Cravings!!!

ms937babi
ms937babi Posts: 2 Member
edited November 22 in Health and Weight Loss
OK. I'm back on a fitness journey. And I noticed I can eat healthy(counting calories, and better food choices,) exercise, and drink water so easy its not hard for me.. However at night before I go to bed I crave sweets!! Its a everyday thing. The cravings are so Strong that I can't go to bed. All I think abt is cookies, pies, chocolate and cake.. I find it strange that these cravings hit me nightly. Even if I go for a healthy snack option such as fruit. I still have cravings for sweets. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can deal with these cravings?? These late night snacks are hurting my weight loss progress
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Replies

  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    If the sweets fit into your calorie goal for the day, have some.
  • ariamythe
    ariamythe Posts: 130 Member
    I have the same problem, and what strong_curves just said is basically the answer. Have something in the house to hit that craving. It doesn't have to be huge; I keep bite-size chocolates, for example, individually wrapped, so that I can eat one or even two and usually squeeze them into my calorie count. Just don't let your craving turn into gorging.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    Save room in your calorie total for a sensible treat. Some people save calories for daily ice cream, chocolate, glass of wine. No need to give up the things you enjoy if you plan ahead for those calories by shaving a few calories off of dinner or another meal.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Yeah. Plan to eat something sweet in the evening.
  • flower19932015
    flower19932015 Posts: 3 Member
    Like the above most of the time I will have a bit of whatever I'm craving but I have found a few other options that fulfil the cravings as well. For example i'll often have some coco powder just mixed with hot water to get a hit of chocolate or greek yogurt with a little honey if i'm craving ice cream. It took time to learn what would fulfill a craving however.
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    For me, substitutions don't work. Cocoa powder for chocolate or Greek yogurt for ice cream might temporarily ease the craving, but will never erase it; the craving for the real thing will come back with a vengeance.

    In my experience, it's better to allow yourself the real thing, in whatever amount fits your calorie goal.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    Eat less of the the healthy foods during the day or exercise more to allow calories for the sweets at night.

    Alternately, you can stop eating the foods that cause cravings on a regular basis and the cravings will go away -- you have to exert a little more willpower up front with the second approach but for many it's worth it to be free of the cravings and compulsive eating.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Make room in your allotment for a night time snack.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Either save up some calories for nighttime snack or just practice resisting. Once you create the habit of not eating at night, it will get easy. Takes some time to break a bad habit, but it can be done. Either way. :)
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    ms937babi wrote: »
    OK. I'm back on a fitness journey. And I noticed I can eat healthy(counting calories, and better food choices,) exercise, and drink water so easy its not hard for me.. However at night before I go to bed I crave sweets!! Its a everyday thing. The cravings are so Strong that I can't go to bed. All I think abt is cookies, pies, chocolate and cake.. I find it strange that these cravings hit me nightly. Even if I go for a healthy snack option such as fruit. I still have cravings for sweets. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can deal with these cravings?? These late night snacks are hurting my weight loss progress

    Preplan and work treats into your calories.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Either save up some calories for nighttime snack or just practice resisting. Once you create the habit of not eating at night, it will get easy. Takes some time to break a bad habit, but it can be done. Either way. :)

    Why is eating at night a bad habit?
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    edited August 2015
    Eat less of the the healthy foods during the day or exercise more to allow calories for the sweets at night.

    Alternately, you can stop eating the foods that cause cravings on a regular basis and the cravings will go away -- you have to exert a little more willpower up front with the second approach but for many it's worth it to be free of the cravings and compulsive eating.

    Eating less healthy food during the day to replace with sweets, by itself, is a terrible suggestion. If the OP can hit macos and micros while cutting back a bit on healthy food, that would be one thing, but not a random reduction in food with nutritional value to eat sweets and hit a calorie goal.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    ms937babi wrote: »
    OK. I'm back on a fitness journey. And I noticed I can eat healthy(counting calories, and better food choices,) exercise, and drink water so easy its not hard for me.. However at night before I go to bed I crave sweets!! Its a everyday thing. The cravings are so Strong that I can't go to bed. All I think abt is cookies, pies, chocolate and cake.. I find it strange that these cravings hit me nightly. Even if I go for a healthy snack option such as fruit. I still have cravings for sweets. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can deal with these cravings?? These late night snacks are hurting my weight loss progress

    I noticed you only have 15 pounds to lose and am wondering if you set your goals to lose 2 pounds per week. This aggressive goal could be why you have cravings at night - you're not eating enough. Try setting it to lose 0.5 pounds per week.

