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Help- trying to diet but have a sweet tooth!

  • 09-11-2009 09:40PM
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 101 ✭✭


    I'm trying to lose weight and am aware of what I should be eating but the problem is I have such a sweet tooth. Usually all goes great until after dinner when I feel like have some desert! I usually go for something crunchy and chocolatey like a few biscuits, a bar or otherwise maybe a scone but would love some alternative healthy options. Or ways of getting rid of this sweet tooth of mine would be even better. As I said I manage to eat super healthily all day until the evening when the sugar cravings hit after dinner.


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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,775 ✭✭✭EileenG


    Make sure you are eating enough of the right things. Being hungry will bring out your sweet tooth.

    Ok, some possibilities, sugar-free jelly. Sweet but low cal.

    Also, very dark chocolate. If you like chocolate, then try eating it, but going darker than usual. If you normally eat milk, then go for 60 or 70%. If you eat dark, go for the 85 or 90% stuff. Or if you are very hard core, go for the 100% stuff. This way, you get your chocolate fix but with a lot less sugar and less of an inclination to binge.

    What about a cheese plate after dinner? Eat it with a knife and fork rather than on bread and it's not as fattening as you'd think.

    As an extreme solution, gymnema sylvestre is a herb which totally kills your ability to taste sweetness. I have some little sucky tablets of this and I literally can't eat anything sweet for about two hours after. Savory food is still fine.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 388 ✭✭cjdun1


    OP, I feel your pain..........I've found meringue nests and sugar free jelly to be a god-send.....also, Pink and Whites (biscuits - 0.5 of a WW point each), WW biccies are also yummy..................mini-kit kats are relatively ok, IF you can stop at 1 - I can't...............


    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055336690


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,905 ✭✭✭Aard


    Eileen G, do they sell those herb-tablets in health-food stores in Ireland, or do you have to buy them online? They sound great!


    OP, you asked about ways to get rid of the sweet tooth: I found that if I go cold-turkey without junk-food, the cravings are gone by about 4 days. To help with snacking, maybe get a bag of mixed nuts to bring with you wherever you go, or indeed to have after dinner.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,029 ✭✭✭DigiJem


    For a nice dessert I slice some grapes or strawberries over meringue nests, and pour on a low-fat yogurt. Or try some sugar free jelly whisked up with a low-fat yogurt.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,340 ✭✭✭siobhan.murphy


    a couple of after eights after u have them in the freezer for a while are great.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,991 ✭✭✭metamorphosis


    +1 with the dark chocolate and suger free jelly.

    I have also read good things about chromium as a supplement in the diet. It's supposed to supress suger cravings. I have never tried it though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,775 ✭✭✭EileenG


    cjdun1 wrote: »
    OP, I feel your pain..........I've found meringue nests and sugar free jelly to be a god-send.....also, Pink and Whites (biscuits - 0.5 of a WW point each), WW biccies are also yummy..................mini-kit kats are relatively ok, IF you can stop at 1 - I can't...............


    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055336690

    Trouble is, all those things (except the jelly) are very high in sugar, which will only encourage a sweet tooth. Actually, you've just illustrated why WW points are not a good tool nutritionally. I would never encourage anyone to eat pink and white biscuits or kit kats.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 101 ✭✭Lola87


    Thanks for all the replies everyone. Have managed to resist the chocolate biscuits so far this evening, probably because I went to the gym later than usual and ate beforehand. Have tried sugar free jelly before but don't really like jelly, I try to avoid dairy apart from probiotic yogurts so no cheese for me, but i will try the dark chocolate! I'm most interested in that herb because I'd love to just give up sugar so that would help to begin with. EileenG can you tell me where I could get it?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,775 ✭✭✭EileenG


    I got these www.cocooncenter.com/Arkopharma-No-Snacking-2-Be-Slim_4500194.html going through Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, in the pharmacy there.

