i need tips how to curb a craving, and resist temptations!

1Shohana
1Shohana Posts: 10
edited October 1 in Food and Nutrition
how do you curb your cravings? i find it very difficult!!! most of the time i give in and indulge. how about a temptation? for example if there is a snicker bar right in front of you calling your name... or how about if your super hungry and theres nothing to eat but fast food or just plain junk around!?!?!? these situatuations i find most difficult!!!!!!!

Replies

  • sej1990
    sej1990 Posts: 96 Member
    lol i had a post i just put up about. Do not always put aside your craving because it will only become worse, have a little bit of what your craving but not alot and then you should be ok. I crave chocolate so when i crave that i have a little piece of chocolate and then i am usually ok.
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    the key is to NOT have these things around in the first place to temp you.

    if all you shop for is junk, well of course all you'll eat is junk. go shopping for healthy snacks and foods. but mostly its all about will power. you just gotta say no..

    its just as fast to hit the grocery store for some fruit, fresh veg than it is go go out to eat or the drive thru
  • FitCoachJen
    FitCoachJen Posts: 139 Member
    - Give the candy bar to someone else, or throw it in the trash. You're not doing yourself any favors by eating it and giving in, it's prolonging the reward-craving cycle.
    - Eat well-balanced meals that leave you satiated so you don't have the desire to eat anything else. Lean protein, veggies, healthy fats, fiber, and tons of water.
    - Do something else. It's hard to eat while you're doing dishes or keeping your hands busy.
    - If you MUST eat something, there's always going to be a best option. Any restaurant will have salad or a protein burger (don't eat the bun) option.
  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
    I agree with xray chick and fit coach jen. First and most important DO NOT BUY THESE THINGS OR HAVE THEM LAYING AROUND! That is just asking for trouble. I make sure I buy only healthy for me food, but when a wayward pie comes along I keep things like this in the oven and out of sight. If it sits on the counter or in the cabinet where I am likely to see it then it becomes an obsessive thought to have some.

    If I do ever give in I have a good talk with myself first. I go by the one piece rule. I can have one small to normal piece. I MUST figure it into my calorie count, and I MAY NOT have another piece the second day or ever. Someone else can eat it, freeze it, or it gets thrown out.

    As a rule I do not eat white flour products or sugar. By doing that I feel sane around food for the first time in my life. The advice of "just having a little bit" only works because I don't have white flour or sugar on a daily basis. If I did have it on a daily basis I would be a miserable failure instead of having lost 60 pounds so far!

    Good luck. Do the right thing. Eat only healthy and good for you food! And a splurge is a splurge if you do it once in a great while. Otherwise it is just another habit.
  • sej1990
    sej1990 Posts: 96 Member
    - Give the candy bar to someone else, or throw it in the trash. You're not doing yourself any favors by eating it and giving in, it's prolonging the reward-craving cycle.
    - Eat well-balanced meals that leave you satiated so you don't have the desire to eat anything else. Lean protein, veggies, healthy fats, fiber, and tons of water.
    - Do something else. It's hard to eat while you're doing dishes or keeping your hands busy.
    - If you MUST eat something, there's always going to be a best option. Any restaurant will have salad or a protein burger (don't eat the bun) option.

    I can't help whats in my house i live with my parents still for the time being and there is always junk around, my dad is highly overweight i just dont want to ever be like that no offense to him
  • healermoon
    healermoon Posts: 74 Member
    Have you talked with your parents that is the path you want to be on? Perhaps if they were aware how serious you are they would help keep the crap food out of the house. If that isn't an option then buy low calorie snacks/salad. I read an article this week that said if you avoid the high sugar snacks/sodas for two weeks and fill those snack times with fruit and veges at the end of the two weeks you will crave more fruits and veges. I am working on that now, no sugary snacks. I noticed on one of the other forums a saying that said "No matter how good it tastes, feeling skinny is better" I printed that saying out, with extra large font and put it on the fridge, so far it is helping my snack cravings!