    I budget calories for something sweet at the end of the day, currently 1/3 C rolled oats, 1/2 C vanilla greek yogurt, and 2 oz strawberries. While strawberries taste very sweet to me, they actually have very little sugar and calories. This 212 calorie snack fills me up until breakfast.


  • Candoall
    Candoall Posts: 81 Member
    edited August 2015
    My fav go to treat to knock out my insanely crazy sweet tooth is (((drum roll please)))... Quaker instant oatmeal (peaches or strawberry) sprinkled with chia seeds! Fiber ontop of sugar, i know lol. Oats are 130 cal serving (+ chia seeds). I would eat fruit, then more fruit, and after 200 cal of even more fruit, I would totally destroy my calorie plan for the day AND still have a crazy sweet tooth! After eating 1 serv of oatmeal, I'm fully satisfied and able to stay within my caloric plan. I'm always looking for better options but until something better comes along, this will have to do...besides its working! Hope this is helpful!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Either save up some calories for nighttime snack or just practice resisting. Once you create the habit of not eating at night, it will get easy. Takes some time to break a bad habit, but it can be done. Either way. :)

    Why is eating at night a bad habit?
    Why do you ask?
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    edited August 2015
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Either save up some calories for nighttime snack or just practice resisting. Once you create the habit of not eating at night, it will get easy. Takes some time to break a bad habit, but it can be done. Either way. :)

    Why is eating at night a bad habit?
    Why do you ask?

    Okay, I will be more direct. Eating at night or any other time is not a bad habit and has nothing to do with weight management. You can eat nothing at night and gain weight if you eat over your tdee.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Either save up some calories for nighttime snack or just practice resisting. Once you create the habit of not eating at night, it will get easy. Takes some time to break a bad habit, but it can be done. Either way. :)

    Why is eating at night a bad habit?
    Why do you ask?

    Okay, I will be more direct. Eating at night or any other time is not a bad habit and has nothing to do with weight management. You can eat nothing at night and gain weight if you eat over your tdee.
    This is true. It's not what was asked, but it's true.

    OP has discussed eating at night that ruins her weight loss, which is a bad habit.

    This is why I discussed either shifting the calories around so that the night eating would be in the calorie allotment OR just breaking the bad habit.

    Had the OP asked about what you have pointed out, I suppose I might've given that answer.

    I don't disagree with you in any way. It's irrelevant and doesn't answer what was asked, but is true enough.
  • ForestFairy022
    ForestFairy022 Posts: 99 Member
    I also have them. And weak self control. At the moment when I think of it, I tell myself aloud "No, be strong and have self control, you need to lose weight.". Then I go distract myself with something. Also, diet coke seems to help a bit for me since its sweet tasting, if your into that sorta thing.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Either save up some calories for nighttime snack or just practice resisting. Once you create the habit of not eating at night, it will get easy. Takes some time to break a bad habit, but it can be done. Either way. :)

    Why is eating at night a bad habit?
    Why do you ask?

    Okay, I will be more direct. Eating at night or any other time is not a bad habit and has nothing to do with weight management. You can eat nothing at night and gain weight if you eat over your tdee.
    This is true. It's not what was asked, but it's true.

    OP has discussed eating at night that ruins her weight loss, which is a bad habit.

    This is why I discussed either shifting the calories around so that the night eating would be in the calorie allotment OR just breaking the bad habit.

    Had the OP asked about what you have pointed out, I suppose I might've given that answer.

    I don't disagree with you in any way. It's irrelevant and doesn't answer what was asked, but is true enough.

    It may be true enough for you, but the point is that it is not true for everybody or anybody else.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    edited August 2015
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Either save up some calories for nighttime snack or just practice resisting. Once you create the habit of not eating at night, it will get easy. Takes some time to break a bad habit, but it can be done. Either way. :)

    Why is eating at night a bad habit?
    Why do you ask?

    Okay, I will be more direct. Eating at night or any other time is not a bad habit and has nothing to do with weight management. You can eat nothing at night and gain weight if you eat over your tdee.
    This is true. It's not what was asked, but it's true.

    OP has discussed eating at night that ruins her weight loss, which is a bad habit.

