Sweet tooth

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amanriq1
amanriq1 Posts: 1
in Food and Nutrition
I just joined MFP, and am trying to lose 10lbs before I graduate from college (in a little under 2 months).

But even more importantly than that, I want to make healthy lifestyle changes that I can maintain long after graduation. I am not overweight, but want to look trim and toned and have more energy.

The problem is, I have an insane sweet tooth. A lot of it is probably attributable to my lack of self control, but I absolutely love desserts. And I feel like if I cut them out of my diet, I would be missing out on something that makes me truly happy.

People always say that once you establish the habit, that you ENJOY eating healthy foods more than unhealthy ones, and they begin to give you the same satisfaction as unhealthy foods did before.

Is this true? I would particularly like to hear from other people that profess to have a strong sweet tooth, and how they overcame it.

Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    Willpower and healthier substitutions.

    http://www.canadianparents.com/article/100-family-snacks-under-100-calories
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    I have a similar situation. I manage to eat a lot of candy within my calories, though. I buy the fun size snack bars and only eat one cookie, etc. If you like fruit, try switching to mostly that. Many people find processed candy and cookies to be too sweet after they've been eating more fruit. Plus, fruit is just so much better for you than a little bar of chemicals...
  • nsblue
    nsblue Posts: 331 Member
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    you can establish new habits n can lose weight...but what have you done with the old ones? eg if an emotional eater you make a behavioural plan. n that does work. but you change so often..one must re vamp those behaviour plans where you are at... because a slip can get that sugar craving started with you... which can result in weight gain... n that old habit out of control. nothing is cut n dry... one always has to be on top of things IMO
  • TrueBlueBruin78
    TrueBlueBruin78 Posts: 311 Member
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    I believe that a meal is not complete without dessert. And i love sweets so how i curtailed my lifestyle was that i give myself one day (usually saturdays) to eat whatever i want including sweets. I eat pretty clean throughout the week with limited sweets (chocolate in protein bars and shakes) so when i get to the weekend the sweets that i have are even sweeter. Hopefully this helps.
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
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    No one says you have to cut out everything. You just need to discipline yourself to make trade-offs for those indulgences.

    For example, if you want a 300 calorie donut, have it, but realize you need to work the elliptical for 45 minutes or 1 hour to un-do it. Not willing to do it? Then put down the donut. Or accept that you will not progress on your weight loss journey.

    I haven't cut anything out entirely. And while I have reduced in major part, the amount of processed sugar foods, I still do enjoy a (small) piece of cake, cookie, whatever, from time to time. For me, it's no reasonable to cut these out entirely. Other people may feel different, you just need to figure out what works for you.

    You might be surprised though, how your body reacts when you reach for a piece of fruit instead of a cupcake. Eventually you'll lose the ability to tolerate such highly sugary foods. When I eat too many cookies now, I feel positively ill. That in itself is enough of a deterrant to kept me from over-indulging.

    It's a process. Don't go cold turkey, you'll just over compensate later and binge. Work out a system of trade-offs or set aside a certain amount of your calories for your indulgences. Eventually you may realize that you really don't want to "spend" 300 calories of your 1500 calorie (or whatever amount) daily allotment on something that doesn't keep you full for very long.

    EDIT:
    Forgot to say that when I started cutting things out, I gave up all soda (diet soda included) up entirely and really trained myself to go for natural sugars rather than processed ones. When I really wanted a sugary treat, I planned for it or worked extra to keep myself in line. Eventually I just stopped wanting most of those things. It's just an adjustment your body needs to get used to. I can't stand drinking soda now except on the very rare occassion that I'm traveling out of the States (soda just seems tastier in Europe for some reason).
  • AbiNichole
    AbiNichole Posts: 300 Member
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    I feel like I've almost developed a sweet tooth since I've been eating cleaner. Probably because I keep telling myself I can't have stuff. I always go for a sweet substitution and then if I'm still craving sugar I'll have whatever it is I want but that almost never happens.

    My fav go to sweet snacks- fruit (low sugar ones like citrus, berries, apples), greek yogurt (also low sugar- like vanilla, mint, or plain), Emerald's sweet & salty peanut butter chocolate nuts (225 cals for 1.5 oz. AMAZING), GNC brand or Muscle Milk Lite shakes- chocolate is my fav, and Cliff bars- brownie crunch.

