How long before the sweet craving goes away?

katy4399
katy4399 Posts: 136 Member
edited November 9 in Food and Nutrition
Hi All,
Does anyone have any idea how long it takes before I stop wanting to tear apart my house looking for chocolate? I know my body needs time to adjust :)

THANK YOU!
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Replies

  • SmallerBecky
    SmallerBecky Posts: 177
    I gobble it all up on a crazy weekend binge and then by about Tuesday or Wednesday I have it under control. Heeheehee! ;)
  • katy4399
    katy4399 Posts: 136 Member
    I gobble it all up on a crazy weekend binge and then by about Tuesday or Wednesday I have it under control. Heeheehee! ;)

    I NEED SOME CHOCOLATE!!!!
  • assilem12
    assilem12 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm not really a sweets person at all, but in the past when I've really started paying attention and tried to eat healthy, I go through a spell in the beginning where I CRAVE sweets. It usually lasts about a week for me... going through it right now but I know it will pass soon enough.

    Good luck and stick with it :)
  • jcg926
    jcg926 Posts: 38 Member
    I'm not sure it ever goes away (at least for me!!). Try to be strong. When I'm craving chocolate (and we have NONE in the house), I make myself drink some more water or grab an apple. Eventually I forget I wanted that bad-for-me sweet!
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    Hi All,
    Does anyone have any idea how long it takes before I stop wanting to tear apart my house looking for chocolate? I know my body needs time to adjust :)

    THANK YOU!

    I'm the type of person that has to give in to cravings or I never feel full, and I'm a chocolate fiend.

    I've found a couple of things that work quite well:

    Pudding cups - Each one is something like 110 calories. Remember to count their calories and only eat one per day. Great for the chocolate fix, but not so great on other nutrition, of course.

    Fiber One Chocolate Fudge Brownies - Each is 90 calories, and includes a nice amount of fiber to help keep you from feeling hungry.

    Dove Dark Chocolate individually wrapped bites (or other dark chocolate that is easily rationed like that, such as Hershey Kisses dark, if you can find them) - The darker you can get the chocolate, the better, because chocolate is actually an antioxidant and has a number of health benefits (note - milk chocolate doesn't have these benefits, because the milk kills the antioxidant effect). About one ounce a day is generally ideal (1-2 Dove squares or Kisses). Alternatively, you could do the Hershey Almond Kisses, which give you your chocolate fix, but also a small shot of protein and the health benefits of almonds.

    I've also found that the act of having them in the house and available to me whenever I want does wonders to curb the cravings, because then it stops being a "must eat it while it's here, or I won't be able to enjoy it at all!" thing for me. This may or may not work, though, as some people are the opposite.
  • OnceAndFutureAthlete
    OnceAndFutureAthlete Posts: 192 Member
    I have been a sweets fanatic for so long. I thought giving them up was going to be a huge issue for me this time aroud - it has been in the past. But I have not been craving sweets for weeks now. When I think about them, my brain just kind of says "bleh". This has been a complete surprise, so here's what I did to get here:

    My first week I went on a kind of "cleanse/intro" plan with basically just lean protein and veg (not even much fruit) and protein shakes, and then 2 weeks very low carb/low sugar (24g carbs max per day). Even gave up skim milk in my coffee for FF 1/2&1/2, (ugh.)

    During this time, I also consumed no "fake" sugar: nutrasweet, etc. No diet soda. No "sugar free". I did use Truvia/stevia in my coffee and tea.

    Somewhere during this time, I lost all cravings for sweets. I'm not sure exactly when, just that by week 3 I noticed it was gone.

    I've since gone to counting daily calories and reintroduced some more (complex) carbs, but still mostly protein and veg and very little fruit. (7 weeks total).

    I've noticed when I eat anything with sugar or even artificial sweetner in it (SF jello, for example), the cravings return slightly, so I've decided to stay away from that stuff completely.

    Not sure if that helps, but it's what worked for me.
  • katy4399
    katy4399 Posts: 136 Member
    Thank you everyone!
  • Serqita
    Serqita Posts: 34 Member
    I gobble it all up on a crazy weekend binge and then by about Tuesday or Wednesday I have it under control. Heeheehee! ;)

    i needed caffeine for energy
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Never, you just learn how to not give in.
  • cking99rn
    cking99rn Posts: 7
    ok Folks...Ive an idea.... Why not drink no sugar added Hot co co with fluffer nutter...heck it only 100 calories plus it fills ye up alil...Nurse carol...I lov sponge candy
  • cking99rn
    cking99rn Posts: 7
    wow 46 pounds..yer doing excellent
  • issyfit
    issyfit Posts: 1,077 Member
    Hi All,
    Does anyone have any idea how long it takes before I stop wanting to tear apart my house looking for chocolate? I know my body needs time to adjust :)

    THANK YOU!

