How to ignore cravings?
 

Hi - I'm new to this forum.

I was wondering what tips people have for ignoring cravings?

A friend suggested that I find an activity that distracts me, so I don't think about what I'm craving. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what works for them?

Thanks :D

Having an activity distracting you is a good idea, IMHO - at least I know it works for me, plus it also tells me whether I was really hungry, or if I was just craving something because I was bored. What I would say about this though, is to make it completely unrelated to eating - for instance, don't choose reading as an activity: it can perhaps distract you, but it's so easy to eat while reading that it can be a double-edged sword. On the other hand, taking your book and going out to read in the park can distract you (unless there are ice-cream merchants etc around).

What you can also try is drink one or two glasses of water. Hot tea (leafs, not teabags) can work too, as it takes time to drink it and can also make you forget that you had planned on eating something, but it depends on whether one likes tea or not.

I drink tea as well-I use teabags though. ;) (My stepfather does the whole leaf in the metal strainer thing-I just don't have the time. :lol: ) There are a lot of really nice flavored teas out there that are great plain or with a dash of Splenda. Bigelow has some really nice ones-all the traditional herbal teas like chamomile, etc. but also some newer flavors like Vanilla Almond, etc. I find that sometimes this trick works for me as well.
Some other distracting ideas to do when you have the urge to munch when you are not hungry:
~knit/crochet/needlepoint/cross stitch, etc.
~buy a crossword or word seek book
~have a current magazine near your favorite chair to read
~If you like to read-consider buying a new novel
(With the magazines and books I like to choose health titles some of the time to help reinforce what I am doing-like Dr. Phil's Ultimate Weight Loss Solution, SuperFoods (a book on foods with high nutrient powers) Shape, Self, or Fitness magazines, etc.
~Do a housework chore that isn't an every week thing-one I don't do all of the time (like cleaning a ceiling fan, shining up the cabinets with Murphys Oil Soap, or sweeping out the garage)
~Exercise-I go ahead and start my workout if I have not yet done it!
~Paint your fingernails or toenails!
~If you have children-play a simple board game with them such as Candyland or Chutes and Ladders
~Come here to 3FC and surf the forum! :)

I do the tea thing also. (bagged cause it is easier for me) I try to have some of the flavored kinds like raspberry zinger. Distractions are great I enjoy taking the dog for a walk if the weather permits (takes my mind off the craving and gets exercise for me and the dog.) There is always housechores to do. My son has a gamecube sometimes we see who can win the most games in a row. I find if i keep my hands busy i forget about the craving after a little while. oh my favorite is i go and relax in a nice hot bath with a book after the kids are in bed.(that is when my cravings start when the kids are in bed). I have found that the cravings do get better after I have eaten healthy for a while but just as soon as I fall off the "diet wagon" I have to start all over with fighting the cravings again.

I play games on my phone!! I've got one of those mobile / cell phones which is like a gameboy (n-gage), it's good because it keeps my hands occupied as well as taking my mind off eating everything within reach.

I also have problems with cravings and sometimes the activities work, sometimes not. I will usually make myself wait 10-15 minutes to see if it is "head hunger" or really craving something. After that time, if I'm still craving it, I will try and have some in moderation. That usually does the trick. For me, I've learned that if I don't give in to the cravings at some point I will binge on it or something else and eat way more than I would've had I just had a small amount in the beginning.

- I brush my teeth and drink a cold glass of water after brushing, it's so refreshing, specially right after :D...
- I also do the tea thing...
- Don't keep any junk in the house... I have teenagers so I make them hide it in the basement...
- Clean the kitchen and don't step foot back in there till the next morning...
- Take a bath read a health magazine while in there ... go to bed!!

The only thing that works with me is bubblegum. Those really big chewy ones like hubba bubba. And they have about 30 cals a piece but at least it's not aspartame. The chewing and blowing and popping of the bubbles is really fun and distracting, and you think you are eating too. :)

I like sewing and doing needlework, so that's a useful distraction for me. Or picking up a couple of fairly light dumbbells and doing some reps. And reading--I love to read!

i heard that oats help curb an appetite :shrug: some people eat oatmeal every day and have luck with that.

