Coconut Butter: A SWYPO Story (and overcoming the dessert habit)

[little mighty]

I have a confession: I've been eating coconut butter as "dessert" 

 

It started as taking a spoonful when I was still hungry after a meal (already a mistake, I realize!). It's SO EASY to fool yourself into thinking that it's okay because coconut butter doesn't contain added sweeteners, and "it's just fat so it's allowed". But it's obviously still some serious SWYPO (at least for me)! It's infuriating to realize that my first Whole30 was all a sham, but live and learn, I suppose. My "real" Whole30 starts NOW.

 

Does anyone else find that coconut butter feeds their sugar dragon? Also, any tips for overcoming the dessert habit?

[Tina R]

I don't think your first whole30 was a sham. You stayed with compliant foods and that is an accomplishment. Yes using coconut butter as a dessert is not the best choice and good for you for working on that. I find that if I eat a good breakfast and lunch I am less likely to want to snack. Also play with your carbs, some people find when they eat carbs in the morning they crave sugar all day. Good luck!

[LadyM]

There are several threads here devoted to coconut butter woes. My best advice is to put the spoon down and keep the stuff out of the house. Out of sight, out of mind. And the best dessert breaking tip is nothing but tough love. As Dallas has been known to say, the only way to slay the sugar dragon is to starve it.

Eating dessert is a habit. The less you do it, the less you do it, and the better off you are. Personally, I took it in stages. Like you, I did my first whole 30 with a dessert crutch, often eating fruit or a spoonful of nut butter at the end of a meal, especially dinner. Then I switched to tea with coconut milk, then black tea, then kombucha, then nothing (most of the time). This process has taken about 16 months.

[little mighty]

Tina R. - I am planning on eating fewer carbs for my next Whole30. I find that even things like carrots can serve as a stress-eating food for me! Crazy, and sad, but it's a necessary step to overcome the emotional/habitual eating.

LadyM - I agree with all of the above. Just finished my jar of coconut butter last night and will NOT be buying any more! Thanks for the tips.

[ejulian]

I agree with Tina R that your Whole30 was not a sham! You were still eating compliant things, and that's way better than going to town on oreos or something like that, right??

It's odd- I have read/heard a lot of advice about keeping foods without brakes out of the house entirely, & that makes sense to me. I experimented last month with allowing some of those things back in to my house...sunbutter & coconut butter, etc. I'm not saying it's been entirely smooth sailing, but when I have a calm, relaxed attitude & tell myself, "hey, these foods are highly palatable and no question that they are treats, but look, you don't have just this one day to eat them- they're here, they're in the pantry, and as long as you are responsible about it, you can have some whenever!" Taking the restriction aspect out of it has made those foods less highly desirable, in a way. Or giving myself permission to eat them has taken away the "forbidden fruit" aspect and made me feel less like I need to eat as much of them as I can because I won't be buying them again... Of course, we're all special snowflakes, and what works for some won't work for others, but I thought I'd share my experience & hope you can get some good out of it!!

Also, hugs & encouragement to you... keep up the good work!! :-)

[little mighty]

Thanks, ejulian - I appreciate the support 

[praxisproject]

I found not eating it from the jar with a spoon was all it took for me. Even if I eat it from a container with a spoon I'm okay, but it's too yummy to stop eating from the jar. Now I put it into moulds or cut it into bricks and keep it in the fridge, small servings only and only with meals, no snacking.

 

But the key to any food without breaks, is figuring out what it is. All the ones that are triggers for me, are all sugary ones, which I think is why coconut butter isn't a big problem for me. For others it's nut butters or a particular dried fruit.

[pjena]

I make my own.  It's not quite as good, so I am not likely to just eat it as dessert.  But, I like it enough to put it on my breakfast sweet potato.  Almond butter I have not cracked yet.  Still my nemesis.