What do you do about your cravings???

I hate to say this, but I never have cheat meals. On other diets, I have craved pizza or a cheeseburger, but this time, I don't. I make a wide variety of meals and try to incorporate different tastes and seasonings, and I think that helps. One day, I even made a 2 oz hamburger for lunch, put tomatoes and lettuce on it, and put it on 1 slice of high fiber wheat bread. I try to think ahead about meals, and always make sure I have fruits and vegetables to snack on. I'm actually finding it so easy this time, I'm surprising myself.

Either ignore it or eat what it is I want within reason. Usually I either want a sweet, or I want a salty snack. I try to have low-cal options for both of those on hand.

I don't do cheat meals because for me it brings the notion of good and bad food, which I don't want. When I crave something, I make it work in my calories. Last night I had cheese and crackers, it's super high in calories but I made it work (without feeling ravenous all day). Sometimes I crave chips, ice cream etc. and if it last for a few days, i'll have them.

I don't really get cravings that often, but when I do I have a few options: fit the food I want into my day, do some extra cardio, make a lower calorie substitution, save it for the weekend where I have more calories to play with (since I bank calories), eat it anyway and just accept a slow to no loss that week, or... ignore it and let it pass. Sometimes I want the donuts I have frozen in my freezer, but they will just have to wait until I am in maintenance because they are just not worth the hassle of fitting them into my deficit right now.

I'm not very good at managing cravings, but I'd like to be better so I'm interested in all the responses. My best bet is to prevent them by planning satisfying meals that I genuinely enjoy and staying flexible with my plan. Like @stfpaI, I substitute if something comes up or I change my mind about what I'd like to have.

Like @kommodevaran, sometimes I give in and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I tell myself, "That's not on your plan today; work it in tomorrow if you still want it," and that works. The craving is gone really quickly. But other times, it just won't leave me alone and I tangle myself up in will-she-or-won't-she until I invariably do. It's not a big deal because even if it pushes me over for the day, it's not hard to fit it in the following day, and it almost never messes up my whole week. It's still a battle, though.

I've found that more often than not, my cravings stem from the power of suggestion. I'll want something because I smelled somebody's tasty lunch in the break room or saw a commercial for something. If I go on about my day, the urge usually passes on its own. If I still want it after a couple of days, I just work it in.

While bulking I just destroy everything...

while losing I just ignore it, it's part of the process and I view it as mental will power. I have a goal, I want to meet it, this will mess it up so no. Also a cheat meal once a week while trying to lose I'd never do either, cause it just helps keep those cravings around. Cut it out and just focus on your goal, you don't "need" a cheat meal, you choose to have one.

It depends on what I'm craving and why. Aside from passing food musings (mmm donuts), I don't get strong cravings frequently. What happens if I over-restrict, or poorly plan for meals though, is that I usually grab something unhealthy and overeat on it. So I try to make sure I have a variety of lower calorie snacks on hand at my desk, so I don't hit the vending machine. Having good snacks on hand also helps me not come home ravenous and eat half a bag of chips in a sitting. Either planning out my dinners for the week, or even just knowing what I'm doing a day in advance helps me not go out to eat. Usually my cravings are of opportunity. Like a co-worker bringing in a cake. Or someone suggests something tasty. I can usually pass up those things, unless I'm hungy and didn't plan snacks well, or it's a favorite thing. If indulge, I'll see if it fits my day and rearrange if I can so I'm still at goal. If it doesn't fit, and I still really want it, I just try to eat less the next couple days, or work out more to make up for it.

I generally plan my meals on the fly. So if I wake up craving pancakes and eggs, that's what I have. One 6" pancake and two eggs easily fits into my day. I do the same with lunch and supper, although sometimes by supper, I'm playing catch up with some of my macros. So supper can look interesting. As for things like ice cream and treats. I fit them in, if I have them in the house. I'm rarely craving something enough to go out and get it.