    It depends how you're going about it. If you cut out almost all sugar, potatoes and flour it takes about 2 weeks--like phase one of South Beach or the induction phase of a low carb plan. That said, I still eat chocolate--but very low sugar dark chocolate like Lindt 90%.
  • loria508
    loria508 Posts: 41 Member
    I have the same problem, it doesn't pass for me , but a hotchocolate, swiss miss, or milk and ovaltine really do the trick!
  • sculley
    sculley Posts: 2,012 Member
    The first time it took a month of strict discipline, still trying to get it under control this time around.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    I still eat chocoloate. I fact, I crave it more often now that I'm working out consistently than I ever did before.
  • lisadlocks
    lisadlocks Posts: 212 Member
    When I started myfitness pal, I did phase one of South Beach. I had a tremendous sugar deprivation headache for three days (could have been caffeine too) and then my sugar cravings stopped. I didn't eat much sugar for 4 months. I started having a very sensitve palate and could even taste the sugar in steamed cabbage. Finally one day I ate a mini red velvet cupcake and I have been craving that cupcake for 3 weeks. Once you stop and then start back again, the monster is woken up. Hmmm. Is it the deprevation monster or simply the sugar monster. Who knows. I get my sugar fix with chocolate peanut butter. I can have one tablespoon of Chocolate Dreams a day. Somedays I want more. Most days I want more. I like knowing that I can say no to myself and live with it.
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    The only way I've been able to get away from sugar is if I don't allow myself to have any form of sweetener for a month . The only thing I'll allow myself is fresh or dried fruit and fruit-sweetened (not cane sugar sweetened) jam. That's it. After a month I no longer crave sugar and dark chocolate is extremely satisfying. But that's the only way I've been able to do it - have to cut it all out. Then if I eat it again at first it gives me a headache, but then my body still wants more. It's really an addicting substance and takes a lot of willpower to get through that month.
  • sturchem
    sturchem Posts: 15 Member
    I recently started making homemade green machine smoothies. Basically a banana, pineapple, mango, some plain greek yogurt and kale all blended together (you can't taste the kale). After a few days I noticed that I wasn't craving sweets as much. That wasn't my intention but it was certainly a benefit! Also, sometimes craving chocolate indicates an iron deficiency. You should have your levels checked to see if you're anemic. Maybe eating more iron-rich foods will help too~
  • ebbtime
    ebbtime Posts: 35 Member
    I notice my sugar craving lasts about 3-4 days. But, when I REALLY have to have something sweet, I go for Nesquik Chocolate milk (the powder kind cuz it has less sugar). I guess it could be worse, right? LOL
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    It never did for me. :sad:
    My doctor actually had do prescribe me something that helps curb the cravings, and the rest is up to me. It took about 2 weeks to stop tearing the kitchen apart searching for sweets. I just started taking it again, I'd forgotten how well it worked.
    I also keep a bag of Dove dark chocolate promises in the freezer for when I just HAVE to have chocolate. I keep them buried in the back, behind all the healthy food and a "fat" picture on the outside of the freezer, so I have to be truly desperate for them. But it's better than hitting up a vending machine or gas station for a candy bar!
  • LuvlyNwicked
    LuvlyNwicked Posts: 6 Member
    Hmmmmm......for me, it takes weeks of not eating any sweets until the cravings go away. But if I start up eating them again, it's back to square one. And I notice I'm constantly hungry and crave sweets when I drink things with artificial sweeteners in it. I used to drink ice tea all day long sweetened with splenda.....it triggered my appetite. I had to just start drinking water only and save the sweetener for just my one cup of coffee in the morning, and my cup of hot tea at nite (which I use in place of a nite time snack)
  • KumariM
    KumariM Posts: 32
    It never did for me. :sad:
    My doctor actually had do prescribe me something that helps curb the cravings, and the rest is up to me. It took about 2 weeks to stop tearing the kitchen apart searching for sweets. I just started taking it again, I'd forgotten how well it worked.

    Chromium supplement?
  • pg3ibew
    pg3ibew Posts: 1,026 Member
    I eat a chocolate fiber one brownie everynight. 90 Calories. I would love to eat apound of Reese's peanut butter cups. But the Brownie works just fine.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Basically, after a week or so, if you are eating no other simple carbs, they go away. The more sugar or simple carbs you eat the more you overstimulate insulin and the more cravings you'll get. Now the whole chocolate thing is another animal altogether!

    You might be craving sugar or you might just be craving some chocolate! Some dark chocolate (over 70%. I use 85% myself) is very good for you. Very high in antioxidants! A lttlle (emphasis on little) each day can be good for you. All chocolate is not equal. Buy the highest quality you can get.
  • a_stronger_steph
    a_stronger_steph Posts: 434 Member
    Are you trying to cut out sweets/chocolate completely? As in, for the rest of your life?

    I figured there was no way I'd be able to (heck, no way I'd WANT to) go without chocolate for the rest of my life... so I worked it into my calorie goals and I have about 2-4 squares of some variety of dark chocolate per day. Sometimes cookies, too. Or a few spoonfuls of Haagen Dazs. Just one or two, then I put it away. Craving satisfied, and within calories!
  • 0EmmeNicole0
    0EmmeNicole0 Posts: 180 Member
    Honestly as a woman, i feel like the craving will never go completely away (especially around the time of the month). Some good tricks I've found that help curb my cravings are to eat a serving of fruit particularly grapes or bananas (cause they are both super sweet) and wait 20 mins. Usually my craving will go away, or you can eat a tbsp of all -natural peanut butter. Peanut butter is calorie dense but it is very worth it considering it will take your cravings away, and will make you feel full longer. I eat a tbsp after lunch and dinner and I'll feel satisfied for hours :)
  • aircantu1
    aircantu1 Posts: 55 Member
    It took about a week for me. Once I started seeing the scale move down and saw that it was really working I was motivated by the results.

    That's not to say I never eat any...but I'm certainly eating a lot less than I used to!
  • jb852013
    jb852013 Posts: 116
    I have chocolate everyday. I either eat a little bit of Nutella in the morning with my thin sliced bagel, eat some pepermint patties which are really low in fat and calories, or eat a chocolate yogurt. Yum! I can't live without chocolate. :)
  • jwenick
    jwenick Posts: 14 Member
    I indulge in my chocolate cravings...just on a lesser scale. Hershey's Dark Chocolate kisses are d i v i n e! And, only 20 calories each. I suck on them to make it last longer....and after 2 or 3, my craving is satisfied. Those 40-60 calories are worth my sanity!!!
  • JLWilson27
    JLWilson27 Posts: 44
    I had a major chocolate craving today. My fix ... frozen cool whip with a little Hersheys powder mixed in. AMAZING!
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