I struggle. Yes, I'm at the top of my goal weight, but not where I want to be. Still, I struggle, every single day. It's always something. This week, it's been sweets. My body is craving it. Last night I went for the chocolate stash that I keep in the freezer for such occasions, but it was gone! Someone (hubby) had raided my stash and it was gone! Guess that was a good thing. But I was still craving sweets. Reached for a pack of sugar-free cupcakes. Not a great choice. I've been trying to stay away from artificial sweeteners and stuff "in a box". Been eating a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, but it just wasn't cutting it. Result, I crumbled under the pressure of the craving and gave in. And, of course, it wasn't what I was craving in the first place, chocolate, so it really didn't do anything for me anyway.
However, I did not let it defeat me completely. I pulled out my little calculator and tracker and counted the points, wrote it down, held my self accountable for it.
So today is all about eating natural, eating healthy, staying away from those "things in a box". Luckily for me, there's none left.
Looking for suggestions. What to do... what to eat when I have that chocolate craving?
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4 days ago
When I am craving chocolate, I eat some chocolate. Plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, I would crave something, and try to convince myself that I would just have something else. So instead of 200 cal of chocolate, I'd have an 80 cal apple. But I still wanted chocolate. So I'd have a 110 cal banana, and maybe another 80 cal apple. And I still wanted chocolate. So I'd have the 200 cal of chocolate. Except now I've had 470 calories instead of the 200 if I had just listened to my body in the first place.
I don't keep sweets in the house because I crave them more when they're more accessible. When I do buy chocolate, I have a few go-to sweets that are a little better: I like pretzel M&Ms (150 cal per serving) and, lately, chocolate-covered marshmallow peeps (110 cal for milk chocolate, 120 cal for dark).
I say eat the chocolate! I do the same thing by trying to substitute something for what I really want, but then end up feeling unsatisfied. Unlike you, I don't usually stop and track! I usually munch on a whole bunch of other crap to make up for feeling unsatisfied. Never works :( You should be proud of yourself for stopping and tracking!
ReplyDeleteMaybe keep a couple chocolates around for those cravings and when the mood strikes, eat it and enjoy! My Mom has a great idea... when she really wants something, she places it on a plate and takes her time to enjoy each bite. That way makes it special and she's less likely to look for something else afterward because she took the time to savor and enjoy what she was craving!
MG - You make a great point. Eating around a craving doesn't work and only ends up eating way more than you would have had you just had the thing you were craving.
ReplyDeleteMarisa, I had to laugh. I totally agree with keeping a few chocolates around for when I have a craving, and had done that. I had a small bag "stash" in the freezer for just such an occasion. When I went to get a piece, my "stash" was gone, and I wasn't the one who ate it! Get me?
Now I have to find a new "stash" hiding place, somewhere "he" won't find it, but that would probably mean in my desk, and that's way too close for comfort.
Marisa, the fact that I tracked after eating something I shouldn't have is a fairly new action for me. I've only recently realized that "not tracking" doesn't change the fact that I ate it. I still ate it. Unfortuantely, the calories don't mysteriously disappear if I don't track it. So by tracking it kind of takes away some of the guilt for me.
ReplyDeleteI cannot eat around the craving. I will consume WAY more calories than need be if I do. I keep those little dark chocolates from Ghiradelli (sp?) in the cupboard at all times. They're my mid cycle go to treat! lol Gotta love hormones.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if these cravings are popping up more and more (not just hormonally induced) go back through your food journals and make sure you're eating enough protein. There's also a link between iron deficiency and chocolate cravings. Just a thoought for you.
I buy dark chocolate kisses and keep them in the freezer. 1 or 2 usually gets me thru a craving and being that they are frozen it takes me longer to eat them.
ReplyDeleteOkay, ladies. I'm convinced that I just need to keep some little pieces of dark chocolate around for these times. Yes, hormones probably has A LOT to do with it.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is finding a new hiding spot where The Chocolate Monster in the house won't find it. Maybe still in the freezer, but I'll have to HIDE IT behind the 23-pounds frozen turkey or something. Ha ha! He would never look there!