lately, i've been having real intense sugar cravings (while trying to get into shape). for the past three weeks i've been eating ice cream nearly every night. today, when i tried to avoid junk food, the craving for sugary food was unbearable. what do you guys do in the battle against cravings?
i tried drinking tons of water - didn't work. ate a handful of cashews -didn't work. even ate a filling chicken salad - didn't work!
the cravings have won the battle today.

I sometimes get cravings in the evenings when my day is winding down. I find a nice big bowl of sugar free jello really fills me up nicely and it tastes great. Each bowl generally contains about 11 cals depending on what brand you use.

I find that I sometimes get cravings if I am bored. What I tend to do is do anything to keep my mind active.

I read a book, go for a walk/run or go to the local coffee shop and have a coffee, go window shopping, play my guitar or even go for a drive.

I have found this really takes my mind of the eating and gets me out and about which is also pretty good.

First off, thank-you for calling me da man. You were very open about that fact, and I admire your honesty.

For cravings, I think you can try the following

1) Try to cut out all refined sugar products or fatty foods, ie: ice cream, chips, cookies, donuts, chocolate, candy, etc.
If you do this for 1-2 weeks, I think your cravings should go down as your body re-builds your taste buds after being polluted by so much of the refined food.

For example, If you workout, and slam some gatorade, it tastes sweet, and good, because of the sugars. However, if you eat a chocolate bar, some fudge, ice cream, try to slam the gatorade now. To me at least, it tastes almost flavorless, like water. The damn refined goodies have made me want foods more and more sugary/fatty. So cut all these out and see if your recover

2) Find foods that can become your new cravings.

I personally have really liked the following foods, they ABSOLUTELY KICK ASS for taste and are relatively healthy.

A) 1 toast/natty peanut butter
B) cottage cheese/yogurt
C) eggs (they taste so good, go with everything)

Give those a go, but yes, I feel cravings are huge, and you have to win the war with them to get any type of results

Once again, I know I am the man... Thank-You

lately, i've been having real intense sugar cravings (while trying to get into shape). for the past three weeks i've been eating ice cream nearly every night. today, when i tried to avoid junk food, the craving for sugary food was unbearable. what do you guys do in the battle against cravings?
i tried drinking tons of water - didn't work. ate a handful of cashews -didn't work. even ate a filling chicken salad - didn't work!
the cravings have won the battle today.


I sometimes find that the cravings can also be related to a natural "energy Low" during the day. For me this is about 2-3 PM. For my husband it is about 7 in the evening. Is it possible that these cravings are hitting when you naturally are a bit sleepy, and your body is actually craving energy not sugar?

The fix I have found is to go for a walk or a jog. Something brisk - a minimum of 15 minutes in length, no longer than about 30 minutes tho. Not my normal workout or anything. It seems that getting my blood flowing and my body revved up again can kill off the cravings - since exercise is a natural pick-me-up. And after about 2-3 weeks of this, the cravings completely back off. They only start again if I go on vacation or something and eat like an idiot for more than a few days.

I eat 1 to 2 Tbsp Natty PB when I get my cravings. Mine usually come in the early evenings.

I also may Take that 2 Tbsp of Natty PB and mix it with my whey protein shake. :drool:

I also agree with the above a lot of my so called cravings are just simply because I'm bored so I will try to occupy my time with something else when I start to feel that craving coming on. Hang in there.

I believe that we usually get the cravings because we think of that certain too often. For example, you know you shouldn't eat ice-cream, but you keep on thinking how to avoid it. Because fo that, finally your cravings builds up and become uncontrolable, so I would agree with Garthus,I find that I sometimes get cravings if I am bored. What I tend to do is do anything to keep my mind active.

I use self-control to curtail cravings. I ask myself if I want to meet my goal or not. I know after I do meet it, I can pretty much each as I please since my maintinence level is so high (3500cals), but until then, I must control myself

You might find it crazy.. but this worked for me and I no longer crave much of anything (Pizza is my downfall :drool: )

Go to the store and buy a pack of the Cool Mint Listerine Pocket Strips. When you crave sugar or something sweet, pop one of these in your mouth. The good part is -anything- you eat after taking one has a nasty taste to it, eliminating your need for sweets. Or if you can, try brushing your teeth if you get a craving, has the same effect.

Just dont eat to many of them, you might get an upset stomach!

make a nice cup of green tea, or any kind of tea for that matter. helps alot for me.

try eating some beef jerky. it's a lot of chewing.
also chewing gum works, but the jerky works better for me.

I was in the same boat as you, I had a hangup for sodapop though, pepsi, mtn dew, ect. part of it was the caffine but the sugar craving was killing me.

I had what I like to call hellweek x2, once I got over that hump I have NEVER once craved sugar, trick was to eat clean, cut out most (if not all) refined sugars. if you cant stand that bran ceral without sugar, try lite peaches in a can (with light pearjuce not heavy syrup) bananas and strawberries are another of my favs. add sweet natural fruits to your food, yogurt, cottage cheese, ect.

after awhile you wont want anything sweet, it starts to taste nasty.

but those first 2 weeks of eattin clean sucks.

I had my first cheatmeal a couple of days ago and ordered a mtn dew. took one sip and litterally choked, tasted like pure snowcone syrup. told him to take it back and bring me a pepsi (I was determined to cheat) same thing, couldent take more than a couple of swallows. was awfull.

you have to want to break it, no one can help you or talk you into it. its all you. once you are determined, you can do anything. its worth it, trust me