    This is why I discussed either shifting the calories around so that the night eating would be in the calorie allotment OR just breaking the bad habit.

    Had the OP asked about what you have pointed out, I suppose I might've given that answer.

    I don't disagree with you in any way. It's irrelevant and doesn't answer what was asked, but is true enough.

    It may be true enough for you, but the point is that it is not true for everybody or anybody else.
    I'm saying that what you said is true enough. It's not relevant and does not answer the question posed, but true. :)
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    I hear you on craving sweets.

    What worked for me was planning to have dessert with dinner and avoiding sweets throughout the rest of the day. No more of the mindless nibbling on the treats that were almost constantly available.

    I would save ~200 calories for treats at night, which would work out for a half serving of Talenti gelato, plus some whipped cream, syrup and sprinkles. And maybe a frozen thin mint girl scout cookie ;)

    I still try to stick to one treat per day, but sometimes it ends up being with lunch or as an afternoon snack if I'm at work.

    It's up to you if you want to choose to eliminate them completely, but if you're craving them now you may want to figure out how to make something fit.

    ~Lyssa
  • Childfree1991
    Childfree1991 Posts: 145 Member
    Eat less of the the healthy foods during the day or exercise more to allow calories for the sweets at night.

    Alternately, you can stop eating the foods that cause cravings on a regular basis and the cravings will go away -- you have to exert a little more willpower up front with the second approach but for many it's worth it to be free of the cravings and compulsive eating.

    Agreed. I used to have the STRONGEST cravings for processed sweets, junk, etc. Over time I built up more willpower to go easier on them and eventually slowly but surely switch to natural sweets and healthier foods. Now I find regular sweets, junk food, etc. disgusting and wouldn't touch them with a ten foot poll. As my psychology professor said, it takes approximately 30 days to break a habit (that's just the average though).

    As for OP, you can try small amounts of dried fruit, banana "ice cream" (look it up on google), very dark chocolate (90% is tasty), homemade p-butter cookies sweetened with honey or stevia, homemade fruit smoothie, etc. As for eating late at night, it's completely fine. In fact, I do it all the time (I eat cottage cheese right before bed so I have slow digesting protein overnight).

  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Eat less of the the healthy foods during the day or exercise more to allow calories for the sweets at night.

    Alternately, you can stop eating the foods that cause cravings on a regular basis and the cravings will go away -- you have to exert a little more willpower up front with the second approach but for many it's worth it to be free of the cravings and compulsive eating.

    Agreed. I used to have the STRONGEST cravings for processed sweets, junk, etc. Over time I built up more willpower to go easier on them and eventually slowly but surely switch to natural sweets and healthier foods. Now I find regular sweets, junk food, etc. disgusting and wouldn't touch them with a ten foot poll. As my psychology professor said, it takes approximately 30 days to break a habit (that's just the average though).

    As for OP, you can try small amounts of dried fruit, banana "ice cream" (look it up on google), very dark chocolate (90% is tasty), homemade p-butter cookies sweetened with honey or stevia, homemade fruit smoothie, etc. As for eating late at night, it's completely fine. In fact, I do it all the time (I eat cottage cheese right before bed so I have slow digesting protein overnight).

    Banana 'ice cream' is no better for you than the real thing. Bananas have a lot of sugar in them ans calories, why not just have the real thing? It's got a lot more protein than a bunch of mashed up bananas. This obsession with 'healthy' foods over other foods is a little ridiculous. Dried fruit has concentrated sugar and is high in calories. Issues can be found with just about anything one could find to eat. If there is room in the calorie goal at the end of the day, and a craving is there, just eat what is craved (a serving of it) so it fits in the calorie goal. Stop obsessing over it.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Eat less of the the healthy foods during the day or exercise more to allow calories for the sweets at night.

    Alternately, you can stop eating the foods that cause cravings on a regular basis and the cravings will go away -- you have to exert a little more willpower up front with the second approach but for many it's worth it to be free of the cravings and compulsive eating.

    Agreed. I used to have the STRONGEST cravings for processed sweets, junk, etc. Over time I built up more willpower to go easier on them and eventually slowly but surely switch to natural sweets and healthier foods. Now I find regular sweets, junk food, etc. disgusting and wouldn't touch them with a ten foot poll. As my psychology professor said, it takes approximately 30 days to break a habit (that's just the average though).

