sweet cravings after meals?
 

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:chockiss:

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.

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

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. :)

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

Originally Posted by carter:
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.

I disagree with you here. There's no reason why a small piece of chocolate can't be a reasonable part of a healthy and sustainable diet. It's not about deprivation or distorted priorities, it's about acknowledging that chocolate is a great pleasure, and one that is not too costly for weight management. (Assuming, of course, that we're talking about a small amount of good quality product--not a vat of sugar free, synthetic chocolate goop or an entire bag of m&ms.)

Originally Posted by DietVet:
I disagree with you here. There's no reason why a small piece of chocolate can't be a reasonable part of a healthy and sustainable diet. It's not about deprivation or distorted priorities, it's about acknowledging that chocolate is a great pleasure, and one that is not too costly for weight management.

Well, that's fair, and like I said, everyone is different. I don't entirely disagree with you on principle, but I can't really understand why one needs to enjoy that particular great pleasure every day, as opposed to lots of other great pleasures that aren't empty calories or aren't even food-related at all.

It's the daily aspect of it (which I note you haven't mentioned in the post I quoted) that gives me pause. Believe me, I enjoy my treats - for me it's martinis more than chocolate, because I can't do just a small amount of any candy - but I aim to do so just a few times a month. I've tried to learn to look to other sources for my daily pleasures.

Different strategies work for different people, of course, and if someone winds up losing all the weight she wants to lose while eating a piece of chocolate every day, then who am I to question it? I admit, though, that it is a bit of a red flag for me when someone is new to a weight loss plan and looking for a way to fit in a daily indulgence. That's the only reason I offer a different way to think about it.

The thing with giving in to food pleasures every day is that it's easy to over do it. For some people it's a lot easier to abstain from those dangerous foods than constantly have just a bit.

It can be like giving an alcoholic one sip of beer every night...probably going to find them drunk one night.

If a person knows they won't ever go too far, that's fine, but it's dangerous.

Don't know your plan but 90-calorie Fiber One brownies give me a chocolate high. Love the pudding suggestion as well. Also, try strawberry greek yogurt with half a graham cracker crumbled on top (YUM!!!) It satisfies the sweet and crunchy craving.

I keep sugar free jelly in my fridge, i make up a sachet of it in a bowl and then split it into single serving little containers, keep them in the back of the fridge so i dont destroy all my days hard work... gives that bit of sweet taste your after without huge amounts of calories.

I find cereal is good for a sweet tooth plus it helps to fill you up.

I agree with brushing your teeth, also I have a glass of water it gets rid of any cravings I might have after a meal and has the added bonus of filling me up. Now I don't get cravings after i've eaten.

Originally Posted by 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.

Totally agree with this. Since i've restricted my carb intake to breakfast, I don't really feel the need to snack, and I get less cravings. Its been amazing.

I have a bag of vitamin rich bonbons (candy or caramels they call them in the US I think).
One has only 16 calories and is sugary enough. It also lasts long because it melts slowly in the mouth. Make sure to buy the really hard ones and not toffees.

I love the suggestions and the bit of conversation this is bringing about regarding sweets. It is really giving me a lot to think about in terms of indulgence and daily choices.

I usually only get sweet cravings after dinner so I have a coffee with 2 tsps sugar. Works for me.

Coffee is great. Also sf jello with cool whip free. That stuff is AWESOME and you can have a lot of it for so few calories. I also like a nice sized bowl of fruit with cool whip free (or chocolate cool whip- which is really good and only 25 cal/ serving- watch the serving size, tho!). And fruit (esp. strawberries) with a little sf chocolate syrup. Low cal ice cream (I have some that is 100 cal/half cup and is super good) in a little cone (20 cal!) feels indulgent.

Originally Posted by IsobelRose22:
Totally agree with this. Since i've restricted my carb intake to breakfast, I don't really feel the need to snack, and I get less cravings. Its been amazing.

sign me up as another low carber with no cravings. And yes, it really is amazing!!

If I do ever want something sweet, I have a sugar free jello or chew some gum. But even that is extremely rare now, I have jello in my fridge that I haven't touched in weeks.

I always have to chew a piece of gum after a meal.

