ugh, my after-dinner sweet tooth!

Does anyone have any tips on:

a) How to cure an after-dinner sweet tooth

or

b) healthy desserts to keep me happy

I could really use the help!  

-Kate

I usually have a cup of decaff coffee with flavored syrup (cookie dough!) and a splash of milk, or some gum.

healthy-ish desserts:

- Frozen banana slices, grapes and pineapple chunks are good and low-cal.

-Chop an apple, sprinkle with cinnamon and microwave for 1-2 mins and top with a crumbled graham cracker

- sugar free jello

- sugar free jello pudding

- diet hot chocolate

- mini meringue cookies

- biscotti

I second the chopped up apple with cinnamon - yum!   You could also try getting a chocolate or other sweet flavor rice cake and top it with fat free whipped cream - it's like a pie for less than 100 calories.

sugar free jello with a bit of either the fat free redi whip or fat free cool whip usually did it for me when I was losing weight....now that I am maintaining I have the normal thing, just downsized lol...

also you could try like a low fat ice cream or frozen yogurt or sorbet...there are lots of them out there!

Frozen fruits are the best!

That is my hardest thing too. This is what I do. I eat clean for the most part Monday-Thursday. Friday clean all day except for dinner. Not too bad with dinner though. I eat a grilled chicken sub and cheese potatoes from a local take-out usually and I get whatever desert I want. Sometimes 2 deserts

On the sub I skip the butter sauce, mayo and so on and just put lettuce, onion and tomato on it. On the cheese potatoes I ask for just half the cheese and no dipping sauce. So I save calories and fat there.

Saturday I eat clean. Maybe pizza for dinner but healthy pizza. No meat, veggies and half the cheese.

Sunday may be all clean or another cheat meal with desert. I am experimenting right now with eating 2 big deserts a week. If I don't gain I am good.

I would rather have 2 regular (not low-fat-sugar-free) deserts than a something diet once a day so I save up and it really does give me something to look forward to. I love Friday. On Sunday if I am going to eat a cheat meal I have a normal breakfast but no snack or lunch and I eat dinner earlier that normal. So I am saving all of the lunch and snack calories but make that up with cake, brownies, cookies whatever. Sweets are my biggest weakness. I don't do artificial sweeteners and believe regular sugar is better so that is how I do it. Everyone is different. Some people need a little something everyday and that works well too. I prefer to save up. I get really excited on those days.

And I do think when you don't eat like that everyday and give yourself a special treat it just tastes better and you appreciate it more.

Have some fruit...

Premade tubs of sugar free jello and cool-whip both are made with hydrogenated oils, and I wouldn't really suggest em... Trans fat, you know. Frozen fruits are a nice sweet snack, and if you're really craving something, nibble on one square of dark chocolate. Take tiny bites and allow it to melt between your tongue and the roof of your mouth. Don't just eat it, savor it!

As far as kicking the sugar habit... IMO, its too hard. From what I've heard, you have to not eat anything with any kind of sugar. No fruit, no actual sugar... Nothing. No artificial sweeteners, either. And after a few weeks you can start adding fruit in again, but can't use sugars or sweeteners EVER again, or it'll trigger your cravings again. (Think of it like addiction; a recovered alcoholic can't go out and have a few beers after work, because it awakens that addiction that never goes away.) So, too stressful for me!

I love baked apple. I just core the apple and put it on a piece of foil. if I have extra calories I fill the core with some cinnamon/raisons/goji berrries/walnuts/pecans/honey or a misture of all/some- the core is quite small so even if you do stuff it it doesn't add up to much. then i bake the apple for about 25 minutes- check it though so it doesn't burst- you could make a slit all around about an inch from the base of the apple and that stops this. I eat it with some nonfat plain yoghurt sometimes mixed with some lemon juice/nutmeg etc. i like it because it takes half an hour to make- i don't know why but when i cook something and have to eat it i feel more satisfied- wierd! anyway its so so delicious- i like my aple rally really soft so that i can eat it with a spoon but just go as far as you want.

Skinny Cow 120 calorie ice cream sandwiches! Need I say more? :)

the 100 calorie dark 70% chocolate bars in several brands are very satisfying with a cup of expresso for a divine indulgence. I actually only eat 1/2 a serving with the expresso and am very satisfied.

I find it is the taste not the amount that really counts.

Do not go fat free or sugar free as it just does not satisfy.

Eat small portions of real food.

hi, I have a very good and relatively low calorie dessert idea for you.

it's french toast with fresh strawberries.

use one egg, low calorie bread, make the french toast.

use strawberries that you have 1/4'd and let set overnight with some nutra-sweet sprinkled in them, it makes a sugary tasting sauce.

then top with some low calorie whipped topping.

it's a very good breakfast too!

I hope this helps you, I have an awful sweet tooth also, so I understand.

Microwave Apple Crisp

1 apple, cored and sliced
2 TBS apple juice
dash of cinnamon or apple pie spices
1 TBS crumbled graham cracker (or use Fiber One cereal)

Put the apple into a shallow microwave dish and add the applejuice and spices.  Sprinkle the crumbled cracker on top.  Microwave on high for 1 minute.  Test apples for doneness.  If still crisp, microwave for 30 seconds.  Let cool before eating.

I know it's processed and such, but I like to make up some instant pudding with non fat milk.  There are lots of flavours like pitaschio, butterscotch, coconut cream...  If you don't think you can resist the eating all 4 serves, you can divide the dry mix into 4 serves and just mix up one serve with 1/2 cup of nonfat milk.  I think it's about 120 calories.  It satisfies my sweet tooth and makes me feel like I'm eating a real treat :P  Easy to make and ready in about 10 or 15 minutes.

Simelar to clairelaines -

In a small glass dish place a chopped apple and 1/2 cup berries of your choice, add a tsp of cinnamon and 1/2 cup apple juice.

Top with rolled oats, and a bit more cinnamon or nutmeg.

Bake uptil crisp on top.

This is a GREAT way to make an apple-berry crisp for 2.

I know it is not a healthy choice but last night I had a chocolate craving that I COULD not get rid of and in my pantry set a box of brownies ugh...But my hubby came through he went to towm and came back with the Betty Crocker warm delight. Single serving and it was like 150 cals. I loved it it hit the spot and I had the extra calories so I didnt feel guilty...

Fruit popsicles are awesome. They're like 60 cals, usually, so you could even have two. =)

I agree!  I put gum in my mouth right after lunch (something sugar free and fruity helps me) and it helps take the edge off of my sweet tooth.  Also, I agree with the sugar free, fat free chocolate pudding.  But don't try making it with soy milk; I tried this last night and it doesn't congeal!

I am the same way - I need something sweet after dinner or I try to curb my craving with other "sweet-ish" things that don't satisfy and cause me to eat more calories trying to avoid what I really wanted.  For me, it is ice cream.  When I am working on losing, I have to keep some in the freezer.  I found a local company that makes a light 120 cal "Creamier" vanilla bean that tastes as rich as any 250-cal ice cream I've ever tried.  I measure it out and only eat as much as my behavior (cal intake, exercise, etc.) allows.  Sometimes I get to eat a whole cup!  It serves as motivation for me, because it gives me something to look forward to at the end of the day as a reward for staying on track.  If I am not on track, no ice cream.

i am the same way. i chew gum, eat an apple, and drink some coffee to satisfy my after dinner sweet tooth

Sugar free Life Savers