Craving for carbs on a low carb diet

[PinkRose]

I am following a very low carb diet and it is going well for me in terms of my control. But recently I've had some intense cravings for carbs unexpectantly. Yesterday I was in a coffee/book shop & instead of just having a coffee I ordered a muffin with it! I just had to have it! Today I felt it again but didn't give in to it. Till now, I've actually shunned carbs with a natural distaste. But it seems my body is somehow rebelling now. Has anyone else experienced this kind of thing before?

[liz32]

are you pmsing? I know that that definately increases my desire for "the bad stuff" haha I think we all fall off the wagon at some point or we just rebel inside.... don't worry too much about it. Just recognize it for what it is and be aware. Our bodies are changing all the time.. sometimes it's a pain to keep up with! ) hope you have a great week!

[princesslinda]

I think at times most of us will have cravings for things we used to enjoy. Like the above poster, I struggle most with this at my "time of month."

[jwags]

I've been low carbing for 4 years + and I still have those cravings for certain things. It happens whenever I walk past the fresh bakery section of the store or if I go into a restaurant and smell french fries. I think what changes is how I deal with those cravings. I don't think they ever go away but I am dealing with them better. For example on Saturday we went out to eat. I was good and ordered the burger without the bun and swapped the fries for roasted veggies. Well, of course my husband ordered the fries so they were sitting within arm's reach and yes I just had to have a few (with ketchup , of course) Just a few raised my morning fasting 20 points. So usually when I am presented with those cravings I think whether it is worth the bg jump. Sometimes it is.

[PinkRose]

It just hit me that it IS close to that time of the month, perhaps a few days early! That will explain the uncharacteristic strong craving! Hormones!! Thanks girls for pointing out the obvious.

I think I agree with you Jwags about allowing an occasional craving to be satisfied rather than blocked. The dark chocolate I had tonight after dinner seemed to really de-stress me. I enjoyed a good belly laugh with the family and I managed it okay with careful bolusing. I didn't go above 200. Let's hope it doesn't rebound during the night

[MCS]

I don't have monthly cycles so this is only a list of carb craving remedies I have amassed for my self and my wife.

- High quality can of pecans, lightly salted, I then add several packets of art sweetner and mix. This one may be to good, I tend to eat the whole can, but no BG effect.

- My next fav might be a little out there for some, but again it works for me. I take cream cheese, sweeten it up with some art sweetner, by smashing as much into it as I can. I then take a spoonful into the palm of my hand and work crusshed pecans or crushed walnuts all around it. Again I eat to much of this.

The next ones take a little preparation

- Almondoodle cookies

- Blackberry Walnut coffee cake

- Carbquick pizza

Hope this helps

[Haniwitch]

Those “monthly” cravings will get you every time. Mine used to be salt. I haven’t used salt for years but once a month I would eat anything I could find that was salty. Thank goodness that’s been over for a year now (Yay Menopause!).

And there should be a law against food smelling so good--especially bread. I have no problem ignoring the loaves of bread that hang around my house because of other family members but the smell of fresh baked bread from the bakery section of the grocery store drives me crazy. Luckily none of my bread eaters bakes their own or I’d never resist.

[jwags]

I am well past menopause so pmsing is not a problem with me either. But I still have carb cravings. I usually let myself have some dark chocolate every day. I think the fat helps negate any splke. I also make a batch of MCS's almondoodle cookies and always have some available to snack on. They usually send my bg down, too. The smell of bread I think is the worst. I put my breadmaker away in the closet. I don't think I could stand smelling that for hours as it baked. I think when I walk past a pizza place it is the smell of bread cooking that signals the carb cravings to start. There is a book called , The end to overeating by Dr. David Kessler. He states in his book there is a chemical connection when we eat carbs and fats and it causes a brain connection that affects the pleasure center of the brain. Once this is established, even the smell will cause the response. It is like any other addiction and you live with it all your life.

