How Do You Fight Cravings? 😩

2»

Replies

  • psychod787
    psychod787 Posts: 4,088 Member
    I plan my day. If I get a "craving" I just don't give on. For me, N=1, so far... since I have eliminated most calorie dense/Hyperpalitable foods, i don't have them. I actually dont remember what... let's say an Oreo taste like. I am currently being my own experiment. Some people can do it, some just can't. There is NO shame if you can't. Hell I might fail... best wishes..
  • TanyaHooton
    TanyaHooton Posts: 249 Member
    There are lots of practical suggestions in here already. I keep willpower-draining foods (Oreos Cheez-Its) out of the house. When I want a craving, I go get it sometimes. Occasionally a lot of it. Not every day is a winner, but you need more winners than losers.

    However, there are some considerations.

    The first is the difference between hunger and a craving. If you are thinking about ice cream and feeling hungry, ask yourself whether an apple or some yogurt or cucumbers or pasta could make it better. If Yes, then it was hunger and go get an apple. If "No, only ice cream for me!" then it is a craving. At that point, you will have to engage willpower to say No most of the time.

    Know that our hunger signals are something WE train into our body. Yes, our body lets us know painfully it expects food, but only because we feed our body at that time every day. It's like cats. If you train them that breakfast is at 6.30 Monday through Friday, they are going to expect it on Saturday and Sunday too when you just want to sleep in. So just because your stomach thinks it should be full after dark doesn't mean anything other than it's habit that will take about 3-4 weeks to break.

    Last (and I only got this recently) it's important to know the difference between hunger, thirst, and the feeling of an empty stomach. I was mistaking thirst and an empty stomach for hunger ALL THE TIME. So I was snacking to try to cure the empty, unsatiated feeling in my stomach when I would have been better off drinking water and waiting for actual lunchtime hunger.

    Ymmv.
  • Joie_de_vivre17
    Joie_de_vivre17 Posts: 23 Member
    Sugar free gum, black coffee, crystal light lemonade (yeah I know it’s super 80’s but I love it)
  • Katttie89
    Katttie89 Posts: 119 Member
    I'm the exact same, fine through the day then as soon as its evening all I want to do is eat and it's always the sweet stuff I crave 😬 I just drink loads of water and go for sugar free mints or gum. Worked for me so far 🙂
  • HulkV2
    HulkV2 Posts: 32 Member
    A little trick I used to use was putting a whips Greek yogurt in the freezer then eating it before bed, just like icecream
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
    I find that its mostly about associations. So if I sit down to some Netflix at night, my mind is automatically like, hmm what can I eat. So sometimes I budget the calories and eat whatever I'm craving or I try to keep my mouth busy with a zero calorie drink. Other times, I walk away and do something else. The key is to break the association.

    ^^This! Every time I come home from somewhere, the minute I walk in the house I want to eat a snack. I’ve conditioned myself to immediately want to eat upon entering the house. So instead of sitting down right away to relax (usually with food), I go change clothes or take out my contacts or do something to upset the usual pattern and break the habit.

  • ErinWard1986
    ErinWard1986 Posts: 46 Member
    Distraction lol I get on mfp and start looking at before and after pictures to refocus.
  • activities1
    activities1 Posts: 3,475 Member
    During the day, I get very few cravings...but almost like a damn vampire or werewolf, the second the sun is gone over the horizon, I turn into a crave monster. I suddenly want to eat every sweet I’ve ever had throughout my life! Donuts, chocolates, chips, candies, you name it. I haven’t broken my diet yet but if anyone who also gets insanely strong cravings but who has mastered them and you have some advice, not well known tips or tricks to cheat my own brain, I’m all ears! My goal is not simply weight loss but also long term sustainable healthy lifestyle so i really want to get rid of cravings entirely or at least lessen them to a large degree.

    @Equivocation so glad you asked! I learned a few tips now too.
    The struggle is real!! I find I turn vampire when I’m bored at night...
    one thing I did make that is healthier for my cravings is individual ice creams that I preset the calorie intake. Idk if calories or carbs are what you’re watching but the recipe...
    1/2-3/4 of the 8oz tub of sugar free cool whip
    A few Dark chocolate or sugar free chocolate chips
    Tablespoon Pb2 or pbfit powder
    1 ripe banana mashed
    Mix and separate into individual servings for when you have a craving. Store in freezer and is just like ice cream!

    I’ve also done with sugar free cool whip, sugar free cheesecake pudding mix, lemon extract and a little graham cracker crumble.

