Can't stay strict Primal for more than 2 weeks? page

[Theresa92]

Im looking for advice on how to tweak my diet/deal with cravings. I used to never have sugar cravings. In fact, I always craved salty things like chips. Ever since I've been eating more Primal(since May), my cravings have completely changed. I can walk right past the chips and not even think twice about them... Instead, ever since going Primal I crave fruit really badly. The thing is that I try NOT to have it because if I have it, then I want more and more.

I've known about the Primal diet since May of this year. Lately I have been trying to get more serious with it by educating myself about it, experimenting with different foods, etc. The thing that I haven't been able to do yet though is stay strict primal for more than two weeks.. By strict Primal I mean no dairy, no nuts, and limited fruit(couple times a week instead of everyday). I do pretty well with the no nuts, and I'm okay with the no dairy(I do miss cheese but not milk). I have a real problem with limiting the amount of fruit, though.

For example, these past two weeks I've done pretty well with the no nuts and no dairy. There were days where I would have several servings of fruit, but nonetheless I was strict primal for 2 weeks. Then tonight I messed up. It started with a handful of raisins, then I let myself have some chocolate, and then it spiraled out of control. It ended with 2 slices of pizza. Its always like this. I do so well for 2 weeks and then I eat something that is not primal. And I don't just stop at one non primal food. I eat several.

I guess I am partly ranting about my frustration with myself. I am also however genuinely asking this community for any advice about how to control cravings. Its been a pattern that I do so well with minimal cravings for 2 weeks, and then all of a sudden at the 2 week mark I have these huge cravings for sugar. Any type of sugar. Doesn't matter if it's fruit or chocolate or cotton candy. Do others on this forum have issues like this? Where you do well for 2 weeks and then mess it all up? Does some chocolate and pizza really mess up two weeks of hard work?

A little about me: I'm 19, female, 5'1, 135-140 lbs. Would really really like to lose a bit of body fat. Maybe 10 pounds of total weight. I live with non Primal people, so it's very hard sometimes. I do cook all my meals myself, though. If anyone has any advice, I would truly appreciate it. Do cravings signify that I'm not getting enough carbs in my diet? Or are cravings just a natural by product of being the only primal person in a non primal house?

[anova01]

I have been trying to kick my sugar cravings for the past two weeks, because I have also felt like that was a major weak point. I am not sure with what it means nutritionally but I know that sugar is addictive so I've been looking into ways to not indulge. So far, two things that have worked for me this past week have been to a) go for a walk after dinner because exercise, like sugar, increases serotonin production and b) take a bath, I added some essential oil drops to make it fragrant and relaxed. Drink a cup of fragrant herbal tea. I have found distraction to work. However, I'm still struggling with cravings so I will gladly hear what other people recommend.

Also - half of a peeled bananam frozen in some foil, can be eaten with a spoon and is a better way to deal with ice cream/frozen yogurt cravings.

[Hedonist2]

Binging on fruit isn't terrible. I personally have some banana or plantain every day. (But I have been doing primal for 2.5 years.)

Pizza won't ruin 2 weeks of work but fruit, potatoes or white rice is better IF you are going to binge.

[Forgotmylastusername]

You're fighting a losing battle trying to give up all sugar. We have a sweet tooth for a reason. I can't make it 2 days without wanting something sweet. Try grapefruits or apples, they're kind of hard to overeat compared to most fruits

[Silky]

A lot of women find that they need more carbs than men to stay healthy.
Many also find they need more carbs the week or two before their period. I make a conscious effort to have more sweet potato, white rice and fruit the week before my period before I really crave it. Otherwise if find myself over indulging.

You don't say how many carbs you are aiming for each day. But it could be that you are just too low for your body's needs.

[hulahoop]

I wonder if you're getting enough fat / protein in your diet as this is the stuff that stops me bingeing.

[emmie]

I disagree with the 'losing battle' thinking because my experience has been that the only way to deal with 'cravings' is total abstinence. For example, I have a world-class sweet tooth, but the sweet taste of anything--artificial sweeteners to fruit--is a trigger for me for overeating in general and going for the 'bad stuff.' However, by avoiding anything with a sweet taste, I never experience cravings [for sweets] and can actually sit at a meal where everyone has dessert and not feel the least tempted or deprived. But one taste starts the rollercoaster.

Mark advises learning our 'triggers' and avoiding them, and that's what I try to do. Am I 100%? No, but I'd say 90-95%, and that works for me.

[sandstone]

If you eat fruit try adding some fat to it i.e. chopped bananas with coconut milk, fried apple rings in butter. The fat slows the absorption rate and stops that sugar kick. (there was a time I would have laughed at the very thought of eating either of these)

Alternatively eat fruit after your workout when your muscles need some carbs to replenish glycogen.

Incidentally are you off fruit for a reason? As I see it both fruit and nuts are pretty primal/ paleo. I understand they may not be optimal for weight loss but as long as you are moving in the right direction I wouldn't get too hung up it. Primal is a diet for life after all.

[Barefoot Gentile]

So fruit is not primal? I love fruit, i eat it all the time. This primal stuff is really confusing.

[Msilver]

Is the fruit eating stalling your weight loss? If not don't worry about it, that's what the 80/20 rule is for.

Also, if you crave fruit, eat high fiber fruit like an apple or just choose lower GI fruits like berries.

Sometimes when I crave something sweet, I'll eat blueberries and coconut flakes with almond milk. It's sweet plus the fat helps make me satied faster.