[girlvet]

What do you do to satisfy the need for something sweet after a meal? I can't stand to have that "food" taste in my mouth and I ALWAYS crave something sweet. This is a "habit" or "craving" I really want to overcome, it really is a sabotage for me.

Thanks for the input and help

[carter]

Two obvious choices that come to mind are:

(1) Save some calories for fruit or something else sweet, assuming your plan allows you to do this. I very frequently eat some fruit or some fruit-flavored Greek yogurt after dinner; the latter is very creamy and desserty, packs a ton of protein and costs me about 140 calories. (Some people will suggest artificially-sweetened desserts; that's up to you - personally I'd rather not spend calories on that sort of stuff as it's over-processed and devoid of nutritional value, but to each her own.)

(2) If your plan doesn't let you do any of that, try brushing your teeth after dinner. That will get rid of the residual food taste you are finding unpleasant.

[girlvet]

Thanks Carter....any suggestions for a chocoholic??

[indiblue]

I ALWAYS crave sweet things after meals. I just try to save 150 or so calories to indulge and make it a small treat: a handful of chocolate chips, a small slice of pie, etc.

[JayEll]

If you really want to get over it, the only way is to get used to not having something sweet, IMO. Brushing your teeth is a good idea.

Jay

[saggzz]

I used to save calories for a Weight Watchers Cookie Ice cream on a stick ( about 150 calories). But then I decided they were too expensive. I usually have 2 hershey kisses. But, you have to be able to resist eating the whole bag. I have also seen people post that they will freeze a piece of chocolate b/c it takes longer to eat.

[mzKiki]

I have the same problem. But for me it's not just hmm, I'd like something sweet. It's "OMG I NEED SOMETHING SWEET RIGHT THIS VERY INSTANT OR I AM GOING TO GO CRAZYYYYY!" I know on one hand it's a totally learned behavior due to yrs of bad eating and succumbing to all of my whims. But on the other I wonder if it's not a medical problem.

[NEMom]

I save enough calories for a fudge bar (I get 80 calorie ones) or a chocolate chip fiber one bar (120 calories). Either one of these seem to help to curb my night time sweet tooth.
Allow yourself these types of treats once in a while so you do not begin to feel deprived.

[DietVet]

I've lost my taste for sweet recently (weird) but I used to satisfy the craving with a small piece of really high quality dark chocolate--the kind you can let sit on your tongue for ages as it melts. YUM. You can have a satisfying amount for under 100 calories.

[burbu]

Sugar free pudding snack. Lots of different chocolate varieties to choose from these days, and most I've gotten have ranged from 40-90 calories. Using a small spoon helps make it last longer too.

[TL0812]

Brushing my teeth or chewing gum helps me to take the food taste away.

I also found that eating less carbs at dinner has helped me kick the post dinner carb cravings.

[MustardFan]

Spec K came out with this Fruit Crisp thing. 100 calories and you feel you're REALLY indulging. Yum.

[berryblondeboys]

I don't crave sweets as much, but when I do, I do one of two things - suck on a vanillamint - sugar free from Trader Joes or a sugar free altoids. OR, maybe weird, but I eat an 1/8 to a 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon - the sweet/hot taste of cinnamon does it for me. I lurve cinnamon! Higher quality cinnamon is totally worth the price too.

[girlvet]

Thanks for the suggestions, I am totally taking notes so i can try a few different things...keep the ideas coming!

[carter]

Originally Posted by girlvet

Thanks Carter....any suggestions for a chocoholic??

Stonyfield Farms makes a nonfat yogurt flavor, "Chocolate Underground," that's pretty tasty. I think it's 160 or 180 calories per tub.

Everyone is different, but I much prefer solutions like fruit or yogurt than eating a small amount of chocolate every day. For one thing, keeping candy around my house without binging on it is a bit of an unnecessary challenge. And second, yogurt has lots of protein and other nutrients - the chocolate is just empty calories.

Moreover, to build on what Jay said, it's not a bad thing to learn how to get used to treating pure-treat foods like chocolate as actual treats rather than daily parts of your life. Again speaking only for myself, part of what got me fat in the first place was feeling like I had to, or was entitled to, eat indulgent, decadent things as a daily matter of course. When I decided I didn't want to be fat any more, I knew I had to change that attitude. I still eat delicious food at every meal, but it's delicious food that is also nutritious and not terribly calorie-dense. The special treats really are just that - special, rare, treats.

Some people say they feel deprived if they don't allow themselves a square of chocolate every day. All right, well, again everyone is different - but speaking just for myself, if deciding I'm not going to eat candy every day really makes me feel deprived, then I am in need of a serious dose of perspective as to what deprivation really is.