Help with Carb Cravings...
DeeDeeC541
Posts: 6 Member
Any idea to help with carb cravings other than just eating moderate amounts if fruits and using Stevia? I always crave pasta and potatoes!
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Replies
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Is there a reason why you dont eat pasta and potatoes?
A medical reason
Otherwise just fit them in ones in a while0 -
How long have you been fighting cravings? I've noticed that if I give it a few weeks the cravings go away.0
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I've never had a problem with potatoes, but white breads and pastas drove me mad. Those cravings are annoying! I swapped them out for whole grains and haven't had a problem since.
Are sweet potatoes maybe better than white/red ones?
I feel very lucky that I don't have a potato issue. Thank you for reminding me to count my blessings. 0 -
TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »Is there a reason why you dont eat pasta and potatoes?
A medical reason
Otherwise just fit them in ones in a while
+1
I find that best way to avoid cravings is to make a point to work the foods I typically crave (for me it's peanut butter all the way down) into my diet on occasion. Just knowing the fact that I can do that will sometimes get me past a craving.0 -
yes me too...nobody takes away my pasta with shrimps lol
I just know i cant eat too much calories of everything
So i fit them in..or make it fit
But maybe OP has a very good reason
to not eat them.
Which will result in the only option left...deal with it...eat something else 0 -
candlecutie77 wrote: »Any idea to help with carb cravings other than just eating moderate amounts if fruits and using Stevia? I always crave pasta and potatoes!
Work them in, then, unless you're medically unable. I frequently eat potatoes and pasta is a rare treat. (Not really worth it to me--makes me hungrier at night.)
I find that if I really want pasta, I have to preplan the day. Maybe log what you want for dinner and work your way backwards.0 -
Make them fit into your allotment.0
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OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
Carb cravings are the worst for me when hungry so eat something filling and delicious and not what you were craving and then decide. Tonight I had to eat fried zucchina to make them stop, but it worked. Feeling full helps fight them off.1 -
If you want to work them in, eat a smaller amount of pasta/potatoes with a high fiber, low carb vegetable. I like to eat whole wheat pasta with lots of broccoli and eat zucchini with my linguine. I also eat roasted sweet potato/carrots in portioned amounts if I'm craving more richness.
However, meeting my protein and fat goals made the biggest difference in my carb cravings and intake so far. I just feel more full in general so it's hard to shovel more food like carbs in my mouth.0 -
And here another one 327 calories total
Cabbage, red, raw, 50 g
Carrots - Cooked, boiled, drained, without salt, 100 g(s)
Spices - Black Pepper (Ground), 1 g
Spices - Garlic powder, 1 g
Spices - Onion powder, 1 g(s)
Dreamfields Healthy Carb Living (Net Carbs - Angel Hair Pasta, 1 oz (56g / 1/2" circle)
Zuchini - Usda Data Raw Fresh, 100 gram
Kroger - Olive Oil Cooking Spray, 1/4 sec spray
kroger - wild caught pink salmon , 2 onces
Walmart - Shrimp - Cooked, Deveined, Tail-off (Extra Small), 3 oz. (85g)
Parsley, fresh, 8 g(s)
Usda - Celery, 31 g
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pineapple_pizza wrote: »
However, meeting my protein and fat goals made the biggest difference in my carb cravings and intake so far. I just feel more full in general so it's hard to shovel more food like carbs in my mouth.
this!
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OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
Carb cravings are the worst for me when hungry so eat something filling and delicious and not what you were craving and then decide. Tonight I had to eat fried zucchina to make them stop, but it worked. Feeling full helps fight them off.
I think if you're craving any particular food then work it into your calorie count or macros (if applicable). Wouldn't that be easier than depriving yourelf and potentially binging on something later on? It's not about giving in. That would imply eating carbs is wrong and that's wholly untrue. It's about eating a well-balanced diet that will help you meet your goals while hopefully working in the types of foods you enjoy. And anyway is eating fried zucchini any healthier than say a baked sweet potato?0 -
SunnyPacheco wrote: »OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
Carb cravings are the worst for me when hungry so eat something filling and delicious and not what you were craving and then decide. Tonight I had to eat fried zucchina to make them stop, but it worked. Feeling full helps fight them off.
I think if you're craving any particular food then work it into your calorie count or macros (if applicable). Wouldn't that be easier than depriving yourelf and potentially binging on something later on? It's not about giving in. That would imply eating carbs is wrong and that's wholly untrue. It's about eating a well-balanced diet that will help you meet your goals while hopefully working in the types of foods you enjoy. And anyway is eating fried zucchini any healthier than say a baked sweet potato?
Of course it depends if you can practice moderation
I can...so i eat pasta lol
But with some willpower a lot of people can.
