sugar cravings - or cravings in general.
fancyroberts
Posts: 75 Member
Does any other woman get sugar cravings at a specific time of the month? I thought after 3 months of eating somewhat LC that my cravings were under control....now for the last month or so...that is all I get....I feel like I have lost the battle. I need some help!
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I do get them, but only if I haven't had enough fat and sodium. I'm lucky in that artificial sweeteners do not trigger sugar cravings for me. So I allow myself barely sweetened fat bombs, but I always to try fat and sodium up first to see that is the real issue.
That being said, I don't have the typical female cycle anymore, because I take continuous birth control pills (medical reasons). So I don't get these mood swings, but in times of stress, I definitely find myself picking up the fat first. I think I just had to train my thinking.
A little over a week ago, I had a total freak out moment over something mild, and normally that would have had me eating half my weight in sugar, candy, and junk. I was eating lunch. I didn't binge on extra lunch. I didn't even think of junk. I binge texted my best friend, and did a little happy dance when I realized hours later that it was my first major freak out moment without food being my first response.
So, hormonal issues withstanding, I would say check your sodium and fat levels - and maybe ramp them up when PMS starts, or whatever your timing issue is. Good luck.
EDIT: Today is day 42 since I started LCHF, and day 8 since I started Keto, specifically.0 -
ok thanks. I was taking the pill and found that I could control myself much better when I was, but then wondered if it was all in my head! lol! I am still not sure. Anywho, I am still plugging along...come on willpower...that is what I loved about this WOE, I didn't have to constantly worry about my cravings, but now I don't know what is going on!!0
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Well, I went to look at your diary, but you and I aren't friends yet. LOL If you don't mind, what are your carbs/protein/fat set at? To give you perspective, mine are set more to keto standards, but mine are:
Grams: 44 / 88 / 136 (actually, I need to update this - it isn't indicative of my current goals)
Percentages 5% / 15-20% / 75-80%
This is set primarily by my carb goal (was previously 50 total grams, is now 20-25 net grams). Protein is set off the basic LeanBodyMass calculation, Fat fills in the rest.
(my calculation is based on 48% body fat, so estimated 52% lean-not accounting for details/for ease of calculations. 250 pounds, 52% = roughly 130 pounds LBM
range of 0.6 g - 1 g of protein per pound of LBM higher if doing weights, etc.). .6 gives me 78 grams, .7 gives me 91. so I set my goal on the lower end because I'm not strength training yet. That is my ballpark. Not upper limit. 130 grams is probably upper limit...just from this.)
Just to let you know, the reason I dropped this low was because my sweets/carbs/junk cravings were not manageable above 50 grams of carbs. Then I found my numbers drifting lower naturally, and decided to kick the gears up. I do not know how low of carb your version of low carb is, so this is me.... But, the more fat I have, the lower my cravings.0 -
I actually just changed my macros to reflect something similar to yours. I was at 60 g carbs but now will try and go 20g, or at least try to stay in that area. I will send you a friend request.....thanks for your help!0
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I looked at your diary, and what you have in there, girl, you are all over the place! LOL I really hope that day you only ate 700 calories was incomplete!! There are some good calculators on here. Be aware that dropping your carbs that much at once, you will likely hit the keto flu for a bit, as well as have some water whoosh.
Look forward to walking side by side as we keep on this path! We always learn best from the successful examples of those around us. 0 -
I don't crave sugar, it's specifically chocolate, and only just before TOM starts. I fix it with 3 or 4 T hwc, a few tsp unsweetened cocoa, and a Truvia packet. Whisk or hit it with a mixer until it turns into chocolate mousse. You can get by with even less cream than that if you don't have much room for it. Once the air whips into it, it'll feel like you're eating a lot more than you really are.0
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KnitOrMiss wrote: »I looked at your diary, and what you have in there, girl, you are all over the place! LOL I really hope that day you only ate 700 calories was incomplete!! There are some good calculators on here. Be aware that dropping your carbs that much at once, you will likely hit the keto flu for a bit, as well as have some water whoosh. Look forward to walking side by side as we keep on this path! We always learn best from the successful examples of those around us.
