Cravings... I Need Help
gamermaz13
Posts: 2 Member
So I have been trying to be more consistent in my workout regimen and really want to slim down. The worst thing is my dieting! I get wicked cravings that drive me wild. Once I open the door, I eat boatloads and it really upsets my progress. What can I do to curve this feeling?
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gamermaz13 wrote: »So I have been trying to be more consistent in my workout regimen and really want to slim down. The worst thing is my dieting! I get wicked cravings that drive me wild. Once I open the door, I eat boatloads and it really upsets my progress. What can I do to curve this feeling?
What foods do you typically crave?
How much weight do you want to lose, and how many lbs per week are you set to lose?
Sometimes intense cravings come from under eating. If you are trying to lose weight quickly, slowing it down may help.
If you post what you are craving, you might get suggestions for substitutions that may help.3 -
The first thing to do is log your food and exercise for a week, consistently, without judgment. Then you can look at the situations which cause you to make bad choices and figure out what to do differently. For example, are there certain foods, places, situations, or people which lead you to overeat? Everyone is different and it's difficult to generalize for other people.
One thing that jumps out is you have started working out more. Plan to eat a small snack to fuel your exercise so that you don't end up starving afterwards and binging. A few well-timed carbs before a workout, such as a piece of fruit, and a small snack of mixed carbs and protein afterwards, such as a glass of chocolate milk, can make the difference between waiting to eat a proper dinner and grabbing a bunch of food you didn't plan for.
Many people find that eating more protein helps reduce cravings. Play with your macros and see if anything helps.4 -
I also found that drinking water helps a lot. Your body notices that you tend to hydrate more when you eat - so it will tell you its hungry to get hydrated! So try sipping water regularly, you might notice a difference in the intensity of your cravings.3
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I agree with drinking more water. Usually when I am having cravings or am still feeling hungry after meals (as in times I have no reason to be hungry) I slam some water and I'm fine.5
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Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water. Low carb snack, if you need something. Sometimes, I will just chew gum (the idea/habit) of just chewing something helps... I also use Plexus HC Slim - It's an awesome hunger control for cravings. Makes a big difference. Lastly, it is mindset! You can do this - your life & health depend on it...14
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I’m a 5’11 guy, bout 195 right now. Have been exercising pretty well the past few years, but always seem to get stuck when it comes to sweets.1
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After dinner, I tend to crave a sweet. Brushing my teeth, or having a cup of tea work to distract me from needing a sweet. And I find if I go for a walk after dinner that helps fill that time that I could be craving those sweetsgamermaz13 wrote: »I’m a 5’11 guy, bout 195 right now. Have been exercising pretty well the past few years, but always seem to get stuck when it comes to sweets.
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carakirkey wrote: »
After dinner, I tend to crave a sweet. Brushing my teeth, or having a cup of tea work to distract me from needing a sweet. And I find if I go for a walk after dinner that helps fill that time that I could be craving those sweetsgamermaz13 wrote: »I’m a 5’11 guy, bout 195 right now. Have been exercising pretty well the past few years, but always seem to get stuck when it comes to sweets.
I find that eating a sweet fixes my cravings for sweets. Remember there is no law that says you must be miserable to lose weight. I'm diabetic - if I can find room every day for chocolate, almost everyone can.3 -
can you include something you crave or at least close to and enjoyable into your day in a portion that fits? for example, i need chocolate daily. i get it twice a day via "desserts". often made myself (or lately little 50 calorie jello pouding cups). hits my craving.3
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I will drink some water or tea first with some HWC. If I am still craving it, I will make room for it in my calorie goals for it either the day of or the next day, or find a similar lower calorie recipe. No need to deprive myself. Doing that is what causes the unnecessary binge eating.4
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Rcarter2013 wrote: »Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water. Low carb snack, if you need something. Sometimes, I will just chew gum (the idea/habit) of just chewing something helps... I also use Plexus HC Slim - It's an awesome hunger control for cravings. Makes a big difference. Lastly, it is mindset! You can do this - your life & health depend on it...