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OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
What's unhealthy about pasta and potatoes? The OP may think removing these foods is the only way to lose weight, and if there's not an actual medical sensitivity issue to do this, it's worth it to quickly let her know. I did beans and baked (well, microwaved) potatoes for lunch for a good while there. Very healthy, helped me stay within my calories, etc etc. Potatoes in particular tend to have a reputation for being calorie bombs, but it usually has more to do with what we add to it like butter, sour cream, bacon and such.
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OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
Carb cravings are the worst for me when hungry so eat something filling and delicious and not what you were craving and then decide. Tonight I had to eat fried zucchina to make them stop, but it worked. Feeling full helps fight them off.
Nobody reveres carbs, but it is an uphill battle fighting the socially accepted, and erroneous, viewpoint that carbs by their inherent nature are bad.
The number of people who believe that cutting out one particular macro is the only way to weight loss is astonishing
I have no issue with anyone finding a path that works for them to achieve their calorie requirement: low-carb, keto, IIFYM, moderation, meal timing, fasting etc etc ....but if an OP is craving something that is a sure sign that there is a behavioural habit that needs to be addressed
Many have found success by working out how to fit their most desired foods into their overall diet to hit their calorie target...it's about frequency and portion size and balancing everything you eat
And by doing that cravings diminish, until they are controllable and better behavioural habits take their place
Others find that they have the constant willpower to completely elimate said foods and then eventually that craving diminishes but I always wonder, as a 15 year ex smoker who can still be tempted to take crafty cigarette, is that just relying on willpower for the rest of your life ...would behavioural modification suit better
I'm a crash and burn type..tell me I can't have something and it fills my head
I found my way ...MFP discussions enable people to understand their isn't one true way to achieve your calorie defecit healthily0 -
OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
Carb cravings are the worst for me when hungry so eat something filling and delicious and not what you were craving and then decide. Tonight I had to eat fried zucchina to make them stop, but it worked. Feeling full helps fight them off.
Nobody reveres carbs, but it is an uphill battle fighting the socially accepted, and erroneous, viewpoint that carbs by their inherent nature are bad.
So very much this!
It's reductionist nonsense to focus solely on the three macros and cut out one completely. Nutrition is much more complex than that.
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i like mixed beans and chickpeas. delicious, hearty and not too much carbs.0
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candlecutie77 wrote: »Any idea to help with carb cravings other than just eating moderate amounts if fruits and using Stevia? I always crave pasta and potatoes!
Why are you eliminating carbs from your diet?0 -
OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
Carb cravings are the worst for me when hungry so eat something filling and delicious and not what you were craving and then decide. Tonight I had to eat fried zucchina to make them stop, but it worked. Feeling full helps fight them off.
Nobody reveres carbs, but it is an uphill battle fighting the socially accepted, and erroneous, viewpoint that carbs by their inherent nature are bad.
The number of people who believe that cutting out one particular macro is the only way to weight loss is astonishing
I have no issue with anyone finding a path that works for them to achieve their calorie requirement: low-carb, keto, IIFYM, moderation, meal timing, fasting etc etc ....but if an OP is craving something that is a sure sign that there is a behavioural habit that needs to be addressed
Many have found success by working out how to fit their most desired foods into their overall diet to hit their calorie target...it's about frequency and portion size and balancing everything you eat
And by doing that cravings diminish, until they are controllable and better behavioural habits take their place
Others find that they have the constant willpower to completely elimate said foods and then eventually that craving diminishes but I always wonder, as a 15 year ex smoker who can still be tempted to take crafty cigarette, is that just relying on willpower for the rest of your life ...would behavioural modification suit better
I'm a crash and burn type..tell me I can't have something and it fills my head
I found my way ...MFP discussions enable people to understand their isn't one true way to achieve your calorie defecit healthily
I don't see where the OP said she was demonizing carbs, cutting out carbs, or that she thinks she needs to eliminate carbs to lose weight. All she said was that she is always craving pasta and potatoes - perhaps those are two foods that she tends to overeat or views as comfort foods - which I agree could be a behavioral thing. But the reasoning that carbs are bad or need to be cut out isn't coming from the OP, it's coming from the people responding to her and assuming that by saying that she's trying to control this craving, she's labeling carbs as bad. I don't see her saying that she never eats those things, just that she finds herself craving them a lot.
I know the discussions with false claims about carbs are frustrating, and it's certainly good to correct misinformation. It just seems like there's some projection going on about what the OP's reasoning is for asking this question, and perhaps in this case the uphill battle people are seeing is actually a Sisyphean rock of their own making.
