I'm a Chocoholic... Help Me!!!

aarar

I'm a chocoholic and have eaten it every single day since I started MFP. When I started last September I stopped eating milk chocolate and regular chocolate bars and only had a couple squares of really high quality dark chocolate. I find it's not as addictive. Regular chocolate almost used to give me the shakes if I didn't eat huge quantities of it.

If it's something you love don't deprive yourself.

elvensnow

I know EXACTLY what you're going through! I am the same way - can't stop once I start. The solution: don't start. I had to eliminate processed sugar from my diet completely (well, as completely as possible - it's in just about everything!) But I no longer eat sweets made with processed sugar. I can still enjoy chocolate - I've found many recipes for sweet treats using agave, stevia, and other natural sweeteners. I still try to limit those - make them a special treat, but not everyday. Avoid ANYTHING with malitol - unless you like to clear rooms with noxious gas!

Sugar ("normal" sugar) is not "processed".... What chocolate are you eating that has "processed" sugar in it? The only thing I can think of is maybe corn syrup? Agave, stevia, etc, are "processed" as much as regular cane or beet sugar (if by "processed" you mean the "process" of getting the sweetness out of the plant, I guess).

So confused.

As for chocolate, I guess I understand having to go cold turkey but that would suck for me. If I must have chocolate I indulge. But I track. And it does help to divvy out the portion first and put the rest away. At that point it only takes a little more willpower/rationale to resist going back for more. Been doing this with frozen yogurt lately since I have had crazy cravings... and 1 serving of frozen yogurt is really not a lot

JesterMFP

Honestly... I don't control my chocolate cravings at all... if I want chocolate, I eat chocolate. I actually just had some M&M's.

I don't know... I find it easy to moderate my consumption, not always, but most of the time. As long as I know a food is not forbidden, I can successfully manage not to gorge myself on it. Maybe you just need to change the way you look at food.

This probably didn't help much since you weren't looking for suggestions on moderation, but it was all I had to offer. Best of luck!

^This is my experience too.

I know it's not exactly what you're looking for, OP, but there was a time when I couldn't control myself either. With practise, and logging everything into MFP, I can. I have chocolate most days, but a small enough portion to fit in with the rest of my diet. Restricting the foods I like never really worked for me, just made it all seem so much more of a big deal. When I allow myself to eat anything I want to (in appropriate sizes), the uncontrollable cravings seem to disappear. I might have some chocolate later, I might not. Dunno yet. Feel neutral about it.
Everyone's different. Some people truly cannot control themselves around certain foods and have to cut those foods out. That's nothing to be ashamed of. I think that for many though, it is possible to learn to eat things in moderation, and if you can do that, you're likely to develop a much better relationship with food, imo.

37434958

I don't think you should fully cut out chocolate!! You should eat it every day and have a small piece or even two pieces but make sure they fit your macros and leave space for them!!

SoDamnHungry

But the thing is.... if I start, I can't stop... I have one bite and then I can't stop myself from going from seconds or thirds.... till the jar is empty...

A method that worked for me was bringing one fun-sized candy bar to work on my purse every day to eat after lunch. I got chocolate, but while the craving was still there I couldn't just reach over and grab another.

cwojo

I love chocalate as well. Have you ever tried Coco Almonds. You need to control your portion control but it is healthy and it gets rid of my chocalate need. Good Luck

Hearts_2015

But the thing is.... if I start, I can't stop... I have one bite and then I can't stop myself from going from seconds or thirds.... till the jar is empty...

Completely understand this. I say, if cutting it out completely for a while helps, then do it. I have to do that with certain things. Once you feel stronger, then purchase small amounts.

I tend to buy really good quality chocolate chips (not Hershey's or store brand) of semisweet or dark chocolate, and then measure it out. That way, I only have a small amount in my hand, and I can eat one chip at a time, by letting it melt in my mouth. Not chewing it.

this method seems to be working for me...I think it's the "real chocolate" that is the fix... allowing myself a piece of quality chocolate over a bag of Hershey's or something... seems to keep me in control a bit more.

Mgregory723

This how I feel about chocolate!!!

adorable_aly

Its really strange for me I can go months without chocolate but as soon as I have some, I start getting cravings for it. Same with diet coke. It's not so much that I avoid them, its just that I would rather have ice-cream haha.

I think learning portion control is the way forward to make your journey successful.

