Tips For Controlling Sugar Cravings?

Charger2016
Charger2016 Posts: 20 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone have any useful tips for controlling sugar cravings? Whenever I have to say no to chocolate or cake or other glorious goodies, I always feel like I'm missing out on it.

Replies

  • Nicklebee93
    Nicklebee93 Posts: 316 Member
    edited April 2016
    You don't have to miss out on it :) Moderation is the key. Instead of taking a big slice of cake, make it small (half of what you'd normally eat). I still make room for my chocolate. I love chocolate milk and drink a cup (an actually measuring cup!) of it almost every night and i've lost almost 30 pounds.
  • Charger2016
    Charger2016 Posts: 20 Member
    I think that has been my mistake then... I've been trying to eliminate chocolate and all associated favourites completely. Thank you for your advice - I will definitely take it :)
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Yes, don't abstain if you are a moderator :D
  • Nicklebee93
    Nicklebee93 Posts: 316 Member
    The key, i found, is to not take out anything i don't plan to live forever without. Just work it into your calories. Or some people do a "treat" day where they eat at maintenance and allow themselves to have those goodies. You just need to learn moderation :) Good luck!
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    If I eliminated chocolate someone would die. Or I'd binge. Moderation!
  • Charger2016
    Charger2016 Posts: 20 Member
    Thank you so much you guys! I've been way too strict with myself and have come so close to binging... I will try to learn moderation this time
  • BelleCakes2018
    BelleCakes2018 Posts: 568 Member
    If moderation doesn't help by any chance... try eliminating all sugar completely.. I know it sounds awful - but I was a sugar addict and I found after a couple of weeks of not eating any the temptation or cravings were very rare. I was amazed and never would have believed it until I tried it. I only did something this drastic because at one point I couldn't control my sugar cravings at all... a small portion of what I fancied just didn't help me. Good luck.
  • kandisn7
    kandisn7 Posts: 66 Member
    I have recently decided to drastically cut processed sugar from my diet (diabetes runs in my family) and I am shocked at how I do not crave it like I used to. I am 10 days in, and easily turning it down. I have found that substituting processed sugar with fruit and honey is just as satisfying.
  • soniafahmad
    soniafahmad Posts: 7 Member
    What do you think about artificial sugar
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Charger2016 wrote: »
    Does anyone have any useful tips for controlling sugar cravings? Whenever I have to say no to chocolate or cake or other glorious goodies, I always feel like I'm missing out on it.

    Mostly, stick it out, and it will go away.

    But if you are over-restricting, realize that you can include some chocolate in your diet and still have a healthy diet. I tend to save some calories for an extra after dinner (most often ice cream or some kind of high quality cheese, but sometimes chocolate), and knowing I'm having that later makes it easier to ignore other opportunities to have sweets or low nutrient foods, as I know if I ate them I couldn't have my evening dessert, and I know if I don't have them I still have something later (or tomorrow).
  • RA60172
    RA60172 Posts: 137 Member
    edited April 2016
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Charger2016 wrote: »
    Does anyone have any useful tips for controlling sugar cravings? Whenever I have to say no to chocolate or cake or other glorious goodies, I always feel like I'm missing out on it.

    Mostly, stick it out, and it will go away.

    But if you are over-restricting, realize that you can include some chocolate in your diet and still have a healthy diet. I tend to save some calories for an extra after dinner (most often ice cream or some kind of high quality cheese, but sometimes chocolate), and knowing I'm having that later makes it easier to ignore other opportunities to have sweets or low nutrient foods, as I know if I ate them I couldn't have my evening dessert, and I know if I don't have them I still have something later (or tomorrow).

    +1 to the bolded text

    I plan to have certain treats just about every single evening, after the kids have gone to bed. I so look forward to that time that last minute/unexpected birthday cake, snack food aisles, and random treats do absolutely nothing for me anymore. :)
  • jandsstevenson887
    jandsstevenson887 Posts: 296 Member
    I still have some sweets every day. Usually those are in the form of a chocolate chip FiberOne bar or mini York Peppermint Patty bites because it keeps me around 150cal.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Charger2016 wrote: »
    I think that has been my mistake then... I've been trying to eliminate chocolate and all associated favourites completely. Thank you for your advice - I will definitely take it :)

    Good plan! Well done.

    Yep, I have chocolate or a sweet treat every day, and I've lost 35 kg / 75 lbs in the past 12 months.

    Moderation for the win.
  • Charger2016
    Charger2016 Posts: 20 Member
    Thank you all of you for your amazing advice! I've decided to practice moderation with the aim of eventually cutting out certain glorious goodies (chocolate is not on that list). I used to gorge myself on crisps until I recently found out how many calories and carbohydrates are actually in even a quarter packet of crisps... After that revelation, saying no to them became easier.

    I'm going to decide on a treat in the beginning of the day and allow myself only that one treat (example: 1 Easter egg). That way I know I'm getting a treat today, and I won't have to worry about snapping and eating all the sugar in the house :)
  • melonaulait
    melonaulait Posts: 769 Member
    Charger2016 wrote: »
    I used to gorge myself on crisps until I recently found out how many calories and carbohydrates are actually in even a quarter packet of crisps...

    Personally, I've found that my cravings have gone down a lot since I started eating "enough" carbs. As in, I usually eat over 200g carbs a day and that really helps. Carbs aren't the culprit behind cravings or weight gain etc.
  • BelleCakes2018
    BelleCakes2018 Posts: 568 Member
    kandisn7 wrote: »
    I have recently decided to drastically cut processed sugar from my diet (diabetes runs in my family) and I am shocked at how I do not crave it like I used to. I am 10 days in, and easily turning it down. I have found that substituting processed sugar with fruit and honey is just as satisfying.

    I agree - In fact I never used to like fruit much until I cut out sugar and then all of a sudden it became quite delicious and so sweet! But because I had a little addiction to sugar I ended up eating 3 or 4 oranges a day plus other fruit, so cut that out too in the end (not forever - just to cure the crutch i seem to have with sugar)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    kandisn7 wrote: »
    I have recently decided to drastically cut processed sugar from my diet (diabetes runs in my family) and I am shocked at how I do not crave it like I used to. I am 10 days in, and easily turning it down. I have found that substituting processed sugar with fruit and honey is just as satisfying.

    That definitely didn't work for me.

    OP, I just have what I want in moderation. Protein powder helps with the sweet tooth though!
  • KateTii
    KateTii Posts: 886 Member
    For me, I made the decision that I would only "indulge" in treats in bed, after dinner. That way, I guarantee I won't have to skip dinner because I couldn't say no to eating sweets. It's easy saying no when you know if you say yes, you won't get *favourite snack food* later.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    KateTii wrote: »
    For me, I made the decision that I would only "indulge" in treats in bed, after dinner. That way, I guarantee I won't have to skip dinner because I couldn't say no to eating sweets. It's easy saying no when you know if you say yes, you won't get *favourite snack food* later.

    I need to do that.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    soniafahmad wrote: »
    What do you think about artificial sugar

    All forms of artificial sugar taste nasty to me.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    When I do the following, I don't have cravings:

    1. Get sufficient sleep
    2. Exercise regularly - when I get the happy hormones from exercise, I'm not prone to seeking them from food.
    3. Get sufficient protein in relationship to carbs. I'm not low carb, but reducing carbs and upping protein worked for cravings for me. See also http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html
    4. Eat moderate amounts of fruit
    5. Take a magnesium supplement. This can be especially helpful for women premenstrually.
    6. Save foods like chocolate for after dinner, in small amounts
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