OP, I'm not a potato or pasta craver, so I have no advice for those directly, but if I find myself having a craving, it's usually related to something emotional, situational, or just stress. I don't know if that's the case for you, but I found that working on figuring out any triggers like that for eating has helped with cravings.0 -
I love pasta and potatoes. Pasta showed up on my menu several times a week. I only limit it now because of serving size vs calorie count. Just not enough bang for my buck on a regular basis.
I only have either one of those once a week now. It took me a while to change my mindset but after a few weeks I found that I rarely wanted either. I also found a recipe for pasta that helped bulk up the pasta so that it at least appears as if I get more than a small serving.
This worked for me but I definitely had to have a plan.0 -
OP...One other thing that I did was I bought a spiralizer to make "zoodles". I use them sometimes as a replacement for pasta. It is not the same but it at least gives me a base for meatballs or some other type of topping that I have made.0
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Generally, when someone is asking how to curb a craving, it's because whatever they're craving is deemed "bad" or unhealthy when on a "diet". I never need to ask how to curb cravings because I generally satisfy them within my calorie goal. As my overall habits have changed and improved, so have the frequency of my cravings.
You only have to look on your Facebook feed, Twitter, mainstream press, to see how demonised the dreaded carb is, even worse the dreaded white carb and don't even mention gluten! So people here are just trying to counter some of that false rhetoric by telling people it's okay to eat whatever takes your fancy as long as you limit the portion.
I don't eat a lot of potatoes or pasta these days, mostly because I prefer to use my calories elsewhere, that's my choice though and not because they're off limits. I do though, eat sugar, dairy, take away food, ice cream, cake etc and guess what, still losing weight!0 -
Potatoes are very filling. I don't understand the potato hate. For pasta I use whole grain (I like it better now) and just less of it... pretty filling as well though.0
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OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
Carb cravings are the worst for me when hungry so eat something filling and delicious and not what you were craving and then decide. Tonight I had to eat fried zucchina to make them stop, but it worked. Feeling full helps fight them off.
Nobody reveres carbs, but it is an uphill battle fighting the socially accepted, and erroneous, viewpoint that carbs by their inherent nature are bad.
The number of people who believe that cutting out one particular macro is the only way to weight loss is astonishing
I have no issue with anyone finding a path that works for them to achieve their calorie requirement: low-carb, keto, IIFYM, moderation, meal timing, fasting etc etc ....but if an OP is craving something that is a sure sign that there is a behavioural habit that needs to be addressed
Many have found success by working out how to fit their most desired foods into their overall diet to hit their calorie target...it's about frequency and portion size and balancing everything you eat
And by doing that cravings diminish, until they are controllable and better behavioural habits take their place
Others find that they have the constant willpower to completely elimate said foods and then eventually that craving diminishes but I always wonder, as a 15 year ex smoker who can still be tempted to take crafty cigarette, is that just relying on willpower for the rest of your life ...would behavioural modification suit better
I'm a crash and burn type..tell me I can't have something and it fills my head
I found my way ...MFP discussions enable people to understand their isn't one true way to achieve your calorie defecit healthily
I don't see where the OP said she was demonizing carbs, cutting out carbs, or that she thinks she needs to eliminate carbs to lose weight. All she said was that she is always craving pasta and potatoes - perhaps those are two foods that she tends to overeat or views as comfort foods - which I agree could be a behavioral thing. But the reasoning that carbs are bad or need to be cut out isn't coming from the OP, it's coming from the people responding to her and assuming that by saying that she's trying to control this craving, she's labeling carbs as bad. I don't see her saying that she never eats those things, just that she finds herself craving them a lot.
I know the discussions with false claims about carbs are frustrating, and it's certainly good to correct misinformation. It just seems like there's some projection going on about what the OP's reasoning is for asking this question, and perhaps in this case the uphill battle people are seeing is actually a Sisyphean rock of their own making.
OP, I'm not a potato or pasta craver, so I have no advice for those directly, but if I find myself having a craving, it's usually related to something emotional, situational, or just stress. I don't know if that's the case for you, but I found that working on figuring out any triggers like that for eating has helped with cravings.
If you open my quote you will see who I was responding to ..the poster who used the term "people round here revere carbs"
The rest of my response was general advice to the OP based on how her OP was phrased and incorporating personal advice on the common behavioural response to foods and how she could choose to address that
I don't understand the relevance of your response based on what I actually said ..if someone is projecting it certainly wasn't me0 -
OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
Carb cravings are the worst for me when hungry so eat something filling and delicious and not what you were craving and then decide. Tonight I had to eat fried zucchina to make them stop, but it worked. Feeling full helps fight them off.
the foundation of my diet...probably 45-50% is oats, lentils, legumes, quinoa, brown rice, potatoes, *kitten* loads of veg, and a few servings of fruit daily. those are all carbs, just in case you weren't aware...
i'd be obliged if you could coherently explain what is so unhealthy about the foundation of my diet...and how can i make it so much healthier.
i'll wait....0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
Carb cravings are the worst for me when hungry so eat something filling and delicious and not what you were craving and then decide. Tonight I had to eat fried zucchina to make them stop, but it worked. Feeling full helps fight them off.
the foundation of my diet...probably 45-50% is oats, lentils, legumes, quinoa, brown rice, potatoes, *kitten* loads of veg, and a few servings of fruit daily. those are all carbs, just in case you weren't aware...
i'd be obliged if you could coherently explain what is so unhealthy about the foundation of my diet...and how can i make it so much healthier.
i'll wait....
