals.
  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
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    I am also on a 1200 calorie diet and I manage to eat a chocolate pudding or ice cream every day. I do this because if I don't eat a little of what I want I will stop altogether when I reach my goal and that isn't the point of this change. I can't go through life never eating anything bad again. Bad sometimes tastes so good.
  • corgicake
    corgicake Posts: 846 Member
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    Give the tasty rubbish a time and place, and your patience will grow.
  • missh1967
    missh1967 Posts: 661 Member
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    nickycole92 wrote: »
    I've found recently that when I don't give into a craving for a long time (several weeks) I don't crave it anymore and when I finally do indulge a little... it's not as good as I remember!


    Nah. Take ice cream away from me for 10 years, and when I eat it again, it will taste just as (if not more) delicious than ever. Same with cheese. No matter how long I abstain, it still is one of the best things on this earth.

  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    If I have a constant craving for something, I plan it into a day. Depriving myself is not a good habit to resussitate.
  • deviantcupcake
    deviantcupcake Posts: 136 Member
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    As long as I can work it into my daily or weekly calories, I won't deprive myself of anything. Doing that just leads to me being miserable and it isn't worth that. A little bit (or sometimes a lot) of what I'm craving makes the cravings go away and doesn't harm my weight loss. Life is too short to deny myself something reasonable that I want.
  • bonnbunx36
    bonnbunx36 Posts: 28
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    Im craving the nutella and cookies I have in the cabinet :( There is no substitute for that though. I mean maybe I can make some tea with honey/lemon but its just not the same :'(
  • My_Butt
    My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
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    bonnbunx36 wrote: »
    Im craving the nutella and cookies I have in the cabinet :( There is no substitute for that though. I mean maybe I can make some tea with honey/lemon but its just not the same :'(

    What if you have a small sweet treat every night of that? If I know I want something a little more higher calories, I'll swap out my morning cereal with oatmeal.
  • Director5
    Director5 Posts: 9 Member
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    I crave potato chips (daily it seems like). And I'm sorry but crunchy carrot sticks just don't suffice as a substitution for me. I make sure to allow Veggie Straws into my calorie allowance. I like them because they're crunchy,salty, somewhat like a chip, and there's 34ish per serving so it feels like I get a little more than if I were to have a serving of 12 chips.
  • likehlikeo
    likehlikeo Posts: 185 Member
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    Director5 wrote: »
    I crave potato chips (daily it seems like). And I'm sorry but crunchy carrot sticks just don't suffice as a substitution for me. I make sure to allow Veggie Straws into my calorie allowance. I like them because they're crunchy,salty, somewhat like a chip, and there's 34ish per serving so it feels like I get a little more than if I were to have a serving of 12 chips.

    Chips...my one true love :sunglasses: I rarely eat them anymore, but if I do, I wolf down an entire bag and don't feel bad about it. It won't kill you and won't make you gain 10pounds in one sitting (I hope at least :dizzy_face: ), so I'm fine with a chipsfeast now and then...
  • PoisonIvy088
    PoisonIvy088 Posts: 107
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    I usually eat what I crave. I don't keep treats in the house, so when I crave something I have to go out and buy it. I also only buy single serve treats (one ice cream cone instead of a whole container for example.)

    I just work it into my calories. If there's no room I make room. Usually by leaving out the starchy stuff from my main meal of the day. (The rice or potatoes or whatever.) I figure I don't need their carbs as much as I need the protein and vegetables, so they are "disposable" if I want a treat. :smile:
  • ms_milo
    ms_milo Posts: 4 Member
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    I'd live on cookies if I could. When I allow myself a small serving, I obsess over them for the rest of the day. Lately I've been making protein powder mug desserts (check Pinterest for recipes) and it satisfies my craving without leaving me obsessing afterwards.

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