Sugar Cravings?

[IrishMom82]

Whenever I'm on atkins I get huge sugar cravings and I was wondering what you all do when craving sweets? I'm on Induction so I know there aren't a lot of options but if anyone has any ideas let me know! Thanks!!!

P.S. Is gum ok?

[Elizellen]

Re: Sugar Cravings?

Though Dr Atkins did allow us to have up to 3 servings of one of the allowed sweeteners a day, many of us found that by using them regularly it only kept our sweet tooth alive!!

Try to avoid sweet things for the first 2 weeks of induction to see if you manage to tame your sugar monster.

Maybe eat a high fat snack instead, or even something sour like a pickle to teach your body that though you are happy to feed it, it will be with your choice of food and it will have to get used to not having sweet things each time it wants them.

If you can manage not to eat 'sweet' you will find before long that something like a cherry tomato, stick of celery, unsweetened cream cheese or sweet red pepper (bell pepper in USA) tastes sweet and satisfies the urge.

[bythree]

Re: Sugar Cravings?

A friend recomended the moch danish and it was very good. Here's the link to the recipe.

Atkins Diet - Induction Recipe Basics--More recipes added

[IrishMom82]

Re: Sugar Cravings?

Byrthree! Thanks for that link! Those recipes look very interesting!

[not2late]

Re: Sugar Cravings?

When I was a newbie the moderators here use to say if kill your sweet tooth, don't feed it.

Eat something that is a combination of fat and protein: devilled egg, cheese, etc.

And be sure you are eating your vegetables. Many people mistakenly think that the lower carb they eat the better. That's not necessarily true because we do need some carbs in our diet. So eat those vegetables, particularly the ones that aren't lettuce, because the natural sugars will satisfy your carb needs and the fiber will help to fill you up (plus the vitamins and minerals aren't too bad either.)

[ValidRouge]

Re: Sugar Cravings?

Excellent advice from not2late and Elizellen. I am of the opinion (through my own experience) that it is better to not give into the cravings with artificially sweetened things as that only perpetuates the cravings long term. It might satisfy the craving at that moment, but the cravings will only return again (and maybe even more intense).

Eat something high in fat, drink water or do a physical activity. The cravings will become less and less in just a few days and eventually disappear altogether.

[IrishMom82]

Re: Sugar Cravings?

Thank you everyone for the advice. I've tried to stop the sweets cold turkey when on Atkins and everytime (5) I've gotten frustrated because no matter what I did I still had that craving. Ultimately I would then quit the diet and eat very very very sugary stuff. So I understand what everyone is saying but in my personal experience having something that's safely sweet every now and then will most likely keep me on track.

That being said, I had that mock Danish today and it was really good. I think for next time though I won't put in as much cream cheese. It was a little too much for me. But for only one packet of Splenda it seemed just the perfect amount of sweet. Who knew.

[abbellire]

Re: Sugar Cravings?

I personally like sugar-free Jell-O. I have 1/2c almost every night with a dollop of heavy whipped cream. SF Jell-O is bad for us because it contains aspartame, and as the "veterans" have mentioned, feeding a sweet tooth only keeps it alive.

However, like you, when it is a choice between having something sweet to stop a craving versus going off Atkins altogether, I will choose to have the sweet. In the long run, I know I will benefit from not giving up on this lifestyle and eventually my cravings will diminish.

[brandywine1241]

Re: Sugar Cravings?

Here is a quote from Dr. Atkins' Vita-Nutrient Solution p169.

When a sugar urge emerges, take 1-2 grams of L-glutamine, preferably with some heavy cream and just a touch of nonsugar sweetener. The immediate desire to eat something sweet will pass. For a reference attesting to its efficiency, ask any of the eight thousand Atkins Center patients for whom I have prescribed it.

[Sherri]

Re: Sugar Cravings?

Hello Mrs. Fink,
You can take L-glutamine to fight your sweet cravings. It totally works! Dr Atkins talks about it on page 136 DANDR. You can take up to 3000mg a day, 1 or 2- 500 mg capsuls or tablets before each meal. It was a tool for me to get completely off of sweetners or food that contain them.
Best of health and lite to you.
Sherri

[momwith5kids]

Re: Sugar Cravings?

I do the same thing as abbellire actually even though it's not as some put it "induction friendly." Perhaps it MAY be slowing my loss down, but for me the trade off is SOOO worth it. I don't eat sweet EVERY day, but I do eat sugar free jello on occasion and the other day I made an induction friendly cheesecake from this site http://www.genaw.com/lowcarb/index.html

and if I have a sweet tooth I get a big spoon and just lick that spoonful for a couple minutes. I do have to say, I ALWAYS want more after b/c it does taste good, but that's when will power has to come into play and I simply have to say no. But I feel that for ME, if I deny myself EVERYTHING and even "safe" sweets, I'll fall off the wagon very quickly. I figure that anything extra I eat I better be prepared to work the extra off in my workout that day. I personally think that this is all based on the person as Atkins DOES NOT require no sweets at all in his book. It's just if you know yourself you know what you are capable of and what is best for you. I personally know that no matter what I will want sweets now and then, REGARDLESS how long it's been since I had one. So when it gets unbearble I give in with acceptable sweets. Make sure you still count your sweetener as a carb and all though. They can sneak up on you. I hope that you can continue doing well!

[jende]

Re: Sugar Cravings?

I hear a lot about sugar cravings. It's been 2 years since I replaced sugar with splenda (for the most part).

Are the sugar cravings coming to those who regularly ate sugar? (forgive the stupid question.)

[momwith5kids]

Re: Sugar Cravings?

I really couldn't say myself. Hopefully someone else can tell you that. I'm not big on sweets in general. My weaknesses are the carbs, but sweets I've always craved every so often (especially during "that time".) But I've never been big on eating lots of sugar.