Follow-up: ‘Cravings’

Posted on July 8, 2015

Thank you to all who responded to my inquiry in the last post, all of which contributed to my past week of introspection that naturally led to this follow-up, which will be a brutally honest accounting. While the request for advice last week was one I was making for helping this stumbling writer, I still believe that it is a subject that is valuable to all and hope that my opening up and your responses will help another down the road.

Now for the brutality! After much consideration, tracking, journaling, and contemplation on your suggestions I have gleaned 3 main points for my recent bombardment of cravings:

1- A past bad habit coming back to haunt me.

2- Boredom and Stress, and if even possible both at the same time.

3- Artificial Sweeteners.

So as is my norm, let us dive into my long winded musings and break these down.

Bad habits haunt even when they no longer control you. For many years I had the horrible habit of chewing Tobacco (or as my friend Kirsten pointed out a typo ‘Tabasco’). This is a devil of a product and I will with every breath I possess try to prevent my kids from ever succumbing to this force, and will do anything I can to help others get away from it’s grasp. Years ago I was able to finally kick the habit and feel for the most part that I am completely over this. However, as the cravings I experienced were not associated with hunger, simply something to get an oral fixation on, it is obvious there are still some residual shackles I am attached to. I will add though I still am tobacco free, this was just a realization that I still crave that feeling.

Boredom and Stress, this one was a new thought for me. A question raised in the comments “Does playing with a stress ball or something satiate the craving at all?” really opened my eyes to this. I do find that while I am always busy during my days at work, there are times that I become flat out bored because of the monotony of my routine. I am a payment analyst for GoDaddy.com, I sit at a desk writing queries, obtaining data, and write reports every day. This can become dull and at times makes me feel like a drone. Also there are times when I am researching Payment Processors, Gateways, and Currencies of our many regions of focus to work with the developers to get these implemented. This can be extremely stressful especially when there are hard time-frames to consider. Then combine the two scenarios above and you get the Bored and Stressed state at the same time. I simply need something that can break the stale state that I get in. The suggestions made were; a Stress Ball, breathing exercises, and meditation which I have implemented all in my daily work life.

Finally, the artificial sweetener subject was brought up. This is where I need to do a bit of humbled confessing. When I first began this DietBet journey and started writing these blogs I mentioned that I was after many years, free of the Diet Soda habit. I did really well at this for a period. Then as happens every year in the Arizona Sonoran Desert the heat starts to climb, and climb, and then as much as it seems impossible climbs some more. While I did good at increasing my water consumption there was one day that I was at a conference, and there on the table was a nice display of Diet Coke next to a huge bowl of ice. The inevitable “I can do it this once” scenario played in my head, boom, one sip and I was snared back into the monstrous need of Diet Coke. How bad can it be one might ask, well to answer that I took an accounting of one day last week of how much Diet Coke I actually drank on a daily basis. No disclaimer needed here, the following is truly what I was consuming on average everyday: 220.4 ounces or 6.52 Liters, or 1.72 Gallons of Diet Coke in a Day. Basically more than what my daily need of water consumption is. THAT IS INSANE. So with that confession done, I apologize for my weakness. This simply needs to be fixed, and immediately after that day I started the process once again of simply cutting it out, obviously I have a caffeine addiction, so in order to cold turkey the Diet Coke I do have to wean myself off caffeine and am doing so with Green Tea and Excedrin :)

For this last point another DietBet friend ‘Eric’ had an excellent blog post on this subject back in April, I totally recommend this read to everyone it is well worth the time: https://www.dietbet.com/community/posts/general/9826-diet-soda-and-splenda-are-sabo

What a relief I have made it to the end of this crazy brutal accounting. Thank you again for all of the response to my last post, you are all life savers. Stay strong, work hard, play harder, and stay hydrated with some good clean water.

My name is Travis, and I am humbled!

Comment Now!

Heather T.

03/15/2016 10:29AM

you forgot addiction. So many foods are laden with sugar and fat, which have been proven to be extremely addictive. If we cut these foods out, it helps with the cravings. However, sometimes it sets us up for a binge. If I restrict too much, then if I slip and fall, I tend to jump off the cliff. So the question is, how to we compromise and not jump off the cliff but still allow ourselves a treat here and there or give in to our craving that just won't go away. Also, this may be TMI, but hormones are a huge factor as well. I'm completely famished when it comes to PMS, and not for protein! I can eat as much protein and vegs as I want and still crave carbs. B/c that's what my brain wants. I'm low in seratonin (and estrogen) so I crave carbs. Anyhoo, my two cents. ;)

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Les

07/08/2015 1:15PM

I have faith in you Travis...................and what better place to come back to than DB blogs to get support and what may prove to be insightful musings! I believe I told you I have family in Scottsdale / Phoenix......................I cannot imagine a more wonderful thing than taking a 15 minute break to, not smoke or chew, but to be out in that scenery. I live in Louisiana - 120 in AZ feels better than 80 in LA........ assuming the humidity has stayed true to both of us! Still, if you are still with Amy, Sondra is in there too and Phil I am guessing too and I think we all did that let go of the carb thing - and when I forget that I was letting go of that carb thing - I am reminded of why I let go of it. Not so difficult if you can just get through those few days or a week that takes you away from the effect. I don't think Coke Zero has that "effect" - personally - but I do think, somehow, it plays into the concept of snacking when you are bored. BTW, your job sounds cool to me but that is because all of them become mundane at some point - go walk around the hall, do some jumping jacks or push ups - do like Lori did, get an army behind you and figure out how to make fun out of the work day by incorporating exercise for energy into you and your peers. You might just find you have another calling:)

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Travis

Les, as always you bring a smile to my face. Thanks for the continued encouragement.

BCbabe

07/08/2015 11:37AM

Travis, I am glad you have been able to do the soul searching needed and found the answers to your questions. I understand the call of the nasty habit of pop. I was almost a year clean as it were from my pepsi addiction. I have to humbly admit to having fallen back into that habit and I am in the process of breaking it again (for the third time). I struggle with a tobacco addiction as well in a different form. I have always lived with a smoker so second hand smoke has always been present (I still live with a smoker). I have spent time away from it (travel and several months at college away from the family) and I seem to suffer from the addictive effects of it when I am under stress. I will actually go through the same withdrawals as a smoker does when they quit. It is the most confusing thing for a non-smoker to deal with. I am walking this journey with you and I honour you for your brutal honesty.

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Travis

Valerie it is the best feeling in the world to know that we don't always have to walk this path alone. Thanks!

Kirsten

07/08/2015 9:20AM

As someone who grew up in a town where all the boys' jeans pockets had the imprint of that tell-tale round can of Tabasco, I know what a pernicious beast it can be. What an amazing thing that you kicked that habit to the curb. Sorry that you continue to struggle with cravings, but it sounds like you are taking steps to make healthy changes. Soldier on!

Travis and Michelle R. like this comment.

Travis

Kirsten, I went and bought a big bottle of Tabasco Sauce just to put on my desk as a trinket :) Oh the little things that keep us motivated!

Kirsten

Bwa ha ha! Looooooove it!