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Cravings

cocobee.2017

cocobee.2017

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I am craving sweet & sour pork from the Chinese takeaway. I am prediabetic & eat healthy most of the time. Will it kill me if I have a treat meal once a week? I have also just started eating to my meter as recommended by others in here.
 
If you have a meter, why don't you give it a go?
Eat your sweet and sour pork and test your bloods to see the affect.
 
Personally I wouldn't recommend trying that. You are feeling cravings probably because your carb addiction is being overcome. Wait it out a while and those cravings will go.. give in to them and they start a new phase of craving carby things which if you then give it to will lead to another. Isn't there something else that you really like that you can have instead.. say a meaty pork chop with butter melted over it?
 
For me a treat meal like that isn't once a week - having something for me weekly is imbedded in my normal plan. I have a treat meal maybe twice a year - cravings at the beginning are awful and are a real struggle but it may be best to resist and try and retrain your taste buds. After a while those cravings decrease and do eventually go away

I tell myself I can eat a 12" pizza anytime I want - just not today - haven't had a traditional pizza for over 8 years

If you do have it test before then at 1,2, 3 and maybe 4 hours after - only this will tell you if you can manage it, maybe the results will be good, maybe not but if that's the case it may give you the will power to find something different and more manageable to use as a "treat"
 
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It won't hurt you if you have it every now and again , but once a week is too often.
 
Keep a graph of your weight maybe ? A binge day will cost two good lean days at least ! Carb wise.
It would be interesting to see the effects on your meter.. Enjoy..
 
For me a once a week treat is a square of high quality chocolate, once a month a portion controlled ready meal sweet and sour (eating only half of the rice). I don't remember the last time I had a take away meal even though there is a chippy at the end of the road that I pass on the way home from work. I would suggest that you find something else that you really enjoy, test before and after eating to check how it affects your bg and leave that take away for a really special occasion - eg a birthday treat. :)
 
I wouldn't recommend it at this stage: if you lose the taste for carbs, you needn't develop full T2, and it's difficult to overstate how important that is. Also, like Bulkbiker says, there are a lot of treats out there which aren't even guilty pleasures- lots of the best food is suitable for low-carb pre-diabetic diets: you could probably have some crispy duck or something instead. I suppose you could try it once and test your blood glucose to see how it rises though.
 
If you want a treat once a week maybe treat yourself to something non food. A new book or a movie night, a piece of clothing or new earrings. Whatever you enjoy. Using food as a treat is so ingrained in our society and it is a slippery slope. Good luck.
 
I'm with @helensaramay
Try it and test rigorously as you do so.

Every time I have done this I have been so HORRIFIED by the results that it sends me straight back to the Straight and Narrow with new enthusiasm. :D

Having said that, if you are pre-D and not D then you may well be able to be much more relaxed than most of us here. Which is a good thing. Although there is the inherent risk that you may find your testing shows you are in good control, and then you relax your grip on the carbs, and the slippery slope beckons...
 
As said, testing is the way to decide on your tolerance. As a Pre-D certain things affect me more than others. I've found over the last 2 years that the worst culprits for me seem to be sauces and glazes, such as barbecue sauce, sweet mustards etc and the killer are brioche buns!
I can eat a plain burger (or with cheese) with half a normal bun and a few chips with acceptable affect on blood sugar. On the occasion I have had the same with a sauce or relish my levels have sky rocketed.
Last night i was in a difficult position, train cancellations, family emergencies, larder empty, at 10pm I ended up visiting the local chippy. I only ever go there like once a year but last night i felt like i had no choice as it was so late. I had a chicken tikka kebab in a pitta bread. I have to say it was delicious, i tested at 1, 2 and 3 hours and never went above 6.5. I was expecting a bad FBG but to my surprise was 5.4 this morning.
Won't be making a habit of it though, still felt mega guilty afterwards
 
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Thank you all, really appreciate your advice & yum crispy duck sounds soooooo good. Well suffice to say that your messages gave me STRENGTH to resist that craving & I didn't run up the road (as I have in the past) to get the worst sweet n sour pork ever ie deep fried in batter with heaps of MSG & the meat mostly fat. I had a drumstick instead! with salad, topping off with a small block of feta which I really enjoyed. Feta is my little luxury food. After reading ur msgs I decided to save my treat day for a party coming up in a couple of weeks & I have also noted u telling me once a week is not advisable so I will keep trying & doing to not treat every week. I will try a non food treat! This is like when I quit smoking, the first weeks or even months are the hardest. I like how u said that in time my tastes will change & my carb cravings will gradually disappear. That gives me hope. Bless you all.
 
Make your own, do a search for a low carb recipe, there are loads to choose from. If you can get in the habit of cooking things you like from scratch you will find sticking to any diet easier.
 
For me a treat had once a week is not a treat at all, it is just normal food. I intend to treat myself on high days and holidays. For my birthday next month I will invest in a good, really good, cheese board and I will have the naughty crackers or french bread I like to go with it. All bets are off for Christmas week. :-)
 
cocobee.2017 said:
Thank you all, really appreciate your advice & yum crispy duck sounds soooooo good. Well suffice to say that your messages gave me STRENGTH to resist that craving & I didn't run up the road (as I have in the past) to get the worst sweet n sour pork ever ie deep fried in batter with heaps of MSG & the meat mostly fat. I had a drumstick instead! with salad, topping off with a small block of feta which I really enjoyed. Feta is my little luxury food. After reading ur msgs I decided to save my treat day for a party coming up in a couple of weeks & I have also noted u telling me once a week is not advisable so I will keep trying & doing to not treat every week. I will try a non food treat! This is like when I quit smoking, the first weeks or even months are the hardest. I like how u said that in time my tastes will change & my carb cravings will gradually disappear. That gives me hope. Bless you all.
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Well done :) - and I bet you felt amazing that you resisted and did well - much better than the feeling of 10 minutes gratification then 5hrs of feeling **** from wonky blood sugars
 
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