    I try to monitor my sugar so I'll only have 1 or 2 sweet things a day (yes that includes fruit.)

    Any way- the short answer is yes, you can condition yourself to say no to calorie- dense sweet foods. But the key is getting in your sugar cravings w/o breaking the calorie bank. Good luck girl! :flowerforyou:
  • rachemn
    rachemn Posts: 407 Member
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    I love sweets too! So much. I make sugar free and gluten free desserts and have some every day or some sort of snack or protein bar.

    I've thought a lot about cutting out these or trying to wean myself off sweets and if I could even do it. But the thought depresses me. I like my little treats and I don't want to give them up. Not just yet anyway.
  • picassoadagio
    picassoadagio Posts: 407 Member
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    Like you, I have a heavy sweet tooth. I didn't cut the sweets, but I have been eating quasi clean and I find myself reaching for fruit before the heavy sugary stuff. I like to keep a chocolate stash, so when i do have those moments when fruit won't cut it, I can fall back on a piece of chocolate and it won't send me overboard.
  • laurabini
    laurabini Posts: 257 Member
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    I think it's true: now I crave fruit instead of chocolate! And I don't like biscuits as I did before
    you simply have to get used to it..and you'll feel your body satisfied only with healthy food :)
    But some chocolate once in a while or a healthy home made cake are allowed ;)
  • nszocinski
    nszocinski Posts: 156 Member
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    My sweet treat most days is a Yoplait Whips yogurt. I can't stand the taste or consistency of yogurt but a friend told me to freeze them and eat like ice cream. It works for me! They have chocolate mousse, cherry cheesecake, etc. This is the first time I have ever been able to tolerate yogurt and it fulfills my desire for something sweet. Good luck!
  • CapsFan17
    CapsFan17 Posts: 198
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    I have/had a HUGE sweet tooth and no will power, can't even have it in the house. I've been using MFP for almost a year and i eat very little sweets now. When I first started I still had my sweets just make sure you log them and that they fit into your daily alotment. I used to drink sweet tea like it was going out of style. I had a sip of my husbands tea last night and it was so sweet to me I couldn't drink it, and we would go through a gallon picture in an evening. It will get easier to say no and your taste buds will change. :happy:
  • Sofithomas
    Sofithomas Posts: 118
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    Willpower, healthy substitutions and when you do have them (which is completely ok! :)) fit them into your calories and enjoy! Make them occasional rather than everyday :)
  • azgal
    azgal Posts: 4 Member
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    I too have SUCH a sweet tooth! And no matter what I try, ie. cutting it out, trying different treats, I always go back to what I like and then feel guilty. So now I have discovered a good mix between the two.

    I LOVE sweets at night.. I just do. Some of my favorites are snack Almond Joy bars (1-2), Fat free dryers frozen yogurt topped with Strawberries (SO GOOD!), or a few pieces of a Hersey's bar with a tablespoon of Justins's Peanut Butter.

    These all give me a sweet treat within a few hundred calories. And I am totally willing to save calories during my day so I can have these guilt free. If I cut them out, I tend to over eat sweets when they are within my arms reach!

    Good luck!
  • funkycamper
    funkycamper Posts: 998 Member
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    I have done much better since realizing that there are no forbidden foods. If you like sweets, eat some. Just weigh/measure and then log it. Then make the rest of your choices that day work out so you're still meeting your calorie target. Simple.

    I actually find less of a need to eat sweet things now that they're not forbidden. But several times a week I'll have a small bit of ice cream, or a couple of cookies, or something similar. No need to binge because I can have them at any time as long as I allot for them. Just this morning, I had about 100 grams of a huge cinnamon roll (heated up a tad in the microwave with a smidgen of melted butter, nom! nom!), enjoyed it, put the rest in the fridge, and will have bits of it over the next few days until it's gone or has gone stale, whichever comes first.

    Allowing myself guilt-free treats has allowed me to continue to lose without any feelings of deprivation and is the way I'll continue to eat in maintenance as well as this is a lifestyle change for me and not a diet.
  • idauria
    idauria Posts: 1,037 Member
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    I love sweets too, particularly chocolate. I used to love to eat ice cream at night but I have stopped doing that and now I get my chocolate fix from a low carb protein bar like Atkins. I just got Quest bars because of the many positive reviews here but I have not eaten one yet. Anyway, these bars fulfill my cravings and they aren't bad for me.

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