Anyone else experience "mourning" sweets?

#9

Not anymore, but I beleive these craving are underlying deficiencies of certain nutrients. I am willing to say most people who are new to keto tend to be too restrictive with their diet. I believe once the body have adequate mineral it craves less.

I used to eat grapes and drink kombucha, but I knew it wasn’t sustainable to do that often. Whenever I feel like wanting sweet, I just reminds myself that it’s really the bacteria in that gut that’s calling to me, the type that crave sugar. I am not a doctor or scientist, but I am very sure your gut microbes is playing a big part.

So once I cut out grape, kombucha and milk it reduces the stomach size. I began eating one avocado a day and increases my salt intake by a 50% or more, after reading the book “The Salt Fix”, this made a huge difference. I salt my food very liberally now. Some say fermented vegetables help curb sugar craving as well.

It help to buy a cook book or get recipes. There are lowcarb dessert and lowcarb pizza you can make as well.

(Allie) #10

Candida causes sugar cravings as without sugar it dies. I avoided sugar for many years before keto for this very reason.

#11

I miss craft beer. A lot.

(Siobhan) #12

It gets easier believe me. I am a year in, and I cast disgusted glances at doughnuts and cake and cookies with ease. Ill very occasionally make some - delicious - keto desserts (ice cream, cheesecake brownies, etc) but the important thing is I dont crave them.
Bread is still hard… but I have a sub that is good but doesnt cause cravings too.
Beer (probably the combo of sugar and alcohol) actually made me sick after 2 of them, so I don’t consider beer worth the risk at this point. I’ll stick with martinis tyvm

#13

Hmmm… I had a very different experience. I just allowed myself all the keto treats ever invented at the beginning, like homemade ice cream, almond flour muffins, etc. For me, this stopped any feeling of loss in its tracks. As I did this, the craving for carbs disappeared pretty fast, so now those treats are just that, an occasional treat.

I did go through a similar kind of mourning when I learned I had celiac, though, and could never, ever eat wheat again, even in tiny amounts. Now that was hard. So I guess I’m lucky in that it made keto seem like a piece of cake, pardon my horrible pun…errr, analogy.

#14

So glad keto sweets are okay in the beginning…I think I would be going through a lot more

#15

[quote=“Shortstuff, post:10, topic:17414, full:true”]
Candida causes sugar cravings as without sugar it dies. I avoided sugar for many years before keto for this very reason.[/quote]

Whenever you crave for sugar, just remind yourself it’s the candidas calling you, and find something else to eat that isn’t sugar.

#16

WOW, it’s amazing several of you (and probably many on keto) feel repulsed by sweets! That will be a very welcome miracle for me.

Such great advice. Eventually I might allow myself some keto-friendly treats but I don’t really want to go there now. I was shackled to sweets 24/7 my whole life. I wasn’t even overweight, which allowed me to believe I didn’t have a problem. The sooner I break free from sugar, the better!

This is all so informative. Keep the stories coming! Thank you!

(Allie) #17

Exactly that so as soon as I realised it was the sugar causing my problems, it was easy to stop. No actual cravings that I remember, though I was never really a sweet lover. When avoiding something makes you feel so much better, it’s no contest really.

(Allie) #18

You can do it and if you struggle, we are here to help you :heart:

(Sophie) #19

I’ll admit my biggest weakness was chocolate, and I mean chocolate Anyfuckingthing! In the beginning, I did try several chocolate fat bomb recipes and what helped me the most was pouring the mix into a smaller “bullet” type ice cube tray. The serving size was larger than a standard ice cube tray and I’d take one and just let it dissolve in my mouth, rinse and repeat for 5-6-7 times and that seemed to satisfy my cravings perfectly. If you crave sugar throw some fat at it, it works beautifully!

https://www.ketogenicforums.com/t/butter-bullets/14476

(Doug) #20

Hi Maryann. :slightly_smiling_face: I miss it badly. 4 months in here, have lost some weight, next Tuesday I find out if my A1C has improved. There is no question that I have to do this - very low or zero carb eating - and most days I do pretty well.

I miss the bacon, egg and cheese biscuits in the morning, the Chinese buffet place at lunch (included ice cream; I’d have a plateful, no wonder those afternoons were sluggish), the pizzas, sausage parmesan hoagies… I miss purely indulging, glorying in the excess; it was a part of me for 45+ years. It has not gotten any easier for me, but I resist the ‘old way’ most of the time.

(Zu) #21

I feel this too at times, In those times of mourning I have a BP green tea, turmeric latte or dandelion latte.

I used to not eat grains… Except I would bake organic sourdough croissants, homemade pies (meat and apple) and friands, 2 times a year on special occasions with family as a very special treat. I have no Idea what I will make on these occasions now that im keto (next one will be in september)… Its going to be so tricky as its a very long standing tradition to bake these sweets JUST on that one day as we never eat anything like that other than then (never processed or too much grains or un-orgainc) so this was the whole family’s twice a year treat! Im going to have to come up with a pretty special alternative.

#22

Wow @OldDoug, I hear you. I’ll also sorely miss all that stuff. So funny, I jumped into keto relatively quickly. I knew it was the right thing for me, but I never thought about all those delectable things I’ll miss. Well too bad, I’m not turning back now. Best of luck with your A1C. Post the results when you know.

#23

Indeed @Fatzo, I have no idea what I’ll do this Thanksgiving and Christmas. In my house (as in millions of others), those are literally carb-based bonanzas. I’ll still do all that for my family, but it’s hard to picture myself not having a slice of pumpkin pie. Well, one step at a time. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Again thank you all. My support and listening ear is here for you all too. Keep the stories coming. Thank you again.

(Siobhan) #25

If you are okay with sweeteners at that point you could make a pumpkin cheesecake with almond crust - completely keto. :wink:
Luckily there are plenty of yummy custards, and pies, and treats that are keto, and even if you’re not into sweeteners doubling up on mashed cauliflower (with plenty of cream and parmesan!) alongside perfectly cooked turkey and keto veggies with lots of (flourless) full fat gravy will feel indulgent anyway.
Holidays are all about family anyway, so focus on them and let food be a complement to good company, not a distraction! :smiley:

#26

Love these thoughts, thank you @siobhan. Yes, when I started this 4 weeks ago, I had no idea the massive (positive) repercussions keto would have on my life, not the least of which will be updating my hardwiring so that my relationships with family and friends are NOT defined by get-togethers over sweets. Thank you again; love your posts and the whole site.

(Michelle) #27

I was the exact same way. A huge sugar/dessert addict before and when I went Keto I was strict for a solid month. And then, realizing I would never have ice cream again, I was sad. I started making all the keto treats out there. Blondies, fat bombs, choc mug cake with icing, yada yada. And then, I got sick of that stuff. I was eating too much and once again relying on my sweet cravings.

Now, I have dialed it all back, and have some dark chocolate squares when I want that sweet stuff. Or, a tablespoon of peanut butter (even though it’s unsweetened, it still tastes sweet to me now). I’m in a good place now. Not addicted to sweets like I was, and not having and jealousy or mourning over sweets other people eat around me.

#28

@MKChitown, I’ve begun to have the same reaction to unsweetened PB. Evenings watching TV/iPad is when my cravings hit, and I find a tablespoon or even less of PB hits the spot. How long since you began keto? Have you achieved ketosis, and do you now feel that energy nirvana keto-ers speak of?

(Michelle) #29

I started January 3rd this year. I am typically in ketosis. I don’t have boundless energy, but I have a ton of clarity and not that “dragging” feeling. It’s definitely superior to my old way of eating, that’s for sure. I tried keto basically for the health benefits and disease prevention.