A habit or something missing?

BoxerBrawler · August 2016

Every night after my evening meal I simply have to have a sweet! It doesn't matter what the sweet is, could be a piece of fruit or a spoon of peanut butter. But I can't determine if it's simply become a habit or if I'm missing a nutrient. I'd say my nutrition is pretty rounded out with a good variety. I get plenty of protein and veggies. I don't eat a lot of sweets and I'm not hungry, just a craving really. I don't feel as if I'm addicted to sugar. Maybe because I do a lot of cardio and my body wants to replace the sugars? I am at a loss. Any thoughts?

billglitch · August 2016

I would say its a habit and the wanting something that tastes good

BoxerBrawler · August 2016

I tend to think that too, but don't want to believe that I've developed that habit and now have to break it lol!

healthygreek · August 2016

Maybe just because it tastes good and provides and ending to your meal.
Make it fit your calorie goal and enjoy!
I love some chocolate or fruit after lunch or dinner or even both if there's room in my day.
Sometimes even some ice cream.

kimny72 · August 2016

Nothing wrong with having something sweet after a meal. I save 100 - 200 calories for just that every night.

girlinahat · August 2016

I find I often want something sweet to give a change of taste in my mouth.

I do one of the following:

Have a hot chocolate (I have some that are 40 calories)

Have a liqueur such as cognac, limoncello, Strega etc.

Have a peppermint tea.

The last one is generally the most successful at satisfying the desire.

SueInAz · August 2016

I've always found that if I have a dinner high in carbs that I always want something sweet at the end of it. When I was eating low carb that didn't happen.

You might have a piece of gum after dinner rather than actually eating food. It'd do double duty of cleaning your teeth a bit as well as clearing your palate.

VintageFeline · August 2016

If it fits then enjoy it. Why the worry?

Seffell · August 2016

I'm pretty sure it is a habit. I have this habit too and I love my dinner desert. Nothing wrong with it. I fit it into my calories. If something happened during the day and I can't afford the desert calories I only have a diet coke. Does the job for me.

rileysowner · August 2016

What does it matter? If you meet your calorie goal then a sweet at the end of the day fit into those calories won't make any difference at all either to health or weight loss.

PaulaWallaDingDong · August 2016

cushman5279 wrote: »

I tend to think that too, but don't want to believe that I've developed that habit and now have to break it lol!

It being a habit doesn't make it bad. If it's not interfering with your goals, there's no reason to break it.

BoxerBrawler · August 2016

Thanks everyone! I don't consider it bad at all and I do make it fit into my overall goals. I just try to strive for a clean nutrition plan. For the most part I stick to a healthy sweet, sometimes it's not lol! My concern was that in not getting a nutrient that I might need. But it probably is a habit. I can't do fake sugar, trying to trick my brain like that only leads to a stronger craving.

BoxerBrawler · August 2016

Sometimes a tea helps. I tried those meal ender candies, they were crap!

RavenLibra · August 2016

check your macros to see if something IS missing

etguillemette · August 2016

Have you tried eating more bitter foods? Perhaps anecdotal, but I've noticed that since taking my coffee black and drinking extremely bitter craft beer, I barely ever crave sweet stuff. My palate has shifted more towards the bitter end, so that sweet is too sweet.

JeromeBarry1 · August 2016

It's a habit. I got myself into the habit of having a portion of bread with my dinner. Last night I did not and it just felt wrong.

malibu927 · August 2016

Who said it needs broken? I save calories every night for something sweet (usually ice cream).

Lindsay_the_great · August 2016

I have the same habit. I save my fruit for my dessert.

SideSteel · August 2016

cushman5279 wrote: »

Thanks everyone! I don't consider it bad at all and I do make it fit into my overall goals. I just try to strive for a clean nutrition plan. For the most part I stick to a healthy sweet, sometimes it's not lol! My concern was that in not getting a nutrient that I might need. But it probably is a habit. I can't do fake sugar, trying to trick my brain like that only leads to a stronger craving.

Assuming you're meeting micro and macronutrient needs, and assuming your overall diet contains a reasonable number of calories for your activity levels to prevent excess fat accumulation, I'm not aware of any evidence that a moderate amount of "junk food" is detrimental, at all.

Once nutrient needs are met, you don't get extra credit for going beyond that, or eating a completely "clean" diet.

Note: I'm certainly not intending to attack your dieting philosophy so hopefully you don't take this personally. I think many people can take the idea of "clean eating" too far, where they are eating a very healthy diet and worried about the 1 processed thing they ate that day/etc.

