Serious Cravings
When I got home from work this afternoon, all I could think about was peanut butter + chocolate. I would have killed for a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup!
I knew there was peanut butter + chocolate in the house, but instead of indulging right away, I tried to distract my craving with a healthy snack.
There was leftover spaghetti squash + pesto + artichoke in the fridge, so I added it to a bed of Romaine lettuce for some added volume, and hoped it would fill me up and take my mind off Reese’s!
I waited a good 15 minutes after eating, but my makeshift salad did not do the trick! 
So, I broke out the chocolate, dipped it straight into the peanut butter jar, and enjoyed myself. Sometimes, you just gotta give in!
Dinner
When Mal got home from work, we took Murphy for an hour walk around the neighborhood. On our travels, I popped into the grocery store for some dinner “supplies.”
When we returned home, Mal and I shared half of a bottle of POM juice while cooking dinner. Delish!
For dinner, we threw together a veggie pizza with peppers, mushrooms, and onions on top.
We made a GOOD pizza tonight! I actually ate a second piece a little while later (not pictured).
I think dessert might be more chocolate + peanut butter! 
Which brings me to a guest post about cravings…
Controlling Cravings Cleverly
There’s nothing worse than being punished with a body that tends to put on weight if you so much as smell something fatty and with a tongue that is tempted to gobble up any food that tickles your taste buds. It’s a double whammy, one that is hard to manage even in the best of circumstances. You can either battle your bulge or try to keep temptation down, but doing both at the same time is asking a lot of anyone. If you’re like me, if you have a perennial weight problem and love to eat, here’s how you can control your cravings in clever ways:
Analyze why you crave: Some food cravings are related to other problems; for instance, when you’re sad or depressed, you tend to turn to food for comfort. Or you may be overeating to compensate for the lack of something else in your life. Once you figure out why you eat what you shouldn’t, it’s easier to control your cravings. If you’re down in the dumps, find ways to pull yourself out that do not involve eating. Once you are aware of why you eat, it’s easier to control yourself.
Work out: The best way to metaphorically have your cake and eat it too is to work out. I play a sport because it’s something I love and that means I will stick to it instead of giving up when the going gets tough or monotonous. Adopt a sensible workout routine, one you will do every day, and get started on the right route to weight loss. Giving in to your cravings once in a while will not matter so much as long as you know you can burn those calories off at your next workout session. Besides, when you feel yourself becoming slimmer and looking better, you don’t feel the need to eat so much.
Eat breakfast: There’s no easier way to slim down than to eat a healthy breakfast, one that does not include too much sugar and fat. Make it a point to put some fiber, protein and carbohydrates in your stomach every morning and watch your metabolism grow and yourself become slimmer.
Don’t deprive yourself: The more you try to control your cravings, the more intense they become. So instead of consciously trying to avoid giving in, eat what your heart desires once in a while so that you don’t end up binging when the craving gets too much to bear. Also, if you’re afraid of overeating, share desserts and other favorite food items so that you limit your calories and get enough of the taste.
Keep food out of reach: This works pretty well for me – I don’t buy unhealthy snacks when I visit the supermarket because I don’t want to be tempted to eat them when I feel down or hungry. I also make it a point to hide the numbers of fast food joints so that I’m not tempted to call and order a pizza or two when the cravings strike. Instead, I turn to another of my passions, like reading or catching up with friends. When you keep temptation out of reach and replace it with another hobby or passion, it’s easy to control yourself.
This article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of nurse practitioner schools. Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: adrienne.carlson1@gmail.com
What’s your best tip for controlling cravings?
Tags: Controlling Cravings
Laura @ Finding A Healthy Balance...after a 100+ POUND weight loss! — October 27, 2009 @ 8:27 pm
I am totally addicted to “homemade” pizza’s now and even though I love BBQ pizza from the place down the street that uses a cornmeal crust, red onions and gouda cheese I usually go the homemade route as it is Healthier & Cheaper!
P.S. Great Tips!!! =)
Sarah @ The Foodie Diaries — October 27, 2009 @ 8:32 pm
Your craving was perfectly timely! Good job on following Adrienne’s advice regarding deprivation–and allowing yourself a delicious PB & choc treat. I have WAY too many reese’s in my house right now. The bag was supposed to remain unopened til Halloween but…..
