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Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings

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The Queen of No
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
I crave bagels, lox & cream cheese a lot. And spaghetti.
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Shamrockette
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
This research doesn't have enough test subjects.

But I can definitely believe this theory.
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brendastarlet is on it
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
Two thoughts: first, food becomes a craving/reward for women because it's relatively cheap and accessible. If you have a chocolate craving, you can find a Snickers or a KitKat just about anywhere. Likewise with potato chips.

Second, my nutritionist told me once that if you are going mad over a craving, just have whatever you're craving, but a small portion.

If it's really food related, you satisfy the craving and don't do yourself real harm. IF you are craving quantity, like a whole bag of Tostitos or an entire chocolate cake, then it isn't food related, you're trying to satisfy another need.
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Seeräuber Jenny
01/20/09

@brendastarlet is on it:

Having just a small portion usually doesn't work for me. It's as if my appetite for sweet/fat/salty foods was recalibrated. It's better for me avoid the food as much as possible (I hate the holidays).

I'm not sure I agree that everyone is filling "other needs" when they eat too much. But as a practical matter, if you're a small woman over 25, you can eat only a very limited amount of junk food without putting on the pounds.
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Aesop's Foibles. YES.
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
This information is kind of heartening. At least now we know for sure that there is, in fact, a reason we are occasionally slaves to our food-desires. I've recently put myself on notice, because I realized I do a lot of boredom eating. So I plan my food consumption accordingly, like having some pretzels in the afternoon when I need something salty, but not hanging out all afternoon with Cheez-its. Which would be very easy for me to do. Also I'm trying to break myself of the mindset that immediately after a meal, I need something sweet, preferably chocolate. I'd say cheese/cheese flavored items are a salty weakness of mine. I'm making friends with cheese Chex Mix because it's slightly less bad for you than some other things I love. Oh and my daily regimen requires a bag of Peanut M&Ms every afternoon, either immediately preceding or following the salt section. I'm hungry now. I want a ham and cheese omelet. And waffles. And thick-cut bacon with syrup poured on it. Oh god....

SEE? SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE? I HOPE YOU ARE PLEASED WITH YOURSELVES, BISHES. I REALLY DO.
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chatterboxwriting
01/20/09

@terribletwenties aka Aesop's Foibles: That sounds like what I have been doing (planning my food consumption). I don't buy any junk - everything I buy is fresh produce, lean chicken, or healthy snacks (no sugar added fruit; no sugar added yogurt; raisins, etc.). I can't trust myself to have chips in the house, because I can't just have a serving. I've got to snarf down the whole bag. I've also been measuring everything. It's amazing how big you think a serving is and how small it REALLY is when you measure it out!
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chatterboxwriting
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
I'm sure many men have food issues, it's just that they're not talked about on a regular basis.

I don't really get cravings very often, but when I do, I probably gain about 5 pounds at a time. I can eat an entire bag of Hershey Kisses or most of a chocolate cake (not good).

I've been dieting and haven't had any junk for weeks, but that's because I don't buy it. If someone brought a cake over, I'd be up at 2:00 in the morning, shoveling it in by the forkful.
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Grim Reaper of the Forest
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
Okay, that is just a cruel, cruel study. How did that pass the regulations governing the use of human research subjects?
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Tart of Darkness
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
Before I say anything about the results of this study, remember it only had 23 people in it. To approach any kind of statistical significance it should have had at least 30 men and 30 women. That's just a seat of the pants minimum.

My husband is a stress eater. He might not crave food the way I do, but he eats a lot when he's under stress just as I do. So, yes, some men have food issues. When he was young, he didn't gain weight. Since 40 he's packed it on even though he's relatively active for a 50 + year old man.
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Seeräuber Jenny
01/20/09

@Tart of Darkness:

It sounds iffy to me, too. Plus, according to the national stats, there's only a 2% difference between the obesity rates of men and women.

I've known men with food issues as well and one of them was quite trim and athletic when young.
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rednrowdy
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
i knew a guy who dropped FORTY POUNDS and the only things he did different were have one bowl of cereal instead of two (!!!!), switch to light beer (!!!!!) and have a salad once in a while. he wasn't running or lifting weights or anything else. when he told me his regimen, me and my galpal laughed at him. we said "yeah, a girl would gain 15 pounds with that diet".
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Plum-Pie
01/20/09

@rednrowdy: But how fast did he lose it?

In my experience women often focus their weightloss on a specific event or time period which means they 'go too far' with their efforts and then get intense food cravings as a result.
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josiecat
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
Count me in as a woman who gets emotional cravings. But I was raised in a household where my mom was always talking about how she wanted to lose "just 5 more pounds" and how I should watch what I eat so I don't get fat (and then I can't attract a man, etc). But I love to cook and I am a huge foodie, so for me eating is both a pleasurable and dreaded event.

I'm just hypothesizing here, but maybe since we live in a culture where looks are so important for women, food becomes less a source of nutrition and more a source of guilt over possible weight gain. And maybe that accounts for a gender gap in emotional cravings.

