SMB2003 Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I'm on Day 26, and this is now the 2nd time I've given in to my sugar cravings and ended up overconsuming fruit and nuts. I'm not sure what to do to shake this. I was doing fine with little to no cravings until about a week ago. I'm planning on not replenishing my fruit supply this week so it won't be in the house, but I'm also wondering what would be a good replacement. I have read multiple times that protein + fat will help sugar cravings, but what is something easily portable for emergency use? Hard boiled eggs was all I could think of. Or maybe jerky, but I haven't found many (if any) compliant brands in my area. I wouldn't necessarily keep random chicken breasts on me should a craving strike...... I mean, I suppose I could........ I also have revisited the meal template and could probably include more vegetables and avocado. I tend to skimp a little on fats if I'm eating a higher fat protein source. For example today for dinner I had mashed green plantains, pickled onions, and carnitas made from Boston butt which is already pretty high in fat, so I did not add any extra fat source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britishgal Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 Are you snacking because you are hungry or because you are giving into cravings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 My question is, are you eating the nuts and fruit because you're hungry? Our test for that is to ask yourself if you could eat something bland like steamed fish and broccoli. If the answer is yes, then have a mini meal. If the answer is no, do something non food related. Call a friend, go for a walk, do a creative project, garden, whatever. Are your main meals keeping you satiated for 4-5 hours? If not, play with the protein, veg and fat portions until you get there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMB2003 Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 I "think" it's because of cravings, but you are right..... I will need to stop and ask myself that question. I have tried to wait and hope it passes, but that doesn't tend to happen. It just gets stronger. Prior to this I was doing calorie counting (for muscle gaining purposes with heavy weight training) and was eating anywhere from 2500-2700 calories per day which was a slight calorie surplus to aid in muscle building. My guess is that I am nowhere near that. I had a hard time hitting those numbers while including more calorie-laden items. My meals "were" keeping me satisfied and I wasn't hungry, but this all started about a week ago and it's not improving for me. I have been thinking about an extension of my Whole30 to get things figured out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 What changed over the past week? Were you more active? If you're female, was it that time of the month for you? Are you getting less sleep or are you more stressed? Are you having pre and/or post workout meals?If you'd like to post a few days of your food log, including daily water consumption, pre and post workout meals, exercise, and nightly hours of sleep, we can give you more specific feedback on possible tweaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted July 31, 2015 Moderators Share Posted July 31, 2015 I think you're on to something with the idea that the sugar cravings have emerged out of the body's need for more fuel, period. Play with the template and certainly increase starchy veg and fat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMB2003 Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 If I look back, the only thing that really changed in the past week was that I was eating more fruits. I purposely stocked up in an effort to get more carbs and figured fruits would have more than something like spinach or lower calorie vegetables. Below is an example of what I ate one day last week. My workouts usually go from about 5:30-6:30am. 5:00am - Pre-Workout: 1 Hard boiled egg with olives 7:00am - Post-Workout: 2 homemade turkey breakfast sausages + butternut squash/apple mash (about 1/4 of an apple included) 9:30am - Meal 1: Bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado omelet (2 eggs) cooked in ghee plus strawberries and roasted red pepper 1:00pm - Meal 2: Carne Asada: Steak over romaine with grilled peppers/onions topped with avocado salsa and tomatoes 4:00pm - Mini-Meal: 2 tuna sweet potato patties plus fruit and asparagus 7:00pm - Dinner: Pork tenderloin with fig sauce, kabocha squash with homemade coconut-almond butter, grilled zucchini with bruschetta topping Now I know logging calories is against the rules, but I may do it for a day to see where I am falling calorie-wise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munkers Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 As far as your three main meals go, it looks like you're only doing a starch with one meal. I would look at upping the protein with meal 1 (2 eggs is a light unless you're just absolutely tiny and can only fit two whole eggs in your hand) and adding a second serving of starch somewhere in the day. A light breakfast also tends to have a domino effect of increasing hunger throughout the day so really focus on getting enough protein, fat, and veggies. You can experiment with adding more eggs to see how if that helps. Some folks find that eggs just don't "stay" with them for long so you can also experiment with adding a little meat to help round things out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcbn Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 ... the only thing that really changed in the past week was that I was eating more fruits. I purposely stocked up in an effort to get more carbs... Why did you want more carbs in your diet specifically? Was this to increase your calories? Please remember that not all calories are created equal - think of the difference in nutrients between 200kcal of chicken compared to 200kcal of white bread for instance. You may be eating less calories, but they are much more nutrient dense, and if you're aiming to build muscle you should be focusing on your protein intake - the carbs will replenish the muscle glycogen, but the protein will help the muscle grow. By adding in the fruit you've