We have leaves! Glorious leaves on the trees! Whee! 
The trees have had little leaf buds for a couple of weeks now, but now we have the real thing! (I get excited about the strangest things! Isn’t Harvard Yard gorgeous?! I’m lucky to work in such a beautiful (and fun) place!
Lunch
Maybe it’s me, but sometimes, when I’m hungry, I’m not in the mood for a “traditional” meal. I much rather have a bowl of cereal, a smoothie, a cookie as big as my head, etc. Obviously, it’s not a “balanced” meal–I’m just giving into my cravings, but there’s nothing wrong with that, right? Well, of course, as long as you don’t give in too often. If I did, I’d be living off cake (with lots of frosting)! 
Today’s lunch was a homemade salad with leftover roasted veggies and a few pieces of broccoli from last night’s egg white scramble. I probably wasn’t in the mood for this meal because I was totally burnt-out on this food/flavor combination. Let’s just say on day #3, roasted veggies weren’t “wowing” me anymore!
I ate about 1/2 of my salad before giving up and eating what I was craving: “Skinny” Oatmeal Raisin Bar! 
In last night’s batch, I further reduced the brown sugar to 1/3 cup and substituted 1 tbsp of molasses, which made the bars moister than my original batch.
After finishing my Oatmeal Raisin Bar, I was still craving sweet carbs in a bad way. I probably ate my Oatmeal Raisin Bar a little too fast, so instead of diving into the rest of my lunch, I decided to “wait-it-out.” I ate lunch at my desk today, so distracting myself from my craving wasn’t a problem. I had plenty of work to do!
After delaying my craving for 30-40 minutes, I still wanted something sweet and carby. Instead of eating something from my lunch (fruit and yogurt) that I didn’t really want, I embraced my craving and made Cookie Friday a day early! (I packed-up my fruit and yogurt for tomorrow, so expect a repeat showing!)
At the Café Gato Rojo, I ordered a pot of lemon-ginger tea and an oatmeal raisin cookie. I’m enjoying my tea and cookie while I blog, and they are totally hitting the spot! Exactly what I wanted! How do you deal with cravings?
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{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
I might be late on this but I just noticed your “feel great weight” link on your sidebar and just read the article! It’s a great one!
You are so lucky to work somewhere so pretty!
beautiful weather and trees! it’s starting to get nice and green here, too
cravings are so strange sometimes! There are times when all I want is a big bowl of oatmeal or a salad, and then others when all I can think about is cookies and ice cream. I think our bodies naturally balance out with cravings if we’re typically eating pretty balanced, so cravings are things we should honor and enjoy.
i usually try and take a little walk and then see if my craving is still there. if it is or i am not in a position to go out for a little stroll, i’ll have a little taste of what i’m craving, set it aside and wait. more than half the time my craving is satisfied with a little taste, the other half of the time i give in (leaving me no worse off than if i ate the whole thing from the start). however, it is good to give in every once and a while. i usually give myself about 150-200 “wiggle” calories a day that i can spend on whatever i want. that seems to have helped keep me at a “feel great weight” and banish those uncontrollable cravings where you feel like you have to eat the whole bag/cookie/pint/etc. to feel satisfied.
Could not agree more! Today I was craving a naughty starbucks beverage and gave in! Tasted sooooo good
I was so excited to see that everything is almost completely green here! I love summer time so much!
Aren’t cravings weird? I typically never want or crave sweets, but when i do the feeling is strong I always give in, granted it’s maybe every other month or something so I don’t feel bad about it.
beautiful scenery, you have there!! Sometimes you definitely have to give into those cravings….
It’s sure beautiful there…
Still learning to deal with cravings without eating EVERYTHING when I give in to one!
i do the exact same thing! i try to hold off but if it is something i am thinking about and REALLY want, i know that eating other foods will not take that craving away, so i just give in to it and most of all, ENJOY it!!! looks like you are enjoying that cookie
I’m so beyond excited the leaves are finally on the trees! IT freaked me out a bit when it was warm but the trees were naked!
I think it’s important to eat what we’re craving. Often times I will make myself eat a “balanced meal”, but I won’t be satisfied so I will STILL end up eating whatever I was craving. This often leaves me uncomfortably full :-/ Hooray for cookie Thursday and eating what you wanted most!!
