How can I stop craving the same food over and over?

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  • DeanneLea
    DeanneLea Posts: 261
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    Try out a few recipes that are similar and just make it yourself.

    For me, giving up things all together made things worse. So, moderation does work very well for me. If you think you can eat it every once in a while and be ok, then do it. If not, just give it up all together for a while. It's different for everyone, you just need to learn how your body and mind work.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    If there is something once you eat it, you want it over and over again, DON'T EAT IT. Those are trigger foods. If you know it isn't good for you (mine was soda) you have to stop eating it. Moderation won't work for this. Trust me. It's easier to get to a point that you just don't eat it.
  • DeanneLea
    DeanneLea Posts: 261
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    I feel bad for every single "don't eat it EVER!!" people. What a sad existence you must live. It must be hard to be in prison everyday.

    To the OP, how often do you crave this meal? Once a week? Lets say its once a week, can you cut it down and have it once every two weeks? Then, on the weekends you crave it but are not eating it, replace the subway pizza with a homemade veggie pizza (boboli thin crust or whole wheat pita, 1/4 c cheese, sauce, and a crap load of veggies), baked potato slices with a little bit of olive oil dredged over them, and either water or diet drink of your choice. Then after doing that for a couple of months, cut it down to once a month. All the mean time, log what you eat, even your subway meal.

    I will guarantee you will find yourself not wanting the subway pizza very often.

    This, this, this!
  • jcmartin0313
    jcmartin0313 Posts: 574 Member
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    The most important piece of advice anyone can give you is that what works for us may not work for you. Weight loss is a very individual journey and remember, it is a journey not destination. Having said that, I think you have to assess your cravings. Are they simply cravings for a meal you enjoy, or are they symptomatic of a greater problem? If they are simply cravings for a meal you enjoy, than by all means have it in moderation, but if on the other hand the cravings are symptomatic of an addiction than do not. Food can be an addiction just like alcohol and drugs. Eating certain foods can elicit the same response in the brain as alcohol, drugs, sex or any other addictive thing. The key to breaking any addiction is to quit. Certainly, like with drugs and alcohol, adjuncts help so if you crave pizza, than go find a healthy veggie pizza, or even better make it at home. Most likely if you try to quit cold turkey and do not find reasonable substitutes along the way you will fail, the key is to keep substituting healthier and healthier alternatives.
  • samanthasky
    samanthasky Posts: 114 Member
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    yadda yadda yadda stop eating it altogether yadda yadda yadda.

    You should also never drink beer. And cake, don't eat cake, even at a wedding or your birthday. Ice cream is right out too. And don't eat well done meat, cause of the carcinogens. And don't ever eat dressing...in fact anything with preservatives. You also can't eat any of the fresh produce from the grocery store because that aisle is right next to the dressing aisle and all the bad cancer causing death-miobes permeate the food through osmosis. In fact if someone holds a gun to your head right now and says EAT THIS CHICKEN NUGGET OR DIE don't do it...because chicken nuggets will kill you.

    The only thing you can ever eat for the rest of your life is grass fed grass that's been blessed by your neighborhoods premier hippie...and stevia.

    This made me laugh! Lol.
  • samanthasky
    samanthasky Posts: 114 Member
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    Figure out which part you really want. The pizza? The cookie? The chips? Only get the part that makes you want to go there. Get a diet soda or water. Sub the rest of the meal accordingly (apple instead of chips, no cookie/100cal pack, 400 or less calorie sub).

    That's a good one! I usually go for the pizza but it has the most calories; 680 calories!
  • samanthasky
    samanthasky Posts: 114 Member
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    What do you want more? I highly doubt subway pizza is worth the calories. I also think you know the answer to the question you are asking....you just want permission to continue eating it. :tongue:

    Lol! Maybe, maybe not! I talked myself out of it and I feel fine!
  • samanthasky
    samanthasky Posts: 114 Member
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    I feel bad for every single "don't eat it EVER!!" people. What a sad existence you must live. It must be hard to be in prison everyday.

    To the OP, how often do you crave this meal? Once a week? Lets say its once a week, can you cut it down and have it once every two weeks? Then, on the weekends you crave it but are not eating it, replace the subway pizza with a homemade veggie pizza (boboli thin crust or whole wheat pita, 1/4 c cheese, sauce, and a crap load of veggies), baked potato slices with a little bit of olive oil dredged over them, and either water or diet drink of your choice. Then after doing that for a couple of months, cut it down to once a month. All the mean time, log what you eat, even your subway meal.

    I will guarantee you will find yourself not wanting the subway pizza very often.