    As for OP, you can try small amounts of dried fruit, banana "ice cream" (look it up on google), very dark chocolate (90% is tasty), homemade p-butter cookies sweetened with honey or stevia, homemade fruit smoothie, etc. As for eating late at night, it's completely fine. In fact, I do it all the time (I eat cottage cheese right before bed so I have slow digesting protein overnight).

    Yup, the last times I had a Snickers bar and Peppermint Patty I thought they were gross. A few weeks ago I was contemplating a Snickers Ice Cream bar but decided to have a triple chocolate cookie from my freezer instead.

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited August 2015
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    Eat less of the the healthy foods during the day or exercise more to allow calories for the sweets at night.

    Alternately, you can stop eating the foods that cause cravings on a regular basis and the cravings will go away -- you have to exert a little more willpower up front with the second approach but for many it's worth it to be free of the cravings and compulsive eating.

    Agreed. I used to have the STRONGEST cravings for processed sweets, junk, etc. Over time I built up more willpower to go easier on them and eventually slowly but surely switch to natural sweets and healthier foods. Now I find regular sweets, junk food, etc. disgusting and wouldn't touch them with a ten foot poll. As my psychology professor said, it takes approximately 30 days to break a habit (that's just the average though).

    As for OP, you can try small amounts of dried fruit, banana "ice cream" (look it up on google), very dark chocolate (90% is tasty), homemade p-butter cookies sweetened with honey or stevia, homemade fruit smoothie, etc. As for eating late at night, it's completely fine. In fact, I do it all the time (I eat cottage cheese right before bed so I have slow digesting protein overnight).

    Banana 'ice cream' is no better for you than the real thing. Bananas have a lot of sugar in them ans calories, why not just have the real thing? It's got a lot more protein than a bunch of mashed up bananas. This obsession with 'healthy' foods over other foods is a little ridiculous. Dried fruit has concentrated sugar and is high in calories. Issues can be found with just about anything one could find to eat. If there is room in the calorie goal at the end of the day, and a craving is there, just eat what is craved (a serving of it) so it fits in the calorie goal. Stop obsessing over it.

    Perhaps her palate is now able to detect and reject the nasty artificial ingredients in some convenience foods. When I worked in a kitchen, the new chef tried to save money by switching to artificial vanilla and almond extract - they were so gross.


  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    Eat less of the the healthy foods during the day or exercise more to allow calories for the sweets at night.

    Alternately, you can stop eating the foods that cause cravings on a regular basis and the cravings will go away -- you have to exert a little more willpower up front with the second approach but for many it's worth it to be free of the cravings and compulsive eating.

    Agreed. I used to have the STRONGEST cravings for processed sweets, junk, etc. Over time I built up more willpower to go easier on them and eventually slowly but surely switch to natural sweets and healthier foods. Now I find regular sweets, junk food, etc. disgusting and wouldn't touch them with a ten foot poll. As my psychology professor said, it takes approximately 30 days to break a habit (that's just the average though).

    As for OP, you can try small amounts of dried fruit, banana "ice cream" (look it up on google), very dark chocolate (90% is tasty), homemade p-butter cookies sweetened with honey or stevia, homemade fruit smoothie, etc. As for eating late at night, it's completely fine. In fact, I do it all the time (I eat cottage cheese right before bed so I have slow digesting protein overnight).

    Banana 'ice cream' is no better for you than the real thing. Bananas have a lot of sugar in them ans calories, why not just have the real thing? It's got a lot more protein than a bunch of mashed up bananas. This obsession with 'healthy' foods over other foods is a little ridiculous. Dried fruit has concentrated sugar and is high in calories. Issues can be found with just about anything one could find to eat. If there is room in the calorie goal at the end of the day, and a craving is there, just eat what is craved (a serving of it) so it fits in the calorie goal. Stop obsessing over it.

    Perhaps her palate is now able to detect and reject the nasty artificial ingredients in some convenience foods.

    You are sadly deluded about ingredients in food.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    Eat less of the the healthy foods during the day or exercise more to allow calories for the sweets at night.

    Alternately, you can stop eating the foods that cause cravings on a regular basis and the cravings will go away -- you have to exert a little more willpower up front with the second approach but for many it's worth it to be free of the cravings and compulsive eating.

