How long did it take you to stop craving junk food ?

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  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
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    Holy crap, Sharie. Is it only 34 pounds of weight loss between those two photos in your profile pic? The difference is incredible!
  • ssp1977
    ssp1977 Posts: 120 Member
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    Eight months and 55 pounds after I started, I *still* love junk food! It's true that your body DOES start craving healthy food, too, which is good - healthy foods that are high in protein and fiber fill you up so you're less *hungry* for junk food, but how many of us really grab a candy bar because we're hungry? If you presented me with a tray of celery and a tray of chocolate, I'd still prefer the chocolate, and would wager that anyone who said differently is a liar. It's never as simple as not wanting the "junk" - it's about learning how to eat a balanced diet so we're eating less junk and plenty of good stuff, too.

    Well said.
  • Buttercupmcgee
    Buttercupmcgee Posts: 95 Member
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    I'm not exactly past craving it, but having it is less satisfying. I can draw a connection between poor performance working out and having eaten some junk.

    I lived out of my normal environment for a year and got adjusted to healthier food. I really didn't crave it because it was futile. Once I got back to my normal environment junk food tasted horrible. But, I persisted, and finally I could eat junk food again =)

    Haha, you beat that nasty junk food aversion, good for you! This gave me a much needed giggle.
  • Buttercupmcgee
    Buttercupmcgee Posts: 95 Member
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    I'm not sure if I believe in the whole "your body stops cravinf junk food" idea. It seems to me that it is more along the lines of once you start making a choice to eat healthier, you become accustomed to eating those healthy foods INSTEAD of junk foods. It's just like any other habit that you break. It's all about will power and choices that you make. I am with you that I will always want or crave junk food. It tastes good!! But now that I have changed my eating habits, it has become a treat for me to eat junk instead of something I consume on a daily basis (which I was!). An example for me would have been before I would always say I could never live without cheese!! I ate cheese everyday (in fairly large quantity) and that wasn't good. Now I eat cheese maybe once or twice a week in normal quantities because that is a concious choice I am making.

    One thing I will add is that when I do indulge in "junk food" it tastes soooo much better than it ever did before simply because I am not used to eating it all the time all the time all the time now. It's easy to fall back into "bad habits" but only if it is something you allow yourself to do. I have had the most success with attampting weight loss this time simply because I have changed my eating habits. I don't look at it as being a diet. It is a lifelong change.

    That's very true about the actual treat factor going up as you don't make it a daily thing. This helps it to feel less "all or nothing"--the idea that it's there when we want it, and it will be delicious!
  • Buttercupmcgee
    Buttercupmcgee Posts: 95 Member
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    It's inspiring to me how many of you have taken on the attitude of junk food being fun and pleasurable. I tend to begin associating those foods with guilt almost immediately when I decide to revamp my eating. I'm going to see about viewing them differently--as a necessary treat, just not a daily one.
  • RandomMiranda
    RandomMiranda Posts: 298
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    Still crave it, and at random times and random very specific items. Sometimes I decide it's my body telling me I need some protein or carbs and find a healthy alternative. Every now and then (maybe once a month or so) I'll just eat the cheeseburger or twix bar or whatever.
  • SoySalva
    SoySalva Posts: 138
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    I still crave chips, chocolate, cookies and I EAT them but never going over my calorie goal and if I do go over a little I don't lose sleep over it! Just so you know I eat Pringles low fat chips and Nips everyday...works for me lol
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    304 lbs down in 34 months and I still have craving for certain things. But there is also alot of those things that just don't do anything for me anymore. I use to be a Doritoes freak (ate 2 large bags a week) and now I don't even like them anymore. I have control of those cravings now and don't give into them. I have 2 spike meals a week (cheat meals) and normally eat whatever I want so I use those meals to include those foods I normally don't eat during the week. The rest of the time I stick to my healthy choices and it keeps me focused knowing I have those meals to look forward too...
  • ActiveGuy81
    ActiveGuy81 Posts: 705 Member
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    I think after about a two weeks I was able to not be pulled by the magical persuasive powers of junk food. Plus the fact that I gave it all away to people and got it out of my house really helped as well.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    I've never stopped wanting it, but that's because I never cut it out of my diet. It's interesting, though, because there have been changes. My family eats at a particularly greasy and high calorie restaurant at least once, sometimes twice a week. I haven't eaten there in five weeks. Although I want a fry, I'm now ok to just sit with them as they stuff down burgers and ribs, while I eat tuna salad or something. Of course, they also get pieces of chocolate cake and eat those in front of me, too. =( That's the hardest part.

    In general though, when people aren't eating delicious greasy foods in front of me, I don't feel like I have to have them.
  • daniflems
    daniflems Posts: 69 Member
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    I've never stopped wanting it, but that's because I never cut it out of my diet. It's interesting, though, because there have been changes. My family eats at a particularly greasy and high calorie restaurant at least once, sometimes twice a week. I haven't eaten there in five weeks. Although I want a fry, I'm now ok to just sit with them as they stuff down burgers and ribs, while I eat tuna salad or something. Of course, they also get pieces of chocolate cake and eat those in front of me, too. =( That's the hardest part.

