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Alright you guys, how do you handle food cravings? This is only week two of my plan to completely transform myself before vacation next May, and I’m having cravings like crazy. In the office, it’s hard to walk by the vending machine and not grab a bag of M&Ms. It’s easier at home because we really don’t keep much junk food around at all.
On one hand I tell myself that this is the schedule that will let me go on vacation and not be self conscious about going to the beach/pool without a shirt (vain, I know! LOL!). I’m sticking to everything very well and am proud of myself, and I can already see a slight improvement in my appearance. (I’ve definitely seen an improvement in the weights I use for my workouts.)
On the other hand I say something like “Geesh, it’s not like you’re in 10-12% bodyfat territory, so what’s a little snack? You haven’t really gotten into the meat of the schedule, and if you’re going to cheat a bit, might as well be now, before you’ve made too much progress.”
I’m not grossly overweight (6’1”, 183#/22% bodyfat), but could definitely use some serious work if I want to look the way I do. What’s the best way to combat cravings? Does having cravings make me a ‘weak’ dieter? Is it best to just go ‘Cold Turkey’ on the sweets, cookies, chips, etc.?
If you have any suggestions that will help me avoid giving into the cravings, please pass them along. I know that some may say “If you really want to succeed, you will just cut out all junk. Period. End of story. That’s all she wrote. Etc.” but it is a little easier said than done.
Thanks for the help,
Scott
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If you are eating more foods with fat and fiber in them, you shouldn't really feel hungry between meals. I still get a craving once in a while for some chocolate, and I have it as long as I've eaten healthy the rest of the day (this happens about once a week, and I usually eat dark chocolate).
How many calories are you eating per day?
__________________ If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise. -Unknown
If you are eating more foods with fat and fiber in them, you shouldn't really feel hungry between meals. I still get a craving once in a while for some chocolate, and I have it as long as I've eaten healthy the rest of the day (this happens about once a week, and I usually eat dark chocolate).
How many calories are you eating per day?
I don't know about that... I'm always hungry. Always. In fact, I just ate and I'm hungry.
As lame as it sounds. I can't have even one treat without heading off on a binge. I have to schedule my treats so that something immediately afterward forces me to NOT binge (sleep, a workout, funeral, etc.).
My tip for the vending machine is to not have money. No bills either, otherwise you'll just ask for change. No money.
As for the losers trying to sabotage your efforts, it's just that they want you to fail because they feel guilty about what they are eating. The healthier you get, the worse they look. They don't do it consciously, of course. Ah, who are we kidding? Of course it's conscious; they're losers, after all! Stupid losers!
Anyhow, losers need to focus their loserness on other losers, even if they have to help create them. But, they're your friends, so they would want you to win over some loser they don't know. So, tell them your possibly made up loser brother in law (The Ronster) claimed he could lose more weight than you. But, you know you're going to squash him, instead. Suddenly, they'll tell you to skip the brownies and support you all the way. Anyone called "The Ronster" has gotta be one big loser.
I write down everything that I eat.. Id feel pretty bad for writing down "1/2 a pizza and a corndog" so I wont eat those! hah. Try to stick through it a week or two at a time.
Some people have success with the "Just get through today" method. I dont. The following day I go crazy because I must not like to lie to myself.
I don't know about that... I'm always hungry. Always. In fact, I just ate and I'm hungry.
As lame as it sounds. I can't have even one treat without heading off on a binge. I have to schedule my treats so that something immediately afterward forces me to NOT binge (sleep, a workout, funeral, etc.).
Well, for some people the fats and fiber helps keep them full. If you have a higher metabolism, then yeah you might be hungry all the time. I am like you a little bit Roland, but mine has been getting better since I've added more fat, fiber and drinking water.
__________________ If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise. -Unknown
my problems are mostly when I'm tired.. like after 9 pm.. I have alot less will power.. (but I don't want to go to bed THAT early)
Recently I put stickers on packaging .. Cereals, Peanut Butter, Chocolate bar. The stickers just say "Do ya wanna be lean?" . I'm trying to work on my inner desire to be lean.. when I want something real hard, nothing can stop me. ..
so far the stickers help me alot in the evenings..
but when I am sick or really aching.. I just reply to the stickers "no , I don't care". that'll be the next thing I have to find a way to control.
I write down everything that I eat.. Id feel pretty bad for writing down "1/2 a pizza and a corndog" so I wont eat those! hah.
That really helps me as well.. but I just get so fed up of writing down what I eat.. I did it so many times in my life.. for weeks or months.. I'm having more and more trouble with being consistant there
My main problem with cravings is in the afternoon/evening. For some reason after around 4:30pm I wind up with a lot of cravings. Drinking some water often helps, along with having a cup of coffee or tea. Sometimes if the cravings are really bad I'll go out for a short walk, climb the stairs in my building, etc... The physical activity seems to help quite a bit.
Think about urges like a crying child---when you give in, the child learns that by crying, they'll get what they want. Well, cravings are like that crying child inside of you---"give in" and your body tells you, perfect, when I have urges, if I listen to and feed them, I'm "happy." In research and practice we call this "urge surfing" and research shows urges are like waves. Initially they start small and continue to grow, until the peak, and ultimately break. You can either listen to that urge at its peak, or you can let is subside by finding an alternative activity...stop whatever you're doing and do something else to change your thoughts. Get up and walk around, do some pushups, anything to get your mind off of that urge. As you fight these urges, overtime the signal will become much weaker and it won't be an issue. I understand it's not easy, but just like any habit, continuous positive change works . We just did an entire lesson on this in our weight loss programs in Louisville.
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Christopher R. Mohr, PhD, RD
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Most people I work with that have cravings are focused on what they can't have. They'll say: Oh I can't have cookies or I can't have pasta. They'll say it over lunch or when someone offers chocolate. Then they'll pass and they'll get hit by major cravings soon after. When you are on a plan, think of what you can have and how it's going to positively affect your outcomes. Think, oh I can have chicken and nuts and cheese, I like those. As soon as a craving hits try to identify what caused it: undereating, skipping a meal, not drinking enough water, being focused on what you can't eat, etc. You can plant negative outcomes associated with food in your head. For example: if I eat this I will puff up like a baloon tomorrow and I'll have missed my chance at creating positive changes in my life. I will have to start all over again...blah blah blah, till the negative thoughts completely kill the possible pleasure you could have from the immediate gratification of your craving. Just my 2 cents.
On a different note, would a cookie negatively impact your results? Probably not, if it's just one cookie and you eat it postworkout. That makes you a flexible dieter, not a weak one
cravings for candy or food in general, cause an apple or somethng will leave you feeling pretty full w/o tons of calories. other than that I just drink a lot of water.
Food cravings - how do you combat them?
, I don't care". 
that'll be the next thing I have to find a way to control.
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