[PinkRose]

I am well past menopause so pmsing is not a problem with me either. But I still have carb cravings. I usually let myself have some dark chocolate every day. I think the fat helps negate any splke. I also make a batch of MCS's almondoodle cookies and always have some available to snack on. They usually send my bg down, too. The smell of bread I think is the worst. I put my breadmaker away in the closet. I don't think I could stand smelling that for hours as it baked. I think when I walk past a pizza place it is the smell of bread cooking that signals the carb cravings to start. There is a book called , The end to overeating by Dr. David Kessler. He states in his book there is a chemical connection when we eat carbs and fats and it causes a brain connection that affects the pleasure center of the brain. Once this is established, even the smell will cause the response. It is like any other addiction and you live with it all your life.

Hmmm, yes it is like 'an addiction' but I wouldn't define it as an addiction at all. Just because we're diabetics & can't tolerate high carb foods, it doesn't mean that it is some sinister addiction to want to eat carbs sometimes. Normal folk have their bread, muffins, pizza etc when hungry & don't think twice about eating these foods to satisfy their hunger. The only difference between us & them is that we have a medical condition.

[Patriots62]

That "time of the month" may enhance the craving but we guys get that craving too! It is hard fighting the wants of comfort foods we have had for years before diabetes set in. I fight it all the time! I want nothing more than to tear into a bag of potato chips with globs of gooey dip but alas....I can't. Or to eat a piece of cake at a function with all that delectible frosting on it but alas....I shouldn't. If I as a male have those cravings, I TRULY sympathize with the ladies on their monthly journey. I shiver at the thought of that urge!!!

[ant hill]

I see that Control is the thing for me as long that you don't go high I find the hunger pangs come out to play when you are high. There come a time that have been good to yourself as carbs should be allowed at sometime as someone said there's a sometimes food from Seaseme Street. Then you would feel guilty. Well you have earned it. OK I am a Type 1 and I can bolus for it. Sorry Type 2's. Linda I'm sorry (PrinsessLinda)

Just a thought.

[xMenace]

Are you eating enough food? Cravings can be your body telling you it's hungry. Often I'll shove a spoonful of Coconut Oil in my craw when I'm feeling emptyish.

[rak1978]

My experience so far w/ low carbing in regards to cravings is this.....

1) Hormones are a HUGE factor. I crave specific things at specific times of my cycle.
2) I am (mostly) on a very low carb diet (try to stay under 40 carbs per day). When I am in dietary ketosis, I do not have cravings. If I do, they are not irresistible. When I am not in dietary ketosis, the cravings seem to control me. It takes just the right amount of activity, stress, food (less than 30 carbs per day, I think) , etc... to keep me in ketosis, so I'm hardly ever there. But, when I am, it's a really nice break from the feeling of want .

[samorgan]

I have found it much easier to maintain ketosis when using coconut oil. It is more prone to producing ketones than other fats. I try to get around 2 tbsp every day in various forms such as in my cappuccino, frying eggs in it, etc. I used to slip in and out of ketosis regularly. As you probably know, getting "back in" is much harder than slipping out. With the help of coconut oil (my theory), I have been full-time in ketosis for a long time now. I don't have any unsatisfied cravings at all.

My experience so far w/ low carbing in regards to cravings is this.....

1) Hormones are a HUGE factor. I crave specific things at specific times of my cycle.
2) I am (mostly) on a very low carb diet (try to stay under 40 carbs per day). When I am in dietary ketosis, I do not have cravings. If I do, they are not irresistible. When I am not in dietary ketosis, the cravings seem to control me. It takes just the right amount of activity, stress, food (less than 30 carbs per day, I think) , etc... to keep me in ketosis, so I'm hardly ever there. But, when I am, it's a really nice break from the feeling of want .

[PinkRose]

Are you eating enough food? Cravings can be your body telling you it's hungry. Often I'll shove a spoonful of Coconut Oil in my craw when I'm feeling emptyish.

Yes I was hungry during these recent cravings. Which, with the hormononal factor, really produced a whoppa of a craving! That's the other thing I've found with being on a low carb diet - you can get yourself into a kind of mild starvation mode. With so many foods off limits & the meter dictating eating patterns, I am now on 2 meals a day. Most times I feel comfortable with it but occasionally I do feel like I'm kind of starving. I haven't lost weight though - so I can't really be starting to malnourish.

So what I thought was a craving for cabs may in fact be good old-fashioned hunger & the need to eat something!