    In general though, when people aren't eating delicious greasy foods in front of me, I don't feel like I have to have them.

    I totally agree with you about people eating foods in front of me! It makes it soooo much harder to not cave in and eat them as well...although i find it to be much easier now than it was before. In truth it is just another excuse to give into eating bad foods. Even though it is hard at times, we are the only ones who can control what we put in our mouths!! As simple as it sounds thats all there is to it.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    I still crave chocolate. I will always crave chocolate, and I don't plan to give it up. The idea of carrot cake is still very pleasing to me. :)

    Things I don't crave anymore: greasy food, chips, pizza, pasta (low-quality carbs, basically)

    Took me a few months of cutting those things out of my diet 99.5% to stop craving them almost entirely. I used to be able to eat like 3/4ths of a box of pasta (gross). I will still eat a burger or pasta every once in a while, maybe every couple of months, but since they're not a part of my regular diet, my body just doesn't really consider them necessary food anymore.

    If you really want to stop craving something, you have to make the commitment to eliminating it entirely. As SoDamnHungry says, if you don't cut it out of your diet then you will continue wanting it. If you know that 30% of your diet is not good for you, then you have some big changes ahead... Rewarding yourself with food is not going to help you with the problem of being controlled by food cravings.
  • montana_girl
    montana_girl Posts: 1,403 Member
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    After losing 116 pounds, I still have occasional junk food cravings. The difference is now I make sure it's a true craving by telling myself I can have it, but I have to wait until my run day when I have more calories to eat whatever it is. And usually by the time the day comes around, I don't want it anymore. But if I do, then I know it's a true craving and I go for it, in moderation of course! :happy:
  • rachalach1
    rachalach1 Posts: 3
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    being a vegetarian, i don't crave the burger, but the fries yes! right now i'm reading "Breaking the Food Seduction" by Dr. Neal Barnard. it teaches you 7 steps on killing those cravings! i love it!! i'm recommending it to anyone who needs help. i know i need to stop craving sugar! i love my chocolate!
  • OnWisconsin84
    OnWisconsin84 Posts: 409 Member
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    It stops as soon as I get a burger, a small fry and a soda. I still indulge in all my favorites, I just don't order it in the old quantities. Pretty simple.

    ^^^ This. I still enjoy ice cream, regularly. Often times, I go straight to Cold Stone or Red Mango directly after the gym. No guilt here. I earned that $h!t. In the past I'd restrict myself of junk food completely which led to bingeing on those 'naughty' foods later. I don't exactly crave 'junk' food now, but I know that I can easily work in a dish of ice cream, burger or greasy breakfast on occasion without blowing everything. If you're going into it as a lifestyle change, as opposed to a diet, it's easier to find ways to work in your faves without the guilt.
  • mandycasey
    mandycasey Posts: 274 Member
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    Never, been at this over a year and i still crave junk food all the time, i try and stick to having little treats at weekends and takeaways/ fastfood maybe once every few months. i will never be able to give it up completly - and as long as its only now and then i can't see it a problem. xx
  • x__abbi__x
    x__abbi__x Posts: 97 Member
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    I've been doing this a week and i'm no longer craving crisps or huge bars of chocolate, however I will help myself to the occasional square of chocolate (all things in moderation right)
    And if I fancy a pizza (pizza hut is my fav place) I will get a lower calorie one from a supermarket, that way im still enjoying the food but not consuming ridiculous amounts of fat and grease. I've found it helps as im not refusing my body what I want, i'm just finding the healthier option
    Of course I still love my fruit and do try to eat good 99% of the time but at least I know I can indulge without feeling to guilty if I want
    :) xx
  • Saruman_w
    Saruman_w Posts: 1,531 Member
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    I can't even remember really... the very first few weeks I started I kept finding myself eating junk every once and awhile. But I managed to get back on the wagon and keep pushing along. Eventually the frequency of me wanting to eat the stuff started to slowly decrease. Finally I no longer desire the stuff and can resist it if I don't need it.
  • AvonLucyR
    AvonLucyR Posts: 124 Member
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    In high school I went an entire year with no junk food, sugar, processed foods, and never lost the craving. After about a month here, I must say I am very aware of what is going in my mouth. If I do eat something I shouldn't, I eat MUCH less to keep the calories down. I am able to resist temptations now. (Not that a shake doesn't sound good right now, but I wouldn't waste the calories. Good luck! It does get easier!! :bigsmile:
  • JoolieW68
    JoolieW68 Posts: 1,879 Member
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    Been at this 18 months and it hasn't happened yet.

    I would LOVE to go have a McDonald's Big Mac with fries....the difference now, though, is that I know what it would do to my stomach that's not used to eating like that and I'd be sick for hours and hours. So my brain says "Um, don't do that".

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