Thanks Knit, I need all the help I can get and yes the 700 was incomplete...I have a lot of work to do. I just don't know what my macros should be....I revised my macros yesterday and I thought that it was pretty good....now I don't know what I should be doing! ugh.0 -
There's a good keto calculator referenced in a few posts. Use that for a starting point. Stick to whatever numbers you choose for 4 weeks unless it becomes completely unliveable or you have major health complications. It takes that long for your body to really recognize the changes. And the first week of cuts will be hell, just saying. Usually in the first week of an adjustment, I stop worrying about calories, eat fats at the beginning and end of every meal, and just track carbs (add lots of sodium and water too). Once I get the carbs under control, the calories naturally settle back down too. It's hard to break the old habits, but it helps to learn to listen to your body's inner voice again, too. Good luck!!0
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@fancyroberts This isn't the first one I thought of, but it's a great one.
http://www.flexibleketogenic.com/0 -
Thanks!0
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Keto calculator if you haven't found it yet:
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/0 -
I love sweets and 2 or 3X daily will find myself drawn to the pantry or fridge looking for that quick fix, trying to convince myself it won't matter. once I have selected that irresistable item I close the door and imagine it covered in something vile. Whatever comes to mind. Usually I snap out of the spell. If I still find myself wanting it, I set the timer on my stove for 30 minutes. Almost always I have forgotten about it and am involved in something else when the timer goes off. It seems to help if you can trick that silly part of your mind into believing it is going to get its way. Try it, and see if it works for you. Every time it does you have a NSV!fancyroberts wrote: »Thanks!fancyroberts wrote: »Thanks!
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I love sweets and 2 or 3X daily will find myself drawn to the pantry or fridge looking for that quick fix, trying to convince myself it won't matter. once I have selected that irresistable item I close the door and imagine it covered in something vile. Whatever comes to mind. Usually I snap out of the spell. If I still find myself wanting it, I set the timer on my stove for 30 minutes. Almost always I have forgotten about it and am involved in something else when the timer goes off. It seems to help if you can trick that silly part of your mind into believing it is going to get its way. Try it, and see if it works for you. Every time it does you have a NSV!
That's actually some awesome techniques there. I'll have to keep them in mind if my cravings get out of control!
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Try dill pickle spears... No carbs and the taste knocks out cravings.... No idea why it works so well on sugar cravings but it does.0
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Lrdoflamancha wrote: »Try dill pickle spears... No carbs and the taste knocks out cravings.... No idea why it works so well on sugar cravings but it does.
I'm giving this tip a try. Thanks!0 -
Dill pickles also help nausea, something new I learned during my fourth and final pregnancy. 0
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The pickle juice is also awesome at balancing electrolyte levels and can help with soreness and muscle cramping after a workout.0
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As a guy I found just any source of stress be it physical or emotional pain lead me to poke my face with sugar/other carbs. I was just using them as a way to cope I know know. After a couple weeks being off most all carbs (<50 grams daily from whole foods only) going to the frig/pantry and digging for something sweet started to taper off to zero. It was the first of Oct 2014 when I got fed up losing sugar/carb craving battles and left them cold turkey. My only loss so far has been 20 pounds of fat. I still stuff my face in that I do not go around hungry but now with fats for the most part. I have had 800 cals of Almonds/Walnuts over the last hour after eating a huge meal at 5 PM today. 0
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IamUndrCnstruction wrote: »The pickle juice is also awesome at balancing electrolyte levels and can help with soreness and muscle cramping after a workout.
I wish I'd read this earlier this week. Last night, I was trying to up my sodium, so I had a pile of pickles and a couple glugs of pickle juice (I remember seeing something about it helping you retain enough water to function well, etc.).... Finally feeling human again/the cracked lips are healing. Then I log in this morning and see this. So smiling...living proof here! 0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »IamUndrCnstruction wrote: »The pickle juice is also awesome at balancing electrolyte levels and can help with soreness and muscle cramping after a workout.
I wish I'd read this earlier this week. Last night, I was trying to up my sodium, so I had a pile of pickles and a couple glugs of pickle juice (I remember seeing something about it helping you retain enough water to function well, etc.).... Finally feeling human again/the cracked lips are healing. Then I log in this morning and see this. So smiling...living proof here!
Glad you are feeling well again!
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IamUndrCnstruction wrote: »KnitOrMiss wrote: »IamUndrCnstruction wrote: »The pickle juice is also awesome at balancing electrolyte levels and can help with soreness and muscle cramping after a workout.
I wish I'd read this earlier this week. Last night, I was trying to up my sodium, so I had a pile of pickles and a couple glugs of pickle juice (I remember seeing something about it helping you retain enough water to function well, etc.).... Finally feeling human again/the cracked lips are healing. Then I log in this morning and see this. So smiling...living proof here!
Glad you are feeling well again!
These chapped/cracked lips were worse than anything I've ever had short of severe sunburn/windburn. And they just wouldn't heal! Coconut oil on them didn't help. Eating it did a little, but everything was short lived. Ended up sleeping with Burt's Bees Beeswax lip balm on all week. Just have to remember to salt load even more than normal until I'm fully keto adapted which is normally what, around 4 weeks?0 -
UGH! I spoke too soon. The cracks are back. I've had tons of water, salt, and fat today already. Guess I'm buying more pickles on my way home... I wonder if I cut the pickle juice half with water if I can drink more of it in a day?0
