Day 17 - new craving developed Help!

[acjohnston09]

I have been LOVING the Whole 30. I feel SO great. Sleeping better, sustanined energy, more focus, skin is glowing and my finger nails are even stronger!! I am actually thinking of making this a Whole60.

 

I have never been much of a sugar girl - much more salty/savory. Even as a kid I generally walked away at dessert time. Prior to Whole 30 I would have a dessert maybe once a month but more like once every two months. During the week in the late afternoons I might have had twice a week a piece of dark chocolate. I did have a glass of wine maybe 3-4 nights out of the week - but dry wine - but I am sure that has sweetness to it as well.

 

I haven't had any cravings this entire time until yesterday (day 16) and today. Last night I had a great dinner, was full and satisfied. Then as I was cleaning up I had this huge craving and popped a couple pieces of watermelon. This morning I woke up and was craving fruit as well.  I haven't had any yet today but man do I want it!  During the first two weeks I would only have fruit in the morning - a mix of melons and a handful of grapes. Maybe three times I had a banana or apple with some sugar free almond butter in the afternoon. I also have had occasionally some home-made applesauce (no sugar) as a side. For the past week I haven't done that. Ultimately about a serving a day of fruit. Why am I craving fruit (which I assume is the sugar demon rearing it's head?) all of a sudden? Any additional changes I need to make? I love fruit and don't want to cut it completely out.

 

But I really want to go scarf an entire watermelon. Right. Now. Help!

[ladyshanny]

I haven't had any cravings this entire time until yesterday (day 16) and today. Last night I had a great dinner, was full and satisfied. Then as I was cleaning up I had this huge craving and popped a couple pieces of watermelon. This morning I woke up and was craving fruit as well.  I haven't had any yet today but man do I want it!  During the first two weeks I would only have fruit in the morning - a mix of melons and a handful of grapes. Maybe three times I had a banana or apple with some sugar free almond butter in the afternoon. I also have had occasionally some home-made applesauce (no sugar) as a side. For the past week I haven't done that. Ultimately about a serving a day of fruit. Why am I craving fruit (which I assume is the sugar demon rearing it's head?) all of a sudden? Any additional changes I need to make? I love fruit and don't want to cut it completely out.

 

But I really want to go scarf an entire watermelon. Right. Now. Help!

It could be that because you have cut back the fruit this week that your sugar dragon is roaring.  You do mention quite a large amount of fruit if I read correctly (melon/grapes every day for breakfast, banana or apple a few times in the afternoon and applesauce as a side dish).  While this isn't a huge amount, if you have been eating it on its own or without a suitable portion of protein and fat, you could have been feeding the dragon and now this week you aren't.

 

It could also be that fresh fruit is in season right now and there is nothing wrong with eating more of it than normal.  Just make sure that you include it with your meals and don't let it push the veggies off your plate (ie, eat your template meal in full before moving on to the fruits).

[acjohnston09]

Sorry. I wasn't clear. I have been having one serving of fruit a day. Maybe fruit with breakfast. OR an apple or banana with almond butter in the afternoon. OR a side of applesauce. Maybe in the 16 days of doing this there were probably 3, maybe 4, days of doing two of those.

[acjohnston09]

I guess I am just assuming that if I am craving fruit - that it's bad. That it is the sugar demon and I need to cut back the fruit. It's just that I don't feel that I am having that much. Maybe if I just cut fruit out for two weeks? Ugh. That would make me really sad with it being summer and it is all so fresh and good.

[ladyshanny]

Thanks for clarifying!  Craving fruit is not inherently "bad".  Assess yourself when the craving comes.  Is it because a juicy, ripe peach is just bloody delicious and they are not around at any other time? Or is it because you just took a hard phone call at work or you had a spat with your mate or your kid just smashed your great grandmother's vase?  Wanting fruit is fine. Wanting to use fruit as a sugar sub for emotional eating is a totally different thing.  

 

On the other hand, there are lots of people who don't eat fruits.  There is nothing in fruit that you cannot get from vegetables in higher and more available quantity.  If you decide you want to go fruit-less that's fine...just make sure you aren't trying to mentally punish yourself for something.

[Carlaccini]

Honestly fruit is not evil.  It is something that should be enjoyed.  

 

For example - I love peaches - but they bloat me terribly.  But I will enjoy them when they are in season (like now!).  I use them especially to make BBQ sauce.

 

If you love seasonal fruit - enjoy it with your meal - nothing wrong with that.

 

This year I have gone to to town with local strawberries and raspberries - but I make them a regular part of my lunch.  If I eat them with breakfast I find I get hungrier faster.

[Tom Denham]

When you are really craving something sweet/fruit and it is not because you have a beautiful piece of in-season fruit in front of you, you might want to eat a handful of olives to help control the craving. The fat of the olives should undermine the craving.

[acjohnston09]

 Assess yourself when the craving comes.  Is it because a juicy, ripe peach is just bloody delicious and they are not around at any other time? Or is it because you just took a hard phone call at work or you had a spat with your mate or your kid just smashed your great grandmother's vase?  Wanting fruit is fine. Wanting to use fruit as a sugar sub for emotional eating is a totally different thing.  

 

 

Honestly fruit is not evil.  It is something that should be enjoyed.  

 

If you love seasonal fruit - enjoy it with your meal - nothing wrong with that.

 

This year I have gone to to town with local strawberries and raspberries - but I make them a regular part of my lunch.  If I eat them with breakfast I find I get hungrier faster.

 

Okay - the above two comments made me feel better. It is good to assess the why. I have had no stress in the last couple days, or weeks for that matter, lucky me! And honestly, I have been happier in the last two weeks than I have been in the last six months (I lost my Dad unexpectedly in March and I have struggled). I am writing that off to the Whole30 and the amazingly healthy food I have been fueling my body with.  I do think it is just simply that I LOVE fruit and last summer the fruit wasn't great and this summer it is amazing. I will try and move my serving of fruit to lunch instead of breakfast to see if that makes a difference as well.  Good advice.

 

When you are really craving something sweet/fruit and it is not because you have a beautiful piece of in-season fruit in front of you, you might want to eat a handful of olives to help control the craving. The fat of the olives should undermine the craving.

 

  Tom - really interesting. I would never have thought to do that. I am going to try this along with sticking to only one serving of fruit in the afternoons for now.

 

Thanks everyone! I can't wait for lunch. I mean, have you tried the grapes and watermelons this summer yet? 

[SpinSpin]

I noticed that you are having fruit or at least discussing having fruit in the afternoon -- you would be better to add it to your M2 as opposed to having it as a snack. Fruit and nut butter is a poor snack, and you should be eliminating snacks. If you are truly, truly hungry -- steamed fish and broccoli sound divine -- have a mini meal -- protein and a fat, with the possibility of some veg. Example -- hard boiled egg and some homemade ranch dressing with some baby carrots and bell pepper strips.