What I did with my trigger foods was cut them out for a week/ 2 weeks (or until I thought I could trust myself) and see what happened. My tips are these:
-Buy individual portions of things (no family sized)
-If it is a packet of biscuits or something, get out the amount that fits your calories, and put the pack away, somewhere that you can't see it.
-make it work in your calorie goal. Save a few hundred calories for your treat everyday and then you won't end up bingeing.
-remember there is always more chocolate in the world, you can have more tomorrow, later, or whenever it fits into your goals.

stealthq

I have a couple of bites of chocolate every day, but I don't really have a problem with stopping. I just don't feel satisfied at the end of the day if I don't have something sweet. And, no, fruit does not cut it for this unless it's baked in a pie/cobbler/etc.

If I were you, I'd look into recipes w/ cocoa powder - lots of chocolate taste and few calories. You should be able to resist the chocolate pieces if you're not feeling chocolate-deprived. For awhile, I was adding 10 melted dark chocolate chips to 1/4 c. ricotta cheese and mixing - made something like a chocolate pudding but more filling. Decent amt of protein in it, too. You might want to add a little sugar - I liked it as it was, but most people like things sweeter than I do.

For me, the one thing I used to have trouble with was Nutty Buddies. I never could understand it, if they were in the house I'd eat them until I was nauseated. I think it was because I only ever got them on rare occasions when I was little - made me feel special, maybe? Yet I never craved them or went looking for them. Then the last time I had one, suddenly they tasted disgusting to me, all waxy and stale. Doubt I'll ever eat one again and won't miss them. Bizarre.

bhavnoor

Lots of great ideas and suggestions. Thank you everyone for your support

I walked by a jar of the Dove chocolate squares today and did not reach in... and then I went to Subway for lunch and did not claim my free cookie :happy:

I have tried to portion control in the past... and I've been successful with everything except Chocolate. For now, I think I might stick to my plan of no chocolates till my birthday. Let's see how far I get.

lodouglas

I love chocolate too, so I don't deny myself, but I eat small tiny bits very slowly, and make it hard by freezing it in the freezer: so I really have to think about it.

Here's something that helped me. dark chocolate is actually GOOD for you, lots of antioxidants, in small bits. I will freeze a bag of semi-sweet dark chocolate chips, and allow myself ONE teaspoon (MEASURED) of chips when I have a choc-attack. Then I eat them ONE at a time from a small dish, and no more than ONE chip per minute: I really taste and enjoy the flavor that way! Guess what? By the time I get almost done, I have lost my craving and sometimes do not even finish all the teaspoon! but...I have had my choc-fix. Good luck.

firefightingwoman2455

Special K Brownie Bites... I could never cut out chocolate! :happy:

sgould625

I'm a chocoholic too. We always have some in the candy dish at work for clients but I can't stay out of it. There are many days I have 6 mini candy bars a day. I haven't had any for a few days and am going to try to keep at it but when I have it, whether it be 1 or 6, I input it into my calories for the day. If I eat too much chocolate during the day I know I either have to get on the treadmill that night or have a light supper.

Tiznonay

I walked by a jar of the Dove chocolate squares today and did not reach in... and then I went to Subway for lunch and did not claim my free cookie :happy:

whoa, whoa, whoa, back it up... what's this about free cookies at subway? lol

but to satisfy my chocolate cravings, I usually turn to chocolate silk... or better yet the light chocolate one. Super rich and sweet, but not bad on calories

newmrsboyd

I am the same way. An uncontrollable chocoholic. Can't just have 1 Hershey's kiss, will continue to eat chocolate until either that or the milk runs out.

I find the following helps me:

1) Don't store chocolate in the house in anything but a small quanity.
2) Drink it. I like to have an iced grande café mocha with half pumps chocolate in the morning (i'm not a morning person so it helps me look forward to the morning), but even with full pumps it is only 170 calories. I only have chocolate in the morning

deksgrl

Chocolate whey protein powder. In a glass of milk. Or, half a scoop in my coffee. Helps me hit my protein goals and helps with the chocolate sweet tooth.

SergeantG

In the past, I would pack a couple of hersheys kisses (or a mini-dark chocolate bar) in my lunch....that would be my treat....and i couldn't over do it becuase I only packed that one little bit...it would give me just enough of a kick to curb the cravings and yet give me something to look forward to and savor....however, if you have access to other chocolates around the office, then it might be counter productive!

Majorette2015

Since I didn't take the time to read each comment, I'm not sure of someone already suggested this, so if I'm repeating someone else sorry about that! I am obsessed with chocolate, more specifically candy in general. I eat some of the chocolate Atkins diet bars. I'm not on the Atkins diet but the bars are delicious and very low in sugar. I also eat some diabetic friendly desserts. I'm not diabetic but it helped me reduce sugar intake while enjoying treats

MelsAuntie

Suit yourself, but I have chocolate every day, and still lose weight.