Cravings- Help!!

[clothesminded]

In the last year, I've had TERRIBLE cravings, mainly for sweets, but anything really (nuts, cereal, fruit....) The only week that I don't seem to have these cravings is the week before and of my time of the month. I'm not sure if it's age (I'm 36, no kids-if that matters) I really need some help. So, sorry for this long post. I wanted to include enough info.


I think I'm eating enough. I eat around 1400 calories (I'm 5'4", 106) I exercise 6 days a week, two cardio, two leg weight workouts, two full body or upper body weight workouts.

I eat 6-7 small "meals" a day and mix protein, carbs, fat. It's usually around 20% fats, 45 % protein, and 40 % carbs. I track it on Fit Day. Here's an example of a day:

Breakfast:
yogurt Dannon Light and Fit- 80 calories (pre-workout) at 4:30 am

Egg white omelete (around 4 eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes, small amount of ff cheese)- 145 calories- 6:30 am (post workout)

1/2 c. ff cottage cheese (80) and sprouted bread- snack- about 150 calories-9:30 am

romaine letttuce, 4 oz grilled chicken, small apple- lunch- around 250 calories- 12:30 pm

old-fashioned oatmeal with 1/4 scoop protein powder, 1/2 c. strawberries- 200 calories- snack 2:30-3:30 pm

4 oz grilled chicken (sometimes fish) with 1/2 c. wild rice- about 350 calories- dinner- 6:30

protein bar (pure protein) 180 calories- 8:30

I drink coffee at breakfast, tea (unsweetened) and water throughout the day.

I've tried everything to stop these cravings- drinking tea, chewing gum, exercising more to take my mind off it. It seems to be an uncontrollable thing. I can never get full when I get these cravings, no matter how much food I eat. It's CRAZY!!!

Anyone have any suggestions? On these craving days, I am eating around 1800 calories and still not feeling full!!

HELP!!!!!

 

[Janis]

It seems to me your body is telling you what you need! The cravings - the "white noise" is from not enough carbohydrates. You will likely feel better if eat more carbohydrates and more fat. You could add a banana or a small handful of almonds to your pre-workout. Add one whole egg (or two) to your egg white omlette, add some raw vegetables and a 1/2 to 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to your lunch and steamed veggies and extra virgin olive oil to your dinner.

At 5'4" and 106 pounds - with the amount of activity you are doing, you could eat 500 more calories a day.

HTH

 

[kathryn]

IMO, a lot of cravings come from lack of organic (that is, plant-based) minerals and other nutrients in our diets. Since I've been drinking green smoothies every morning, I have very few cravings.

If you have a powerful blender, a smoothie made with frozen bananas, frozen fruit, some water, and a handful of greens (kale, romaine lettuce, celery, arugula--though that has a VERY distinctive flavor and is one I've just started using recently, parsley--in smaller amounts) is the basic mix. Start with fewer greens and more fruit, then increase the greens and reduce the fruit as necessary to suit your tastes. At first, you also might want to add some citrus juice (a squeeze of lemon or lime) and/or some additional sweetener (like agave) to cut the 'green' flavor (but you may find, like me, that you get used to it, and actually have cravings for green smoothies!)

 

[clothesminded]

Thanks ladies. I def. can stand to gain about 10 pounds. I just want it to be "good" weight!


Kathryn- I will try your smoothie idea. I am willing to try anything!

 

[Janis]

If you go the green drink route, do add some calories, like nuts to your yogurt, nut butter to your toast, and olive oil to your salad.

My 19 y.o. son drinks 4 quarts, that is not a typo, of green drink a day, plus eats a super nutritious and balanced vegan diet, yet he still craves potato chips, tortilla chips, chocolate and cookies. WHY? because (IMO) he is not getting enough calories.

 

[Gayle]

Honestly, if this were me, I'd be adding some fat to your diet. Stuff that Janis mentioned...nuts/nut butters, avocado, good oils, etc.

 

[janie1234]

I would go into Survivor Man mode and just keep it out of the house and never go grocery shopping without a list. Better yet I send my husband to do the shopping so I won't be tempted. I do allow myself a little treat now and then but I use portion control (I use a small ramikin). I think the smoothie ideas are great.

 

[Shannon_B]

The green smoothie sounds like a great idea. But would that be for a snack? Or when about would I add that during the day?

Today was one of those craving days for me! But I'm blaming it on doing the slow and heavy legs and shoulders today, and I really upped the weight. I was so proud of myself! haha So I'm wondering if that's why I'm feeling hungrier today.

I made those Fiber One apple cinnamon muffins but with applesauce and egg whites...so for dessert I think I'll have one of those with a tbsp of peanut butter!

I'm rambling. I'll stop. I'm going to do coremax.

 

[kathryn]

The green smoothie sounds like a great idea. But would that be for a snack? Or when about would I add that during the day?

You could use it as your first feeding (about 30 minutes before breakfast, or in place of breakfast if you want to reduce calories). That's when I have mine.

Another good time is around 3 or 4 p.m., when afternoon cravings and blood sugar slumps often set in. (you could make a large one in the a.m., and have half in the morning, and take the other half to work in a sealed container to drink later: I often do that when my morning one ends up being bigger than a quart!)

 

[Shannon_B]

Thats a great idea! Thanks! This is something I'm going to try!

 

[hiitdogs]

I would say that is an awful lot of protein that you are eating and I don't see much of fruit and veggies.

I am probably going to get flamed for it but I'd say to stay away from your protein bars and protein powder. There has been a lot of research that our bodies cannot digest/break down the chemicals and sugar in protein bars/shakes and are lacking the enzymes, phytonutrients and vitamins of real food resulting in cravings or binge eating.

