Let's Talk About Managing Cravings and Diabetes Together!

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Thomas DUK

Supporter Care Advisor
Hey everyone,

I hope you're all doing well on your diabetes journey. Today, I wanted to bring up a topic that many of us face: managing cravings while living with diabetes.

Cravings can be a real challenge, especially when we're trying to keep our blood sugar levels in check. Whether it's a sudden urge for something sweet, a salty snack, or even a carb-loaded meal, cravings can sometimes feel like they're testing our willpower.

So, let's chat! How do you handle cravings in your daily life? Do you have any go-to strategies that help you navigate these moments? Maybe it's a favourite low-carb recipe, a mindfulness technique, or a specific way of distracting yourself?

Let's also share our success stories! Have you managed to conquer a particularly tough craving? We'd love to hear about it and celebrate your victories together.

Remember, we're all in this together, and sharing our experiences can offer valuable insights and support for one another. Let's inspire and uplift each other with our tips, tricks, and personal stories.

Looking forward to reading your thoughts and experiences. Feel free to jump in and join the conversation!

Stay strong and keep smiling,
 
The thing that put a stop to my cravings is the innability to stay in range when using an insulin bolus for eating in between main meals. I find I need to let the last dose run its course (6hrs etc) before the next. The exception to this is for any unplanned excercise, I can happily eat a sweet snack (without bolus) before any unplanned excercise and it works well.

Is it just me or is it the way the insulin works?
 
As an insulin dependent T3c, I can readily resolve my relatively few moments of cravings with a bit of pre-planning.

BUT, and not necessarily what was in mind with this posting, when I'm very low - hypo or below - my urge to binge eat on anything to hand is extraordinarily strong and needs huge strength of will to resist. I know that I will subsequently pay with a hyper bounce back and I know that it will be hard to get off the roller coaster that I've put myself on, but that sense is often overwhelmed by the craving for food.
 
Go to strategy for me is not to deny myself foods in first place, that way never experience cravings for anything.

Of course in some instances it might require smaller portion size or don't eat as often, but other than that not much is off the menu if honest apart from some foods simply don't like.
 
My problem has never been cravings per se but knowing when to stop.
Thankfully, I am one of those (annoying) people who don't put on weight so I have no motivation to stop once I start. I can easily eat a whole packet of biscuits, Sharing packs of sweets are rarely shared - I just eat them all once the pack is open.
With a pump, I just add more insulin. for each biscuit I eat so I don't see skyrocketing BGs.

Techniques that have worked for me are
- take one of two biscuits and leave the rest of the pack in another room and not the next room - as far as way as possible
- distract myself with something else
- if all else fails, clean my teeth. Very few things taste nice with minty fresh toothpaste.
 
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I don't really get cravings these days. I think doing a lot of exercise walking every day is a big factor - seems to have the same kind of effect for me as GLP-1RA's like Wegovy/Ozempic, and there's a bit of research supporting that idea.
 
My go to is hot caffeine free drinks, really helps me and if sweet cravings then is warm sugar free squash, as type 2 my cravings are mainly savoury and drives me round the twist especially as have a bariatric bypass so can’t eat much, have to really fight the urge to pick so sipping warm drinks is my go to these days.
 
I try and find something to do to get rid of the craving , drink water or just ignore the craving and think of the damage it might cause. It only really happens when I am at home isn't a problem at work.
 
My cravings for sweet foods and carbs subsided within a few days of removing the sweet foods and reducing the high carb foods. It was as if the mind was quite fickle...at first the cravings occurred probably because it was used to getting it what it wanted...but after those first few days it couldn't be bothered to trigger the cravings as those cravings were not being satisfied. I really was surprised at how quickly the cravings just disappeared after a lifetime of having a sweet tooth and eating carbs.
 
Never found it yet. Some things pacify me but most of the times its a good cry, An early night or a row with hubby .
I just hate the enemy food.
I see others have what I no longer can have .
I would love to be thin.
I like when I feel full but thats rarely.
Although I did feel it the other morning but by evening I go back to being hungry. Yes i eat enough. Weight is barely going down a pound a week
Thinking of going until Breakfast now is not great.
Would love a drink n crisps . …
 
grovesy said:
I have never got over the cravings, I aim to have more good days than bad. I find that low carb substitutes don't hit the spot for me.
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i rather feel the same . Its hard . Hugs
 
If you don't want to feel you absolutely need something, buy an excessive amount of it. Job done. Allow yourself something whenever you want it and sooner or later you'll be sick of the sight of it. What we are talking about here is addiction. There are various ways to deal with that. Most people who stop smoking go cold turkey or find a replacement. Food of course is different. But it's all in the mind and chemicals in the brain working against you. At the end of the day you make a choice to eat that 17th slice of cake.
 
