do cravings go away?
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I don't know, I'm not very far in (bit over a month), but I'd say probably not. From what I've read, tastes change, so you might get the cravings (further into the diet than a couple of weeks- from what I've read, it's more like months), give in to them, and think "that's nowhere near as good as I remember it".
I think abilities to cope with cravings change, though. For example, at the moment I'm craving pizza. Rather than going out and buying pizza from the supermarket (or worse, dialling Pizza Hut or whatever), I'm thinking about making my own. This is about 360 calories, apparently (will vary depending on the ingredients I use, as it's an Australian website and I'm in the UK), so it fits into my diet, and I think it'd help with the cravings:
I think abilities to cope with cravings change, though. For example, at the moment I'm craving pizza. Rather than going out and buying pizza from the supermarket (or worse, dialling Pizza Hut or whatever), I'm thinking about making my own. This is about 360 calories, apparently (will vary depending on the ingredients I use, as it's an Australian website and I'm in the UK), so it fits into my diet, and I think it'd help with the cravings:
ChefChiTown
New member
A craving is like the smell of a wet fart.
At first, you think it's never going to go away. It hits you so hard that it literally makes your stomach turn and you feel like, if it doesn't go away soon, that you'll throw up everywhere. But, after a little bit of time goes by, it starts to fade. Sure, your stomach is still turning, but it's not so bad. Then, a little more time goes by and, before you know it, it's gone. All gone.
Well, until I pull the blanket over your head and start giggling like a little girl. Then you're in deep sh*t. Well, the smell of it anyway.
At first, you think it's never going to go away. It hits you so hard that it literally makes your stomach turn and you feel like, if it doesn't go away soon, that you'll throw up everywhere. But, after a little bit of time goes by, it starts to fade. Sure, your stomach is still turning, but it's not so bad. Then, a little more time goes by and, before you know it, it's gone. All gone.
Well, until I pull the blanket over your head and start giggling like a little girl. Then you're in deep sh*t. Well, the smell of it anyway.
toolips
New member
this... is... the best thing ive ever read
PLB
Moderator
Chef, if I didn't already know that you're from the US, I'd be wondering if you're my older brother...
I
ItalianGirl
Guest
Junk food it's like a drug.
My cravings stop in about 1 week from the beginning
My cravings stop in about 1 week from the beginning
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toolips
New member
agreed. i get one bite of something and i want MORE MORE MORE
I
ItalianGirl
Guest
My biggest problem was chocolate
when i felt that i NEEDED chocolate, i used to eat a teaspoon of honey. In one week the cravings went away
Different people cope in different ways to the cravings. I find I'm ok with moderation- I'm not ok with giving stuff up. I have a block of chocolate in the fridge from Easter, and every so often I have two squares. It kills the chocolate cravings and is only about 50 calories. And given I'm going so well I don't feel the need to go back and get more. (But different things work for different people- it depends on your self control. Not having things in the house is certainly the easiest way)
I also like to look at how many calories are in things. Not that long ago my favourite recipe website had a chocolate cake recipe on the front of it that looked sensational. I ran it through a calorie calculator, and it was over 1200 calories per slice. Put me right off.
I also like to look at how many calories are in things. Not that long ago my favourite recipe website had a chocolate cake recipe on the front of it that looked sensational. I ran it through a calorie calculator, and it was over 1200 calories per slice. Put me right off.
toolips
New member
Different people cope in different ways to the cravings. I find I'm ok with moderation- I'm not ok with giving stuff up. I have a block of chocolate in the fridge from Easter, and every so often I have two squares. It kills the chocolate cravings and is only about 50 calories. And given I'm going so well I don't feel the need to go back and get more. (But different things work for different people- it depends on your self control. Not having things in the house is certainly the easiest way)
I also like to look at how many calories are in things. Not that long ago my favourite recipe website had a chocolate cake recipe on the front of it that looked sensational. I ran it through a calorie calculator, and it was over 1200 calories per slice. Put me right off.
ahahahahaa oh man, 1200 cals is like 2/3 my day of calories!
Jeanette401
New member
I found that most of my cravings went away. Here's an odd one though, sometimes I find myself craving something like ice cream... and it turns out that I can often tame the craving by having some almond butter because apparently my body is feeling fat deprived
I don't know exactly why it works but... for some reason it does.
Also, I find Greek yogurt + inulin (fiber powder) + some fruit to be EXTREMELY filling. Like, I could eat twice that much volume in steak and not feel as full. Why? I have no clue - bodies are strange.
I don't know exactly why it works but... for some reason it does.
Also, I find Greek yogurt + inulin (fiber powder) + some fruit to be EXTREMELY filling. Like, I could eat twice that much volume in steak and not feel as full. Why? I have no clue - bodies are strange.
I"m exactly like PBL. If I have a tiny taste or even a moderate serving of my craved food. Bam its all over. I"ve got to keep on eating until its all gone and/ or my stomach is so full of food (preferably BAD food that nothing else will fit in. I think this is a habit i developed during my 30s and 40s. or in other words, since i gave up smoking. I didn't used to eat like that when smoked. I was fairly slim when i smoked and basically didn't eat junk foods at all.
But now when i give up all my food weaknesses, i don't crave at all.
EXCEPT at certain times when my hormones seem to be doing something, like when i have pmt before my periods. When i read about your cravings in your diary, my first thought was if you were pre-menstrual. So now, in my case, i am keeping an eye out for that.
