I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

[jamie.mclanahan]

I realize you are not supposed to eat sweets during the first 14 days, but I am having insane cravings. And it really doesn't help that my husband eats whatever he wants, whenever he wants- in front of me.

Is there any food that is sort of sweet that I could have during the Induction Phase?

[IrishIrish]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

If you are having cravings, drink water, dance, take a walk, kiss someone, sing out loud, drink more water, distract yourself, take a shower ... but don't eat sweets or a sweet tasting substitute. The cravings will subside if you are following Atkins EXACTLY as it is written. If you weight loss is important to you, you should probably talk to your husband and tell him you need his support to get over the cravings.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

>> Is there any food that is sort of sweet that I could have during the Induction Phase?>>

Not if you want to get rid of the cravings.

[cocobelle]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

I liked to mix softened cream cheese with 1-2 pkt sweetener, vanilla and unsweetened cocoa. It makes a really thick paste. A tablespoonful (or two) with some whipped cream is amazing!

[tracyc]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

my husband used to do that, until we had a LOOOooong talk about his sabotaging me!! now, when i go up to bed for the night, i hear the chip bag krinkling as he's watching a movie (sometimes i dont even make it all the way up the stairs before he's getting them lol), but the point is, he gets it now..and if you need to have 20 LOOOoooooong talks with your husband, then have them!!! who does the grocery shopping in your house? if it's like my house, i do, so i dont buy them for my hubby anymore!

[atkinsgal08]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

I liked to mix softened cream cheese with 1-2 pkt sweetener, vanilla and unsweetened cocoa. It makes a really thick paste. A tablespoonful (or two) with some whipped cream is amazing!

This isn't likely to help anyone get past their cravings.

Also ... unsweetened cocoa isn't on the Induction food list.

[Sherri]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

Actually, I didn't think cocoa was allowed either during Induction untill my co moderator Georgiana pointed out to me that it was, and can be recognized as a spice such as Nutmeg which is allowed as well. As long as you use the cocoas sparingly and not by the quarter cup.
It has been my experience in my 5 years of doing atkins that it is important not to feed the sweet cravings, but rather to starve it out. A excellent supplement that takes aways the sweet cravings is L-Glutamine. It really works, I know. I'm a sugar addict!
I'll try to find info I have here on it. So I can share. Here's the post on L-Glutamine. #8 I hope you give it a try. It really helped me. It's best to stomp out that sweet monster.
Sincerely, Sherri.

[mission to lose]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

I realize you are not supposed to eat sweets during the first 14 days, but I am having insane cravings. And it really doesn't help that my husband eats whatever he wants, whenever he wants- in front of me.

Is there any food that is sort of sweet that I could have during the Induction Phase?

Jamie, Believe it or not most of us are addicted to some food, chocolate, snack, sugar, the list goes on. But the craving WILL get better. Give it a few days. Find a distraction like Irish said. Part of this WOE is to break those sweet addictions. The sooner the better.We have all been there...

Today I weighed in at a 31# loss since August...100% Cheat Free from day one! (I did eat a few too many veggies a few time). Yes, I LOVE sweets! But you have to retrain yourself. You'll do it! Just give it a good try.

~Mary

[atkinsgal08]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

>>I didn't think cocoa was allowed either during Induction untill my co moderator Georiana pointed out to me that it was, and can be recognized as a spice>>

I wouldn't disagree with Georgiana, expect that if one is "recognizing" it that way so as to feed a craving, I would have to say that one would do better to not recognize it as a spice.

I know that some "old school hardline" Atkins people think it's not appropriate on Induction ... and I know that some new thinking has cocoa as a spice.

While I know that everything on Wikipedia isn't gospel, the definition of cocoa is:

Cocoa is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree, from which chocolate is made.

Nowhere is it defined as a spice.

I know that the more liberal approach to Atkins now at Atkins.com has "approved" it for Induction, but I hold firm with my opinion and I would still state that cocoa isn't allowed on Induction!

[barbiedoll4j]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

Ya, me too. And since I'm starting over ere, I have to deal with the cravings. The good news is it does get better. I have to keep telling myself this and remember when after a week of being cheat free ... I actually didn't crave the sweets nearly as much. Water and distractions help. Replacing the craving with a non cheat sweet does not. You will continue to crave them untill you purge yourself, so to speak, for a while.

