Cravings???

[Ranaesheart]

What do you do when you have a food craving?  

Looking for some helpful ideas to share with each other ... and then we'll do an article on this subject.

Sharing these ideas helps us all .. we're in this together!

[DasMaedchen]

I usually indulge my craving because otherwise I'll just keep thinking about it and when I do get it, I'll eat more than I need to.

If I give in to my craving and eat a little bit of what I'm yearning, then I'll be satisfied. Sometimes I find that I don't really want the thing that I'm craving, I just like the "idea" of eating it. So then I just stop after a mouthful.

[TrudieC]

I've also found that when I have a real craving it is almost better to have a small amount of it.  If I don't I tend to eat too much of other things trying to quell it.  Eat a bit and account for it in your total calories.

[Lonelymom]

I forgot to add a friend of mine told me one time when you crave something sweet eat a pickle so I did and sure enough the craving was gone.

Pickles are 0 points with Weight Watchers so when I don't have points left and get that sweet tooth after dinner I grab a pickle.

[Lonelymom]

I am the type that if I take a bite I am going to eat the whole thing so I have figured out a good way to fight my cravings. I only crave chocolate so I decided to buy myself the 100 calorie snacks that have chocolate in them like the 100 calorie cupcakes and so forth. Now when I crave chocolate I eat one of those and the craving is gone but my diet isn't blown. It is only 2 points with weight watchers so I accomodate for those points.

so with all the cravings meaning something else what does chocolate mean?

[writingmom72]

Whenever I have a craving for something I try to give in, but with a substitute from the heatlhfood store. For instance if I am craving ice cream, i'll get some rice or soy dream from the healthfood store, which is just as good and doesn't have sugar and all the other **** that regular ice cream does. If I can't it to the health food store or it's difficult to substitute what I'm cravings, I may give in and just eat a few bites or either try to distract myself until the craving goes away. It all depends on my mood and how strong the craving is.

[Barb135]

I've read that if you crave salt, you really need to drink water; craving sugar, you really need protein and there are some others that  I can't remember right now....will look for them though.  

[TrudieC]

I was talking to a friend who had a sugar problem.  A nutritionist told her that when she has a sugar craving to eat a small piece of meat and it will kill it.  She says it works.  Unfortunately meat substitutes don't work.  I'm going to give it a try.  

[sunshine1976]

I got into the habit when prego of listening to my cravings.  If I was craving ice cream it was my body telling me I needed something in the ice cream and by making me crave icecream one of my faves it would most likely get it.  Now if I'm craving ice cream I drink a big glass of cold fat free milk.  If I crave a hamburger I need iron or protein.  Potato chips, I may be dehydrated and need electrolights. If I eat these foods now it's because I want to and if not following a craving I can control my portions better.

[Barb135]

Diverting attention to something else often helps.  When you are craving food, try going for a walk, turn on some music and dance for a while or work on some other project or hobby.  Quite often if you can delay eating for just 10-15 minutes, the craving will go away.  If it doesn't, you're better off to have a couple (or few) bites to ease it, or you might end up on a full blown binge.  And don't forget - the "craving" might really be hunger - for food - and if that's the case, again, be sure to eat something, preferably with protein.  

[TrudieC]

Great subject matter!  I'm having problems dealing with this.  When I have too much going on with my health and other issues I find I am not strong enough to fight them.  My husband has been bringing home a lot of wine lately and I think it may be affecting my ability to fight this.  I need him to stop and will work towards that goal.  I used to be able to drink water, eat a  handfull of nuts or a small piece of cheese and is not working for me now.

[Skailark]

I get craving when i get stressed. well is used to. Now a days drinking a large galss of water and takining deep breaths and assesing my situation helps!