Sugar Cravings?

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  • shariguymon
    shariguymon Posts: 245 Member
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    There are so many good suggestions here....I cut out sugar, and now mostly have fruit and natural sugars...I do have some desserts on occasion, but never much....I never have cravings anymore unless I start having desserts more frequently...........less sugar begats less cravings.....you have to learn your level of tolerance before cravings start......cold turkey can end cravings and frequency and portion control after that.....It's an absolutely wonderful feeling to be free of cravings and be in control and have that occasional treat without going bonkers!!!!!!!!desserts often can carry a double whammy where you might be craving the fat as well.........The only things I know that cause cravings are salt, sugar, and fat.....The same principle applies with fat and salt as with sugar.....I don't know how to tell you how wonderful it feels to be rid of the cravings, but it is totally amazing.....cravings are caused by hormonal triggers in the body, not lack of will power.....once you learn to work with your body and find your tolerance levels....You can definitely gain total control.!!!!!!
  • jjs22
    jjs22 Posts: 156
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    Lots of good ideas here so far. I hope some of them help you.

    I was lucky in that I didn't have strong sugar or carbs cravings, so I was able to cut them way back without any real willpower. (I don't do so good when it comes to the big "W".) And I really did discover that when you eliminate (or cut way back on ) sugar and refined carbs, they just don't seem as necessary. And I grew up in a house where my live-in grandma would bake double-batches of chocolate chip cookies 3 times a week. The jar was perpetually overflowing with sugar AND love.

    One big change that I've made in my diet that may help you. Apples. I eat one every day for breakfast. One every day after lunch. And often have one in the evening if I want something sweet. Yes, apples do have sugar in them. But there's a lot of bulk, and lots of fiber so that it takes a long for your body to digest its way through the crunchyness to get to the tiny droplets of sugar.

    Just as one person suggested re-packaging your cookies and labelling the calories in each serving, you may want to compare cookies to apples. Maybe you can make a rule : if you eat X calories of cookies, then you absolutely cannot eat another one until you have eaten X calories of apples. Even a lame-*kitten* rookie can snarf down 300 calories of cookies without batting an eye. But have you ever seen anybody eat more than 300 calories worth of fresh apples in one go? Not me.
  • muitobem
    muitobem Posts: 436 Member
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    QUOTE:

    don't have them in the house. less temptation and the thought of having to go buy them may eliminate the cravings. replace cookies with fruits.


    I totally agree with this. there are a few items that I cannot keep in the house because I will give in, eat "a few", have cravings for more, and eat more. I mean, who can stop at only a few Cape Cod salt & vinegar chips (reduced fat version or not, I'm better off without them in the house).

    Most of the kids snacks don't tempt me so they don't have to miss out just because I avoid bringing a few things into the house.

    (You are so right about this!! Cape Cod salt & Vinegar chips, I can eat the whole bag! SO...i don't have them in the house...I try to keep protein bars and other types of alternatives to anything that I might want pig out on! Also, tis true, the more processed you eat, the more you want!)
  • moondust7
    moondust7 Posts: 109 Member
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    all really great tips!! Fruit definitely helps me - sometimes it can be so sweet it almost tastes like candy. Another thing I do: if you absolutely have to have something, allow yourself a very small portion, and buy things that are very small, like 1-2 Hershey's kisses, or a square of chocolate. If I'm really craving something sweet, a small amount will satisfy my craving, and I don't feel so starved for it. If I try to completely eliminate it, that just doesn't work for me. That small of an amount does not hurt my diet, and I can move on. But, you have to make sure you only have a very small portion of the sweets.
  • GMarieRN
    GMarieRN Posts: 2
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    I too have the same problem. And as others have said, I just cannot have them in the house. What I do enjoy when I want a sweet and/or chocolately treat is eat a Jello pudding snack (these are in the refrigerated case at the grocery). They have some sugar free ones (60 calories) that are chocolate/vanilla, caramel flavored (and possibly some other flavors too). Then they have some that are about 120-130 calories - Oreo flavored (I think) and strawberry cheesecake flavored. I usually shy away from "sugar free" snacks b/c they don't taste like the real thing. But I have found that these are really good!! So, I keep them on hand and when I am craving something sweet I try to satisfy that craving with ONE of these. They don't seem to create the urge to eat the whole 6-pack either - like eating one cookie makes some of us want to finish the entire package!! They are small, but they seem to do the trick for me -- plus they have a little calcium in them and us girls are always needing our calcium!
  • Black_Swan
    Black_Swan Posts: 770 Member
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    I used to pick one day, then after the weight loss was harder only one MEAL in a WEEK when I could eat anything. And I would eat it. And then continue being good all week.
    Also, waaaaaaaaaaaater....
  • vannie18
    vannie18 Posts: 55
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    My downfall....starchy sugar cravings. The feel good foods. The one cookie that inevitably ends up being 6 cookies. My lack of self control and will power. I pretty much have to avoid the treats all together or I sugar binge.

    Does anyone have good tips for eliminating the craving for sugars, or ways to enjoy them in moderation?

    I know this isn't going to be the most popular answer, but, for me, to reduce those cravings, I completely cut them out of my diet - for a while. I don't believe in saying I will never eat something, but I do know that I need to clear my system and adjust to new types of food. It usually takes me a few months of cutting out the triggers before 'safely' adding them back into my diet. Good luck! It is different for everyone.

    I do the same thing.
  • vannie18
    vannie18 Posts: 55
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    Oh, I got another idea. If you DO buy the cookies, put them in ziplocks according to portion sizes. If 2 cookies is a portion size, then put 2 cookies inside. Then, write on the bag "Cookies, 250 calories/serving=30 minutes aerobics". Once you see that, it's less likely you will continue eating, if you actually visualize how much work it requires to "shed" the cookie.


    :wink: I like your idea!!
  • incfighters
    incfighters Posts: 18 Member
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    I have baked goods/sugar cravings all the time.. and i know that fruit just doesn't always fulfill that chocolatey or sugary grain craving. I recommend low cal/low fat ice cream (breyer's/skinny cow ice cream sandwiches, or some 100 cal ice cream, and measure out portions for that). i also go for low cal or healtheir cereals* with milk (more filling and satisfying for less calories!)

    *my new favorite cereal is Open Nature Sweet Medley (toffee flavored clusters with flakes, almonds, brazil nuts, and pecans) this is about 250 cals per serving, put I do about 1/2 a serving and mix it with some 90cal bran flakes. so filling and delicious!

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