Cravings
 

I'm closing in on the end of my second week of Weight Watchers and its going well but tonight I'm craving junk food a bit. So I was wondering what types everyone might have for dealing with the cravings when they strike.

Sometimes I allow myself junk if it fits in my points. I allow myself a treat at least once a week.

I like find that eating sweetened no or low fat yogurt with fruit allows helps my sweet tooth. I also found low fat chocolate frozen yogurt which is so tasty, yet low enough in points if you have just one serving (3 points).

I started to drink flavored teas, helps when I am hungry but out of points. Or like Jojo said, give in a little if its within your points. And if you don't have any points left, earn some through activity first, then treat yourself ;) Deprevation will get you no where. A leader once told me that sometimes if you have a craving, you will try to have a healthy snack instead, but it doesn't always make the craving go away and you end up having it anyways so now you have had twice the amount of food than if you would have just allowed yourself a little treat in the first place.

Take it one day at a time (or one minute if you have to!)

Also, I have found that if you can fight the cravings for a few weeks, that they become weaker and weaker. Your body wants healthy, whole, natural foods...it's your head that wants sugar, salt, and grease. I always remind myself of how gross I feel when I give in to those cravings, sugar gives me a headache, grease gives me indigestion, and salt causes me to bloat...and I don't like feeling that way!

I enjoy a latte with skim milk. It helps I'm sure that I never took sugar in coffee--just don't like it. Also, a dash of cinnamon and/or nutmeg on top of the latte if I happen to bring it home (or have it at work where I keep those spices handy) helps give it a "sweetness" to it. Also, drink more water (can we ever get enough water?) or fit in a decadent snack into your points allotment as suggested. Doesn't have to be sugary, greasy or junky.

When i crave snacky stuff, i eat Crispy Mini's. You can get them in salty type stuff like salt and vinegar, dill pickle, cheddar etc, but you can also get the ones that are sweeter like caramel flavor. They also have the 100 cal packs which are nice, some have choco drizzled over them. Those definitely help a lot. I believe they are 2 pts for 12.

Fruit also helps out a lot too. Lately ive been all over the nectarines and grapes lol. Grapes have gone down in price too at the super market. I cant get them now at 99cents, or 1.50$ a lb, so not too bad if you can catch sales.

I've found that when I am focused and determines, I have no cravings. For me, it's a head trigger: "I've had a terrible day and I deserve a treat." The minute I agree with myself :) and eat the treat, it's curtains. That's why I've been on and off WW and other plans so often.

I'm refocused again, and lost a bit over 2 pounds last week -- and no cravings.

I definitely agree with those above who said that as time goes on, cravings become weaker. I remember the first time I was on WW (the old exchange plan that I loved and on which I lost 30 pounds) there came the time that I looked at my shopping cart and it was full of good, healthy food without a single "treat" or bit of junk food, and I knew I had turned a corner.

Thanks everyone! Unfortunetly I gave in to cravings a bit lately, and undid some of my work. I didn't net a loss last week because of my weekend mess-ups. But there's no where to go but back on track!

I'm going to emply some of these tricks and try to remind myself how much better a loss feels than having ice cream.

I'd also look at when you get cravings. If you get cravings around the same time each day, it might not be a total junk food craving. Say if you crave chocolate at 3pm everyday - perhaps if you ate a small snack at 2:30pm you'd stave off that craving. Or it might even mean you aren't eating a big enough lunch or breakfast. Our body knows that sugar is a fast source of energy (and all most junk food is is sugar, even potato chips). I think that cravings aren't always a bad thing, especially as we get healthier, sometimes it is your body telling you something.

And it it is okay if you have a minor setback as long as you learn from it. Remember, its feedback not failure!

Thanks everyone! I am paying attention to my triggers, and making sure I'm making good choices. Today I'm craving soup, which is a nice thing to be craving on WW!