What? That's crazy. I would have had to drink nearly 20 glasses of water per day. At best I'd have spent my entire day doing nothing but laps from the tap to the toilet and at worst probably end up sick with water toxemia and crippling cramping due to hyperhydration messing with my bodies electrolyte balance.
You don't need ridiculous rules like this. Just eat and drink enough fluids to keep you hydrated. It's simple to tell when you're hydrated as a) you won't feel thirsty and b) your pee will be a pale straw colour.7 -
I used to drink a gallon of water a day, back when I was running ten miles per run and hitting the gym 5 days a week - and boy did I sure urinate a lot! But I found that was in excess. Now that I am on more of a regular schedule I stick to about 2 litres of water a day. It's ideal for me. Sure, I still have to make the effort of standing up and walking to the toilet every couple hours, but it gets my squats and steps in for the day! Haha.0
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I found some of the better ways to deal with my cravings was to:
- Buy snack size versions of things I would have eaten ridiculous amounts of before - example instead of a massive bar of Dairy Milk, I will have the kid size "little bars" which are just under 100 cals each
- Leave enough calories for an evening snack - planning ahead can help avoid the "oops now I am 200 cals over"
- Eat only things I enjoy - when I used to try and eat "diet food" I'd get ridiculous urges for all the things I thought I couldn't have in order to lose weight, now I know that's nonsense.
- Eat Dinner a little later to avoid boredom eating - we're told in the media a lot don't eat late if you want to lose weight, it's more nonsense.
- Reduce hunger through being aware of what macro split is most satisfying - use your food diary notes to see what works and what doesn't by seeing if there is a pattern.
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You could consider loading up on vegetables. I eat a *large* salad (I pick and choose fresh veggies that I'll enjoy) and a small serving of beans (endless number of flavor options) for lunch and am not hungry until dinnertime. Same for my husband.
For me, the keys are making sure food is flavorful and highly nutritious.0 -
I would suggest checking your fiber intake? Without seeing your diary it's difficult to evaluate your choices.
Sugar is a prob for me too. I think it means your energy or blood sugar is down. And what we eat our body will want.
I find snacking can eliminate cravings for me. The brain thinks you're eating more than you are.0 -
Chocolate0
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allarounddice wrote: »Chocolate
....Covered Bees!1 -
a bottle or two of the supplemenr chromium picoleniate helped me and a lot of others past a sweet tooth.
another thing that helps dessert and a lot of other aspects is to study and ponder how to change habits. it involves identify cues and avoiding them plus identifying responses and substituting better ones. for example, i had to stop watching food tv (a cue) because my response to it was to binge eat2 -
What are you craving? If it's hunger (i.e. you'll eat anything), then feed yourself. If you're craving something specific, then examine what that is. For example if it's foods like oranges or cauliflower, then perhaps you have a mineral deficiency that needs to be addressed. Also it's hard to overdo it on those types of foods. If it's salty or carby food, then you'll have to decide whether to cut them out entirely (go cold turkey) or to reduce them.
I was a consistent snacker - always had a cookie or chocolate at 3 pm. I switched jobs and no longer had access to those foods so I quit snacking. And it was hard at first. I was "hungry". I got by on bringing low calorie options to work - raspberries, cucumber, hard-boiled egg. It takes a few weeks to get past the ingrained habits you've built, but once you do, the consistent craving goes away.1 -
I, personally am a huge Chocolate Lover. I crave it alll the time. I picked these up from Aldi, and I am singing its praises as much as I can. This tastes like an actual candy bar. Not some sort of hybrid "health" bar or "power" bar. Its an "advanced snack/ light meal". It FILLS me up. I will eat one in the morning in the car to work (8-8:30a) and will be full and satisfied until 1-2p. Its 170 cal which is less than your favorite candy bar and it could easily replace a meal. But ultimately, if there's something you really want, work it into your calories. Diets don't work if you resent it.
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There are a few 'Atkins' branded bars that are sold in my local supermarket that I buy and keep for snacking.
I don't buy them because they're 'Atkins' or becomes of some macro split (I don't even track macros) rather that they're taste really really good and have a relatively low calorie count for the amount of satiation they provide me.1 -
I like Kind bars.0
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