Confessions of a Carbaholic

krazyforyou
krazyforyou Posts: 1,428 Member
Yes I began keto and saw great success. I enjoyed the weight loss and notice from my coworkers. But as time went on by my busy lifestyle decided to rear its ugly head and I slowly fell off the wagon. Slowly as by just a snack every few days, then daily. Now its become totally out of control. I really like crackers, cookies, and most of all ice cream. Now its time to gather my strength and self control and find that damn wagon. You guys are great motivates and I thought you should know that.

Replies

  • SamandaIndia
    SamandaIndia Posts: 1,577 Member
    Agree, we have a solid team here, you have our full support. Best wishes.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    Most of us have been THERE in some form or fashion, @krazyforyou, or we wouldn't be HERE now, eh?

    I'd look at finding low carb options for those things when you "gotta have it" in order to not dive off the low carb wagon, but work on killing the sweet tooth if you can. So far, I haven't had any luck, and I suspect candida or some other bacterial gut issue...
  • ladipoet
    ladipoet Posts: 4,180 Member
    I agree with @Knit. I make low carb ice cream and law carb cookies at home so I can safely indulge without derailing all my progress or further damaging my body and my diary reflects this. I don't make crackers though...to much work for me at this point...however there are tons of great low carb recipes online free for the printing.
  • StephieWillcox
    StephieWillcox Posts: 627 Member
    @ladipoet do you find that keeps your sugar cravings at bay (because you're indulging them) by making keto sweet treats? I keep trying to completely stop carb sweet treats but I don't replace them with any keto treats and I end up losing willpower and binging on carby treats.

    Clearly the all or nothing approach isn't a great one, and I just don't have enough willpower to resist temptation.

    I am tempted to make a low carb cheesecake and some low carb icecream and then I can at least indulge in those when my cravings are bad, but I worry that will lead to more sweets
  • Midnightgypsy0
    Midnightgypsy0 Posts: 177 Member
    I keep trying to find low carb salty snacks. :p
  • MimiOfTheLusciousLawn
    MimiOfTheLusciousLawn Posts: 2,212 Member
    I'm envious of those who can use artificial sweeteners and have LC sweet treats. My body goes kooky with them, cravings and hunger for DAYS afterward. :'(
  • noclady1995
    noclady1995 Posts: 452 Member
    I recently went back on keto and found it hasn't been as hard as I thought it was going to be. I feel like my body prefers this way of eating. I Just have to stay on top of my water and electrolytes.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    I keep trying to find low carb salty snacks. :p

    @Midnightgypsy0 - Beef jerky and beef sticks are some of my favorites. Pepperoni or pepperoni chips, salted macadamia nuts in small quantities, etc.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    @ladipoet do you find that keeps your sugar cravings at bay (because you're indulging them) by making keto sweet treats? I keep trying to completely stop carb sweet treats but I don't replace them with any keto treats and I end up losing willpower and binging on carby treats.

    Clearly the all or nothing approach isn't a great one, and I just don't have enough willpower to resist temptation.

    I am tempted to make a low carb cheesecake and some low carb icecream and then I can at least indulge in those when my cravings are bad, but I worry that will lead to more sweets

    @StephieWillcox - The low carb treats CAN lead to more "sweets," but only if you treat them as a regular thing - and not what they are - rare treats. That being said, whenever you do sweeten, trying only sweetening to tolerance, not to taste - being the least amount of sweetener you can stand in something...it will help keep that OMG I WANT MORE NOW reflex from kicking in as quickly or heavily - i.e., it's easier to fight back against it.

    When I have sweet cravings, I try to feed my body fats and salt first, and most of the time, that dampens the desire. If I have to indulge, I try to have something that's not going to spike my insulin reaction/blood sugar... If that means I have to have a low carb treat to keep from faceplanting into a carton of ice cream or cookies - or a cake, etc., that's what I will do, but they still need to be only occasional treats, not daily, for us sugar addicts.
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    @ladipoet do you find that keeps your sugar cravings at bay (because you're indulging them) by making keto sweet treats? I keep trying to completely stop carb sweet treats but I don't replace them with any keto treats and I end up losing willpower and binging on carby treats.

    Clearly the all or nothing approach isn't a great one, and I just don't have enough willpower to resist temptation.

    I am tempted to make a low carb cheesecake and some low carb icecream and then I can at least indulge in those when my cravings are bad, but I worry that will lead to more sweets

    @StephieWillcox - The low carb treats CAN lead to more "sweets," but only if you treat them as a regular thing - and not what they are - rare treats. That being said, whenever you do sweeten, trying only sweetening to tolerance, not to taste - being the least amount of sweetener you can stand in something...it will help keep that OMG I WANT MORE NOW reflex from kicking in as quickly or heavily - i.e., it's easier to fight back against it.

