I is confu-sid.

What do YOU consider a "craving"? SBD talks a whole lot about cravings....Well, after P1, I still WANT a cheeseburger. I see a piece of chocolate, and it still looks darn good. I choose NOT to have those things, but I WANT them.
So, they say to add back a few foods on P2, but to monitor which ones cause "cravings". What exactly does that mean? That you are more hungry? Or that it looks good? What?
Thanks - I just don't know what "cravings" they're talking about!

I would guess that craving something suggests a loss of control. Like, not having it is not an option. Or, in a dietetic sense, the "cravings" that they talk about being triggered mean the ones brought on by a change in blood chemistry.

I know what you mean. I haven't lost my desire for ice cream or potato chips. They still look good and undoubtedly taste better. But, I feel like I've gotten to a place where I don't NEED them, however psychological the need may be.

I would now classify something as a craving only if I gave in to it, devouring something obviously not good for me, without thinking about it.

Previously, I didn't give a thought to anything I ate. If I was peckish for a snack, chips or sweets it was, and all the time. Now, I don't feel the need to nibble constantly.

I think a craving is when you want something without seeing it. For example, you are sitting down watching Oprah, and all of a sudden you think "Boy, I could really go for a hot fudge sundae right now!" I think that's a craving! Because if you are looking at the food and say to yourself,"am I craving this cheeseburger?" and you say "yes, I am" you probably just want to be able to eat cheeseburgers, but that doesn't mean you are craving one at the time.

Oh and foods that cause cravings are probably food that you cant get enough of until it's gone! Like potato chips. Who eats serving? You eat the whole bag on those bad days! If you eat half of that sundae i mentioned earlier, and say "i'll eat the rest tomorrow" you'll CRAVE it later on that night, whether you do choose to eat it or not. That's just my take on cravings.

This is so strange. God is speaking to me today. 5 minutes ago I was on the phone with DH and said "Boy, I'm craving something REALLY sweet right now!" I got off the phone, walked into the other room here at work, and there's a sign up that says "We have cases of chocolate chunk cookie dough that need to go!" You all know how much I love my chocolate cookie dough logs. I called DH back and grumbled at him about it (you know it's his fault.)

Then I came on here and this is the first thread I opened. I'd say when you're really having a hard time controlling yourself over it, or you give into it, it's a craving. My two biggest cravings that I get are chocolate chip cookie dough and cigarettes. I don't get both of them very often (have only had the cigarette craving twice since I quit Jan 1) but when I do.... hoo boy. Someone get me to my house and don't let me leave so I can't go to the store and buy 8 logs of cookie dough and a carton of cigarettes.

But yeah, I'm definitely craving some cookie dough right now. I like pizza and ice cream but I'm not craving them. Just cookie dough.

I think "craving" technically has something to do with blood chemistry, but here's how I see it as it plays out in my life. On SBD my desire for , , and definitely hasn't gone away, but I can control my desire and say to myself, "Those things wouldn't be the best choices to make right now". Then I'll go do something else or eat a healthy snack. Whereas before the beach, I'd eat these things in whatever quantities I "needed" anyway, no matter what I had already eaten that day. Sometimes on the way home from school I'd go OUT OF MY WAY to stop and get some cookie dough or fries or whatever.

Having said all that, I could really go for a hamburger and fries now, but I think I can resist.

I agree, cravings tend to come out of the blue. I'm not really hungry but my mouth wants something.

Like when I make cinnamon rolls, I say I'll only eat half of one because I made them with whole wheat flour and smart balance and splenda/sugar blend so they aren't as bad as store bought ones. Then I go back and have the other half. Then a little later I'll remember those rolls and get another half and by the end of the day I've eaten most of the pan. I wasn't really hungry but they triggered something that I don't want triggered.

If I've been eating regularly, like every few hours, I can pass up the treats.

If I do decide to eat potato chips, it's easier to stop at 1 handful of chips, not half a bag like I used to.

Sarah

Interesting - this helps! That's about how I felt. I think my downfall is PIZZA. Ah, the cheesey goodness. Mmmmm....

Time for me to hit a 100 calorie SBD wheat cracker pack!

LOL Jo about the cheesey goodness! I'm with you, girl!

There was a Daily Dish about this recently. He says unlike hunger, which comes naturally 4-5 hours after a meal, cravings are:
(can't give you the whole article because of copyright violations, but they are free...so sign up if you are interested! )

I think of cravings as being like an itch you can't quite scratch.

LOL.

My office just had a potluck B-Day party. I CRAVED the lemon cake, but I didn't eat it! I ate some fruitsalad, though. The first fruit I've had since 01/16/2005. It tasted yummy! Let's see what it does to my blood sugar!