What do you do when you are craving sweets?

So, I just finished two pieces of licorice, because I just ate dinner and was craving something sweet. This is a really long-standing bad habit for me, and I need to break it now. For those of you who can relate, what do you do when you are strongly craving something sweet? What helps it go away? Most of my eating behaviors I can trace to boredom, but this one stands alone in both its origins and my difficulty fighting it. Any advice would be very welcomed, Lori

I will eat a healthy choice fudge bar. Soooo delicious. Otherwise, if the craving is too strong, I'll buy some sugar-free chocolate and eat one or two pieces, really, really slowly, savoring each bite and making it last. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I am one of these people who dump easily on sweets. Was type 2 diabetic before surgery. Good luck Lori, that craving can be intense. Let me know what your solution is when you find it. Ben

Thanks Ben, I haven't come across healthy choice yet, I'll keep looking. Maybe I can replace my sugar craving with a craving to go out and chop some firewood--not likely, haha, but it's worth a try. I wish I liked those pseudo-chocolate protein bars, but they all taste like chalk to me. Lori

Dont know if you might like this or not but it helps me, slice a banana into little rounds and sprinkle cinnamon and sometimes a packet of splenda on them, kinda like having cookies. Hope this helps

Amy, Banana, hmmmm, that's a good idea. I have absolutely no imagination when it comes to food. It is probably one of the many factors that got me into trouble in the first place. Keep those ideas coming, because obviously I am not too capable in this area. Lori

Lori- I know it sounds funny, but I do 2 things. I always have s/f jello on hand that helps, but if it is really bad, then I pop in a piece of s/f gum. I have never swallowed gum so I don't see a problem with chewing it. It helps so much, it gets my mind off of things, gives me that sweet shot I need and since I am chewing it for awhile, it stops the grazing tendency. I hope this helps. I do have to try the bananas though too. Keep on keepin on girl!! Jeanna

Hi Lori! I thought I was the only one that fought this! I dunno..if I eat something salty I want the sweet if I eat something sweet I want the salt! urghhhh... But to help with the sweet craving I have a SF ice cream pop and it helps! I am not sure if you have Blue Bunny Ice cream in Canada but it is a great great brand alot of SF in both ice creams and in the differnt ice cream pops they have! I will be posting some tasty recipes this week that can help too! ((hugs)) Nancy

Here's what I do... I eat something sweet. I don't eat sweets all the time and I don't dump when I do eat them. Before my surgery I ate them twice a day and didn't know when to stop. That's how I was with everything. In all my days of dieting I wished I could find something that didn't stop me from eating the things I loved but still help me lose weight. I never could find that because I had no control. Now since the surgery I do have control because I have to. Control also in the sense that when I want a piece of pie or cake, I have it. I just don't have 3 pieces and then munch on it all week.

If I find myself craving something I first drink some water to see if that will help. I find a lot of times Im actucally thirsty instead of being hungry... or its just head hunger. For sweet stuff I love Luna Bars - the Dulce Du Leche is like a DESSERT... sooo yummy!!! I find sometimes fruit helps... or I will eat a viactive choco mint calcium chew since those taste just like candy to me! I know for most popcorn is a nono but sometimes I will pop a 100 calorie bag of the Kettle Corn because then you get sweet, salt and crunch (the best combo around!).

Thanks everyone. I have some ammunition in the battle now. I certainly know about the water thing, but doing it...well that's an entirely different story. We have popsicle brand sugar free fudgsicles here, they are pretty good. I'll keep my eyes open for those new recipes Nancy. I did make a SF lemon meringue pie a couple of weeks back. I managed to eat one slice a day for about three days. Beats the heck out of my pre-surgery binge behavior. Anyways, thanks to everyone for their great advice. Lori 291-186-140