I love :love: oatmeal I eat it sometimes 3 times/day instead of junk food :hun:... It is very filling and MissMeliss is right it does curb my appetite... I have 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of dry oats and let it soak in soy milk and Splenda or I just cook it up in the microwave with water then add the milk and Splenda later... Don't use the oatmeal in a pouch it has sugar in it, use the natural stuff I use Quaker large flake or Quaker minute, the less processed the better...

Yeah-regular cannister oatmeal is best-but for those of you who can't get off the "flavored stuff" ;) Quaker has the Lower Sugar kind now in the Apple Cinnamon and Brown Sugar. They are half the sugar I think than the original-still have flavor but not near as sweet. I eat regular oatmeal, but I buy the Quaker Loewer Sugar packets for my kids-they won't eat it plain, and this is a good happy medium for us. :)

I agree that tea can work wonders, and it can really fill you up. I was just wondering today though about whether you can have too much tea. I find that I really like to drink tea because it keeps my mind off snacking, is great in the winter cause it feels nice and warm, and its great because it takes a while to drink. How much is too much though. I end up drinking 2 large cups during the day at the office, and 2 or 3 small cups at home after dinner.

It depends on what I'm craving. I gave up sweets entirely 2 1/2 months ago (except for a few times a year), and at first I had cravings for them and would tell myself "I don't eat those anymore." After about 3 weeks, the cravings stopped. But if it's a craving for something else, I ask myself, "do I really want it?" If the answer's yes, I eat it. But if I'm really deliberating about it, I figure I don't really want it that badly, so I use any of the distraction techniques discussed here.

How cool is that, the tea leaves thing is definitely me, and I really love oatmeal, but what keeps me distracted for literally hours, is my ngage, like jmarsh, I find that I'm so caught up playing that I forget I'm hungry and that's quite a feat :lol:

Right on to all of those ideas you all had. Personally I find all of the above help, I usually when I get to craving try to drink a tall glass of crystal light or a cup of tea, usually by the time I am done I have gotten into some activity and forgotten about eating. Also sometimes at night I pick up the phone and call a friend, I find its a great distraction. By the time Im done, I forget all about snacking...... Anything that gets you off your butt!!!!!
Best of Luck To You All

This comes from the diet tips section of this site:

Weigh yourself when tempted
If faced with a tempting treat that is not within bounds of your diet, go to the scale and weight yourself. Pat yourself on the back for maintaining your weight goals. You will be less likely to give in after that.

Yup, I'm a big believer in playing computer games, my brother got me started and it's good for keeping cravings at bay while you are relaxing at home for a few minutes.

The key is that it should really mesmerize you, right now the game I can't stay away from on the ngage is called Pathway to Glory and literally the house needs to be on fire for me to break away, but the key is whatever you do, it's gotta hold and retain your attention. Reading has never worked for me, it makes me hungry in fact, (go figure) :?:

As well as activity I tend to substitute foods. If I want chocolate, I have a little piece of the best chocolate, or a fat free chocolate yoghurt. If I want chips (crisps) in the afternoon I have a low fat packet of Snack a Jacks rice cakes or Quakers Seasons. That has worked for me so far. I find if i distract myself, it only works for a little while, and I go back to wanting something to eat, whereas if I have something that fits into the plan, I can then go off and do something else, and feel satisified.

Originally Posted by Thelma+louise:
The key is that it should really mesmerize you, right now the game I can't stay away from on the ngage is called Pathway to Glory and literally the house needs to be on fire for me to break away, but the key is whatever you do, it's gotta hold and retain your attention. Reading has never worked for me, it makes me hungry in fact, (go figure) :?:

I've heard about that game supposed to be good, not really my cup of tea
though I'm more of a Sims type of person.

Didn't know you had the sims on the ngage; I like playing it on the pc but didn't know it came on a handheld gaming device.
Well you live and you learn :coffee: