Ignoring sweets

keto
newbies
food
(Ciara Henderson) #1

How do yall ignore sugar cravings and the temptation to eat sweets? currently, trying to avoid cupcakes in the break room. I am pre-diabetic which is why I started Keto. Its been almost 3 weeks and I’m struggling badly! Cake and Cupcakes are my weakness!

(Lori) #2

What I love about the Keto WOE is that we shouldn’t eat them at all, it makes it easy for me to say a resounding NO…willpower is not a strength of mine so if it’s “off limits” there is no decision to make. I will tell you that 6 months ago I was on 2 types of Diabetes medicine and now I am on none! :smile: KCKO!! You can do this!!

(Cindy) #3

There’s a number of techniques.

  • Delay, delay, delay. Tell yourself you’ll have a cupcake TOMORROW. Of if that’s too long and you’re really struggling, tell yourself you’ll have one at the end of the day. Then, drink some water, have a keto snack, tell co-workers to hurry up and eat them all. :wink:
  • Eat a keto snack instead so that you feel full and satisfied and the cupcake is less tempting.
  • Distractions. Go for a walk around the office. Go brush your teeth, chew a piece of gum…
  • Recognize that a sugar craving is more easily kicked with complete abstinence. Remind yourself of what the sugar will do to your insulin. Tell yourself that they probably don’t taste very good anyway. :wink:
  • Worst case scenario, accept the negatives and eat a bite or two of the cupcake. I know plenty here won’t agree with that, but personally, I doubt I’m going to live my life without ever having something sweet again. Instead, I make sure it’s the BEST sweet thing…as in, I don’t eat store-bought crap, or I’ll wait until that best piece of cheesecake or my favorite carrot cake from my favorite restaurant. So if I spend 3 months doing really, really well, one mean or one “off plan” food isn’t not going to de-rail my long term success. For me, it’s the opposite…if I’m too rigid, I’m more likely to quit at some point.
(Jane ) #4

Three weeks in and your body is still craving glucose. You have not reached the point where you can be unaffected by sugar cravings. You are feeding your body ketones and it is pouting because it wants sugar. I think you are way ahead of the game because you know what your craving is. Your eyes are not your friend in the break room either! Avoid that place like the air is poisoned! I like the suggestions above -except the “take a bite” one. You need to keep glucose out of your blood until your body enjoys ketones. That time is coming. You are in that no-man’s-land right now. Still tempted by donuts and not Keto adapted. Best thing to do is stay out of the poison room. Bring a snack and eat it somewhere else. Remember- every day is a victory!

(Charles Wood) #5

One thing that’s been working for me is doing OMAD (One meal a day). So, when I run across muffins, cookies, etc (I work from home and my wife buys that stuff for herself) I tell myself it’s not time to eat yet.

(Khara) #6

Have snacks with you at all times. Cheese, salami, pickles, small amounts of Keto friendly nuts. Have some of those instead of the sweets. This will at least satisfy your desire to eat.

I too can’t recommend having a bite. I’m a sugar addict and I’ve tried for years to just have a little. It always snowballs out of control for me and I end up losing all my progress.

Have pictures on your phone of when you were both happy and unhappy with how you looked and your state of health. Look at them and choose who you want to be.

I too am struggling today. My trying to help you helps me as well. Best wishes to you!

(Bunny) #7

I think about the science of it and have conversations with myself and say ok our ancestors did not have cupcake and donut trees waiting in the mist by that waterfall over their…lol

I’m not going to die if I don’t get a cup cake or donut, our ancestors lived on very little sugar and so can I?

#8

I’ve been at Keto/extended fasting since mid August, have lost some 50 pounds, and am fat adapted and rarely have sugar cravings. But I do still have them.

When I am fasting I can easily stay away from sweets but when I am in an eating cycle and know I am allowed to eat, I sometimes struggle with carbs. Especially ice cream.

Today, for example, I am preparing to launch into another 3-5 day water fast. However, knowing that, I succumbed to eating a considerable amount of sweet M&Ms and salty Chee-tos. Probably hit upward of 100 carbs. But I’m still in Keto and my weight is fairly stable. (I’m not going to check my BG any time soon, lol.) if I’m not in Keto, I will be by tomorrow night.

(Dawn Michelle) #9

Over time they will go away. For now just stand strong. Even if you are really hungry it will pass. Hunger comes in cycles.

The reality is that there is “carbage” in every break room around the world. We can be role models by ignoring it all.

#10

I am between my 2nd & 3rd week now, I have only had a couple of urges for sweets since starting (hormonally driven I’m sure lol), what helped me was having one little “fat bomb” type thing (I mix 2 tablespoons coconut oil with 1 tspn cashew butter and about 1 tspn coconut flour - it’s pretty liquid at that point still so I spoon it into these little heart silicone molds and freeze…it’s definitely smaller than the average fat bomb that I’ve seen on Pinterest but it’s just enough to drop the craving for me)!

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #11

I started my journey last September so I was surrounded by chocolates and sweets at work for the holiday months. It really helped to keep chicken broth granules in the cabinet and fill my belly with warm, chicken flavored salt water. I don’t know why but after I drank that and then thought about the gross sugar aftertaste and how much it I would think it wasn’t worth it afterward, I passed those stupid Hershey kisses by 40 days in a row and caved one day and had three. It wasn’t worth it. Stay strong!

(Herb Martin) #12

For me the only way that consistently works is to simply eat 0 carbs.

My downfall has always been trying to eat some ‘good’ carb in moderation. This then grows to more, and eventually will get me in trouble.

Cashews are my gateway drug to sugar.

ZERO gives me ZERO cravings.

Paradoxically since I have been on carnivore with fewer food choices I have had no cravings, no desire to quit, and don’t even make “plans” for a cheat day or holiday or whatever.

Always with simple keto I was making plans for ‘when I lose the weight’ or ‘for my birthday’.

With carnivore there is NO DESIRE.
zip. nada. nothing. nichevo. nichts.

(Tina Lemay) #13

I try to stay out of the break room! Go for a walk, eat somewhere else. I fast many days during lunch. Once the sugar is out of my system, it is soooo much easier. I’m a chronic relapser, for full disclosure! (I’m at my goal weight with no health issues).

(David Cumming) #14

You have to remember that sugar is a drug - you are addicted - it won’t get easier and you have to remain ever vigilent. Just try to imagine how your future self will feel after downing those cupcakes - you will feel like a failure, like you let yourself down, and you will know you put yourself one more step into the grave. I know this isn’t a warm and fuzzy post but it’s the truth. Do what will make you feel proud of yourself - drop the sugar completely. That’s the only encouragement I can give - you feel awesome after you have successfully resisted temptation.
So why does this not work for people? Because they lie to themselves and make up an excuse why it’s ok to eat sugar “just this time”. You can’t always trust your inner thoughts - many of them are in fact your enemies - this is the addicted mind talking.

(Jennibc) #15

Read “The Case Against Sugar.” Watch “That Sugar Film.” That worked for me. I am almost a year without sugar with the exception of a couple of desserts while on vacation. I would have never believed that possible for me if you told me a year ago that I would be giving up sugar in six days. But here I am (and over 40 pounds lighter!)

(Doug C) #16

David has it right, for me it was looking at sugar as a drug on par with heroin. I don’t want either of those problems.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #17

One doughnut is too many; a thousand aren’t enough.

  • Live and let live

  • Easy does it

  • But for the Grace of God

  • Think, think, think

  • First things first

(Herb Martin) #18

A study that first addicted mice to cocaine, offered the mice a choice between COCAINE and SUGAR.

The mice chose…

SUGAR

(Kirk Wolak) #19

Keep a BIG BAG of pepperoni in the fridge.
See the cupcakes, and EAT the pepperoni!

Also, avoid artificial sweeteners. They help MAINTAIN your addiction to sweets.

Please ADMIT you might be addicted to sweets. Would you let an Alcoholic have some alcohol in moderation. What would you suggest the Office Alcoholic do when people leave free samples of Alcohol in the break room?

You are going to have to find a WHY that lets you realize you are SO MUCH Stronger than that!

(Stickin' with mammoth) #20

I weened myself off of sugar with fake sugar. Diet sodas and stevia-sweetened stuff performed a stop gap that let me satisfy my taste buds while my body got used to zero glucose. Took a day or two, then I was cool. Worked after cheats, too.