Handling My Cravings

There are some people who can eat whatever the want, in any amount they want, and never gain an ounce. Josh's entire family is like that. It frustrates me just a little. :)


So now that I'm no longer pregnant, and 30 pounds heavier than i was nine months ago, I'm back to watching my eating - making healthier choices and tracking on Spark. I make sure i get enough healthy calories to keep my baby fed, but do my best not to overdo it.

But once in a while, I get a craving. A STRONG craving! And believe it or not, if you're watching what you eat, there are rules regarding cravings. Firstly, wait 20-30 minutes (i usually end up waiting for a couple hours, just to be extra sure). If the craving passes, kudos! But if it's persistant, give in. That's right, GIVE IN! how awesome is that? Not a lot, just a little bit, until the craving goes away. If you're constantly denying all your cravings all the time, if you hit a weak point and finally give in, you'll most likely binge. One thing i love about Spark People is that they press again and again the thing that i have always believed - healthy eating is about moderation, not denial. You don't have to give up anything completely to live a healthy lifestyle (however, medical conditions are different). Sure, you'll have to keep some things to a bare minimum, and you may find that you no longer like them after not having them for a while, and they drop out of your diet all by themselves! 

Anyway, I'll jump down from my soapbox and get to my point. A few days ago, i got a craving for these...



oh, my, aren't they beautiful??

... and, oh what a craving! It hung around for days! I finally had to give in and make them. I exercised most splendid restraint, not snitching even the tiniest lick of dough! And when i finished making them, i only ate two cookies!

But i knew the danger - the batch makes more than two cookies...! But i learned a neat trick - homemade cookies freeze extremely well! I left a dozen or so out for Josh to eat, gave a couple to each kid, and threw the rest in a ziploc container in the freezer. If i get another hankering for them, i take them out three or four at a time and put them in a baggy to thaw (so it also brings in the delayed statisfaction tactic). If i have a bad craving, i'm limited to just the four cookies. If i can resist temptation, the boys get to have some. ;)

This may sound sad to you - and honestly, it sounds a little sad to me too. I love baked goods! I love cupcakes and squares and COOKIES! But they don't love me back. Or maybe they love me so much that they want to hang around as long as possible - in  my thighs!! This system has allowed me to stay on track with my diet, but indulge in the sinful delight of double chocolate chip cookies!