probably reignited the sugar dragon. I know everyone has mentioned upping your starchy carbs, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and disagree here & say that starchy carbs will only continue to feed that sugar dragon. Those with BS issues of any kind are recommended to restrict their intake of them because they impact blood sugar levels (I know this is not your issue here, but just clarifying my reasoning!). Yes, they're fine for keeping your mood elevated, but go over-board and you're replacing an old added sugar habit with a naturally occuring new one. Sugar cravings can only be stamped out with protein & fat, and I think if you increase your protein & fat intake as the others have suggested you'll be good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeadowLily Posted July 31, 2015 Share Posted July 31, 2015 I've followed Melissa's advice. It works for me. Melissa Hartwig says 17 July, 2014 at 12:57 pm Recommended consumption depends entirely on your individual psychological and physical context. If you are active, healthy, and lean, you may include potatoes every day in some form or another, to ensure you are getting adequate carbohydrates to support your activity level. If you’re sedentary, overweight, and otherwise metabolically challenge, you’ll probably eat none during your program (or very few, in very limited amounts). Melissa - See more at: http://whole30.com/2...h.RwNzxBhZ.dpuf "If you’re craving sugar, don’t give your body sugar! Eat high fat instead, with a little bit of protein, and tough it out. Break those cravings once and for all. " Best, Melissa 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. 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMB2003 Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 Why did you want more carbs in your diet specifically? Was this to increase your calories? Please remember that not all calories are created equal - think of the difference in nutrients between 200kcal of chicken compared to 200kcal of white bread for instance. You may be eating less calories, but they are much more nutrient dense, and if you're aiming to build muscle you should be focusing on your protein intake - the carbs will replenish the muscle glycogen, but the protein will help the muscle grow. By adding in the fruit you've probably reignited the sugar dragon. I know everyone has mentioned upping your starchy carbs, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and disagree here & say that starchy carbs will only continue to feed that sugar dragon. Those with BS issues of any kind are recommended to restrict their intake of them because they impact blood sugar levels (I know this is not your issue here, but just clarifying my reasoning!). Yes, they're fine for keeping your mood elevated, but go over-board and you're replacing an old added sugar habit with a naturally occuring new one. Sugar cravings can only be stamped out with protein & fat, and I think if you increase your protein & fat intake as the others have suggested you'll be good to go. @jmbcn - I wanted more carbs due to my activity level. I find I perform better at the gym when I have adequate carbs. I used to villianize them and be afraid of carbs, but have learned their value in building muscle. Prior to my Whole30 I ate lots of rice, grains, and oatmeal (never had a problem getting enough protein). In terms of weight only, I do believe that a calorie is a calorie, its all fuel. In terms of micronutrients you are correct, chicken and white bread are different. I am a big "if it fits your macros" advocate and decided to try the Whole30 in order to experience eating more natural foods and less protein powders and bars, so please understand that our "calorie" views may differ. I get into arguments all the time with a guy at the gym. :-) I do see value in both ways of eating. At 133 lbs I don't think overloading on protein is going to benefit me (meaning I am fairly confident I'm getting ~120-130g per day based on prior calorie counting). There is a point of diminishing returns, so my inclination is to eat carbs for performance purposes. If protein and fat will help cure my sugar cravings though, I'm willing to try it out even though my preference is to lean towards more carbs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whollyme Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 I put a package of Wholly Guacomole in the fridge when Whole 30 began. I finally opened it yesterday, and WOW was it amazing. I feel like something was missing in my diet, and it makes me really happy. I put some in a bowl, or in a container if I'm on the go. I don't feel like I need to go back and eat more (of course, I eat a lot in first place). And it doesn't awake the Sugar Dragon. YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMB2003 Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 Just a quick update for anyone that may stumble across this question...... So I've upped my veggies significantly and added in more avocado and I can honestly say my cravings have subsided. Its possible my cravings were "hormonal" but I'm not sure. I stopped eating fruit for a few days and decided to try adding it back in with my final meal last night (I have leftover fruit and I really hate throwing food out) and it was fine. It didn't cause any additional cravings. Yay!! :-) I'm finding a big hearty breakfast to be very helpful in setting me up for the day. Yesterday I had a huge bowl of hash with sweet potatoes, onions, mushroom, kale and sausage with an egg on top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthP Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 About half the time I crave sugar or chocolate, avocado will take care of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamatutu Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 About half the time I crave sugar or chocolate, avocado will take care of it. Is avocado the new bacon? Everything tastes good with bacon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcbn Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 Is avocado the new bacon? Everything tastes good with bacon! Yup. Have you tried bacon & avocado...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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