Why do i crave fast food while on diet??

oumati
oumati Posts: 29 Member
edited October 3 in Introduce Yourself
Why do i crave fast food while on diet?? despite my willing to achieve my goal i still crave salty deep fried food how can i avoid feling that way?

PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!

Replies

  • PaulaJKelly
    PaulaJKelly Posts: 96
    Because we will ALWAYS want what we tell ourselves we can't have. Drink some water and hopefully it will pass soon. I wanted to post a few minutes ago - Why, oh why, is eating so much fun :) So I do understand.
  • Justjoshin
    Justjoshin Posts: 999 Member
    Because you're telling yourself you are on a diet.

    Stop dieting, start eatting a healthy diet as a lifestyle change.
  • charlesalvear
    charlesalvear Posts: 78 Member
    what worked for me, and it only took me one day, is I decided to plug in all the junk food I ate in one day into the food tracker. When I looked at the overall daily summary report, my heart sunk and it got me to realize why I got to the state I'm in. so many calories, carbs and bad fats, even when I thought I was eating light.

    It was such an eye opener for me, that I've lost my cravings for it all week. Not sure how long I'll sustain that lost craving, but if I do slip, i plan to track it in the food counter as a reminder.

    Not sure if that will work for you as well.
  • SimplyFreckled
    SimplyFreckled Posts: 444 Member
    because you are still considering this a diet, when its really a lifestyle change. Try eating something like Almonds or a pretzel to fill your salt craving and drink lots of water.
  • shesblossoming
    shesblossoming Posts: 426
    what worked for me, and it only took me one day, is I decided to plug in all the junk food I ate in one day into the food tracker. When I looked at the overall daily summary report, my heart sunk and it got me to realize why I got to the state I'm in. so many calories, carbs and bad fats, even when I thought I was eating light.

    It was such an eye opener for me, that I've lost my cravings for it all week. Not sure how long I'll sustain that lost craving, but if I do slip, i plan to track it in the food counter as a reminder.

    Not sure if that will work for you as well.

    I do this all the time. It's an eye opener. I printed it out and put it on my cubicle wall if I was ever craving something. Crave no more!
  • rocketpants
    rocketpants Posts: 419 Member
    What the freckeled girl with the great *kitten* said. Plus

    Your body hasn't yet adapted to a new lifestyle. Your body is used to consuming to much, fat, sodium, and sugar. If you eat clean consistently somewhere between 3-12 months your tastes / cravings will change to craving healthier foods. Fast food / junk food will sound good occasionally but when you eat them you realize how ****ty they make you feel and cravings will pretty much disappear.
  • Jade_Butterfly
    Jade_Butterfly Posts: 2,963 Member
    because you are still considering this a diet, when its really a lifestyle change. Try eating something like Almonds or a pretzel to fill your salt craving and drink lots of water.

    Absolutely agree 110%

    Another thing you can try is chips and hummus. .. or veggies. . . Gives you a protein boost along with you sodium. ..
  • cschnepf
    cschnepf Posts: 12
    There are studies that have been done on junk food addiction. A quick google search will give you more info. I find that when I eat highly palatable foods, especially with unknown or knowingly bad ingredients (super high fat, sugar, etc), I tend to crave them afterwards. After a few days of resistance, the urge goes away. (That's me though) I find a good way to talk myself out of it is to plug everything in that I'm considering eating into MFP and then decide if it's worth it. You can always delete it from MFP and make another choice that way.
  • anthony008
    anthony008 Posts: 21
    From my personal experience and from what I've read it's because... you are on a diet..

    If you don't consider it a life style change where you gradually eat the ideal foods while indulging slightly, you will just think; "can't eat that **** now, better wait til I'm XX lbs before I can start eating it whenever I want again." and it's likely you will be "dieting" all of your life.

    Hopefully you get to the point where myself and others are at where you believe you simply don't need it, want it, or if you like it that much, you "treat" yourself sparingly. I quit it cold turkey and go to Taco Bell for some chicken tacos once a month or so and I can't say I miss McDonalds or Wendys. I really have no desire to eat it... and I use to go to those places once a week for years.

    or.. I don't know wtf I'm talking about!

    either case, indulge slightly and sparingly if you must.
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    I think I can offer an explanation..it might not be right, but it's why i deal with..
    it's a lot like people struggling to give up smoking. it has nothing to do with the chemical addiction and everything to do with your inner self saying that it will never ever have something that gives you pleasure.

    i felt the same now I'm dieting , and you will see lots of people, me included saying omg i splurged, I've over eaten or I've had pizza etc.

    it isn't the end of the world, and those feelings of guilt shouldn't exist. it's perfectly OK to eat a little of food that you crave, just make up for it the next day..it's even OK to eat a LOT of food thats not good for you ( ie. a full blown splurge)...as long as you try and do something about it and not make it a habit.

    those addictions to fried food and baked foods and everything else we reduce/eliminate from our diets whilst trying to lose weight appear because we have told ourselves that we will not eat them any more.

    balance is the key...and this is about embracing a healthy lifestyle..and a healthy lifestyle don't mean a jail sentence for pleasure.
  • sarah_ep
    sarah_ep Posts: 580 Member
    Why do you crave it when you are not on a diet?

    Probably for the same reasons.
  • AllTehBeers
    AllTehBeers Posts: 5,030 Member
    You could also think about it this way. When you're always indulging in the fast food, you don't think about craving it. When you finally start eating healthy, you miss the stuff that you eat all the time.
  • deepbluesea
    deepbluesea Posts: 29
    the cravings DO go away.. and your cravings change. you will find yourself craving fruits and veggies :) also- one thing i have learned from past experience is how much better natural, healthy foods taste once you stop eating refined sugars. An apple, for example, tastes sweet enough to cure a sweet tooth.. our bodies get adapted to refined/unnatural sugars we have no idea what food is supposed to taste like! keep it up and you will see :)
  • oumati
    oumati Posts: 29 Member
    thakxx a lot, that is an eye opener
  • oumati
    oumati Posts: 29 Member
    thakxx a lot, that is an eye opener
  • oumati
    oumati Posts: 29 Member
    thank you so much for your time.. i a gree as long as it doesn't become a habit, it is should be ok to give in once in a while...
  • jordanashley19
    jordanashley19 Posts: 51
    same thing happens to me. :( then i think 1 won't hurt and i end up feeling guilty. :/ aghh.
  • DixiedoesMFP
    DixiedoesMFP Posts: 935 Member
    I have read that adding a small amount of red pepper into your meals will help cut the cravings for salty and sweet foods. I have no idea if this really works, but I have tried to add a sprinkle to my chicken, etc. Also, red pepper is a natural fat burner supposedly and it also has anti-oxidants, so it's worth a shot, right? I have driven past fast food twice in the past few days and really just wanted to get home so I could have something healthier. That is definitely new for me.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,984 Member
    Why do i crave fast food while on diet?? despite my willing to achieve my goal i still crave salty deep fried food how can i avoid feling that way?

    PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!
    Because according to the "health police" it's can't be part of a sensible diet plan. I've eaten fast food and junk since starting exercise over 28 years ago and it's part of my weekly calories.
  • oumati
    oumati Posts: 29 Member
    that is a good idea will try the red paper...
  • BigDaddyBRC
    BigDaddyBRC Posts: 2,395 Member
    You crave it because you have conditioned your mind to WANT it and you probably drive by it all the time ou of "habit". Break the repition by taking different routes and recondition your mind that it is not what you WANT. What you want is a healthier you.
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