    I crave it everyday! I know, it is so bad. It's even worse because it's literally a block away from my house! But thank you for the suggestion!
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    How do you order your sub? Assuming you workout it's feasible to fit at least a 6 inch into your diet. You likely won't want to do it all the time though because it'll make it more difficult to hit your macro targets consistently.
  • samanthasky
    samanthasky Posts: 114 Member
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    I would just like everyone to know, that I talked myself out of the craving! I told myself the things I would rather have instead of the pizza, and how I would rather use the money for my laundry than for food! I ended up making a very delicious meal at home, of:

    TWO 70 calorie Zucchini Patties (sauteed in a minimal amount of olive oil)
    1/4 Cup of Brown Rice (which would turn into 1/2 cooked!)
    1/2 cup of Red Beans!
    Which comes out to only 500 calories!
    It was delicious. Thank you for the suggestions and things I can do for the future!
  • samanthasky
    samanthasky Posts: 114 Member
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    It's not a Sub, it's a pizza that they have! It looks like this: 2rm3443.jpg
  • cheesy_blasters
    cheesy_blasters Posts: 283 Member
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    I think there are foods that can be enjoyed in moderation and foods that we should just avoid completely.

    I think only you can tell if Subway is something that you can discipline yourself around to enjoy on occasion or whether you need to stop eating it and save yourself the battle and grief.

    I have been in a similar position (when I have extra money all I want to eat are cheesy chili fries) so it's super hard to restrain myself. I tried in moderation but whether I made a "healthy version" or "just bought a small" or whatever, I still wanted more and more. I don't order them anymore. I don't go to the restaurant that makes them. I just avoid them all together.

    In general I agree with the idea of moderation but I think for some foods, they are incredibly addictive for some of us. I think you just need to experiment and see what works. It's hard when you live so close (I have that problem with Starbucks but luckily found ways to improve what I order) but unless you can find a healthy alternative or only go on occasion, I'd say skip it. It's not worth your health or your effort.
  • cheesy_blasters
    cheesy_blasters Posts: 283 Member
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    I would just like everyone to know, that I talked myself out of the craving! I told myself the things I would rather have instead of the pizza, and how I would rather use the money for my laundry than for food! I ended up making a very delicious meal at home, of:

    TWO 70 calorie Zucchini Patties (sauteed in a minimal amount of olive oil)
    1/4 Cup of Brown Rice (which would turn into 1/2 cooked!)
    1/2 cup of Red Beans!
    Which comes out to only 500 calories!
    It was delicious. Thank you for the suggestions and things I can do for the future!

    Good for you!!
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    You can decide whether moderation is the right thing for you, or if you're better off giving it up altogether. How about eating half of it? Maybe fill up with some veggies or salad before you get it, then find someone to share the pizza with.
  • samanthasky
    samanthasky Posts: 114 Member
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    Thank you! I'm still full! Haha.
  • geronimokennels
    geronimokennels Posts: 10
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    yadda yadda yadda stop eating it altogether yadda yadda yadda.

    You should also never drink beer. And cake, don't eat cake, even at a wedding or your birthday. Ice cream is right out too. And don't eat well done meat, cause of the carcinogens. And don't ever eat dressing...in fact anything with preservatives. You also can't eat any of the fresh produce from the grocery store because that aisle is right next to the dressing aisle and all the bad cancer causing death-miobes permeate the food through osmosis. In fact if someone holds a gun to your head right now and says EAT THIS CHICKEN NUGGET OR DIE don't do it...because chicken nuggets will kill you.

    The only thing you can ever eat for the rest of your life is grass fed grass that's been blessed by your neighborhoods premier hippie...and stevia.

    LOL yes! This and the public restroom advice.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    I feel bad for every single "don't eat it EVER!!" people. What a sad existence you must live. It must be hard to be in prison everyday.

    I feel bad for people who think they have to spend their lives trying to diet while craving junk food. Whereas, if you just change the way you eat, your pallet changes too and those cravings go away. Sure, the OP can still enjoy pizza or whatever else. But if she avoids it for now and focuses on eating healthy, she won't be craving pizza 24/7. Once the cravings go away, then she can start eating it in moderation.
  • cheesy_blasters
    cheesy_blasters Posts: 283 Member
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    I feel bad for every single "don't eat it EVER!!" people. What a sad existence you must live. It must be hard to be in prison everyday.

    I feel bad for people who think they have to spend their lives trying to diet while craving junk food. Whereas, if you just change the way you eat, your pallet changes too and those cravings go away. Sure, the OP can still enjoy pizza or whatever else. But if she avoids it for now and focuses on eating healthy, she won't be craving pizza 24/7. Once the cravings go away, then she can start eating it in moderation.

    I agree with this! I used to eat candy like sour patch kids/sour keys ALL the time. I stopped cold turkey didn't eat them for a few years and now I can enjoy a few once and awhile and not end up wanting to eat entire bags or eat them every day. In fact, I can only eat a few without getting overwhelmed by them. I don't think everyone's like this but for some people (and some foods) I think you have to break the 'addiction' before you can handle 'moderation'.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    I feel bad for people who think they have to spend their lives trying to diet while craving junk food. Whereas, if you just change the way you eat, your pallet changes too and those cravings go away. Sure, the OP can still enjoy pizza or whatever else. But if she avoids it for now and focuses on eating healthy, she won't be craving pizza 24/7. Once the cravings go away, then she can start eating it in moderation.

    That's just a different strategy for getting to a point where you can eat in moderation, the end goal is still the same. Moderation > Deprivation

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