Christine_72 · August 2016

I have dessert every night. It is definitely a habit, and a hard one to break. I'll be totally stuffed after dinner but i still need that sweet fix regardless. It's like my brain has become accustomed to something sweet straight after my meal.
The feeling only hits at dinner time, i rarely get sweet cravings during the day.

BoxerBrawler · August 2016

SideSteel wrote: »

cushman5279 wrote: »

Thanks everyone! I don't consider it bad at all and I do make it fit into my overall goals. I just try to strive for a clean nutrition plan. For the most part I stick to a healthy sweet, sometimes it's not lol! My concern was that in not getting a nutrient that I might need. But it probably is a habit. I can't do fake sugar, trying to trick my brain like that only leads to a stronger craving.

Assuming you're meeting micro and macronutrient needs, and assuming your overall diet contains a reasonable number of calories for your activity levels to prevent excess fat accumulation, I'm not aware of any evidence that a moderate amount of "junk food" is detrimental, at all.

Once nutrient needs are met, you don't get extra credit for going beyond that, or eating a completely "clean" diet.

Note: I'm certainly not intending to attack your dieting philosophy so hopefully you don't take this personally. I think many people can take the idea of "clean eating" too far, where they are eating a very healthy diet and worried about the 1 processed thing they ate that day/etc.

Hey, no not taking it personally at all. I've found what basically works for me and I truly don't take "clean eating" to a crazy level. I really do feel better eating this way so I'm sticking with it! I come close to my macros everyday sometimes hitting them spot-on. I do tend to under eat and over burn, but that's just me. I think I am reasonable with my choices and targets. I am not against junk food either

Thanks for the comment!

BoxerBrawler · August 2016

Christine_72 wrote: »

I have dessert every night. It is definitely a habit, and a hard one to break. I'll be totally stuffed after dinner but i still need that sweet fix regardless. It's like my brain has become accustomed to something sweet straight after my meal.
The feeling only hits at dinner time, i rarely get sweet cravings during the day.

Yes, same! This only hits me after dinner time!

RoxieDawn · August 2016

I eat chocolate every night right before I go to bed, actually I eat it watching TV before turning out the lights.

For me this is just a habit for me that I adopted from my husband. I swear I am convinced I sleep better..

BoxerBrawler · August 2016

Haha! yes I am all about chocolate!

leejoyce31 · August 2016

I was starting to eat a treat every night after dinner, but I was having to reduce my lunch portions to make room for it. I stopped because it wasn't worth it. I was really glad that I stopped before it became a habit.

lorrpb · August 2016

I have one square of 86% cacao dark choc every day after dinner, then I'm good for the evening, No cravings or snacking. I enjoy it and don't try to over analyze it.

Francl27 · August 2016

Definitely habit. I don't blame you though... I had dessert after dinner pretty much all my life.

Now what I do is really ask myself if I want something. If I just want 'something sweet' but can't think of anything specific... I have a cup of tea instead. At lunch I often finish my meals with a Greek yogurt (flavored) and/or an apple and it's pretty satisfying... or a square of chocolate with my coffee. Or a couple chocolate covered hazelnuts.

But yeah, when it comes to sweets, my rule is really that unless I'm craving something specific, I should just save the calories (if I start eating sweets because 'I'm craving sweets', it's when I'm most likely to binge on them anyway... as it's not as satisfying to me as when I really crave it).

But otherwise, I saved 100-200 calories for dessert after dinner most of the time when I was losing.

oolou · August 2016

Sounds like a habit to me, rather than your body craving some missing nutrient.

I also stand in line with those who have a dessert after dinner. I enjoy it, eat it slowly late evening, and think of it as my late snack (to stop my mind thinking ooh I'll have a snack later on). My current fave is a medium size banana sliced up and covered with a pot of greek yoghurt - with a handful of all bran thrown in too usually.

cwolfman13 · August 2016

cushman5279 wrote: »

I tend to think that too, but don't want to believe that I've developed that habit and now have to break it lol!

It's a habit...that doesn't make it bad or make it something that needs to be broken...a lot of things we do are simply habit. I'd say this is a rather benign one. I have a little something for desert pretty much every night...I really don't see an issue with it when I look at my diet within the context of the whole.

STEVE142142 · September 2016

I always have something after my last meal. Weather it's physical or emotionally derived there's nothing wrong with it as long as it fits within your calorie limit

For this process to work you have to enjoy doing it and if you're constantly giving up stuff you don't like it's not going to work. I lost 80 pounds since January 1st 2016. It was extremely easy for me as crazy as that sounds. During that time I still had the occasional Wendy's hamburger slice or two of pizza or beer on the beach. If I have to give up those things it would have never worked.

Enjoy the journey

A habit or something missing?

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