If I don’t control the sugar monster, he controls me. I try to “fruit” my way through most sugar cravings and save the real deal for treats. When I decide to have something with processed sugar in it, I tell myself in advance that I will have to fight through the cravings that will come later. That helps me decide if whatever it is really worth it. Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t.
boston looks gorgeous!
Boston/Cambridge is soooo pretty when everything turns green. I need to learn to give into my cravings. Sometimes I end up trying to hard to hold out, I just end up eating other things that don’t satisfy me, and leave me feeling full and gross
way to embrace your cravings!
Tina I admire your ability to control your cravings! I agree that it’s important to listen to what your body wants, even if it’s a cookie, but that is so much easier said than done sometimes. There are days that I know if I start with one cookie it will turn into 3 (or 4.. or 5) and I’m still learning how to deal with that. Any advice??
How did you deal with your cravings while you were trying to lose weight, Tina? Did you allow yourself to follow them and indulge every so often? Or did you try to refrain from following them??
I love the feeling of being on a college campus! And the ones in the northeast are certainly amazing. I work at a really pretty place too so I know how you feel about being grateful you don’t have to spend your days in some yucky industrial park or something
@katie s: Yes, absolutely! Not sure if you’ve seen this page on my blog: http://carrotsncake.com/weight-loss, but it explains my thinking on the subject. As you know, I loooovveeee sweets… and wine… and nachos, and I knew when I was trying to lose weight that giving up these delicious foods would make me miserable. I still treat myself to goodies (just about everyday), but in small portions (200 calories or so). I think this small indulgence makes a big difference in how I view food– nothing is “off limits” to me.
Overall I dig into my cravings- and try for moderation. Life is too short not to.
My issue directly isn’t cravings, but just eating more than I should. I’m sooo good when I’m at work – I pack my lunch, plan everything out, and I’m usually on target…until I get home. Then it turns into “the wonderful world of my refrigerator” and even though I have a plan, I go over in calories. Eating an extra 300 calories over my diet has resulted in a lack of positive results on the scale.
So this is what I’ve done. This may sound silly but I created a “Leah, are you REALLY hungry?” list that contains 10 questions to ask myself before eating at home or out, ranging from what my caloric “allowance” for the day is, if I’ve had enough fruits/veggies/protein that day, how hungry I am on a scale from 1-10, and so on.
Hopefully this trick will help me lose those last 15 pounds!
Love your mindset, Tina! Swapping cookie Friday for today sounds like the perfect solution to me! I usually try to fight off cravings with some tea, but that doesn’t work 9 times out of 10. I really prefer to save my splurges for after dinner (I’m not really sure why, I just dislike going into dinner feeling like I have not much “left” in my calorie allowance for the day), so I will do my best to portion out a treat after dinner and SAVOR it so I’m satisfied! Gorgeous views!!
Hi Tina!
im an avid reader of ur blog and have been reading for several months now.
ur way of living is really inspirational and admirable and im actually writing now b/c i got into harvard and will be arriving for my freshman year in late august.
i would love to drop by ur office and say hello sometime.
would u mind sharing with me where ur office is located on campus??? . . . promise im not some crazy stalker ;D
If I’m craving something I think is unhealthy, I will try to analyze what it is about the unhealthy thing that I’m craving and whether or not a healthy substitute would satisfy me. For example, if I’m craving ice cream, I often want something creamy, so some Fage with honey fits the bill. If I can’t think of a good substitute, then I will usually give myself some time to wait it out, and if the craving doesn’t go away, I have a small bit of whatever it is (there is no good substitute for chocolate!)
Boston looks gorgeous! I have always wanted to visit and even contemplated moving there to go to school.
I agree with giving into cravings once in awhile- it’s completely necessary! Deprivation only leads to unhappiness. Life is all about balance.
I’m lucky, because I tend to crave foods that are (in moderation) pretty healthy. I think my all-time *favorite* (and most common) craving is for a toasted whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter. Something about the chewiness of the muffin, with warm, melty peanut butter, is so satisfying! I tend to always give into this craving, because I think it’s my body’s way of telling me I need some protein/carbs.
harvard is so beautiful!! when i’m RAVENOUS i crave CHOCOLATE CARBS like poptarts and warm melty gooey cookies haha. i’m not one of those ppl who craves carrots when im starving lol.. but when i don’t restrict and am mindful of my eating i usually do crave things like fruits and veggies..
btw i’m going to Border Cafe to celebrate the end of finals this weekend with my roommates before they fly home.. it reminds me of you!!