    If you’re going to given in, at least be prepared so you eat healthier options and in moderation.
  • 150poundsofme
    150poundsofme Posts: 523 Member
    Hi, Wow! Such excellent responses and suggestions!!!! Amusedmonk and the people that write about the association of the sun going down... etc. Basically mine is going into den to watch tv, and actually any time of day. I just want to eat at tv time, all the time. I do bring a new pack of gum sometimes and chew up the whole thing, not at once lol but when it gets too chewy. I noticed recently a big trigger for me was just me driving in a car. I could be out all day and on my healthy food plan, but then I pass fast food and I just zip into the drivethru. I guess it is because more than half of my time I am binging (the other half dieting) so when binging, I would always stop at fast foods, supermarkets, Walmart, convenience stores and pick up and eat all my favorites. So just spotting them when I am driving makes me have the craving/urge. This is only recently that I figured that out. I know about the tv and say I will only eat in the kitchen but always forget to to it and because it is such a habit to eat in the den in front of the tv. And to replace the bad habit with a good habit is probably the key to changing the habit. SYou guys really rocked this thread. I was on for 5 3/4 days and then last night had that old urge to eat. I did feel I had two things weighing on my mind that did not make me happy. I think that emotional stuff may have caused me to seek food. I did eat and eat but it was healthy type foods. Of course, way too much. I so cannot keep anything in the house because at times of mental weakness, I will habitually start eating and not stop. Now this a.m. I am on my food plan but I feel like I could turn the other way at any minute. I need to be proactive. Will I? Probably not cause of my old habits are so ingrained in me. But I will after rereading everyone's posts try to come up with different things I will do (like eating in the kitchen). Let me ask you this question - do you think it is inevitable that we will always have the urge/craving/need to eat uncontrollably? And like some have said, to actually save some food for later or to go with the urge and eat veggies and healthy foods or to really try to break these habits (and will it be changed forever)? Kinda rambling here so not sure if I am saying my thoughts correctly. Hugs
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    @150poundsofme have you considered tackling one thing at a time and take the small victories? You may still eat emotionally, go to the drive through...etc, but your focus would be the TV. What do you want to do about it? Do you want to plan food for that or stop doing that? Try different strategies.

    If you would rather stop doing that, maybe instead of gum (which is still technically eating) you could slowly work through a coloring book or anything that requires that use of your hands. The coloring doesn't matter, even if you do just one stroke, but you'll be holding coloring pencils/markers, and having something in your hands would remind you not to grab food.

    It will be very hard at first and you may give in a few times (which is okay), but just power through this one thing and one thing only, even if you have to stop your diet to focus on it. Delaying weight loss is a good thing if it gives you better results in the long run. Once you have that under control, you could work on one other issue.
  • Aveseves
    Aveseves Posts: 62 Member
    I totally crave sweets at night too! Especially if I was diligent with healthy eating habits all day. As mentioned previously, gum, and distractions help but I also started drinking a glass of lemon water with apple cider vinegar and a hint of agave nectar for a little sweetness at night and it does help a bit! Good luck with the sweet tooth cravings, they blow!
  • IMNOTHERE2HOOKUP2019
    IMNOTHERE2HOOKUP2019 Posts: 935 Member
    gocallum wrote: »
    I find lot of substitutes when I get cravings, especially at nights in front of TV.... I usually start with foods like cucumber, carrots, green apples... Fennel seeds after dinner helps too... If it gets worst, I'd try and drink protein shake (with artificial sweetner)..... But if it's out of control, I keep nuts - walnuts, cashews, etc.

    I agree with you 100% !!!

    I'd add that I also down a couple glasses of water...to help fill up the ol' tummy...and if you've done all these things and are still hungry...make sure you are getting enough protein during the day. & other important nutrients..I find when I do, I'm a LOT LESS susceptible to my inner chunky child.🧸
  • 150poundsofme
    150poundsofme Posts: 523 Member
    Amusedmonk: Thank you for your input. I am going to eat my dinner in the kitchen from now on. I will still eat clementines as my snack in the den with tv. Then after, crochet or color. Thank you for your thoughts. Hugs
  • jessalittlemore
    jessalittlemore Posts: 65 Member
    Substitutes never work for me, if I want one thing eating something completely different has no effect.

    My tactic is to sabotage the memory of the food I'm craving by imagining the worst aspects of those foods. I want french fries? I think hard about cold, limp, under-salted french fries. I want some toast? I think of the feeling of hard, dried out toast scraping down my throat. I want milkshakes? I think of a specific milkshake from a fast food store that always made me nauseous. Any memory I have of a bad experience with the food or a less appetizing quality I try to amplify. It sounds silly but it works for me.
  • Equivocation
    Equivocation Posts: 7 Member
    Substitutes never work for me, if I want one thing eating something completely different has no effect.

    My tactic is to sabotage the memory of the food I'm craving by imagining the worst aspects of those foods. I want french fries? I think hard about cold, limp, under-salted french fries. I want some toast? I think of the feeling of hard, dried out toast scraping down my throat. I want milkshakes? I think of a specific milkshake from a fast food store that always made me nauseous. Any memory I have of a bad experience with the food or a less appetizing quality I try to amplify. It sounds silly but it works for me.

    Damn you straight up torture yourself haha I dig it. You’re hardcore.
  • daylily2005
    daylily2005 Posts: 203 Member
    Also try treating yourself with moderation. I used to keep tiny marshmallows on hand when I want sweets but don't have many cats. Eat one in tiny pieces and slowly and feel good about it. Make it a positive fulfilling experience (and then go do something to get your mind off of more 😜)