    But I've seen tinctures of GS in a couple of health food shops in Dublin, round the Grafton Street area.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,260 ✭✭✭jdivision


    I take chromium irregularly and feel that when I'm taking it it helps. I think berries - I like fresh blackberries, blueberries and raspberries, occasionally use strawberries - with cream is a good choice but be careful with portion size


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 150 ✭✭peepeep


    Lola87 wrote: »
    I'm trying to lose weight and am aware of what I should be eating but the problem is I have such a sweet tooth. Usually all goes great until after dinner when I feel like have some desert! I usually go for something crunchy and chocolatey like a few biscuits, a bar or otherwise maybe a scone but would love some alternative healthy options. Or ways of getting rid of this sweet tooth of mine would be even better. As I said I manage to eat super healthily all day until the evening when the sugar cravings hit after dinner.


    I don't mean to be harsh, but you just need to think about it this way: would you rather have the chocolate biscuits and be fat, or do without them and lose weight? Just stop eating the sugar, it's not that hard.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,772 ✭✭✭Jwacqui


    peepeep wrote: »
    I don't mean to be harsh, but you just need to think about it this way: would you rather have the chocolate biscuits and be fat, or do without them and lose weight? Just stop eating the sugar, it's not that hard.


    I think that is quite harsh and maybe a bit unrealisitc! When people are trying to lose weight they don't always have willpower strong enough to resist the treats and sugar.

    I would suggest maybe allowing yourself a small treat every second day and sugarfree jelly is really good.

    I have been following WeightWatchers the last year and am down nearly 4stone. I allow myself treats all the time but within reason and it had never hindered my weightloss! If you are doing everything else right then this won't destroy your weightloss efforts once they are within reason.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 207 ✭✭aloevera


    I agree, it is harsh. People do in fact have difficulty trying to fight sugar cravings, me included, and without positivity and support of others as well as will power and motivation, you wont succeed!!!


    Anyways, Lola87, I know how you feel. Sometimes when I want something sweet I have a Muller light yoghurt - they work a treat for me, you can buy ones with dark chocolate sprinkles, caramel/toffee flavour, vanilla etc etc. Ive found some shops dont have all the flavours, dunnes usually do however.

    I find vanilla and the one with the chocolate sprinkles do the trick for me. i usually keep the chocolat sprinkle ones as 'a treat' once /twice a week when im REALLY craving chocolate or even for the weekend or something...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 53 ✭✭Blackie93


    Jwacqui wrote: »
    When people are trying to lose weight they don't always have willpower strong enough to resist the treats and sugar.

    That's a bit of a contradiction?

    Surely if you are making a conscious decision that you want to lose weight (which is achieved by eating less calories than your body burns) then you wont want to keep eating food that makes you fat/unhealthy...?


    B


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,772 ✭✭✭Jwacqui


    Unfortunately it isin't as easy as straightforward as that for most people.

    Eating sugar does not automatically make you fat/unhealthy. Everything in moderation.

    Losing weight is really hard and I don't think anybody just eats healthy and exercises and loses weight without making any mistakes. If they do fair play they have more motivation and willpower than most. Everybody has their slip ups and their weaknesses. It is not always as straightforward as people think.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,775 ✭✭✭EileenG


    Blackie93 wrote: »
    That's a bit of a contradiction?

    Surely if you are making a conscious decision that you want to lose weight (which is achieved by eating less calories than your body burns) then you wont want to keep eating food that makes you fat/unhealthy...?


    B

    In an ideal world. But when you are looking at everyone else eating chocolate biscuits, it's very easy to think "What can one biscuit hurt? I'll do more cardio tomorrow."

    In the long term, stop buying biscuits and other sweet stuff. If it's there, sooner or later, you'll eat it. Your family doesn't need it either.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 150 ✭✭peepeep


    Jwacqui wrote: »
    Unfortunately it isin't as easy as straightforward as that for most people.

    Eating sugar does not automatically make you fat/unhealthy. Everything in moderation.


    No, but sugar is madly addictive. Once you stop eating it, your cravings will go away. They won't go away if you keep feeding yourself sugary 'treats' during the week.