    When I have sweet cravings, I try to feed my body fats and salt first, and most of the time, that dampens the desire. If I have to indulge, I try to have something that's not going to spike my insulin reaction/blood sugar... If that means I have to have a low carb treat to keep from faceplanting into a carton of ice cream or cookies - or a cake, etc., that's what I will do, but they still need to be only occasional treats, not daily, for us sugar addicts.

    This has been my experience as well. I fully agree with this advice if you feel "driven" to have sweets on a daily basis or even less often but it feels like something driving you to it that's nearly impossible to control. It is possible though and abstinence has been what has made it easiest for me.
    I only make sugar free desserts/treats for holidays, parties and birthdays. And I only make the bare minimum so there's no leftovers that I would no doubt end up eating by myself the next day.
  • Fvaisey
    Fvaisey Posts: 5,506 Member
    I keep trying to find low carb salty snacks. :p

    Ever try pork rinds dipped in guacamole...
  • KETOGENICGURL
    KETOGENICGURL Posts: 687 Member
    Krazy, I had the same problem, being told by my Renal RD to consume carbs, & with a kidney doc breathing down my neck (and frequent checkups)....til I went from 30 carbs and created an out of control popcorn obsession, getting >130+ carbs a day…and slow gain! Frustrating.

    Once you start with carbs it's difficult to quit them. I quit my VA kidney docs too, and am seeing a local nephrologist, and will not be talked out of LCHF.

    REREADING the proof in books and articles really helps me. Here is a quote from a NEW study-free PDF available linked thru diet doctor.
    "Fat: The New Health Paradigm," issued by the Credit Suisse Research Institute. This report is based on more than 400 medical research papers and books written by academics and industry experts, as well as two in-house surveys of doctors, nutritionists and consumers.

    http://www.dietdoctor.com/the-future-is-lower-carb-higher-fat <<100 pg report link here

    This article is a short read about their research
    https://www.credit-suisse.com/us/en/articles/articles/news-and-expertise/2015/09/en/fat-the-new-health-paradigm.html
  • RLC928
    RLC928 Posts: 13 Member
    I'm envious of those who can use artificial sweeteners and have LC sweet treats. My body goes kooky with them, cravings and hunger for DAYS afterward. :'(

    Same here. I can't have any artificial sweeteners at all or it really screws with me. I can go an entire week with perfect macros, under my calorie and carb limit, etc.. And one coke zero will stall my weight loss, for whatever reason. And then of course that leads to all kinds of crazy carb cravings. The last time I had one I was dying for a baked potato.
  • harperlm1976
    harperlm1976 Posts: 5 Member
    edited May 2016
    I am just starting on low carb- was started on Metformin. Struggle with it. But so far when I have been craving sweets I can satisfy it with frozen yogurt or a piece of hard candy. I really miss cookies.
  • Midnightgypsy0
    Midnightgypsy0 Posts: 177 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »

    @Midnightgypsy0 - Beef jerky and beef sticks are some of my favorites. Pepperoni or pepperoni chips, salted macadamia nuts in small quantities, etc.
    Fvaisey wrote: »

    Ever try pork rinds dipped in guacamole...

    Excellent suggestions! Thanks....
  • daylitemag
    daylitemag Posts: 604 Member
    You can do this. You've done it before so you know it's true. Good luck!
  • smuller73
    smuller73 Posts: 71 Member
    @krazyforyou I have been through this a couple of times during my weight loss journey. I tell myself "that one little thing won't hurt" and it is fine until I find myself saying this several times a day, then I realise I have lost control. I found total abstinence from any sweet or carby things for a few days or a week, will get me back on track and back in control. I can eat the LCHF alternatives and stay on track but they really do need to be occasional and not everyday treats and only when I am back in the "low carb zone" again or the carb cravings will kick in. One thing for me though is that in the past on Low fat diets when I went off the rails I did it properly, threw my hands up in the air and gave up. I usually only got a check on myself when I had put on all the weight I had lost, and more. On LCHF I gain control much, much sooner. 2 or 3kgs is much easier to lose again than 20-30kgs. Good Luck, you can do it.
  • SamandaIndia
    SamandaIndia Posts: 1,577 Member
    I just came out of a 90 min meeting that ran late to take mum to her first art gallery of the day. Racing, next back to work. First, time out for me. Recognising the stress of the meeting (pending redundancies etc) I wanted a treat. Carbs anyone? What I needed was a break so I am going to enjoy a BPC plus "salute the sun" (yoga, in a dress suit so this may look v funny if anyone looks in -Dutch house so open windows) then return more composed to work. My suggestion is distraction or consciously know that sweets are no longer an option.