I am so happy that everything is starting to bloom – it makes me smile! When I’m craving things, I usually just give in. Luckily I don’t crave “bad” foods very often, most of the time it’s something like hummus and veggies.
I am trying to find a balance to listen to my cravings because denying them just makes them stronger!
If my husband wasn’t so stuffy I would almost certainly order only dessert anytime I went out for dinner.
I think it’s great that you had the control to wait 30-40 minutes! haha I wouldn’t be able to
I love the cute little teapot! What a great place.
With cravings, sometimes I give in right away and sometimes I wait for a while to see if it goes away. Usually it doesn’t
It is so good to see such a healthy attitude towards cravings and how to deal with them. I definitely agree with waiting for a bit to see if it goes away, but if it doesn’t – go ahead and satisfy it. In the long run, I think this will help the cravings stay to a minimum and it is respecting your body!
i’m glad you listened to your body and gave in to your craving!
Hey Tina I just found your blog and I love it! I interned at Children’s Hospital Boston last year and used to eat lunch on the Harvard Medical lawn all the time- so beautiful and great for people watching!
I usually drink water or chew gum if I think the craving will pass. Sometimes you just gotta give in though- that cookie looks worth it!
It looks gorgeous there! I want some of that yummy oatmeal raisin bar!
My biggest craving is chips and salsa. I compromise by making my own very healthy salsa. Grabbing a few salty chips and loading them with the fresh veggie salsa usually fills me pretty quickly, and gives me a serving of veg for the day. If its a craving in the middle of the work day I usually drink a big water- 12- 16 ounces and wait awhile. A lot of times I am just tired or really thirsty and the craving passes. If not, its downstairs for some chocolate!
Beautiful pics of Harvard Yard. I love springtime.
My biggest craving is for chocolate and cookies. I can usually get beyond the cravings by having a small square of dark chocolate. But sometimes I end up eating a big cookie or sugary treat…just can’t resist.
I am the same way. Yesterday on a walk I noticed some pretty pink flower petals that laid so perfectly on the sidewalk and had a stop for a second just to enjoy the picture.
Do you mind if I ask you what you do at Harvard? I’m not sure if you’ve mentioned it before.
Also, your morning routine post is great. I definitley have a very regimed morning routine that I follow and can’t imagine a day different. What kind of workout do you usually do at the gym? DO you take classes that early? Just curious.
Take care!
@Lauren: I work for the Dean of Harvard College. As for my workouts, I usually take a class at Healthworks in the morning. Sometimes I will just run or elliptical– it depends on the morning.
I think it’s better to eat exactly what you’re craving because chances are, you’ll still be craving after trying to substitute something else. It’s just wise to do it in moderation (i.e. eat one cookie like you did, not 5).
I agree with what a lot of others are saying about cravings. I just give in sometimes even though I’m still trying to learn to deal with them. I tend to make myself feel bad, but I then have to remind myself that it’s okay to have a cookie every once in a while. That’s part of living a balanced eating lifestyle. Usually Wednesday’s are carrot cake day for us. I decided to not have it but yesterday I really wanted it so my husband surprised me with a piece. I ate the whole thing. It was soooo worth it.
As long as you don’t do it to often, I think it’s best just to give in to a craving! If the craving happens every day though, it might be becoming a habit, and that’s when you need to use a little more will power…
Cravings are definitely hard. I’m with Leah, I don’t have a problem so much with the craving, but eating way too much of it. I’m really trying to learn moderation and have actually thought about putting something on my fridge to encourage me to eat healthier when I’m craving something not so healthy.
Something I find is that it really works to have a balanced diet of wholesome, natural foods. I’m getting away from buying granola bars or Fibre One bars, or All Bran bars, for a snack. I’ll bring fruit for a snack at work and then when I want to root through the cupboards for something, it’s usually healthy stuff.
Though I fall off this thinking when my husband comes home with a bag of the “good” chips or something. I’ll buy something healthier and then he comes home with something not so healthy. It’s good to have a little wiggle room for times like that.
haha trust me- as a fellow new englander, buds on the trees ARE something to get excited about. lunch looks delicious!