Does the carb craving ever go ?

[Nasher and Basher]

I dont feel that much hunger, as the shakes are really filling. But there are times when I really crave rice, bread and biscuits.

I have alot of weight to lose, and I am trying to take it one step at a time, but I know I have several months on exante and I want to do it- but Im doubting whether I am strong enough.

 

[Zion]

How long have you been on Exante?

 

[Nasher and Basher]

How long have you been on Exante?

I started a couple of weeks ago, but wasnt sticking to it. For a week now I have been doing it properly, but I did try CD a while ago and failed.

 

[Paragee]

I think carbs are a bit like cigarettes - even when you're no longer physically addicted to them (as evidenced by lack of hunger and being in ketosis) you're still psychologically addicted to them. And as with quitting smoking, it's the psychological need that's going to drive you to distraction.

I know ex-smokers who don't call themselves "ex-"smokers - they're smokers who had their last cigarette twenty years ago.

 

[Zion]

I'm new to Exante but I have been following a low carb plan for a while. From my experience your carb cravings definitely go, especially when you get into ketosis.

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[Nasher and Basher]

You are so right, it is a psychological thing- which has always been my weakness. Never knowing when to say no and to stop things, I suppose Exante will be a great lesson in teaching me self discipline.

 

[Paragee]

Of course, the important thing to focus on is that people /do/ give up smoking and never pick up another packet - and you can do the same with carbs. What you need to do is find something to replace the role of carbs in your life, but of course in order to do that you need to be able to identify what it is carbs are helping you to deal with.

The same way smokers take up chewing gum and mints, dieters and carb-addicts tend to take up things like exercise.

Whatever you do, don't replace carbs with cigarettes - that's definitely a backwards step!

 

[Zion]

I think carbs are a bit like cigarettes - even when you're no longer physically addicted to them (as evidenced by lack of hunger and being in ketosis) you're still psychologically addicted to them. And as with quitting smoking, it's the psychological need that's going to drive you to distraction.

I know ex-smokers who don't call themselves "ex-"smokers - they're smokers who had their last cigarette twenty years ago.

That's definitely true. I found that my carb cravings were more psychological at times as it does take a while to change your mindset. For ages I felt like I wasn't having a proper meal if i didn't have carbs on the plate. You will get used to a new way if eating.

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[Nasher and Basher]

I'm new to Exante but I have been following a low carb plan for a while. From my experience your carb cravings definitely go, especially when you get into ketosis.

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I hope they go, the more I stick to the diet, perhaps I should stop thinking of it as a diet and thinking of cake for my bday. Can I ask, why you stopped a low carb diet ?

 

[Nasher and Basher]

Of course, the important thing to focus on is that people /do/ give up smoking and never pick up another packet - and you can do the same with carbs. What you need to do is find something to replace the role of carbs in your life, but of course in order to do that you need to be able to identify what it is carbs are helping you to deal with.

The same way smokers take up chewing gum and mints, dieters and carb-addicts tend to take up things like exercise.

Whatever you do, don't replace carbs with cigarettes - that's definitely a backwards step!

I will keep that in mind, hmm emotional eating.

 

[Paragee]

In all honesty, I think part of the reason that I'm finding this diet as easy as I am so far is because I've unwittingly been preparing myself for it. I started eating less and less carbs about a year ago - no big, conscious decision to do, more of a gradual and subtle change. I just noticed that actually I didn't really need them, BUT if they were there I'd eat them. And I'm not a comfort eater, never have been, but I love my food, and if I was enjoying the taste of something and not registering as being full, then I'd keep eating until I was.

Of course, as we all know carbs tend to take a while before they let you know you're full!

So I just made little changes: one example is that I stopped eating wet sauce-based food that required a pile of pasta or rice to be poured over. Started eating more things like soups, and definitely more protein because I noticed it made me feel fuller quicker - I have been all about the delicatessen meats and cheeses for a while now! Don't get me wrong, every now and then I'd treat myself to a fresh loaf of bread from the local bakers, but it'd be labelled in my head as a treat, and happened once a month if that. My diet was still full of carbs - I wasn't trying to cut them out, I just wasn't buying the ones that I knew wasn't getting any significant benefit from in terms of nutrition.

So that's probably why I'm not craving anything with this diet - I've been getting those cravings out of the system for a while. Like they say, it's better to be lucky than talented!

 

[Zion]

I hope they go, the more I stick to the diet, perhaps I should stop thinking of it as a diet and thinking of cake for my bday. Can I ask, why you stopped a low carb diet ?

Yeah it's not a 'diet' it's just a new way of eating . Just keep thinking that you won't have cake this birthday but you will on your next birthday when your at goal...cake will still be there.

I haven't stopped as such, more like a pause lol as I'm going back on it in a month or so. I know it might sound strange but I got sick of eating, especially bacon and eggs. It's hard to do when your not hungry lol Low carb works but I just wanted to change it up a bit and figured this was better than not eating or getting to the point where I give in and have carb convenience foods. Also I don't have much time to make breakfast before work in the morning so having a shake is great. Strange I know as most people do these 'diets' the other way round.

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[Scanbran]

Yeah it's not a 'diet' it's just a new way of eating . Just keep thinking that you won't have cake this birthday but you will on your next birthday when your at goal...cake will still be there.

I haven't stopped as such, more like a pause lol as I'm going back on it in a month or so. I know it might sound strange but I got sick of eating, especially bacon and eggs. It's hard to do when your not hungry lol Low carb works but I just wanted to change it up a bit and figured this was better than not eating or getting to the point where I give in and have carb convenience foods. Also I don't have much time to make breakfast before work in the morning so having a shake is great. Strange I know as most people do these 'diets' the other way round.

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I like this idea - your conscious choice to avoid food for a while to give yourself a break from it while keeping your nutrition complete - sounds like good sense to me.

I'm already planning for my low-carb lifestyle after Exante, and will be collecting more than a few recipe books to mix things up to avoid any monotony.

 

[spf 40]

When I started LL in 2007 or 2008 (lost 7 stone odd) I couldn't stop craving ham and mustard sandwhiches, specifically the cheap 99p ones from tesco or m&s.

That craving stayed with me the whole time on the diet, though i stayed 100% on the diet

Thing was i never really ate those particular sandwhiches before or after the diet.

Now on exante I cant help but fixate on chicken salad!

Its strange how what ur body (or mind?) thinks it wants changes over the years.

 

[spf 40]

Mind you, I had some of the finest chips I had had in my life in Paris recently, along with a croque madame and they certainly feature in my daydreams frequently.

 

[Zion]

I like this idea - your conscious choice to avoid food for a while to give yourself a break from it while keeping your nutrition complete - sounds like good sense to me.

I'm already planning for my low-carb lifestyle after Exante, and will be collecting more than a few recipe books to mix things up to avoid any monotony.

That's great that it makes sense to someone other than me

Planning is definately key, as it's so easy for the monotony to set in. This happened to me because I've been short on time lately and so haven't been able to experiment as much as I used to. Just need to get back on track because there are loads of great low carb recipes out there.

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