Joelle (The Pancake Girl) — October 27, 2009 @ 8:32 pm
Chocolate and pb are my absolute fav.. I used to be obsessed with pb M&Ms, but I’ve since learned that sometimes it actually tastes better to have some good, real chocolate and mix it with pb, instead of buying a bag of candy. Hmm, maybe that’s what I should have for dessert too..
Runeatrepeat — October 27, 2009 @ 8:33 pm
I have been planning pizza into my dinner plans every week. It’s a food I love, so why not enjoy it!
Devon — October 27, 2009 @ 8:34 pm
If you like chocolate and peanut butter you should try a spoonful of Coconut Bliss Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream (vegan and gluten free). One spoonful is intensely satisfying!
Meredith (Pursuing Balance) — October 27, 2009 @ 8:35 pm
Chocolate and peanut butter = the best combo!
Food Makes Fun Fuel — October 27, 2009 @ 8:35 pm
I just put some peanut butter chips and chocolate chips on top of yogurt and nothing could have tasted better
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is — October 27, 2009 @ 8:39 pm
I love naturally more! Your tips are fabulous.
Julie @savvyeats — October 27, 2009 @ 8:43 pm
What a great guest post. Love it!
MelissaNibbles — October 27, 2009 @ 8:46 pm
I’ve learned to control my cravings by making healthy recipes for the goodies I crave. I’ve come up with tons of lowfat alternatives for cakes, cookies, nachos, and other things I like. At this point, I crave the healthier recipes over the not so healthy originals.
Jenna — October 27, 2009 @ 8:52 pm
What a great way to get in a ‘healthier’ reese’s!
I find that if I don’t treat myself to a small portion of what I crave I get so distracted and can only think about what I am craving. I like to listen to my body, so if I am craving something, I usually will have a bite or two and be satisfied.
Have a great evening!
Estela @ Weekly Bite — October 27, 2009 @ 8:54 pm
PB & chocolate is the best! Every females craving!!
Great advice on controlling cravings!
maria — October 27, 2009 @ 8:57 pm
I always drink water first to make sure I am really hungry. If I am still craving something, I go ahead and indulge. I just make sure I don’t over do it and enjoy it! It’s all about balance! I also don’t over indulge, it is ok once in awhile.
jessica — October 27, 2009 @ 9:00 pm
This looks eerily like you chocolate pumpkin loaf: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=2635 (this was just added!)
Anne Marie@New Weigh of Life — October 27, 2009 @ 9:05 pm
I love this post and all of the tips. My tips include makin healthy version of the goodies that I crave, and if that’s not an option, I go ahead and indulge, but I be careful not to over do it.
Whitney @ Lettuce Love — October 27, 2009 @ 9:07 pm
I need to try spaghetti squash and artichoke! Amazing
Melissa (Melissa Likes To Eat) — October 27, 2009 @ 9:07 pm
Chocolate and peanut butter are two of my biggest weaknesses (another would be wine). If I’m REALLY craving something, I’ll just have it…otherwise you try to satisfy it with other things which never seem to work and eventually you’ll just eat the real deal anyway. You probably save a lot of calories just having a little of the something you crave instead of other junk that doesn’t do the trick.
Stephanie — October 27, 2009 @ 9:15 pm
My motto with cravings is to indulge them, in moderation! If you want a certain treat, having a few bites will satisfy you mentally and your body physically… and you will avoid overeating a bunch of other stuff to try to squash that craving in the long run
Aggie — October 27, 2009 @ 9:35 pm
I had a serious craving this afternoon for some choc and pb…but I gave in yesterday, a little too much so today I reminded myself of that and grabbed a nice honeycrisp apple. It actually worked. Though sadly…I missed my choc and PB! Must. Stop. Thinking. About. Choc and PB. Now.