Hello, I just don’t eat it. It’s just another jab (as a Tee one) “catering” for something with no real nutritional value. Other than “emotional private quick fix?” And I can get that elsewhere longer term from relationships. (Be it family or lover.) plenty of other foods work with my insulins regime I can enjoy & share company with over the table whilst doing so.
 
Satan’s little helper said:
Hello, I just don’t eat it. It’s just another jab (as a Tee one) “catering” for something with no real nutritional value. Other than “emotional private quick fix?” And I can get that elsewhere longer term from relationships. (Be it family or lover.) plenty of other foods work with my insulins regime I can enjoy & share company with over the table whilst doing so.
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Yes , i think type 1 is so different from type 2
 
Sharron1 said:
I try and find something to do to get rid of the craving , drink water or just ignore the craving and think of the damage it might cause. It only really happens when I am at home isn't a problem at work.
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Although I will freely admit the water isn't as exciting as a packet of Malteasers... hey ho.
 
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Nayshiftin said:
Yes , i think type 1 is so different from type 2
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Hell yes, I hear you. It goes without saying. but in my experience. Certain exogenous insulin issues as a a T one. For starters, I don’t have the privilege of using a pump. Risking experimentation of eating like the non diabetic “Joneses.” Is out of the question for me. Or I could comment appropriately in on the results of the donuts I respectfully decline at work?
In contrast. I have notice at least 3 T2s than consume them?
I understand the need to be “normal.” I personally wouldn’t want to risk what I know to be detrimental to me.
Donuts or cake can go round as a collegues birthday treat at work? Let someone else have it However., there was sausage rolls on one occaision. I did know how to accommodate that.

We have a right to turn these food stuffs down with respect. It can affect our working day whatever type we just happen to be. Or meds we are on.

We all seem to struggle (in our own way.) on this score.
 
Satan’s little helper said:
Hell yes, I hear you. It goes without saying. but in my experience. Certain exogenous insulin issues as a a T one. For starters, I don’t have the privilege of using a pump. Risking experimentation of eating like the non diabetic “Joneses.” Is out of the question for me. Or I could comment appropriately in on the results of the donuts I respectfully decline at work?
In contrast. I have notice at least 3 T2s than consume them?
I understand the need to be “normal.” I personally wouldn’t want to risk what I know to be detrimental to me.
Donuts or cake can go round as a collegues birthday treat at work? Let someone else have it However., there was sausage rolls on one occaision. I did know how to accommodate that.

We have a right to turn these food stuffs down with respect. It can affect our working day whatever type we just happen to be. Or meds we are on.

We all seem to struggle (in our own way.) on this score.
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Do not get me wrong, I hope never to have hypos to worry about and I guess if you did you high you can bring it down but it means as you say more insulin then.
Even with type 2's there seems to be different types. if you are obese then you have like me self inflicted diabetes but if I cant control the eating I have no other way really to bring BS or my weight down. Yes type 2s can eat it but then it is like a bank they soon get od and then its big trouble.
I guess its self control but this is about managing the cravings and yes seeing food at a party can start it.
I believe it is up to the individual but once I am hungry and want food, I get in and out of bed and walk about but all I think of is food. I know that guilt and disappointment when I give in. It really is my enemy.
 
Nayshiftin said:
Do not get me wrong, I hope never to have hypos to worry about and I guess if you did you high you can bring it down but it means as you say more insulin then.
Even with type 2's there seems to be different types. if you are obese then you have like me self inflicted diabetes but if I cant control the eating I have no other way really to bring BS or my weight down. Yes type 2s can eat it but then it is like a bank they soon get od and then its big trouble.
I guess its self control but this is about managing the cravings and yes seeing food at a party can start it.
I believe it is up to the individual but once I am hungry and want food, I get in and out of bed and walk about but all I think of is food. I know that guilt and disappointment when I give in. It really is my enemy.
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Don’t get me wrong either.
Just an attempt with a connection on what is our diabetes. The differences can be the same. BG management.
Support is why we are here.
Good will. From me.
 
Before being dx'd with T2DM I ate lots of sugary stuff ..but, from day 1 of my diabetes journey ..I began looking upon ✻sweet treats✻ as plastic desserts, wax gâteaux, etc ..nice to look at but inedible ..like the 'food models' used by retailers.
 
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