I'm starting to figure this out. I have a box of junior mints, or some chocolate, ice cream, whatever the temptation food might be. I think it's gonna taste so good, I eat it....and think, "well, that was not as satisfying as I thought it was going to be"

so why do I keep doing it?!?! Anyone else ever have this issue? Not just the eating it, but have it not taste as good as you once thought it was?

One thing that worked for me when I was still having bad carb cravings is to tell myself, Self, you've already had that. You know EXACTLY what it tastes like. Then I would take a minute to imagine myself eating it. Then I would go do something else, and promise myself, if you still want this tomorrow/Saturday/whatever, you can have it. And by tomorrow/Saturday, I didn't want it anymore. Kind of lame but it worked.

I've done that while mindlessly eating. I will just put food in my mouth and not even taste it. Now I just don't keep anything in my house that will trigger that. I also don't really hang out downstairs by my kitchen.

Sometimes.

I can usually tell when I'm going to have that feeling. It's when something is not very good quality (usually commercially produced snacks or sweets) and I feel like eating it anyway. Or it happens with higher quality stuff - not the first portion, but the second or third.

But I can't say always. That first portion of something really good usually is ... really good

Heh yeah, that's true a lot of the times. Of course, chocolate molten lava cake is always as good as I think it will be

I do it sometimes, but it doesn't work on me. I can't stop me to eat them.

I can't tell you how many times I've had to do this with the cookies and donut samples at work! It helps that the cookies are usually rock hard too. LOL

But on a REALLY bad day, that doesn't even stop me.

That's so true, Born. Thanks for the thought-provoking post.....very timely for me.

That happened to me recently. The hubby and I went to a buffet place, and I got a SMALL amount of their mac n cheese. I tried a bite, it tasted awful, so I didn't finish it. If only that thought would work on chocolate....

I am having such a bad craving for Kraft Mac and Cheese. I want to eat a whole box. Based on what happened on my other cheats I know it won't taste anything like I am imagining. That is the only thing keeping me from going for it.

I love Kraft Mac and cheese....sorry it just got me dreaming.When I was growing up my friends and I had a Kraft Mac and cheese club.We got together every day after school and ate many boxes.Not kidding either.LOL.

My best friend growing up was as big a Kraft mac & cheese fanatic as me!! When I went over to her house after school the first thing we did was make a box! And we made it even more unhealthy by adding a ton of cheddar cheese and then topping it with ketchup!

As far as the OP, well sometimes it doesn't taste as good as I think and other times it tastes just as heavenly as I imagined! As someone mentioned above a lot of it depends on the quality and where it's coming from.

I try to make healthy decisions throughout the week but once a week I plan for atreat meal and dessert. So often I find that it just doesnt meet my expectations. It drives me nuts! Then again, it also makes me realize that once I focus on this food and enjoying it, rather than mindlessly eating, its just not as good as my imagination makes it out to be.

Dchound your approach isnt lame at all -- Its actually brilliant. I think by allowing yourself to have the food you are craving in an hour or a day or whenever, takes away the taboo factor. By doing that, psychologically, I think it makes you not want it or forget it. I like that idea/approach. Im going to use it.

I no longer finish things if they don't taste as good as I thought they would. I definitely splurge on high-calorie stuff now & then - but I am NOT going to waste calories on something that isn't even enjoyable! I'll toss it out first - I'd rather waste the money than have those calories on my waistline!