I just can’t quit eating. I’m supposed to be on this diet (you eat a lot of cabbage with every meal, and it’s supposed to keep you full…), but I’m craving more sweets than I was before I was on the diet. Please help!!!! (Male, 43)

Curbing the urge to eat is a universal problem and there is no one clear cut answer.  In general, low sugar levels increase the urge to eat. When you eat a lot of sugary foods it increases secretion of insulin, which then drops the levels of sugar which again stimulates food cravings. One of the ways to stop food cravings is to keep yourself from getting very hungry all the time. Skipping meals is not an ideal solution, because it ends up increasing your food cravings because of the drop in blood sugar.

One approach to increasing satiety during meals is to ensure that you eat an abundance of high-volume low-calorie foods that fill up your stomach. These foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and a variety of low calorie brothy soups.

Another approach is to eat slowly, being aware of what you are eating and enjoying the foods. Some individuals find that slow eating helps curb the urge to eat more food later.

One may also want to eat several small meals a day rather than three big meals. This ensures that the sugar levels are constant and the cravings are diminished. If one feels hungry in between the meals, snack on a piece of fruit or vegetable. Make sure you drink plenty of water all day.   

Often a person can find healthier alternative snack foods. For example, if a person is craving sweets, he or she could try eating sugar-free chocolate products (like the ones made by Weight Watchers), which contain less than 50-75 calories per snack. In addition, people can avoid sugary snacks by keeping them out of their homes. Fruit often makes a great substitute for snacks full of processed sugar.

Finally, there are times when none of these approaches work. In such cases one may want to seek help from a dietician or a weight management professional. The urge to eat is difficult to stop but if you do overeat, combine it with regular exercise. Finally, there are some medications that may suppress your appetite if you really have weight problems.