Explain Cravings Please

Rawhead

I'm an ex-smoker, 1 year this month. I took up running and lost over 3 stone. I run about 20-25 miles per week and am keeping the weight steady. I would like to drop another stone to be at my fighting weight but that's a goal i'll take my time with.

The main problem I have at the moment is I have developed a craving for murray mints and werthers sweets. The addiction is as bad as the smokes and it's driving me mad. I only started about 3 weeks ago and I cannot seem to go a day without them.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated as it's annoying to have beaten the weed only to gain a sweet tooth.

Blatter

The best solution is to make the consious decision not to buy them. They won't be in your pocket tempting you then.

Maybe a handfull of grapes a couple of times a day might help satisfy you.

If you can stay off them for ~10 days the cravings should stop.

El_Dangeroso

Toffee and mint tea combined. Tea's are fantastic for cravings, you can get them in all sorts of mad flavours, helps with the 'hand to mouth' action too.

Edited: Sorry I saw you're off them a year! Well done!

Sapsorrow

Sounds like sugar addiction to me, are mints and werthers sweets you happen to particularly like?

People who give up booze or fags often end up replacing the old addiction with a sugar addiction instead. IMO there are 2 probable reasons (a) they are addictive personalities and are just likely to become addicted to things and/or (b) because the sugar causes the release of beta-endorphines like booze and other addictive stuff it's going to be the thing our bodies instinctively crave to to take the edge of stress or the come down from the previous addiction.

Unfortunately strict abstinance is the only way to get over any addiction, including sugar. You might find a high carb diet and/or one high in refined carbs encourages cravings, I know I do so where possible choose wholegrain, not too much breads, crackers and pasta and try cut out refined sugar in tea and coffee as well as any other sources and see if that helps.

Good quality sleep is also very important for getting our hormones working right as is stress management. Are you going through a stressful time at the moment maybe? Or is it bordeom? If so you may want to tackle these problems with a hobbie or just going for a relaxing walk of an evening. Also keep and eye out for which times of the day the cravings are worst, and what you are doing when they hit (ie. after a meal, watching telly in the evening etc) and try changing your routine if certain situations are triggering the cravings. You beat the fags so you can definately beat this too!

Rawhead

Sapsorrow wrote: »

Sounds like sugar addiction to me, are mints and werthers sweets you happen to particularly like?

People who give up booze or fags often end up replacing the old addiction with a sugar addiction instead. IMO there are 2 probable reasons (a) they are addictive personalities and are just likely to become addicted to things and/or (b) because the sugar causes the release of beta-endorphines like booze and other addictive stuff it's going to be the thing our bodies instinctively crave to to take the edge of stress or the come down from the previous addiction.

Unfortunately strict abstinance is the only way to get over any addiction, including sugar. You might find a high carb diet and/or one high in refined carbs encourages cravings, I know I do so where possible choose wholegrain, not too much breads, crackers and pasta and try cut out refined sugar in tea and coffee as well as any other sources and see if that helps.

Good quality sleep is also very important for getting our hormones working right as is stress management. Are you going through a stressful time at the moment maybe? Or is it bordeom? If so you may want to tackle these problems with a hobbie or just going for a relaxing walk of an evening. Also keep and eye out for which times of the day the cravings are worst, and what you are doing when they hit (ie. after a meal, watching telly in the evening etc) and try changing your routine if certain situations are triggering the cravings. You beat the fags so you can definately beat this too!

You pretty much hit the nail on the head. Stressful times at work. I really try and avoid any white bread/pasta/ refined foods if possible. I have a decent diet and exercise plenty. I have also knocked the booze on the head for a few weeks while I'm training.

Thanks very much for the explanation and now that I know its down to simply giving the swines up as opposed to something more serious then they are gone.

Thanks for all the help.

EileenG

Cravings are temptations you don't try very hard to resist.

Sorry, can't remember who said it, but unless you are pregnant or have a severely disturbed diet, chances are that the cravings are just an excuse to eat sweets.

Having said that, my own children will eat Werthers till they come out their ears, and moan about how good they are. So obviously tasty.

Just don't buy them. Maybe chewing gum instead?

Rawhead

As a matter of interest, how many calories would be in a pack (the tube pack) of Werthers sweets.

EileenG

20 calories per sweet, all sugar.

Jarren

OP
How about switching to sugar-free jelly

you can make it yourself -http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,sugar_free_jelly,FF.html

or buy it in a supermarket http://www.hartleysjelly.com/our-jellies.cfm

it's not perfect but they are a good option IMHO

blueberry1

Rawhead wrote: »

I'm an ex-smoker, 1 year this month. I took up running and lost over 3 stone. I run about 20-25 miles per week and am keeping the weight steady. I would like to drop another stone to be at my fighting weight but that's a goal i'll take my time with.

The main problem I have at the moment is I have developed a craving for murray mints and werthers sweets. The addiction is as bad as the smokes and it's driving me mad. I only started about 3 weeks ago and I cannot seem to go a day without them.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated as it's annoying to have beaten the weed only to gain a sweet tooth.

are you balancing your blood sugars ?? visit a good nutritional therapist in your area (www.ntoi.ie) and get lots of adv ise how to beat your cravings
good luck