    Agreed. I used to have the STRONGEST cravings for processed sweets, junk, etc. Over time I built up more willpower to go easier on them and eventually slowly but surely switch to natural sweets and healthier foods. Now I find regular sweets, junk food, etc. disgusting and wouldn't touch them with a ten foot poll. As my psychology professor said, it takes approximately 30 days to break a habit (that's just the average though).

    As for OP, you can try small amounts of dried fruit, banana "ice cream" (look it up on google), very dark chocolate (90% is tasty), homemade p-butter cookies sweetened with honey or stevia, homemade fruit smoothie, etc. As for eating late at night, it's completely fine. In fact, I do it all the time (I eat cottage cheese right before bed so I have slow digesting protein overnight).

    Banana 'ice cream' is no better for you than the real thing. Bananas have a lot of sugar in them ans calories, why not just have the real thing? It's got a lot more protein than a bunch of mashed up bananas. This obsession with 'healthy' foods over other foods is a little ridiculous. Dried fruit has concentrated sugar and is high in calories. Issues can be found with just about anything one could find to eat. If there is room in the calorie goal at the end of the day, and a craving is there, just eat what is craved (a serving of it) so it fits in the calorie goal. Stop obsessing over it.

    Perhaps her palate is now able to detect and reject the nasty artificial ingredients in some convenience foods.

    You are sadly deluded about ingredients in food.

    I edited my post because I figured you'd misunderstand what I meant.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    Eat less of the the healthy foods during the day or exercise more to allow calories for the sweets at night.

    Alternately, you can stop eating the foods that cause cravings on a regular basis and the cravings will go away -- you have to exert a little more willpower up front with the second approach but for many it's worth it to be free of the cravings and compulsive eating.

    Agreed. I used to have the STRONGEST cravings for processed sweets, junk, etc. Over time I built up more willpower to go easier on them and eventually slowly but surely switch to natural sweets and healthier foods. Now I find regular sweets, junk food, etc. disgusting and wouldn't touch them with a ten foot poll. As my psychology professor said, it takes approximately 30 days to break a habit (that's just the average though).

    As for OP, you can try small amounts of dried fruit, banana "ice cream" (look it up on google), very dark chocolate (90% is tasty), homemade p-butter cookies sweetened with honey or stevia, homemade fruit smoothie, etc. As for eating late at night, it's completely fine. In fact, I do it all the time (I eat cottage cheese right before bed so I have slow digesting protein overnight).

    Banana 'ice cream' is no better for you than the real thing. Bananas have a lot of sugar in them ans calories, why not just have the real thing? It's got a lot more protein than a bunch of mashed up bananas. This obsession with 'healthy' foods over other foods is a little ridiculous. Dried fruit has concentrated sugar and is high in calories. Issues can be found with just about anything one could find to eat. If there is room in the calorie goal at the end of the day, and a craving is there, just eat what is craved (a serving of it) so it fits in the calorie goal. Stop obsessing over it.

    Perhaps her palate is now able to detect and reject the nasty artificial ingredients in some convenience foods.

    You are sadly deluded about ingredients in food.

    I edited my post because I figured you'd misunderstand what I meant.

    Oh, I understood it. You seem to take a great deal of pleasure in pointing out things which aren't even in the realm of close to the truth of the post you're quoting. Nothing I mentioned has anything to do with convenience food, and many convenience foods have no artificial ingredients in them. You use such broad terms - "artificial", "convenience", "processed", without thinking of the possibility that when you break those categories down, there are actually many subcategories that don't fit what you're trying to say.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    Eat less of the the healthy foods during the day or exercise more to allow calories for the sweets at night.

    Alternately, you can stop eating the foods that cause cravings on a regular basis and the cravings will go away -- you have to exert a little more willpower up front with the second approach but for many it's worth it to be free of the cravings and compulsive eating.

    Agreed. I used to have the STRONGEST cravings for processed sweets, junk, etc. Over time I built up more willpower to go easier on them and eventually slowly but surely switch to natural sweets and healthier foods. Now I find regular sweets, junk food, etc. disgusting and wouldn't touch them with a ten foot poll. As my psychology professor said, it takes approximately 30 days to break a habit (that's just the average though).

    As for OP, you can try small amounts of dried fruit, banana "ice cream" (look it up on google), very dark chocolate (90% is tasty), homemade p-butter cookies sweetened with honey or stevia, homemade fruit smoothie, etc. As for eating late at night, it's completely fine. In fact, I do it all the time (I eat cottage cheese right before bed so I have slow digesting protein overnight).

