I think I’ve finally overcome my food cravings on a sustainable basis. The other day, I was in an office meeting and after the meeting got over somewhat late in the afternoon, I mentioned that I had forgotten to eat lunch and was hungry.
A colleague who overheard me asked as to why I had let myself go hungry when there was plenty of food (sandwiches, chips, cookies, brownies, juice etc) provided right in the middle of the large conference room table where the meeting was held. It was at that moment I realized that while I had probably seen the above items on the table, they never registered on my mind as “food”!
At that moment, I realized that it was for the first time that I had no internal struggle between what I wanted to eat and what I should eat. It is such a relief to not have to fight food cravings like I previously had to. Makes taking care of myself so much easier.
Curious to know if anyone else has experienced the same?
I fight this multiple times daily. When first diagnosed I was so good about saying no to foods that I knew I shouldn’t have. Its gone downhill since. I would really love to get back to that frame of mind where I could say no to anything that anyone offered me. It would go a long way to keeping my sugars under control, that’s for sure!
Thanks. But to be honest, it was fairly easy though gradual. What I mean is that as I slowly started reducing carbs from my meals, my body, at a physiological and psychological level somehow adjusted so that the same foods that I would crave previously (e.g. the chinese take out - fried rice, spring rolls, pot stickers and all!) do not appeal to me.
Maybe our bodies, after a while gets accustomed to whatever we feed it - the more we eat of something, the more we want to eat it I suppose.
BTW on another thread here (Type 2 Diabetes) I am surveying people to see what they eat during the day and once I have 30 or so responses, will post my findings…currently only 13 responses
Thanks. I looked at your profile which indicates that you have type 1 and use an insulin pump.
Interestingly, I was speaking with a person in my office who also has Type 1 (btw I wonder if anyone has noticed that many type 1 diabetics tend to be on the leaner side or rather not overweight…this is another thing that intrigues me…so I need to do more research and observation on this)…anyways…back to what I was saying…I asked him if having an insulin pump actually made him less disciplined in his eating since he could just crank the pump up after a carb-rich meal. He said the honest answer was Yes in his case.
Also he mentioned that it was harder to eat correctly since he was the sole diabetic in the family and the rest (wife, kids) would be eating junk all the time so he ended up eating some too. Seems like the social aspects of food in our culture and family/peer group dynamics also play a major part in BG control.
yes, as a diabetic for 34 years I know that yest one does get over the food cravings. My first doctor, a regular jerk, told me something that has always stuck with me. He said, look at first you will want things you should not have, and you will eat them. But overtime you will get sick and tired of being sick and tired. When you get that way you will give up the nonsense of the food you crave. Well that was before pump technology but you know, he was right. After a few years, I got sick and tired of being sick and tired. When I did, I stopped craving them.
I completely agree 100%. My eating did a total 180 after I was put on the pump. And I am also the only diabetic in the family, so its hard to watch all the bad eating go on around me and not want to participate. I have since gone off the pump and getting back into a different frame of mind has been difficult. Basically I just need to work on my self control and not be such a baby about the fact that I really shouldn’t be having that root beer float.
Isn’t it so funny how this happens. I was a complete chocaholic, used it all the time for lows, knew I had to stop. So, I did, now it doesn’t even occur to me anymore, great.
Lisa I am so with you for the first 2 or 3 years after my diagnosis I was so good at saying no to foods, but since then ( I have been diabetic a little over 12 years total) I have totally slacked on it. I have no self control, I have to really be mindful and fight to say no to bad foods and eat only what I should. It is a moment to moment battle!
Hi Josephine,
I’m newly diagnosed and struggling so much with the chocolate thing. I just don’t want to give it up. So of course I can’t! Are you saying that you just stopped eating chocolate because you realized you had to? And now you don’t even crave it or think about it?
I can’t imagine not having it!
Was it hard for a while after you first stopped? How long did it take for the craving to go away?
I LOVE chocolate. And I still indulge in small portions (and sometimes BIG portions, which is REALLY bad). But my solution for chocolate cravings is PLAIN yogurt (not vanilla) with pure cocoa and splenda.
I buy high quality cocoa and this actually tastes like chocolate pudding (almost). I have grown to LOVE this! I think that I will go make some now. The carbs is basically what is in the yogurt (6-10g per cup) plus 1-2g for cocoa and splenda. A good snack!
The transition to low carb has been easy for me. When I eat foods that I need to avoid they either dont taste good or they make me feel awful. The same goes with overeating.
Interesting note - I am a very thin Type I. Trying to gain weight right now.
