Craving control. How do you deal?

i was just wondering if anybody had anyother tips on controlling cravings. i love chocolates and salty things and eventually i want to cut them out completely. I tried for weeks to cut them out and then i have that day where i eat so much of them and i feel weak and disgusted any tips?

Mon. Jan 30, 10:25pm

Same here!!! I've tried a low, low-sugar diet and have never felt better about my health goals but when I ate sugar I felt sick! Please help

Tuesday, January 31, 2006, 1:50 AM

In my experience, the worst way to control cravings is to cut out that food. Then you really want it and will binge. My way to deal with cravings is to allow myself a very small portion of that particular food every time I desire it. But first, I ask myself a) do I really want this particular food or is my body telling me something else (like, I'm cold or tired etc.) can I satisfy this craving with another method? (Such as a hot shower? A cup of tea?)
b) If a) doesn't work, then I put off the craving. I'll tell myself I can have that food in 20 minutes and drink some water before hand. Then, if I still want it (and often I don't) I'll have a small amount.

Usually, cravings indicate that there's some nutritional factor lacking in your diet. When I'm low on protein, I tend to crave chocolate or peanut butter, for example.

Good luck. In the end, it's about learning to listen to your body better.

Tuesday, January 31, 2006, 2:51 AM

thank you that is great. i find that a lot of the time when i am hungry im really not because when i drink water any hunger goes away. i will try giving myself a little when i have a craving which is about twice a week. it wont harm me nearly as much as my binging onthe craving for a day out of every two weeks. but it is kind of hard when i go to work because there is a huge candy bowl full of all of my favorites in front of me for 10 hours straight for the customers... It stinks

Tuesday, January 31, 2006, 7:36 AM

I'd suggest planning ahead on what you'll eat when. Plan for one hershey's kiss after lunch and dinner or pick one day during which you'll eat dessert, but not go overboard.

Maybe have a hot chocolate every now and again?

I also highly recommend Stoneyfield Farm all natural fat free "chocolate underground" yogurt. It's a tasty, fulfilling chocolate snack that I don't feel guilty about!

Tuesday, January 31, 2006, 4:33 PM

Not sure what your exact situation is, but is there any way you can change out all the candy in front of you for candy you like less? I can walk by a bowl of hard or fruity candies all day and not eat any, but put some chocolate in front of me, and wha-bam! The whole thing is gone, right down my gullet. Maybe offer to be the one to fill the bowl the next time, so you get to control what goes in it.

Tuesday, January 31, 2006, 4:35 PM

changing the candy to one you don't like as well would be good... though you could change the container... cover it with wrapping or contact paper so you can't see the candy... and or change it to a container that opens from the side and points away from you, so it is less accessable. Brush your teeth frequently... and or eat some curiously strong altoilds... in that tin...

Tuesday, January 31, 2006, 5:00 PM

You can also control cravings by changing what you do. I loved to have a heavy snack in the afternoon around 3 or 4 cause I knew dh would not be home or could not depend on him being home early enough for a 5pm dinner. SO going out in the afternoon and working out really helped me kick this habit.

Tuesday, January 31, 2006, 5:02 PM

I keep a pack of sugar-freemint gum with me most of the time. When a craving strikes, I pop a piece of that instead of snacking.

Wednesday, February 1, 2006, 12:41 PM

thanks for the ideas every one i will try them. I picked up a couple pack of sugar free gum and i already tryed that that actually worked a lot better than i thought it would. But during my break time at work i will just go out for a walk or keep myself occupied

Wednesday, February 1, 2006, 6:24 PM

Gum or altoids or something peppermint works great! Drink water, have a cup of hot tea, suck on a jelly bean or a tootsie pop. If it's chocolate you must have, Trader Joes makes these little chocolate hard candies that have just a few calories but might give you the chocolate taste you are craving.

Thursday, February 2, 2006, 6:41 AM

Don.t cut out anything you like completely, you'll just end up craving it more. Instead, set limits. Best way to do that is not to stock it at home or work. By the smallest package available (of whatever it is you like) and eat it conciously, not in the car or between meals or when working. Take it, look at it and enjoy it, savot the taste. Then, if you think: God, I just ate 500 cal. woth of junk, what the hell, I might just give up and eat it all!!. Well, because you bought only one small package there is no more. Then, think that it's OK, it's only one meal, you got what you craved and now move on, don't make yourself guilty and starve it off or try to excercise it off. Continue with your plan and you will still see progress anyway. Your body will lose fat best if your calorie intake is not the same every day. (just make sure you are in minus at the end of the week) If you keep it too rigid your metabolism adjusts to that and you end up with lower metabolic rate, which means you get to eat less and less and have to work harder to loose fat.

Thursday, February 2, 2006, 11:10 AM

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