    Banana 'ice cream' is no better for you than the real thing. Bananas have a lot of sugar in them ans calories, why not just have the real thing? It's got a lot more protein than a bunch of mashed up bananas. This obsession with 'healthy' foods over other foods is a little ridiculous. Dried fruit has concentrated sugar and is high in calories. Issues can be found with just about anything one could find to eat. If there is room in the calorie goal at the end of the day, and a craving is there, just eat what is craved (a serving of it) so it fits in the calorie goal. Stop obsessing over it.

    Perhaps her palate is now able to detect and reject the nasty artificial ingredients in some convenience foods.

    You are sadly deluded about ingredients in food.

    I edited my post because I figured you'd misunderstand what I meant.

    Oh, I understood it. You seem to take a great deal of pleasure in pointing out things which aren't even in the realm of close to the truth of the post you're quoting. Nothing I mentioned has anything to do with convenience food, and many convenience foods have no artificial ingredients in them. You use such broad terms - "artificial", "convenience", "processed", without thinking of the possibility that when you break those categories down, there are actually many subcategories that don't fit what you're trying to say.

    You quoted a post about "processed sweets, junk, etc" - how does that not relate to "convenience food", which is tertiary processed food?
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    mccindy72 wrote: »
    Eat less of the the healthy foods during the day or exercise more to allow calories for the sweets at night.

    Alternately, you can stop eating the foods that cause cravings on a regular basis and the cravings will go away -- you have to exert a little more willpower up front with the second approach but for many it's worth it to be free of the cravings and compulsive eating.

    Agreed. I used to have the STRONGEST cravings for processed sweets, junk, etc. Over time I built up more willpower to go easier on them and eventually slowly but surely switch to natural sweets and healthier foods. Now I find regular sweets, junk food, etc. disgusting and wouldn't touch them with a ten foot poll. As my psychology professor said, it takes approximately 30 days to break a habit (that's just the average though).

    As for OP, you can try small amounts of dried fruit, banana "ice cream" (look it up on google), very dark chocolate (90% is tasty), homemade p-butter cookies sweetened with honey or stevia, homemade fruit smoothie, etc. As for eating late at night, it's completely fine. In fact, I do it all the time (I eat cottage cheese right before bed so I have slow digesting protein overnight).

    Banana 'ice cream' is no better for you than the real thing. Bananas have a lot of sugar in them ans calories, why not just have the real thing? It's got a lot more protein than a bunch of mashed up bananas. This obsession with 'healthy' foods over other foods is a little ridiculous. Dried fruit has concentrated sugar and is high in calories. Issues can be found with just about anything one could find to eat. If there is room in the calorie goal at the end of the day, and a craving is there, just eat what is craved (a serving of it) so it fits in the calorie goal. Stop obsessing over it.

    Perhaps her palate is now able to detect and reject the nasty artificial ingredients in some convenience foods.

    You are sadly deluded about ingredients in food.

    I edited my post because I figured you'd misunderstand what I meant.

    Oh, I understood it. You seem to take a great deal of pleasure in pointing out things which aren't even in the realm of close to the truth of the post you're quoting. Nothing I mentioned has anything to do with convenience food, and many convenience foods have no artificial ingredients in them. You use such broad terms - "artificial", "convenience", "processed", without thinking of the possibility that when you break those categories down, there are actually many subcategories that don't fit what you're trying to say.

    You quoted a post about "processed sweets, junk, etc" - how does that not relate to "convenience food", which is tertiary processed food?

    Again, 'processed' and 'junk' are broad terms. People use them to describe a wide variety of foods. Potato chips? Potatoes, oil, and salt. Ice cream? Milk, sugar (or corn syrup), fruit, sodium, nuts, (depending on flavors), and some preservatives. Cookies? Again, flour, sugar, baking soda/powder, vanilla, eggs, milk, oil, and some flavorings/food colorings. People get pretty excited about terms like processed when half of the process is what you'd do at home to make the food yourself, and the ingredients on the packages are the same you'd use yourself, just listed as their chemical names, and some preservatives to keep them a little soft or fresh longer, than have no detrimental effects on humans. Other convenience foods? Packages of nuts. Candy bars. Again, tell me how those are bad for you if you have a single serving of them.
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