Another time when i've been known to get cravings is after a few months of dieting and fairly fast weight loss. This might be a bodily reaction to my weight being so low. I haven't figure that out quite yet. But the next few months should make it all clear.
Certainly in your case, it sounds like you are more like PBL and me. So you might find it easiest to go cold turkey. Just try to make sure the foods you are eating every day are foods you like and that you are enjoying your meals so that you don't feel you are missing out on anything.
I think healthy food tastes a lot better than "junk" food but if you eat junk food all the time, you have develop a special taste for it. I think its because its salty, sugary or fatty or all of the above. Get rid of those overdoses from your diet and you will start to enjoy different types of food more.
But now when i give up all my food weaknesses, i don't crave at all.
EXCEPT at certain times when my hormones seem to be doing something, like when i have pmt before my periods. When i read about your cravings in your diary, my first thought was if you were pre-menstrual. So now, in my case, i am keeping an eye out for that.
Another time when i've been known to get cravings is after a few months of dieting and fairly fast weight loss. This might be a bodily reaction to my weight being so low. I haven't figure that out quite yet. But the next few months should make it all clear.
Certainly in your case, it sounds like you are more like PBL and me. So you might find it easiest to go cold turkey. Just try to make sure the foods you are eating every day are foods you like and that you are enjoying your meals so that you don't feel you are missing out on anything.
I think healthy food tastes a lot better than "junk" food but if you eat junk food all the time, you have develop a special taste for it. I think its because its salty, sugary or fatty or all of the above. Get rid of those overdoses from your diet and you will start to enjoy different types of food more.
Monster2
New member
Well... your body will naturally crave certain things. Especially salt! I think that's a lot of where the fast food and junk food cravings come from. You don't need a big salty burger to give you a dose of the salty stuff! Low fat tortilla chip, Gatorade, or pretzels often do the trick.
Jeanette401
New member
Hmm, my Greek yogurt is the Fage 0% fat stuff - because that's what I can get cheap at CostCo It's, well, just yogurt! I think it's 100 calories a cup, with 7g sugars (lactose) and 18g of protein, 0g of fat obviously Also kind of cool, they have a page explaining exactly how it's made -
I do find it interesting to read other people's experiences though - I generally find that if I'm craving something it's because there's something I'm missing. Just that what I need and what I'm craving may not be the same because I don't speak my body's language that well For me the indulging part isn't dangerous because of cravings but because of mindset - for example (and this was especially true back when I was on Atkins) I'd say "Oh, I just had this piece of cake. Well, I've blown the diet for the day! Might as well make the most of it!" and then I'd get another piece of cake, have some pizza maybe, get some nice french bread... just really binge because I'd already "failed".
Now I have a different mindset, one that's more about what I'm going to do next. So sometimes when I have a craving for chocolate I'll go grab 3 Giradhelli dark chocolate chips from the pantry. The only bad thing is that the bag has lasted so long they're starting to get a little dehydrated and aren't as super yummy as they used to be (I've had the bag over a year).
Of course, some things are still dangerous for me, but mostly that's salty carbs. Triscuits are the devil. I don't really CRAVE triscuits, but if they're in the house... somehow they don't last long.
Also another sad thing happened - I tried a Reese's Peanut Butter Egg this year and it tasted overly sweet to me It's good overall because I've learned to adapt to less sweet foods, but it was a once a year indulgence I rather looked forward to, lol.
It's, well, just yogurt! I think it's 100 calories a cup, with 7g sugars (lactose) and 18g of protein, 0g of fat obviously Also kind of cool, they have a page explaining exactly how it's made - I do find it interesting to read other people's experiences though - I generally find that if I'm craving something it's because there's something I'm missing. Just that what I need and what I'm craving may not be the same because I don't speak my body's language that well
For me the indulging part isn't dangerous because of cravings but because of mindset - for example (and this was especially true back when I was on Atkins) I'd say "Oh, I just had this piece of cake. Well, I've blown the diet for the day! Might as well make the most of it!" and then I'd get another piece of cake, have some pizza maybe, get some nice french bread... just really binge because I'd already "failed".Now I have a different mindset, one that's more about what I'm going to do next. So sometimes when I have a craving for chocolate I'll go grab 3 Giradhelli dark chocolate chips from the pantry. The only bad thing is that the bag has lasted so long they're starting to get a little dehydrated and aren't as super yummy as they used to be (I've had the bag over a year).
Of course, some things are still dangerous for me, but mostly that's salty carbs. Triscuits are the devil. I don't really CRAVE triscuits, but if they're in the house... somehow they don't last long.
Also another sad thing happened - I tried a Reese's Peanut Butter Egg this year and it tasted overly sweet to me
It's good overall because I've learned to adapt to less sweet foods, but it was a once a year indulgence I rather looked forward to, lol.Well i'm going to risk Christmas indulgences for, i think, two days. Just Christmas pudding and Christmas cake, oh and fruit mince pies with cream. I am not sure if i will go further than that. I am not afraid of putting on some weight but i am quite afraid of undoing all my good new eating habits work.
I will probably drink more than usual and eat more savoury foods than usual but I will still try to exercise portion control and not to piggy.
I will probably drink more than usual and eat more savoury foods than usual but I will still try to exercise portion control and not to piggy.