Serious sweet tooth starting Whole30... help?

[need2succeed]

I weight train and do crossfit 2x a week. I eat plenty of veg and protein. The problem is not eating enough, its eating TOO much carbs, and sugar mostly. In the past, I have been successful in cutting it out for about 2 weeks, but then cravings start coming hard-core. Instead of craving chicken breast and some cool veggie dish, I think "hmm protein pancakes sound good. I will put fruit on top to keep it clean." But then the next meal I still want sweet and then eventually I find myself snacking. During those times its not like my discipline has weakened, but my body is just craving like crazy!

 

I want this to be a serious lifestyle change, but my husband is not into the idea. He is trying to gain weight and often has trouble with eating enough, so he has a late night cereal party basically every night. I dont know how long I can maintain my will power with all those sweets around, especially when I feel like I have to eat sweets! 

 

Looking at meal plans I see that a lot of people dont really have that many sweet meals a day, maybe one or a piece of fruit here and there, but I feel like thats going to be hard. Any tips?  I plan on coming on here every day to read through what people are doing and re-invigorate myself!

[ShannonM816]

The best way to stop craving sweets is to limit sweets and to make sure you eat plenty of food.  Follow the meal template. Eat plenty of food, include starchy vegetables at least once per day (maybe more, you can play with this over time and see what helps you to feel best), and be sure you eat pre- and post-workout meals too. Limit fruit to a small serving with meals no more than twice a day. I know if you're used to lots of sweets, this sounds pretty horrible, but it really is the best way to stop cravings for sweet things. Think of it this way -- if you crave sweets, and you have something sweet (even fruit), you've just rewarded that craving, so next time you have a craving it's that much harder to deny it. You really don't have to eat sweets, and the more you ignore that craving instead of rewarding it, the easier it gets to ignore it.

 

If your husband needs to gain weight, you should have him read this article for tips on that.

[MeadowLily]

http://whole9life.com/2010/05/sugar-tantrums/

 

 

 

Here’s what we typically see. People coming off a traditional “American” diet for the first time tend to rely heavily on fruit, nuts and nut butters in their first attempt at the Whole30. While they are much better food choices than you old sweet treats, obviously we’d encourage you to work your way towards better food choices, the further along you are in the program. So as you notice that you’re hitting the nut butters too hard, for example, perhaps pull back and try to add fat in the form of other good sources (coconut milk, avocado, olive oil, etc.). You’ll naturally become more aware of your food choices, the further along you go, and naturally develop a healthier, happier relationship with ALL foods.

Just know it’ll take longer than 30 days for that to happen! It’s really a life-long pursuit – breaking those old emotional ties to food and developing a new, healthier relationship. Just stick with it and continue to be honest with yourself about your food choices, cravings and habits, and the time WILL come when you can enjoy that chocolate bar and then jump right back on the Good Food Train.

You’ve both hit the nail on the head. Adam’s got a lot of experience with this stuff, people. He says wise things.

Thanks to all for contributing!

Best,

Melissa

[MeadowLily]

Dallas @ Whole9 says

 

August 4, 2010 at 8:02 pm

 

If you’re craving carbs (read: SUGAR!), eat fat and protein. Giving yourself sugar is NOT the route to go. But also, adding 1/2 & 1/2 to your coffee won’t make you feel better. We’ve observed in (literally) hundreds of people that “falling off the wagon” with things like pizza and cake only lead to more “falling off”. Get back on the Good Food Train.

[MeadowLily]

Melissa @ Whole9 says

 

April 6, 2011 at 2:09 pm

It may take a week or two… it may take a month or two. Depends on how bad your sugar demons are, and how you treat them during your Whole30. Dallas likes to say you can’t kill the sugar dragon with willpower, you have to STARVE it. So don’t give in to those cravings during your Whole30 by using fruit as a crutch… stick it out and it will get better.

Best of luck to you!

Melissa

[jmcbn]

One of the most common ways I see of people continuing to feed their sugar dragon is adding coconut milk to their coffee. They (sometimes) cut back (or very occasionally, cut out) the fruit, dried fruit & nut butters but they're drinking 3-5 cups of coffee a day toppped up with that deliciously creamy coconut milk & wondering why they're still craving sweets..... Not only that but coffee is an appetite suppressant so they're not *really* listening to their bodies - giving it creamy sweet coconut coffee when it actually wants real food. Sheesh, if *I* was a sugar dragon *I'd* stick around!

My best advice is go cold turkey. No fruit, dried fruit, or nuts (unless within recipes) & take your coffee black - Welcome to the Dark Side - it's probaly for the best that we don't have cookies.... 

[MeadowLily]

One of the most common ways I see of people continuing to feed their sugar dragon is adding coconut milk to their coffee. They (sometimes) cut back (or very occasionally, cut out) the fruit, dried fruit & nut butters but they're drinking 3-5 cups of coffee a day toppped up with that deliciously creamy coconut milk & wondering why they're still craving sweets..... Not only that but coffee is an appetite suppressant so they're not *really* listening to their bodies - giving it creamy sweet coconut coffee when it actually wants real food. Sheesh, if *I* was a sugar dragon *I'd* stick around!

My best advice is go cold turkey. No fruit, dried fruit, or nuts (unless within recipes) & take your coffee black - Welcome to the Dark Side - it's probaly for the best that we don't have cookies.... 

The secret's in the sauce, so they say.    I say, the Proof is in the Goofing.  Wanting to snack all day and night with those items  jmcbn has listed is the road sign that you're not eating W30 Template at meals.    Breaking up with creamy coffee is hard to do but you're soooo right, jmcbn -  what  coffee does early in the morning to hormone balance and keeping the Sugar Dragon all stirred up with compliant sugar substitutes.