Paleo Treats

[anderson08]

I have been on Paleo for 2 1/2 mths and have been very successful losing 49 lbs. I really plan on doing Paleo for a lifestyle choice. My question is, I want to enjoy Paleo cookies, muffins etc. once in awhile. But they always makes me want to over indulge. Does the over indulging ever go away or is it something I will always battle? I should say I make most of these items for my kids but then I take a bite and it then begins. Any advice on how to help in situations like this?

[TamarE]

I don't have any advice about how to not overeat on treats, I am the same as you. What worked for me was not baking. Ever. My kids know I won't bake any treats. However, I may buy a chocolate bar and we all share it. But when it's done, it's done. If we are at Whole Foods we may share candy (I love candy!) but I won't buy several packages of treats and have them in the house. Sorry I don't have more specific advice to offer. Maybe someone else can offer more help.

[rach]

I only bake for events - shared morning teas, bake sales etc. I have a little, then I can get the rest of it out of the house. I also freeze a lot of baking. Even Sarah's delicious Spinach Brownie doesn't taste good straight from the freezer, which gives plenty of time for the cravings to pass, or to defrost for an occasion.

[EJ]

I think it depends on you. I personally know that if "sweets" (for me, apple chips & dried figs) are in the house, I eat them almost compulsively And then I don't feel as well as I should. From what I've learned, that just means I have a sugar problem. And most people say that eating sugar leads to more sugar cravings.

For me, other than the sugar addiction part, it's a mental thing. I feel like I have a higher quality of life for some reason when I can eat something sweet every day. But that's not true. Especially since I end up feeling WORSE after eating too much! So I think I need to work on feeling satisfied with the awesome foods I get to eat every day instead of feeling like I'm missing out on something.

And I need to stop buying those things that tempt me.

I would say give it time. Adjusting to a Paleo lifestyle takes time! Lots more than 2.5 months (Although-well done! Hopefully you're feeling better about your health and life already!) You'll learn how much you can tolerate and what makes you feel better or worse. Once you're adjusted to Paleo, you could try doing a 21-Day Sugar Detox (http://balancedbites.com/21dsd) to see if you can break your sugar cravings. I've never tried that since I'm already on a strict AIP diet and don't want to restrict more-but that puts the motivation to stop eating sweets directly on me

And I like the idea of giving treats away so they're not around you. Or don't make them for your kids. My mom never baked anything for me when I was young (not that that influenced my sugar addiction).

Also, you could try using a food tracker or food journal. Maybe then you'll be more conscious of what you eat-and then you'll think twice before you take just a little bite of your kid's treat

Just some ideas Good luck! And don't be too hard on yourself at first. Forgive yourself when you slip and just work on not letting it happen again

[salixisme]

I rarely eat "treats" as in the paleo-ized ones or AIP-ized ones - for me, a treat is a pack of raspberries, blackberries or blueberries - something that you can only get really fresh and tasty at certain times of the year - I guess I don't really have a very sweet tooth (but I love those seasonal berries!).

Other treats are asparagus in season, really fresh shellfish (I LOVE oysters and scallops), crispy perfectly cooked bacon, a glass of chilled (expensive) white wine drunk in the bath with a really good book at the end of a long day... a square of really good quality chocolate...

It can take time to reeducate your tastebuds, but it does happen.

I can't really advise on overeating the treat stuff - but my advice is to try to avoid them where you can and focus on that really fresh stuff that is only available at certain times, or stuff that is expensive so you can only have small amounts of it - luxuriate in the quality.

Another suggestion is to try substituting the food treats for other treats - tell yourself that if you forgo the cookies/brownies/whatever, you can afford a manicure, a pedicure or a facial, maybe even a massage - put what you would spend on the treat to that instead.

I know it is hard, but you can do it.

[_hashimom_]

Well, I am definitely no expert...but here are some things I think about when I see your question...

Food...is complicated. Baking and baked goods are not only pleasing for our taste buds, but they can evoke real emotions. Maybe your overeating could be due to sugar cravings...or maybe it could be due to the emotional aspect of eating a comfort food like baked goods...or it could be both.

I have always had a HORRIBLE sweet tooth. I would eat chocolate (in the form of a candy bar...pretty much daily. I would eat small bites from one daily...and that was my way of justifying it. I was only having a little each day.) I loved baking chocolate chip cookies and of course, now I don't. Now that I follow the Paleo diet, I have been going to RAISINS as my go to sugar fix. Do you know how much sugar/carbs are in just a 1/4 cup of raisins? Well, I justified it because at least it wasn't a chocolate bar or a cookie...but I was not feeling well after I would consume too much of them.

So...my solution has been to add more healthy fat into my diet...avocados and especially virgin coconut oil. I take a spoonful in the morning and a spoonful in my tea or coffee. Honestly...just making that change has helped me to not crave the sugary treat as much!

As far as the emotional aspect of eating a comfort food like a baked good, that's a whole different ballgame. I remember hearing one doctor say that if you have Hashimoto's (which is what I have), you need to cut off all emotional ties to gluten and dairy because of its affects to the body with an autoimmune disease. Easier said than done. There is a book called The Eden Diet that really helped me with the emotional aspect of eating. Don't let the title fool you...it isn't a book about what to eat and what not to eat. She is a Christian author and it is written from that perspective.

[EJ]

Great point, _hashimom_! Everyone should make sure that they are eating healthy fats whenever they eat something sugary (even fruit!). Try to never eat fruit or sweets on an empty stomach. Can you say blood sugar spike?? I love hearing that fats can help with sugar cravings

[cleaneatingmel]

I haven't read all the comments but maybe remember refined nut flours are changing the structure of the omega 6.
Nuts (except macadamias, better profile) are really high in omega 6. That puts me off paleo recipe.
Opening an egg yolk to air and oxygen increase free radicals, better to poach or scramble an egg than bake it.

Ok - I am not trying to scare monger you here (sure sounds it!) but these motivations help me to avoid paleo treats.

That said - I'm still making egg muffins because, well - it's not about perfection, just about better choices.

[cleaneatingmel]

ps - I did read one comment above actually about baking for events = that will be me! A party, bbq etc....I want to go along with something that looks "normal" then I will do that!