    Good Luck!
  • Nolynoelia20
    Nolynoelia20 Posts: 57
    I came across this quote that might help you out next time... "WHAT YOU EAT IN PRIVATE, YOU WEAR IN PUBLIC" Also dont buy that stuff. Out sight, out of mind! I used to buy all junk food for my bf & me. (he's 6'1 & eats like a cow) BUT now i buy fruits & yogurt. that helps a lot. Good luck :)
  • Nolynoelia20
    Nolynoelia20 Posts: 57
    I can't help whats in my house i live with my parents still for the time being and there is always junk around, my dad is highly overweight i just dont want to ever be like that no offense to him

    Ask ur parents to buy fruits & make a cabinet JUST FOR YOU w/ healthy stuff. OR go w/ ur mom when she goes grocery shopping so u can include stuff for YOU.
  • shelbygeorge29
    shelbygeorge29 Posts: 263 Member
    Have you thought of taking 2 weeks off from all white flour and sugar? It's not forever, just two weeks. The first few days will be tough, but as time goes by it does get easier. After 2 weeks without eating crappy foods, you'll find you desire them less.
  • kripley1229
    kripley1229 Posts: 97
    I always have a healthy snack in my purse (granola bar, cocoa almonds, special k bar) for when I'm unexpectedly away from home and starving. It satisfies me long enough so that I can get to a healthy meal instead of stopping at the drive thru.

    I do give in to my cravings every once in awhile. I find I can usually take care of them if I have 4 or 5 jelly beans (or other snack) and put the bag away, walk away, and do something else. I understand that not everyone can do this. I am finally to the point that I can.

    HTH!
  • jbootman
    jbootman Posts: 145 Member
    run do not walk to the bookstore or library and get a copy of 'The End of Overeating' do a search for this title here and on the net,

    the very respected doctor discusses the cause of our cravings and after a lifetime struggle with mine I am having real success,

    it starts with the sugar/fat/salt evil triad,

    our brains have had freeways of connections programed with these three, each leading to a craving of the other,

    when I started my diet last year I was so afraid that my cravings would never diminish, but they do, and after a few days it got easier, and after a few weeks it got even easier, I was almost even normally hungry,

    mind you I have the appetite of an elephant, with apologies to elephants, I never met food I could not eat 24/7

    but here I was able to pass a bag of cheetos, and even have ice cream in the refrigerator that the 'normals' in my home eat and I can see the carton and my hand does not grab,

    the short answer is if you can 'plan' your diet day with very little fat, no more than 1000mg of sodium and as little sugar as possible your cravings and appetite will begin to lessen,

    we are chronic compulsive hypereaters, we are addicted to sugar/fat/salt

    a note,

    this spring I went on a vacation to rome, I mean who is going to diet there, really, and yes I did gain back a few pounds, I did not mind because I had successfully lost 75 pounds slowly and by using this site, logging every mouthful, maximizing my nutrition, and with no exercise, not that I am so proud of no exercise, it just that it is not my thing,

    anyway, I got back and could not get back to my plan, my cravings could not be controlled, I was so depressed, but then I noticed that the Crystal Light that I drink by the gallons had SUGAR in it, it may not seem like much just 15 calories a cup but I drink several pitchers of the stuff each day, apparently there is a type of Crystal Light that does have sugar,

    as soon as I got back on the zero sugar Crystal Light I was fine and have begun losing again, without cravings, eating like a normal person, lots of veg, fruit and some protein,

    bottom line too I find is that I must plan my food, I eat the same breakfast and lunch each day leaving only dinner to be really thought of, my snacking is a thing of the past, and I never thought that would happen,

    good luck to you
  • ennaejay
    ennaejay Posts: 575
    In addition to what pps said, I will drink a full glass of ice water first.

    Then if I'm still hungry for the "bad" food, I will eat a healthy snack first (think serving of almonds, an apple, carrot sticks, etc)

    Then if I STILL want the "no-no food", I know I'm not physically hungry for it but just want the taste --- I'll have a serving.

