Do you ever splurge and give in to a craving??

Do you ever having a craving that won't go away? If so do you give into the craving and eat it? Maybe once a month you give yourself the one thing you want the most and have been avoiding??

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66%

 (8) 

Yes I cave!!

8%

 (1) 

No I stay strong and resist

16%

 (2) 

I find other options

8%

 (1) 

other (please explain)

12 Members voted

[Lonelymom]

I have been able to stop the cravings by picking other foods. I will admit though I haven't had my favorite candy bar (Hershey) since January and I am thinking of caving in just once and eating just one. What do you guys think?? Maybe after we beat TUTU boy.

[msniki412]

If I crave something, and wont go away...unfortantly I just eat it then. Sometimes it could be chocolate or a nice big juicy cheeseburger with bacon and bbq sauce....mmmm!! But it's notmally only about once amonth i let myself do that.

[Barb135]

I voted for "I cave" because there wasn't an option for both # 1 and # 2!  And I don't necessarily call it "caving".  

If we deprive ourselves ALL the time, we will end up giving up because it's too restrictive.  We have to occasionally allow ourselves to eat food we enjoy.  

I believe that I should be able to eat most of what I like, but I also believe that it's necessary to keep the portions in check.  For instance, if I allow myself to have a single serving of potato chips today, it will probably prevent a binge tomorrow, in which I'll eat the whole bag.  

One thing to try: if I get a craving, I try taking a walk or doing something else to take my mind off it.  If the craving isn't gone in 10 - 15 min, I go ahead and give in to it because I know it's only going to get worse.  BUT when I say I *give in*, I allow myself just a very small portion.  Another thing, is that when I give in to a craving, I try to sit down somewhere and really enjoy it; otherwise, if I keep doing something else while I eat, I will just mindlessly keep stuffing food in my mouth and end up not getting ANY satisfaction from it at all so I'm still not satisfied.  I read that in a book and it really does work.  If you're going to eat it anyway, enjoy it without guilt.  

[Ranaesheart]

I implement several tactics ..

SEVERE CRAVING - I eat protein and drink a big glass of water as it helps the "hunger" so I can think more rationally.

My vice is chocolate. So, if truly CRAVE chocolate, then I am smart about it and eat first, then go to the best chocolatier and get TWO pieces of chocolate.  I eat them very slowly and let each tiny bite melt so I can truly enjoy the flavor and the experience.

If I simply WANT chocolate, then I build it routinely into my dieting plan so I never feel deprived.  Wells Blue Bunny has fudgesickles for 35 calories each or Hershey has stick chocolate for 70 calories.  I buy the dark chocolate because it has some health benefits, I eat it slower, I like it and it helps stop the craving better than the milk chocolate.

For the most part, I do not deprive myself, I learn better ways to have the same flavor/taste so I never miss it.  For instance, instead of fried chicken, you can use skinless chicken and coat it with a flour-style product that you can then bake and it tastes like fried chicken.  The best of both worlds .. and healthy!

If anyone has some special foods they crave, we can help you come up with achieving the same flavor in a more healthful manner and you can incorporate it into your new lifestyle plan.  

If you "cave" .. remember PORTION control!  Any "craving" is satisfied in the first 4 bites!

Great post!!!

[elaine1961]

I voted, No I stay strong and resist.
I am a very determined person and once I have decided to do something then there is nothing that can stop me,
The one thing that helps me is to keep telling myself that nothing is out of bounds if i want it then i can have it, because i can have it i dont feel the urge to want it,
It was the same when i gave up smoking when i didnt have any cigarettes the craving was always there, but when i kept just one cigarette in the house the craving went,

[twehner5]

When Elaine says she stays strong and resists - SHE'S serious!!!

I voted that *I cave*, but it's not something I do frequently or in great quantity, like the "old me" would have done.  I WOULD have eaten a whole 1lb bag of M&M's, no sweat.  Now, I'll put some in a small bathroom-sized cup and beg the family to eat the rest because I might just keep on "caving".  It isn't even once every 2 months that we have M&M's in the house.  Valentine's day was the last time.  Hurry up, Easter Bunny!

I agree with others who have said that you cannot always deprive yourself.  UNLESS, you know that in your particular case ONE SLIP UP will completely derail you.  I know that for me, life without M&M's....isn't worth living. *puts back of hand to forehead*  (no drama here!

[Ranaesheart]

Thanks Elaine and twehner for reminding me of another important fact.  I, too, did not allow myself to cave in the beginning .. I could not.  To do so would have derailed my efforts.  There are still times that I am aware the craving is one that would lead to a binge episode and so I do not allow myself to eat a little at that point in time.  I implement other behavior modification techniques and implement my rescue plan to avoid that behavior!

It is all a learning process and finding out what works best for you and when you can and can not allow yourself to "cave".

[Lonelymom]

I will be happy to report I bought myself some low point (low calorie) bars at weight watchers and ate one. Now I no longer want the Hershey bar and I didn't wreck my diet either. Still staying on track!!!

[Barb135]

Yeah for you!!  You're doing fantastic with weight watchers.  Stay with it - you CAN do it.

[lucindamartinez]

I voted cave.  I'm very much with Barb and Ranae on this one.  In order to sustain weight loss long-term, I absolutely cannot totally deprived myself entirely.  It only derails my efforts.  Instead, when I crave something, especially chocolate....I go for it with a good plan in place.  I go to a small quick stop type of store.  I purchase a very small piece of very good chocolate (love dark chocolate like Ghiridelli's).  I enjoy that little bit....every single morsel.  And then it is out of my system because I was able to thoroughly enjoy the bit of chocolate that I did have, yet it was no where near enough to through my entire eating plan out of whack.  

[steve1954]

I voted to find other options. My weakness like twehner5 is Chocolate as you can imagine, being married to Elaine, She will not buy me chocolate. So i have to find other options. Is there a fruit Easter bunny.

[PMoon]

If you deprive yourself and think of yourself on a "diet" then what will you eat when you go off the diet. I've watched my brother for years. He either deprives or eats anything and everything. There is no in between. And his weight goes up and down - way up and way down. I don't think it's healthy.

I try to do as Barb135 said - portion control. They always say to watch how thin people eat. They eat healthy with a splurge here and there. And they stop when they are full. They don't clean the plate just because it was there.

Ranaesheart - I love your approach. Buy two pieces of chocolate and savor it. I have the day off today. Mental health Day! I think I will do that. Me, I'm a milk chocolate with coconut girl.

[heatherlynn22]

i've discovered how to curve my chocolate cravings. trail mix that has m&m's in it. it has the saltyness and the chocolateness that i want and it's not high in fat and all the other icky stuff. plus i grew up on trail mix. i used to do a lot of hiking when i was younger with my mom and we ALWAYS had trail mix for our snack while we were out so it's like a blast from the past. i think in a big bag (the ones they sale at wal mart) it has less then 200 cals. and it fills me right up between meals. i should probably start just making my own again.