:shrug: Maybe I should consider a low carb plan....I love carbs and feel like I am always hungry and always wanting to eat.

Originally Posted by free1:
Also, try strawberry greek yogurt with half a graham cracker crumbled on top (YUM!!!) It satisfies the sweet and crunchy craving.

ohh I LOVE this idea! :cool:

Originally Posted by wickedlady:
ohh I LOVE this idea! :cool:

Original quote this was tagged with is gone - the suggestion was strawberry greek yogurt with a graham cracker crumbled on top.

Instead of expensive, sweetened greek yogurt, take plain greek yogurt (which you can make for half the price you can buy) and either swirl in a teaspoon or so of strawberry jam of fresh strawberries and instead of a graham cracker, add grape nuts or Cracklin Oat Bran which have more nutrients and taste great, even more flavorful.

yep like that tooo :)

I just discovered one and I'm SO excited. A frozen banana, a scoop of chocolate whey protein, and skim milk to desired thickness. Tastes like a chocolate frostee!! This would be great with some strawberries too I bet ;)

I like having a sweet treat several times a week. I just work it into my calorie count. I could never stick longterm to a plan that restricts sweets to once a month or restricts them altogether. Also I dont like artificial sweeteners so I have to allot some calories for treats.

Yep, I LOVE a sweet treat too, skinny cow ice cream sandwich after a light dinner, a piece of good quality dark chocolate with a skim milk latte, Low Cal jelly in a pretty glass with fruit set in it, topped with a spoon of low fat greek youghurt (is my favourite at the moment), I also poach fruits to have with low fat custard for winter, a low GI crumble topping made from low fat spread, oats and oat bran with a little brown sugar, that is great over any poached or stewed fruit, my list goes on and on...I have a "dessert" probably 4 or 5 times a week? I don't see anything wrong with that...sometimes it may be empty calories, some times fruit, but it tastes good, stops me from feeling like I am on a "diet", and i cannot see a problem with that quite frankly.

For someone whose trigger is sweet stuff then avoiding it all together is the way to go. If I were to eat some then I will binge. For a compulsive overeater like me the first bite is just the beginning of a binge so don't even take it. Just for another perspective. :)

Originally Posted by MrsTee:
. . . I have a "dessert" probably 4 or 5 times a week? I don't see anything wrong with that...sometimes it may be empty calories, some times fruit, but it tastes good, stops me from feeling like I am on a "diet", and i cannot see a problem with that quite frankly.

This is it for me, too. This time around, my dieting has seemed so much easier than it was for me in the past. I think a key reason for this is that I allow myself to eat normal food, just in smaller portions. (Also, I work activity into my everyday routine rather than having to set aside an hour or more for a formal work out).

If I feel that I'm getting out of control, I just skip the sweets for a few days, and I'm fine. I realize this may not work for others (as attested to on this board). To the OP, there's really no "right" or "wrong" to this; it's just finding what works for YOU.

Originally Posted by oneLess:
For someone whose trigger is sweet stuff then avoiding it all together is the way to go. If I were to eat some then I will binge. For a compulsive overeater like me the first bite is just the beginning of a binge so don't even take it. Just for another perspective. :)

I am more like this too - I have found, much to my surprise, that my very low carb plan is EASIER for me to stick to than when I was calorie counting and I could have desserts if I saved the calories. The problem (for ME, not saying everyone does this) is that I'd start off eating nice portions of healthy food. But then over time, I'd end up eating less of the healthy foods to save up those calories for the treats. And I might still lose a little weight but I wasn't feeling good. Now I feel so much better and energetic because I am eating my fill of lean proteins and veggies. I am not even counting calories (don't need to with my plan) but when I tracked for a bit just out of curiosity, I am eating much fewer calories than before but feeling so much more satisfied with them.

Just another example of how individual all of this is, and how we all have to experiment to find to right way to do this for each of us.

Aldi has these really, really delicious chocolate bars called Roser Moth. You get 5 individual bars in a pack, and some of the flavors are 120 calories each (like Chili Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, Orange Almond chocolate). They're also dark chocolate, and seem to be made of the kind of ingredients more expensive chocolate is made of. Also, one pack is only about $1.89, so it's not that bad.

Thanks for all the great advice!