I used to be the binge-eater-in-chief but ever since I have changed my diet to mainly plant-based and whole foods I don't have any cravings anymore. I think the fact that you are hungry no matter how much food you eat is a clear indication that your body is lacking something

I'd probably replace that Dannon light and fit yogurt, it does not add any nutrition, just adds sugar and some more than questionable ingredients. I second Kathryn's green smoothie suggestion.

 

[maddiesmum]

Three things spring to mind:

1. You eat in an incredibly regimented way. It makes me want to run screaming into the next state, quite honestly. Why do you need to do this? Could you relax and be more laid back about food in general and eating patterns? Eat when hungry, eat to fuel the body and also eat for pleasure. What is missing from the prescribed diet you list here is any sort of eating for pleasure. Hence, your cravings. All of those represent your brain's desire to eat for pleasure driven by your body's need for certain nutrients. Please eat a more varied diet than this! Aren't you bored with that old, low fat piece of chicken?!?!?!?! Your cravings say you are.

2. A fellow poster seems right: this is a low fat diet. Studies show that we need certain fats for body processes and also a certain percentage of fat in women's diets helps prevent female athletes from getting injured. Considering all the exercise you do, coupled with your body's general dietary needs, your diet is too low in healthy fats. Olive oil, nuts of all kinds (notice how your cravings sent you down the right path?), avocadoes, fish, etc.

3. Your cravings are for fruit, cereal and nuts. Hello? Your body is craving more healthy food here! You didn't list cookies, brownies and ice cream as your cravings. I think, given the nature of your cravings, you can enjoyably give in to them on a daily basis! You only weigh 106 pounds. Oh my! Tiny! Go ahead and eat the fruit, the nuts and the cereal, they will all do you good. Substitute that boring old protein bar and that protein powder for some real food: a bowl of cereal with milk and a banana chopped up on top of it. Your taste buds and your brain will thank you.

Clare

 

[morningstar]

It seems to me your body is telling you what you need! The cravings - the "white noise" is from not enough carbohydrates. You will likely feel better if eat more carbohydrates and more fat. You could add a banana or a small handful of almonds to your pre-workout. Add one whole egg (or two) to your egg white omlette, add some raw vegetables and a 1/2 to 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to your lunch and steamed veggies and extra virgin olive oil to your dinner.

At 5'4" and 106 pounds - with the amount of activity you are doing, you could eat 500 more calories a day.

HTH

I agree- your calories are way too low. Maybe you're getting cravings because you're not eating enough, period? My BMR is always between 1500-1600 calories, so for me 1400 calories a day wouldn't even be enough food to keep blood pumping in my veins, and forget actually walking around or exercising. What's your BMR, exercise level and goals? I assume at 106 pounds you aren't trying to lose weight, just maintain and put on muscle? If so, why are your calories so low? I would be very worried that you are damaging your metabolism in the long-term by being in constant starvation mode. I would suggest reading Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto.

 

[clothesminded]

I tend to eat on this schedule because it IS when my body tells me I'm hungry. The only problem I'm having is around 3-4 when I get home from work. Even after I eat the bowl of oatmeal with fruit and protein powder. I am certainly not looking to lose any weight, but I am somewhat happy with what I weight. I think for my frame, small-boned, but with some curves (I have boobs and a butt!), I actually look like I weigh more. If anything, I could use some more muscle, but even then, I'm not on a mission or anything.

Not sure if anyone remembers, but I have REALLY reduced to the amount of protein I'm eating and the amount of bars and p. powders, etc. I eat the one at night because I like it. It's like dessert to me. However, if I want to eat a cinnamon roll (like I did at work yesterday) then I will. But that's not something I do a lot just because my body does not like it, and I tend to get all sorts of stomach issues if I do.

I don't eat anything (except for the above maybe) that would be concerned unclean. To me, even the yogurt isn't that bad. (I would consider the suggested cereal at night worse than yogurt)

I eat two servings of fruit a day, but I really do struggle with eating veggies. There's not many of them that I like. So, I always have a huge salad at lunch and sometimes green beans at dinner. But that's it. I do need to work on that!!

Thanks again for the honest input.

Added to say, I typically end up with around 1400 calories bec. everything I've read actually shows that to be a lot for what I weight/height.... I've read so much that tells me to eat 1100-1200 calories. Uh, wth?! I'm just trying to be healhty and look the best I can at 36.

 

[hiitdogs]

I don't eat anything (except for the above maybe) that would be concerned unclean. To me, even the yogurt isn't that bad. (I would consider the suggested cereal at night worse than yogurt)

Just looking at the label of the yogurt you eat, it couldn't be considered clean by any stretch. Can you try plain yogurt and mix in some fruit and dates (to sweeten it up a bit)? I agree that the cereal with milk won't be much of an improvement.

Added to say, I typically end up with around 1400 calories bec. everything I've read actually shows that to be a lot for what I weight/height.... I've read so much that tells me to eat 1100-1200 calories. Uh, wth?! I'm just trying to be healhty and look the best I can at 36.

It depends on what you read, any of those diet magazines will have your calorie intake at 1000 to 1200 calories which can not be sustained over the long run and is a recipe for disaster. To be honest at 1400 calories I'd probably be gnawing my elbow off.

If you don't like veggies and fruit, how about juice or smoothies? I make green lemonade in the morning which is an instant energy and vitamin boost (romaine lettuce, kale, 2 apples, ginger, whole organic lemon - juiced).

If what you are currently doing is not working for you maybe it is time to change some things around, even though you like it. I know it's hard, wasn't easy for me to change my diet but in the end it's worth it! Having those cravings made my life pretty miserable and beating up on myself every time I gave into the cravings didn't do much for my self-esteem either.