Cereal addiction

I used to be the same way. I had issues with cereal, but also grains. Luckily, I am in a smaller household, and no one here has cereal. I started low carb at 350 + lbs, so i was too lazy to go out to get it, so the only need for willpower was when I was shopping...lol.

Not sure if it is addiction, or just trigger foods causing intense cravings, but for me, I couldn't eat enough. It might be a box of Cocoa Krispies, but Fiber One cereal had the same effect on me. We are all different. Many people thrive on carbs, but a small percentage don't.

I stick to low glycemic vegetables now, for the most part ( around 10 servings ), and the rest is chicken, eggs, butter, oil, nuts, and cheese.

Whatever the reason, you need to find a way to go 3-4 weeks without eating the foods that cause cravings/addiction to break the cycle. If I said to smoke crack slower, so you did less, we would all laugh, but when it comes to food, we tend to think moderation will solve the problem. For someone who hasn't experienced your problem, they tend to think that you are just overeating, and eating slower would make you feel full with less food.

If you are eating a box of cereal at a setting, and still " hungry ", this isn't hunger though. You may be eating till you hurt, but still want more. It has nothing to do with willpower, as you know. I never overeat protein, or fat. It is always carbs, so I avoid the ones that cause these cravings.. bread, pasta, cereal, corn, and potatoes for example.

I would suggest that you read some books at the library.. some low carb diet books, as well as low glycemic books, and decide if either would be beneficial to you. Sometimes just changing the types of carbs we eat does the trick. If not, you may need to eat less carbs to regain control. Read up, and work out a plan with your doctor or dietitian that works for you.

The great news is that you are aware of your roadblock to your goal. The key is to change your attitude. Rather than thinking you are missing out by eliminating cereal, you are gaining because you can replace it with real foods, the ones that society has shunned for so long. I would recommend a bunless cheeseburger almost all the time over a calorie equivalent amount of any cereal. Protein, veggies, and fats are the solution that no processed "food" company wants anyone to remember.
The human body worked before we broke it.

If you are eating or wanting so much cereal, is it possible that you aren't eating enough protein and fruit/veges? Can you add a plain Greek yoghurt and perhaps some fruit, nuts (or almond meal) to it? The other thing is to take your time over the meal, and it might help reduce your wanting to go back for seconds.

Good luck,
Kris

I hear ya. I am a major cereal addict as well. Eventually, you just grow used to not having it... like with reducing your sugar. I find I'm fine as long as I limit myself to 1/3 cup of Kashi crunch on my yogurt after dinner. I'm usually satisfied and full and feel no need to go for seconds because I've just had dinner plus my yogurt with peanut butter, fruit and Kashi. I also find Kashi very filling due to the high fiber/protein content.

Anything else, I don't touch because I know I can't stop.

Many cereals are loaded with carbs......High carb foods raise blood sugars easily and also some people get cravings and crave more food. When you blood sugar drops a person craves fuel, so you want more food.

Kashi 7 whole grain puffs....1 cup is only 70 calories. no sugar, no sodium and has 18 whole grains....it has only 1 gram of Fiber so I add berries to the mix and either walnut or almonds to make the cereal more dense and filling....with skim milk as it decreases the intake of saturated fat (15 Carbs for 1 cup.)

Adding flaxseeds to a cereal..... flax expands five times in bulk when ingested and the lignans in flaxseed may modestly improve blood sugar

Are you getting enough nutrition from other foods?

I found this cereal to be a good choice and you might too!

Happy Holidays!

Here are a few links you might find helpful:

www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=foo
d_addiction_is_real_and_6_ways_to_deal
_

www.sparkpeople.com/community/ask_the_expe
rts.asp?q=74

www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=can
_people_really_be_addicted_to_food

Hope that helps,

Coach Jen

I am addicted to cereal. I tried to limit it and I even tried going cold turkey and avoiding it altogether but either way I failed. I tried getting smaller bowls however that didn't stop me I'd always go back for a second refill I literally can live it on I can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and I can always have a refill I never get bored of it. And not buying it is not an option because we're a house of 7 people so even if don't then someone else gets it and I find myself unable to resist it. Funny part is they're not even sugary cereals I'd eat shreddies and all-bran all day. Can someone please advise me what I can do about this? Has anyone out there overcame a certain food addiction and what did you do in order to overcome that because I've tried everything yet nothing seems to be working, the longest I've gone without eating cereal is 2 days then today I quit I couldn't hold back.