    Or, like tonight, I really just want to eat everything in sight (PMS). My food diary shows low in the carbs, which is normal, so I'll crunch on some popcorn or dried whole-grain cereal to satisfy the crunch craving. Better than potato chips or Fritos.

    But if you want Fritos or potato chips, dole out a serving and make sure your diet is balanced everywhere else today. :)

    There are certain foods I can't keep in the house because the spirit is willing, but the flesh can be so weak. Don't make provision for the weakness! :HTH
  • mabug01
    mabug01 Posts: 1,273 Member
    I got rid of my cravings, which were really in control of me, by going on a short juice fast (you can look these up online). I know many people don't believe in them, but I had the best success with that. I also reinforce my commitment by reminding myself that there is plenty of stuff that is edible, but it is not really food. Try to eat only real food. I don't recommend giving in or even having just a little bit because it really only reinforces the craving. If I were able to control my intake by giving in to a little indulgence, then I wouldn't be so overweight in the first place. For me it's like a drink to an alcoholic.
  • fudgebudget
    fudgebudget Posts: 198 Member
    My biggest craving issue is chocolate, and I've found that if I just keep dark chocolate around (like 74%) and have a square or two of it when I crave chocolate, the cravings go away a LOT faster than with milk chocolate.

    Dagoba makes a Xocolotl bar (if you like chiles in your chocolate) that's only 68 calories for 1/4 of the bar and still has 2 grams of fiber in that amount.

    Also, (and clearly, chocolate is my issue, ha) the more GOOD chocolate I eat - ie not crappy Hershey's milk chocolate bars - the easier it is to resist the meh stuff.

    Other people have said this, too, but you might consider cutting yourself off from sugar for at least a week. The cravings really do go away for the most part.
  • losgan
    losgan Posts: 26 Member
    Sometimes I just give in to my cravings (CAREFULLY). My husband loves homebaked treats and I enjoy baking them. Sometimes I want a piece too. BI do pay attention to how many calories are in them and I decide if I want it enough to spend all those calories. If I don't, I think how many calories am I willing to spend and I eat that much. You learn pretty quickly that the more fattening something is, the hungrier you will be by the end of the day!

    Also, my tummy is getting used to eating healthier and does not APPROVE of fattening fast food anymore! No matter how good it tastes, it isn't worth the belly pain!
  • Chunkabutt83
    Chunkabutt83 Posts: 461
    if you want a snickers, i say eat one, but a mini snickers, not a king size. Everything is okay in moderation!
  • victoriashea
    victoriashea Posts: 112
    Look, you can't always avoid temptation. It will seek you out. That's a fact of life...
    And I always heard you "should give in sometimes!" Like allowing yourself a small treat will make it easier to say no... And maybe that's true for some people. But for me, saying yes to some meant saying yes to all of it. I'm just an all or nothing person I suppose!

    I've discovered that resolve and determination are muscles that need to be worked out. Just like glutes, thighs, and abs. Do some crunches. Flex your willpower. You will find it growing stronger!

    And keep in mind, what works for you may not work for others, and vice versa.

    If you need a verbal *kitten* kick, feel free to add me. :D
  • kellybarzegar
    kellybarzegar Posts: 1 Member
    Buy things like 80 calorie yogurt, 100 calorie snacks. If i'm craving sweets I'll eat 45 calorie ice-pops or a fudgesicle (no sugar added), or 3 or 4 hershey kisses!
  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
    Have you thought of taking 2 weeks off from all white flour and sugar? It's not forever, just two weeks. The first few days will be tough, but as time goes by it does get easier. After 2 weeks without eating crappy foods, you'll find you desire them less.

    2 weeks and I felt so good I never went back! Now I notice that small doses start to bring the cravings back. If there was just ONE piece of advice I would give to anyone trying to lose weight this is it! It WAS the key for me.
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