What Helps Me With Sweet Cravings
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What Helps Me With Sweet Cravings
Hi everyone,
I think many of you know that feeling - you're not too hungry, but you really, really, really want something sweet. So what do you do if you want to stick to No S?
Something I've found helpful is to think about my S days, and to actually plan them. Maybe even make a list of things I want to eat the next weekend. Many tell themselves, "I can have this on Saturday", but I think it's even more helpful to visualize the bunch of things you want to have the next weekend.
Today after school, for example. It was 3:15 pm or so, and I hadn't eaten since breakfast at 9:30 am, so I was pretty hungry. Also, my driving lesson hadn't gone as well as I'd hoped, and I was feeling a little down... I was exhausted, too... those are major triggers for me. I even had some change on me (I usually try to avoid that to make going to bakeries after school more difficult for myself). So to not let myself give in to temptation, I thought about Saturday. I don't have anything to do this Saturday, so I thought I'd take the bus to town, buy one or two of my favorite pastries, a box of my favorite cookies... I planned it all out, complete with bus times and where I'd go first etc. It worked - and it made me smile instead of grinding my teeth like telling me, "It's an N day, you can't have that" would have made me.
Last year, I used to do something similar - I wrote lists with everything I liked to eat on S days, and re-read those when I felt like I wanted sweets. It just got weird when people saw them... Of course, I didn't eat all that on S days; I didn't need or want it then, either. But I do need the opportunity to look forward to it on N days.
What are your strategies for dealing with sweet cravings?
Katie
I think many of you know that feeling - you're not too hungry, but you really, really, really want something sweet. So what do you do if you want to stick to No S?
Something I've found helpful is to think about my S days, and to actually plan them. Maybe even make a list of things I want to eat the next weekend. Many tell themselves, "I can have this on Saturday", but I think it's even more helpful to visualize the bunch of things you want to have the next weekend.
Today after school, for example. It was 3:15 pm or so, and I hadn't eaten since breakfast at 9:30 am, so I was pretty hungry. Also, my driving lesson hadn't gone as well as I'd hoped, and I was feeling a little down... I was exhausted, too... those are major triggers for me. I even had some change on me (I usually try to avoid that to make going to bakeries after school more difficult for myself). So to not let myself give in to temptation, I thought about Saturday. I don't have anything to do this Saturday, so I thought I'd take the bus to town, buy one or two of my favorite pastries, a box of my favorite cookies... I planned it all out, complete with bus times and where I'd go first etc. It worked - and it made me smile instead of grinding my teeth like telling me, "It's an N day, you can't have that" would have made me.
Last year, I used to do something similar - I wrote lists with everything I liked to eat on S days, and re-read those when I felt like I wanted sweets. It just got weird when people saw them... Of course, I didn't eat all that on S days; I didn't need or want it then, either. But I do need the opportunity to look forward to it on N days.
What are your strategies for dealing with sweet cravings?
Katie
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No other road, no other way,
No day but today.
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Re: What Helps Me With Sweet Cravings
I do what you do and plan something good for an S day. Sometimes I'll have a cup of coffee.Anoulie wrote:What are your strategies for dealing with sweet cravings?
I also have a cup of Berry Zinger tea sometimes, if it's really bad. The tea is naturally sweet.
I've gotten to the point, though, where the "I wanna SNACK" is much stronger than "I want something sweet." For the most part, coffee seems to satisfy the comfort ritual and I am much more likely to want to eat out of boredom than anything. Knitting tends to help with that one!
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My blog https://noelfigart.com/wordpress/ I talk about being a freelance writer, working out and cooking mostly. The language is not always drawing room fashion. Just sayin'.
My blog https://noelfigart.com/wordpress/ I talk about being a freelance writer, working out and cooking mostly. The language is not always drawing room fashion. Just sayin'.
What a great idea!! Often as not, I'm scratching my head on an S Day, wondering what to have for my treat...then just grabbing the nearest sweet food handy just because its there and I can! NOT very fulfilling, if I were being honest. I also have a habit of compulsive buying/baking lots of sweet treats that clutter up my fridge freezer ... simply because my eyes are bigger than my tummy! I do get pleasure out of buying sweet treats and tend to have a bit of a hoarder personality. If I started to make a list like you so cleverly suggest, it might help me to get more organized. Thanks a lot, Katie!!!
If the craving is set in motion by seeing something that looks yummy - like desserts at a conference meal, I remind myself "there will be nice food again." Usually, it's not so special that I'll never see it again.
Another variant of that is channeling my "inner snob." Which, I confess, has gotten stronger with respect to sweets the longer I've been on No-S. There's a whole range of stuff that I used to eat that just doesn't appeal anymore. Mental commentary: "No, thanks, I'll wait til the weekend and get the GOOD stuff."
Another variant of that is channeling my "inner snob." Which, I confess, has gotten stronger with respect to sweets the longer I've been on No-S. There's a whole range of stuff that I used to eat that just doesn't appeal anymore. Mental commentary: "No, thanks, I'll wait til the weekend and get the GOOD stuff."
This is so true. I used to be able to eat an entire bag of Resees peanut butter eggs (they come out around Easter...) in a single weekend - or even a single afternoon. But this year? I'm not even interested in having a single one. I'd rather have homebaked goodies or a Godiva truffle or something. No more cheap junk for me. And since I eat less of it, I can afford to splurge monetarily on getting the sometimes pricier stuff that is *really* good.KCCC wrote: Another variant of that is channeling my "inner snob." Which, I confess, has gotten stronger with respect to sweets the longer I've been on No-S. There's a whole range of stuff that I used to eat that just doesn't appeal anymore. Mental commentary: "No, thanks, I'll wait til the weekend and get the GOOD stuff."
Finally a diet that I can make a lifestyle!
Started June 2010
6/27/2010 - 226 lbs
10/17/2010 - 203 lbs - 10% weight loss goal!
1/29/2011 - 182 lbs - 2nd 10% weight loss goal!
5/29/2011 - 165 lbs - 3rd 10% weight loss goal! (one more to go)
Started June 2010
6/27/2010 - 226 lbs
10/17/2010 - 203 lbs - 10% weight loss goal!
1/29/2011 - 182 lbs - 2nd 10% weight loss goal!
5/29/2011 - 165 lbs - 3rd 10% weight loss goal! (one more to go)
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I know! I've become a sweets snob, myself! I used to LOVE things like M and Ms, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Cadburry eggs, etc.... When I walked by all of that candy in the grocery store today, absolutely none of it looked good to me. It all tastes icky sweet to me now. I'd much rather eat a home baked treat, or get something from a really good bakery.
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