Honestly, if I could have just one good meal per day and have the rest injected into me in nutritional supplements, I would be so relieved. No more worrying about having to eat healthy food at every moment, no more worrying about when my next carb craving will hit or when I can eat my next meal or how that small piece of chocolate, which inevitably turns into many small pieces of chocolate, will affect my insulin levels (even though I'm not diabetic).
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brendastarlet is on it
01/20/09

@josiecat: I was on the American Heart Association web site recently, and one thing they recommend to jump start weight loss is the 75% plan. You don't initially change what you're eating, but you eat 75% of what you normally eat. Then you transition into a more-healthy eating plan.

I am a foodie, too, but I'm trying to be a high-quality food foodie this year instead of eating just anything I feel like.
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Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni!
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
OT, but this Aussie insomniac is watching the CBS inauguration coverage and feeling very excited!
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sarah.of.a.lesser.god (aka Mrs. BrutallyHonestHobbit)
01/20/09

@Perla: I don't think that could be OT on a day like today. :)
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Fridge Hussy : Is finally heading back to uni!
01/20/09

@sarah.of.a.lesser.god (2009: a space ovumlord): Thanks. I just friended you for that.
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tscheese
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
Oh god. I'm home sick today with some kind of tummy problem. I am not having trouble avoiding food today.
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ItchykooParker
01/20/09

@tscheese: Oh, I'm so sorry, tscheese! And on Obama day, too! Well, I hope you can at least lay on the couch and watch TV all day.
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Kivrin
01/20/09

@tscheese: Did you eat peanut butter over the weekend??
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Jello Mix
01/20/09

@tscheese: Ugh, me, too. I wonder if something is going around the city?
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lucystrawberry: Tier 2 is the new black
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
Oh man my boyfriend is getting a printed and bound copy of this report. He dismisses my food cravings so easily it makes me angry!
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VaginaWig is A Merkin
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
I hate sweets. I never crave them. Cookies, cake, chocolate, candy... NO. However, a bag of chips? Pickles? Any salty goodness? Yes, please (that's what she said).
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funnyface
01/20/09

@TheVaginaWig is Fabulous to the Nth Degree: Me too. I probably eat way more microwave popcorn than anyone should.
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SmallbutMighty
01/20/09

@TheVaginaWig is Fabulous to the Nth Degree: same here. I have a bar of chocolate that has been sitting next to the couch untouched for ages. No temptation. And if I do want some, I'm able to eat just a small square, no worries. But my husband has orders to keep the chips hidden. Because I WILL MAUL THEM upon sight.
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inabook
01/20/09

@TheVaginaWig is Fabulous to the Nth Degree: Pickles, Greek olives, and pringles = my main cravings.

Followed not-so-closely by rare steak and sushi.

never, ever, ever sweets. Love sweets. Just don't crave them.
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MissKittyFantastico
01/20/09

@SmallbutMighty: For me it's the lovely combo of cheese and salty treats, aka Cheese Popcorn, Cheetos, Cheezits, Goldfish Crackers, etc. In fact, I generally have all those things in the house at all times. It's bad.
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happysquid
01/20/09

@inabook: GREEK OLIVES zomg. I eat pimentos out of the JAR.

Best pickles = CLAUSSEN.
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So Irish
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
Thanks JEZ! Now I want a freakin' Big Mac!!!!
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VaginaWig is A Merkin
01/20/09

In reply to Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings
Study Finds Women Have Harder Time Combating Food Cravings

Yet another study that allows us to say, in other news: down is down, up is up, water is wet, the sky is blue.
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cuteasabutton
01/20/09

@TheVaginaWig is Fabulous to the Nth Degree: Right? And that sample size is too small to mean anything!
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scullymurphy
01/20/09

@TheVaginaWig is Fabulous to the Nth Degree: Seriously - and how is this helping anyone do anything?
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So Irish
01/20/09

@TheVaginaWig is Fabulous to the Nth Degree: Good morning, good morning, and in other news, good morning!
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Tart of Darkness
01/20/09

@TheVaginaWig is Fabulous to the Nth Degree: To me the one good point about it is that it shows that you can't necessarily THINK your way out of food cravings.

What has fascinated me about food is owning a mare. No, I'm not kidding. She is very well behaved, kindly toward other horses on the trail, kindly running out with our gelding and so forth, but she would KILL for food. She can't even relax and eat unless other horses are at least 10 feet away from her food. Otherwise she threatens them between bites.

Then I noticed how many mares are like this. Their attitude seems to be YOU DON'T NEED FOOD. I NEED FOOD. I AM A MARE!!! I HAVE TO STOCK UP IN CASE I HAVE BABIES!!! And my mare has never been bred.

I think as women we are predisposed more toward food issues and the more we see this as a biological imperative rather than wickedness and sin the more we can forgive ourselves for eating "that whole head of lettuce".
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