You can eat any way you want, but should probably be aware that essential macronutrients make up only 50% of your diet composition. Calories matter, chemicals matter.
I am thrilled you have found a way that suits you. You need to respect the fact that your dietary responses are not at all exactly the same as every one else on this planet.
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cwolfman13 wrote: »OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
Carb cravings are the worst for me when hungry so eat something filling and delicious and not what you were craving and then decide. Tonight I had to eat fried zucchina to make them stop, but it worked. Feeling full helps fight them off.
the foundation of my diet...probably 45-50% is oats, lentils, legumes, quinoa, brown rice, potatoes, *kitten* loads of veg, and a few servings of fruit daily. those are all carbs, just in case you weren't aware...
i'd be obliged if you could coherently explain what is so unhealthy about the foundation of my diet...and how can i make it so much healthier.
i'll wait....
You can eat any way you want, but should probably be aware that essential macronutrients make up only 50% of your diet composition. Calories matter, chemicals matter.
I am thrilled you have found a way that suits you. You need to respect the fact that your dietary responses are not at all exactly the same as every one else on this planet.
I'm pretty sure his macronutrients make up 100% of his diet as all foods are a combination of carb, fat and protein ..which is , in fact, exactly the same as everyone else on this planet ...isn't it?0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
Carb cravings are the worst for me when hungry so eat something filling and delicious and not what you were craving and then decide. Tonight I had to eat fried zucchina to make them stop, but it worked. Feeling full helps fight them off.
the foundation of my diet...probably 45-50% is oats, lentils, legumes, quinoa, brown rice, potatoes, *kitten* loads of veg, and a few servings of fruit daily. those are all carbs, just in case you weren't aware...
i'd be obliged if you could coherently explain what is so unhealthy about the foundation of my diet...and how can i make it so much healthier.
i'll wait....
You can eat any way you want, but should probably be aware that essential macronutrients make up only 50% of your diet composition. Calories matter, chemicals matter.
I am thrilled you have found a way that suits you. You need to respect the fact that your dietary responses are not at all exactly the same as every one else on this planet.
I'm still waiting....Calories matter, chemicals matter.
also, no *kitten* sherlock...where did I say it didn't. I am very much a self proclaimed whole foods snob...
but again...still waiting to here how my diet is so unhealthy...
I don't believe that quote was directed at you. You may have to wait a while...0 -
nvsmomketo wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »OP asked for help with carb cravings. 4/6 said give in and eat the carbs. What is up with the extreme reverence for carbohydrates here?. There are so many healthier foods to chose.
Carb cravings are the worst for me when hungry so eat something filling and delicious and not what you were craving and then decide. Tonight I had to eat fried zucchina to make them stop, but it worked. Feeling full helps fight them off.
the foundation of my diet...probably 45-50% is oats, lentils, legumes, quinoa, brown rice, potatoes, *kitten* loads of veg, and a few servings of fruit daily. those are all carbs, just in case you weren't aware...
i'd be obliged if you could coherently explain what is so unhealthy about the foundation of my diet...and how can i make it so much healthier.
i'll wait....
You can eat any way you want, but should probably be aware that essential macronutrients make up only 50% of your diet composition. Calories matter, chemicals matter.
I am thrilled you have found a way that suits you. You need to respect the fact that your dietary responses are not at all exactly the same as every one else on this planet.
I'm still waiting....Calories matter, chemicals matter.
also, no *kitten* sherlock...where did I say it didn't. I am very much a self proclaimed whole foods snob...
but again...still waiting to here how my diet is so unhealthy...
I don't believe that quote was directed at you. You may have to wait a while...
Ummm....the poster quoted me...
you're a teacher right?0 -
I've found that it's not the pasta or potato I crave, it's what I pile on top of it... Try making zoodles (zucchini noodles) or spaghetti squash to substitute for pasta. Mock mashed potatoes using cauliflower instead of potatoes. While there is nothing "wrong" with pasta and potatoes, if it is a trigger food for you, it might be best to try to avoid them for a while and the craving will most likely go away.0
This discussion has been closed.
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