Currently, I am going through one of those moments when I crave something sweet. I just had a plate full of veggies, I am not hungry. There is an opened chocolate on the shelf my thoughts keep returning to. But I am starting to think, I have given in so often, maybe I should hold out just this one time, just to prove that I can. The little devil on my left shoulder says it won't matter either way, that it is not one more piece of chocolate that will make me look fatter or thinner, that I have overall done good today, that I could afford it.

I don't need it though. I want this craving to go away! People in my life whom I have told about my weight loss efforts and goals for this calendar year seemed very sure that I was fanatic enough (in a good sense) to make it. I am much less sure. But after a life of being haunted by it, I feel curious, desperately wanting to know what a life without being fat could be like. So right now, I have just decided to try to write the craving out of my system, so to say and see if that helps.

What has worked for you in moments of serious craving? How did you manage to stay strong? How did it make you feel in hindsight?

Most of the time I know if I want just one of something yummy (like a chocolate or cookie), I can never stop, so I try to just not eat it all all, or have a healthier alternative to what I really want. Tonight I wanted a truffle, but I had a 70 calorie choclate yogurt instead.

I have the same struggles. My mind locks onto something (peanut butter and chocolate are my weaknesses) and won't let go at times.

Lately I've really been trying to put an effort into battling the cravings, because like you, I've usually just eaten and know I'm not actually hungry for something. I just want it because it's yummy!

It's a power struggle between mind and belly and each victory fuels the next one. That being said, I do allow myself a little indulgence every so often because I don't have cheat meals/days or anything like that. Today, for example, I allowed myself an extra small spoon of peanut butter because it tasted so, so yummy and I hadn't had any in about a week.

Forcing logic against the craving usually wins. Usually!

Get rid of whatever thats tempting you. Dont have it laying around. Im like that too. If its there, then I keep thinking about it..

Actually, dark chocolate is good for you in moderation. Benefits include lowering blood pressure and it contains antioxidents. Maybe have some individually wrapped very dark chocolate (like Dove) on hand and eat just one. Sure beats a big guilt trip.

I know this is easier said than done, but you have to just stop thinking about it. I used to engage in this power struggle (me vs. food) and basically gave food this huge power over me. Now, i just try to make it not a big deal...just try to put it in the back of my head. There are many things i may want that i can't have, and thinking about it doesn't help. Here's an analogy: maybe i want sex right now...so what? I can't have it. Thinking about it isn't going to help things, so i just don't even think about it.

I agree... throw out the open chocolate! Know that if you ever really need more chocolate, you can always buy more. Do not worry about wasting food or money! Just toss it!

You will feel like a winner if you just throw it out!!! Just try it, it feels so good to win over your cravings. Don't let them win!!!

Well throwing out the enemy is not always an option especially if you live with other adults who are NOT watching their health or weight.

You have to learn that food is just energy to fuel your body. Nothing more nothing less. And you also have to treat yourself on occasion.

I keep a bag of hershey minatures at all times. I have one every Friday. It does help you not to feel deprived. If you can't stop at just one try low fat chocolate pudding or chocolate yogurt (I like frozen the best)

Keep fighting you will succeed!

I have heard that there is something actually deliberately put into cookies, sweet products etc by the manufacturers... that makes you addicted to craving more.
I dont' know how true it is (although I would not be surprised).... but I know its true for me for SURE lol

You have already come so far in shedding weight.... sure maybe one slip up won't do anything, but what if it sets you back? Is it worth it?

I don't know how I deal with my moments of weakness.... I am yet to develop better strategies. All I know is... if I give in.... I usually am NOT happy with what happens. If I don't give in, I'm pretty proud of myself, and the scale keeps moving (down).

I would try to pull on all the reasons I hate being fat..... and those sweet cravings, binges and other bad habits are what got me there in the first place. So why take that risk.
Until I can cure myself of myself... along with all my bad habits and slip ups through things that start out so innocently.... I best just avoid all temptations like a plague.

what i've started doing, especially at times when i seem to crave sweets, is drink a glass of water then wait 15 minutes. if the craving is still there, and it fits into my calories i allow myself to have some. i've seen that method mentioned on here before, and it works well for me. most of the time the craving goes away.

Hmm...tough. I don't keep sweets in the house (or if I do it's pre-packages/single serving ones), but find a way to have one sweet each day. I fit it within my calories. That way I'm not depriving myself. My weight loss has been very slow, but very steady. Obviously, I have a hard time depriving myself. ; ) If I have a bunch of sweets in the house, I will overeat and usually feel sick and regretful.

If the sweets are in the house due to other people, then i find an alternative...I LOVE Clementines or bananas. And I remind myself of how well I've been doing.

I don't always succeed, but when I do its usually because I've "thought through the eat", I've thought about how I'm going to feel afterwards, how I'll regret it, how long I'd have to spend working out etc. I also try distraction. When I want to eat and I'm not hungry its usually boredom. So doing something else (like coming of 3fc!) helps.

I've found the only way to kick these cravings is to not have the block of chocolate, or cookies or whatever it is, in the house. If you have to for other family members, hide them or cover them so it's not the first thing you see. And get in some sweet snacks that won't send your cravings sky high when you eat them. I like sugar coated popcorn, WW ice cream tubs or sundaes, individual choc bars that are within my points (only one or two - never have a whole pack or you'll just eat the lot). Don't deprive yourself when you feel like something sweet. Have it, because the whole point of dieting is re-learning how to eat again, and this involves treats.

After reading David Kessler's book, The End of Overeating, I finally understood and stopped feeling guilty at being unable to resist foods that combine intense flavors of fat/salt/sweetness. He doesn't call it "addiction," but instead calls it "conditioned hypereating," but he describes why eating those foods in moderation is difficult and sometimes nearly impossible.

I can't keep all of my trigger foods out of the house, because I do live with someone (hubby) who doesn't share my food plan. He's also dieting, but our food issues are different.

We've addressed the problem by color coding and segregating our pantry. We keep the healthiest, lowest calorie choices in plain sight, and the higher-calorie foods are put in opaque plastic boxes. Green for his foods, yellow for mine, and pink for foods that are fair game for either of us.

For the most part, we don't keep much true junk in the house (and what is there, tends to be hubby's), but any food I have trouble eating in mmoderation (like dried fruit or nuts) goes into an opaque box. If I have absolutely no control, but hubby wants it, it goes into his green boxes (and I consider them off-limits).

Nuts are in the pink box, because we both snack on nuts - but we buy them in individual packages so portion-control is built in (we buy them at a salvage grocery for 10 to 25 cents for each one to two ounce bag).

Wheat crackers and ramen soups are in hubby's green boxes, because I shouldn't eat wheat (but during TOM will sometimes get cravings, so they can't be something I can reach for on impulse).

I used to keep dried fruit in my box, but I had portion control issues with it, so I rarely buy them unless I can find them in the super-tiny boxes, and even then most of them go into hubby's box and I only keep a few for my own.

This may seem like silly mind games, but whatever helps, you know?