    And really, it IS that straightforward. That doesn't mean it's easy. It's straightforward in that it's uncomplicated; stop eating sugar is not a complicated thing to understand. It's not easy though because sugars addictive nature will make you want to eat more of it. It comes down to whether you really want to lose weight or not.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 16 orlit


    Please don't try mini Kit Kats to help give up sugar, unless you have amazing willpower there's no way you'll stop after just one! I own a nutrition club, teach weight loss challenge classes and have managed to reach and maintain my ideal weight for the last 6 years... but recently moved in with a new flatmate who felt it was his duty to leave stacks of mini kit Kats on the coffee table! I started with one maybe two a day but this quickly turned into seven! No problem :eek:
    I don't know about you but sugar has a very bad effect on my mood, I get very irritable, my skin flares up and my energy levels drop. The only solution I came up with was to ask my flatmate not to buy them. And if he does buy them put them in his press - NOT on the coffee table. They say it takes 21 days to break a habit and I think it's true. I'm "kit kat free" for the last month :) it's like anything else, no quick fix - take 1 day at a time


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6 dropkick murphy


    i find that melting a couple (2 or 3) squares of dark chocolate and dipping some chopped slices of banana into it is yummy and filling and hits the chocolate urge .. better than having a mars bar


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 58 ✭✭confusedgirl


    peepeep wrote: »
    No, but sugar is madly addictive. Once you stop eating it, your cravings will go away. They won't go away if you keep feeding yourself sugary 'treats' during the week.

    And really, it IS that straightforward. That doesn't mean it's easy. It's straightforward in that it's uncomplicated; stop eating sugar is not a complicated thing to understand. It's not easy though because sugars addictive nature will make you want to eat more of it. It comes down to whether you really want to lose weight or not.

    Yes I totally agree. Most sugar free products have aspartame in them which has been linked to cancer/be carcinogenic. I'm not sure because enough research hasn't been done on it. I will testify that Diet Coke/Coke Zero is HIGHLY addictive-I used to be able to go through 4 or 5 500mls bottles per day whilst being on weight watchers. I later found out that fizzy drinks have phosphoric acid in them which leeches your bones and decreases your bone density! :eek: Weight watchers is a good diet overall but I would avoid ALL weight watchers products. Anything sugar free isn't actually good for you because it causes your body to crave carbs and sweet things hormonally.

    I find that once I eat sugar again, my body will start craving it and I'm back to square one again. And I would make all my own food from scratch because theres a lot of hidden sugars (and salts btw) in processed food like ready meals, cartons of soup etc. I have only come to this conclusion reluctantly after trying to have sugary "treats" like WW yoghurts etc. Maybe it works for some people but defo not me.

    If you do keep eating sugar, keep track of how much sugar you're eating-point/calorie count it in-because as someone else has said, 1 or 2 kitkats will lead to 7 eventually. Alcohol has a lot of sugar in it too btw especially wine so stick to "clean" spirits like vodka/gin. I know I'm anti-sugar/sugar free but if you only use diet drinks as spritzers for two or drinks MAX on a night out, it wont kill you either.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4 thesweetlife


    you could try natural confectionery or sugar free confectionery/chocolate,also low in fat. I have come across a stall in Georges arcade selling such items.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,733 ✭✭✭jam_mac_jam


    Fruit would be the best really, fake sugar or a little bit of sugar is pointless, have an orange or a kiwi, I find it a much better way of getting rid of sweet cravings, esp an organge because they take so long to eat that you feel satisfied.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,114 ✭✭✭corkcomp


    you could try natural confectionery or sugar free confectionery/chocolate,also low in fat. I have come across a stall in Georges arcade selling such items.

    fruit would probably be a better option ... sugar free confectionary is normally high in fat and laxative type substances .. and low fat stuff is full of sugar so no real winners!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4 thesweetlife


    corkcomp wrote: »
    fruit would probably be a better option ... sugar free confectionary is normally high in fat and laxative type substances .. and low fat stuff is full of sugar so no real winners!

