Hey community,
Had a question. I started with IF 16:8 AND 1200 calorie plan with working out and also quit drinking since January 2022. Lost good amount of weight. However, I have a sudden sugar tooth. I never user to enjoy desserts before. But I have started craving sugar treats. Is it normal or am I deficient in any nutrients?
STATS- MALE AGE 31 182 CM STARTING WEIGHT 84.5 KG GOAL WEIGHT 69 KG CW 76.5 KG
If some1 could help me with my question, I would mean a lot.
Thanks in advance.
You are going thru normal withdrawals from sugar. Booze has lots of sugar in it so if your body was used to that sugar intake, its pretty natural that you are going to get some of these cravings.
Going “cold turkey” where you give up something completely is not easy, especially given that sugar is highly addictive. I try to give myself a cheat day once per week where I will allow myself a few cocktails, but even then its gin/vodka with diet tonic to reduce the carb/sugar intake.
I also found a keto-friendly ice cream called Rebel that is not bad and when I’m in the mood for a dessert I will have a couple of scoops. Its very low carb/sugar and is a nice treat once a week to answer the cravings.
Not sure if this would help, but I invested in the Ninja Creami. We love ice cream and I also have a sweet tooth, especially to end a meal. I’ve used it to create one-ingredient sorbet. It makes the creamiest sorbet I’ve ever had and the only ingredient is canned fruit. A few spoonfuls kicks my craving. It’s pricey, but it’s awesome.
What are your normal go-to sugar treats? I love chocolate. Dark chocolate has helped and I also like the triple chocolate wafers from ideal protein if there’s a place near you to buy it. I’ve also started replacing my regular mocha mix with my choc protein and it actually tastes BETTER. I can’t think of what you might be deficient in to make you crave sweets…are you hydrated enough??
Your cut might also be a little too extreme. 1,200 calories a day is like a 1,000 calorie deficit from just sedentary before adding any other activity on. Dialing that back a bit may help with cravings.
How are your electrolytes, esp sodium compared to the recommended amounts at r/fasting?
How are sleep and stress? Cortisol triggers sugar cravings.
Cutting liquor can also trigger sugar cravings. Upping protein and sodium can help. Endorphins need to even out over time. Google non-food ways to up serotonin and dopamine, that will help too. It is super common, I think I heard that they often have donuts and cookies at AA meetings.
Started fasting in Dec 2019, and all of a sudden I found myself with a sweet tooth about 6 months in. Honestly, I’m not gonna fight it hahaha. I find it’s not hindering me at all, and I usually try to get a wide to full spectrum of food groups in when I eat anyways. I’d say just keep it balanced 👌🏾