Know that you are not alone here. I want to run down the hall and grab any one of the many sweet goodies my hubby is eating and that are in all the cabinets. Stay strong. You will feel quite proud once you beat the craving. I remember I did last time and look forward to feeling that way again!
Barb

[mizski]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

I realize you are not supposed to eat sweets during the first 14 days, but I am having insane cravings. And it really doesn't help that my husband eats whatever he wants, whenever he wants- in front of me.

Is there any food that is sort of sweet that I could have during the Induction Phase?

I very much agree with staying away from sweets to break the cravings line of thinking. That said, it is difficult sometimes for those with a real sweet tooth to do overnight.

It is VERY important for you to stay within the 3 sweeteners/day rule. But you can use that sweetener allotment wisely and have some Induction-friendly sweets. That will help wean you off of sweets if you can't go cold turkey.

I very much prefer savory over sweet flavors and seldom had sweets before I started Atkins but for whatever reason during my first couple of weeks of Atkins, I wanted something dessert-like. I found pumpkin helped with that a lot and have it several times a week (although now I use it in soups or as a veggie mostly).

Some things to try:

Linda Sue's dessert recipes. The one's with an * are supposed to be for Induction but to be safe, check the ingredients against your acceptable foods list.

I made the Mock Danish a few times and experimented with substituting different fruit-flavor extracts for vanilla (although the vanilla one is very good).

Also made a lower-carb version of Mitzi's Ultimate Pumpkin recipe (the infamous MUP): mix 1/2 c. Libby's canned pumpkin and 1-2 oz. cream cheese and microwave for 30-40 seconds. Stir well and add 1 tsp of Splenda, a couple shakes of cinnamon and allspice and stir well to mix it all up. Then nuke for about 30-50 seconds more, stir and eat.

[Georgiana]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

Actually, I didn't think cocoa was allowed either during Induction untill my co moderator Georgiana pointed out to me that it was, and can be recognized as a spice such as Nutmeg which is allowed as well. As long as you use the cocoas sparingly and not by the quarter cup.

I posted this yesterday in another thread: http://www.atkinsdietbulletinboard.c...ml#post1143428

[Georgiana]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

Actually, I didn't think cocoa was allowed either during Induction untill my co moderator Georgiana pointed out to me that it was, and can be recognized as a spice such as Nutmeg which is allowed as well. As long as you use the cocoas sparingly and not by the quarter cup.

After reading through some books today... I think I was wrong by comparing nutmeg and cocoa.

Nutmeg comes from the fruits of a tree (Myristica fragrans). The nutmeg seeds are dried in the sun and then ground to make the spice.

Cocoa powder is a bit more difficult to make. As we all know, it comes from cocoa beans. The beans are left to dry... then they are roasted to enhance flavor and lower their water content... then they are cooled quickly and their shells are removed... and what is left is then used to make chocolate liquor under high pressure and heat.

To make cocoa powder, chocolate liquor is processed at high pressure in a hydraulic press to remove about 3/4 of the cocoa butter. What is left is then cooled and ground/pulverized to make cocoa powder.

All spices I can think of are made from dried and ground <something>. This isn't the case with cocoa powder.

2big4mysize has always said that cocoa was considered a spice by Dr. Atkins. I don't know in which book it is listed as a spice (maybe someone can give a reference for this?). In Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution it is listed under "Baking Basics and Sweet Items".

[Sherri]

Re: I am literally addicted to sweets... PLEASE HELP.

After reading through some books today... I think I was wrong by comparing nutmeg and cocoa.

Nutmeg comes from the fruits of a tree (Myristica fragrans). The nutmeg seeds are dried in the sun and then ground to make the spice.

Cocoa powder is a bit more difficult to make. As we all know, it comes from cocoa beans. The beans are left to dry... then they are roasted to enhance flavor and lower their water content... then they are cooled quickly and their shells are removed... and what is left is then used to make chocolate liquor under high pressure and heat.

To make cocoa powder, chocolate liquor is processed at high pressure in a hydraulic press to remove about 3/4 of the cocoa butter. What is left is then cooled and ground/pulverized to make cocoa powder.

All spices I can think of are made from dried and ground <something>. This isn't the case with cocoa powder.

2big4mysize has always said that cocoa was considered a spice by Dr. Atkins. I don't know in which book it is listed as a spice (maybe someone can give a reference for this?). In Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution it is listed under "Baking Basics and Sweet Items".

Thank you G for clarifying that for all of us.
Looks as though I was right all along about cocoa not being induction friendly.