    Fruit would be the better option but as she has a sweet tooth sugar free confectionery or no added suger chocolate would work as the chocolate contains reduced fat aswell as no added sugar. You are right about the sugar free confectionery causing laxative problems but only if taken excessively.All things in life are good in moderation! plus the sugar free bags and bars are usually smaller in size than regular confectionery.Check out the stall as they also have dairy free and gluten free goods.There are also natural jellies that do not contain sugar or sweenteners but natural juice fruit(A bit like The Natural Confectionery Company without the sugar)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,775 ✭✭✭EileenG


    Don't do the sugar-free stuff. First, they are often sickeningly sweet, and will do nothing to help cure your sweet tooth. Second, they are full of sugar alcohols which will give you an upset stomach, smelly farts and the runs. Seriously not worth it.

    I still reckon very dark chocolate, progressing to darker and darker, is the way to go. Start with the 70% stuff, work up to the 85%, then the 90% and finally the 99%. I guarantee you won't binge on that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 856 ✭✭✭MissMotivated


    EileenG wrote: »
    Don't do the sugar-free stuff. First, they are often sickeningly sweet, and will do nothing to help cure your sweet tooth. Second, they are full of sugar alcohols which will give you an upset stomach, smelly farts and the runs. Seriously not worth it.

    I still reckon very dark chocolate, progressing to darker and darker, is the way to go. Start with the 70% stuff, work up to the 85%, then the 90% and finally the 99%. I guarantee you won't binge on that.

    I agree with EileenG on the dark choc, I was a chocaholic up to about 2 months ago!! My mouth would water at the thoughts of it and now I have some 85% cocoa dark choc if I really want some but the most I would have is 3/4 small squares and that would be more than enough. Also the sugar-free jelly is great if you fancy something sweet and I've discovered greek yoghurt with blackberrries is just delicious!! really feeds the sweet tooth


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 25 farmergiles


    I used to fast from time to time ( I still do ) but after I finished and went back to eating I'd go back to the usual biscuits,sweeties,cakes etc etc etc.
    Guess what... I'd be back to my old weight within a month.

    If you don't have biscuits,sweeties etc in the house you aren't tempted.
    I do realise this can be difficult if you have kids in the house.

    I live on my own so it's easier but I stopped drinking milk a few weeks back (cos I'm sometimes a little asthmatic) and I've stopped eating biscuits etc and I don't really miss them.

    Now I'm not saying I'll never eat them again but if I only eat them occasionally I should be OK.

    I think that what they say about plenty of fresh fruit and veg and juicing is good I've been doing it for a month or two and am feeling better for it.

    If you think oh I'll just have a couple of biccies today,or I'll have some sweeties then you're not really serious about changing your eating habits.

    I do think it's easier to abstain and after a few days the cravings go away.

    Do you want to eat rubbish or do you want to lose weight and be healthy ?

    We all have the choice to decide how to live our lives.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,775 ✭✭✭EileenG


    Kids don't need constant biscuits either. I never buy any for my three children, and they are happy enough to buy some with their pocket money, or to bake some if they are broke.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 49 Cutevelvet


    Sugar is highly addictive and in some books has been compared to heroin in the addition stakes. Dont be fooled it is not easy to give it up and people who do normally end up back on it again. It is a drug and like some people are prone to be alcoholics, for others sugar is their drug of choice. So I really really dont think its as easy for some people as everyone thinks it is. And if you do manage to go off it, you have to avoid all sugar products which are high cocoa solids chocolate (it still contains sugar) for the rest of your life as otherwise its ends up in a viscious circle and you are back to square 1 again...


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 25 farmergiles


    No one is saying you have to give up all sugar products and never eat them again.

    But cutting down on them is surely a good thing.


    I find if I say I'm not going to eat something for a month I can usually do it.If after a month I say I'll leave it for another month I can do that to.
    I might then have the item occasionally.

    I used to regularly buy Tunnock's caramel wafers and eat a packet of eight all at once.

    Now I might buy them occasionally and eat them over a few days.

    Nothing worthwhile is easy but I do think most people can cut down on certain foodstuffs if they want to.

    If someone said to you stop eating crisps for a year and I'll give you a brand new Ferrari I'll bet lots of people could give up just like that.

    If I really liked pizza but felt it was not good for my health I'd never say I'm going to stop and never eat it again because that's too hard,but I'd say I'll stop eating it for a month and then only have one once every month. That's a lot easier to do.


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