Madeline @ Greens and Jeans — October 27, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
I find that it’s better to just eat when I’m craving because I will just eat lots of random stuff in order to not eat what I’m craving! In the long run, it’s probably better for me to just indulge the craving in the first place. Peanut butter is my biggest downfall, so I try to sneak it in to a meal or a snack every day so I can eat it without feeling guilty! Otherwise I’ll end up with a spoon and the jar standing in front of the fridge…
Kel — October 27, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
I find if I work a little of my favorite “treats” or craving foods into my daily eating plan, the cravings are satisfied. Banana oatmeal with peanut butter and some mini chocolate chips is a divine way to start the day; a single serving of blue corn tortilla chips with chicken, lettuce, black beans and tomatoes and a smattering of melted cheese satisfies the nacho urge. Additionally, the more nutritionally balanced my food choices, the less cravings I have. I use http://www.nutrimirror.com to log my food and track my vitamin intake every day.
kelly — October 27, 2009 @ 9:47 pm
Great post!
Jenna — October 27, 2009 @ 9:51 pm
chocolate and naturally more
sometimes you just give in and there is nothing wrong with that!
jenna
dorothy — October 27, 2009 @ 10:24 pm
spaghetti squash! fall favorite
do you refridgerate your NM pb? mine is soo rock solid right out of hte fridge
Michele — October 27, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
I have dipped chocolate in peanut butter more times that I will ever admit!
Lynn (The Actors Diet) — October 27, 2009 @ 10:32 pm
i give myself a small portion of whatever i’m craving, then i shove a large lollipop in my mouth
Kim — October 27, 2009 @ 10:33 pm
I just got married this year and it’s definitely helped! Instead of getting a dessert all my own, we share one. I still get a delicious treat, but in a smaller form. Perfect!
Lizzy — October 27, 2009 @ 11:05 pm
i love making pizza’s at home espeically when you can load it with a ton of veggies!
I’m loving this guest post. I am someone who caves into their cravings in full force and its great to know i’m not that only one. these strategies are going to be so helpful!
maria — October 27, 2009 @ 11:07 pm
I practice the last one a lot… and if we do have some tempting treats I put them out of my reach, so I have to really want to work to eat it.
One of the few benefits of being short. But I do think sometimes it is better to give in to your craving, rather than fight it and end up consuming more calories than you would have if you would have just ate what you were wanting to begin with!
ellen eats beets — October 27, 2009 @ 11:31 pm
Most of the time I try and put off the craving for a bit, but if I’m still feeling it, I give in. I know myself, and holding out just leads to overconsumption of the said craving.
Jenn — October 27, 2009 @ 11:41 pm
All you bloggers (and readers!) looooove PB it seems, I feel like the only hater of the stuff. Yuck!
Felicia (Bites of the Apple) — October 27, 2009 @ 11:51 pm
I have definitely been craving chocolate recently! We have these hershey kisses with macadamia nuts at work. OMG. Delicious and from Hawaii – so exotic.
They are the perfect size for a small indulgence. I wait until I know that I really want it, and then I grab one.
Otherwise, when I am craving something, I 1) figure out if I am actually craving it (sometimes the smell of a delicious treat convinces me that I really want it), 2) drink some water to see if the feeling goes away (or chew gum) and 3) have at it if the craving is still there! I’m with a lot of the other commenters on this one – everything in moderation.
Leianna — October 28, 2009 @ 12:19 am
I most of the time give into them, but they not all the time. I run alot so deserve those treats!
Diana — October 28, 2009 @ 3:00 am
Well, I give into them with moderation. When I feel I shouldn’t give into them I usually just have a glass of water and try to do something else to forget about the craving. Sometimes it works, other times not so much
Tina — October 28, 2009 @ 4:54 am
@dorothy: No, I don’t refrigerate my PB.
Rajitha — October 28, 2009 @ 8:06 am
When cravings hit…i usually try to be rational about it…but usually there is nothing rational about a craving
. I then try to drink a flavored tea..but if that does not do the trick…i give in and then depending on the portion…compensate on the evening meal.
Sarah — October 28, 2009 @ 8:21 am
Those are some awesome tips! I definitely try to analyze the situation first and make sure it’s not just emotional and I’m not dehydrated. Then I will give into my craving once in a while because honestly, even my crazy “cravings” are for generally healthy foods
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iAwaaz-News-by-People — March 24, 2010 @ 12:01 am
Serious Cravings ? Carrots ?N? Cake…
Thank you for submitting this cool story – Trackback from iAwaaz-News-by-People…