Any knowledge about how to KILL a sweet tooth.

[magus1]

I simply leave Saturday as "junk day", and eat what I want (with a relative amount of moderation) ONLY on that day. Throughout the rest of the week, which is when I'm working out, I become as strict as possible. Replacing white bread with wholemeal, only drinking water, not touching anything processed, snacking on some nuts or low-fat yoghurt in-between meals etc etc.

Believe me, I have an enormous sweet tooth as well; back in 100kg+ days, I'd literally destroy every last crisp and chocolate bar in the house. And then some more. - It only truly took me one solid week of strict eating to wean off the cravings though.

Good luck handling the temptation. :p

[MargaretMorris]

I appreciate all the info and support. I have been eating ALOT of raw fruit and veggies. I've lost about 7lbs so far, which is awesome. Its more about how I feel. I already have ALOT more energy. Just gotta keep at it...lol. I filled up on raw foods last night and husband was able to eat a bowl of chocolate ice cream right next to me and it didn't bother me at all...lol. Another motivator is sister is taking me to Florida in May. Sooooooo, knowing how many pictures we take, I'd like to look nice...lol.

[cobaltsunrise]

Wish you the best of luck on this !

I had a terrible sweet tooth and for me what really helped was being full, being really full, if that would make me eat 1 large papaya and then follow that wiht water mellon.

also frozen grapes and sliced bananas are great, Before everyone cracks the wip on me and says that bananas are fatty, consider what worse, a chocolate bar or a nice frozen banana.

I would take the banana and slice it up small, take frozen milk and splenda (this was ofocurse the days i had just started working out) and eat that. really helped.

[magus1]

Wish you the best of luck on this !

I had a terrible sweet tooth and for me what really helped was being full, being really full, if that would make me eat 1 large papaya and then follow that wiht water mellon.

also frozen grapes and sliced bananas are great, Before everyone cracks the wip on me and says that bananas are fatty, consider what worse, a chocolate bar or a nice frozen banana.

I would take the banana and slice it up small, take frozen milk and splenda (this was ofocurse the days i had just started working out) and eat that. really helped.

Whatever fats contained by a banana don't mean anything to me; they're an excellent source of potassium and they've always been a part of nutrition. That won't change anytime soon, and we need fats anyway. :p

[Pablo_P]

Sorry if someones already posted this (i don't have the time atm to read it all) but best sweet tooth killer is pineapple baby! Love it. It's now treat food, with various other fruits in a bowl of low-fat yoghurt.

[eenwoord]

I've grown up with some serious complexes and have never been able to love body for what it is. Fat has always equaled worthless and thin equaled good. It's not a happy place to be, and it's something I struggle with daily.

Amatlack, I can empathise with that comment. I grew up with a mother who was naturally thin and would think nothing of eating & feeding us all kinds of junk. We were always expected to polish our plates, too. When mum hit the middle age spead, she started looking to attain thinness vicariously through sister and I.

Her constant analysis of our bodies made sister and I viciously competitive and we both ended up developing disordered relationships with food. sister suffered from bulimic behaviours and I suffered from annorexic behaviours.

sister still struggles and has put on a lot of weight, which mum still taunts her about and compares me against. I'm lucky - and you sound like you are too - to have pulled myself out of the dark hole of an eating disorder. It's a shame that parents' own complexes are reflected in their perceptions of & relationships with their children.

[eenwoord]

Oh and I agree about milk & bananas. They work well - particularly milk. If it's a particularly bad craving I drink a glass of full fat milk.

Alternatively, a choc/vanilla protein shake or low carb protein bar works a treat - I don't feel so bad about a protein bar because it's designed to provide the right kind of fuel for body. The important thing is to REPLACE a meal/source of protein with the bar - don't have it as an extra because they are pretty calorific!!!

favourite bars are the Musashi SLM Low Carb Protein Bars. They've got Peanut & Caramel flavours, coated in choc & they are about 190 cals & just under 50% protein, whereas a mars bar is about 250 cals (and full of CRAP ).

[eenwoord]

Yeah, kids are definitely going to turn out weirdos! But hopefully not complex ridden...

[greglemon]

Agave nectar! Google it! It is super low-glycemic and won't spike your blood sugar at all. A truly wonderful and decadent sugar substitute!

Also:

http://www.coconutbliss.com/html/flavors.html

Ice cream made with coconut milk and agave nectar...amazing and very very sensible for those trying to lose some weight! Coconut milk is especially amazing, as the fats it contains can actually help you LOSE FAT!!!

http://www.coconut-connections.com/weight_problems.htm

[eenwoord]

In Melbourne we have a brand of chocolate called "loving earth" which is fair-trade, organic, vegan & made with unroasted cocoa nibs and agave syrup. It is very decadent and you can only eat a square or two or it keeps you awake all night!!! Unroasted cocoa is far more potent than roasted cocoa. personal fave is "Activated Almond & Purple Corn" 62% Cocoa - the corn gives it a texture halfway between chocolate & fudge! YUM!

www.raw-chocolate.net

Not sure if they ship to places outside of Australia...

[healthnut09]

I found this great article:

How To Kill Your Sweet Tooth

Losing weight can be very difficult if you are someone who has a raging sweet tooth. You know how it goes, you ate well all day long and then you get a hankering for just a little something extra after dinner. Or other times you just want a piece of cake or cookie and will eat everything else in sight to fill that vote. Sugar habits are tough to kick, but not impossible.

The truth is, the more sugar you eat the more you want. And sugar isn't always in the most obvious places. That white bread you had for lunch good be the cause of your mid-day craving for a candy bar. The pasta you have for dinner could also be to blame. Every time you give into a craving, you contribute to the habit. Caving will only temporarily silence your sugar beast. It will always want more.

There isn't one single solution to this problem and your first step is being aware of its sabotaging effects. Many times you may feel like you want to eat something sweet, but you may not actually want it. How many times have you indulged in sweets only to eat so much that you stop enjoying it? Chances are you could cut back with just a few tastes until you are satisfied. If you tell yourself "no, you can never have sugar" then you will only want sugar. You have to change your mindset to "I can have sugar, but I don't want it right now" once you allow yourself to have it you are much less likely to want it.

Each time that you start a new diet you are excited and dedicated to losing weight. You're going to be strict this time and make it through to the finish line. Then, as soon as it starts and you're momentum is going, you want sugar right this second! You cave and then get derailed. And the cycle begins. Next time, instead of feeling guilty for an occasional small treat, learn to savor the experience and you will find that just a few bites or even half of what you normally would want is all you need.

Typically cravings only last for a couple of minutes so all you have to do is wait it out. Sometimes you will have a quick craving right after eating. Your food has not had a chance to trigger that you are full so always give yourself 15 minutes before eating anything again. Every craving that you learn to ignore you will become stronger, instead of caving every time you will learn that they lessen over time.

Learn to talk yourself or distract yourself out of a craving. Every time you want something sweet just tell yourself "I realize that this is body's reaction to stress or what I just ate and it will pass, I don't really want something sweet" and reward yourself everyday for not eating a sugary treat. You could give yourself a dollar a day and use that money to treat yourself with a new outfit or a pedicure at the end of the month. Save your sweet indulgences to no more than once a week and you will find that you are less likely to have cravings.

[p3djkaraoke0323]

Hello everyone, all those are really great Ideas but I work at Walgreens and chocolate is everywhere in store, it is really hard because I stock it and am in charge of the inventory of the store, so it can really beckon you. LOL. But I do do best to stay away from, I quit smoking about six months ago so if I can do that then I know i can stay away from the chocolate. Good luck to all