How to handle my chocolate addiction
lkbuckley24
Posts: 6 Member
I am trying to lose body fat and tone up my stomach for summer. I have a serious chocolate addiction that I can’t control. When I see chocolate, even if I’m not necessarily hungry or craving it, I will eat it without hesitation. I know the consequence of the item that I’m eating but I still want to do it! I need a tactic to control my chocolate craving and learn to control myself. How do I stop myself from eating 5 brownies? Any help would be appreciated!
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You just have to put your mind to what you really want to do. You could also try buying Atkins chocolate snack bars or meal bars. For me I can’t eat more than one. They’re really satisfying to me. Good luck!7
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You don’t have to buy it.17
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I got so fed up, I threw all my chocolate out ... bars, chips, etc. in the trash. Even unopened chocolate, nice chocolate that you find in the good chocolate section of grocery stores all in the trash. I decided not to be ruled by chocolate cravings and went on a 3 day strike against eating any to prove to myself I could. I was tired of letting it dictate if I felt successful in my food goals (aka not eating too much, and usually failing). I amazingly enough I could abstain.
That was the wakeup call I needed, now I can have a small amount each night but I can stop myself from eating more servings cause I don't want to throw out all my chocolate again. Also I'm on a small grad student budget so economical reasons are a good motivator too.
Also have 1 day a week where I don't eat any; instead of abstaining from it I think of it as "taking a break"7 -
Use cocoa powder! Mix 1 whole tablespoon (10 calories!) into some yogurt or pb or whatever along with some stevia or other sweetner of choice. It's a great alternative. Works for me11
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check out walden farms their chocolate spread is 0 calories as is their chocolate syrup they have a more coco taste but freakin 0 calories4
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sschauer513 wrote: »check out walden farms their chocolate spread is 0 calories as is their chocolate syrup they have a more coco taste but freakin 0 calories
just a word from my experience with Walden Farms...do NOT order the 'whipped peanut butter'....It is the most vile stuff I've ever tried! Had to throw out...and I don't waste!
Maybe the syrups are better? I've been too cautious to try...3 -
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I struggle with this too! Really badly. The only tip that has honestly worked for me is to not buy it or have it in the house, and to drink a LOT of water when I'm craving it!
Also herbal teas (chai) and coffee can help me when I'm craving chocolate, but honestly I know how hard it is. Good luck!
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Brownies can’t be around in my house. But I have learned to stop at just one.
I like a dusting of cocoa on my Chai tea, and I use artificial sweetener. Low calorie and I get my chocolate.2 -
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Sugar free fudgesicles, sugar free chocolate pudding, light hot chocolate. I can keep Ghiradelli dark chocolate squares in the house and eat one or two squares a day. BUT, Hershey Kisses...not so much.
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Do you like dark chocolate? I found that the higher the cocoa content, the less I crave it. If I have milk chocolate, or even dark chocolate that's less than 80%, I always want more even if I eat my carefully-weighed portion slowly and savour it. If I have really strong dark chocolate, I can be satisfied with a small piece and not go looking for more.
As for brownies, I make small pumpkin brownies that are only about 90 calories each (more like a moist cake than a chewy brownie, but they're tasty!), and I try to limit myself to just one at a time and freeze them to make them last.5 -
A fiber one brownie heated up in the microwave for 15 seconds and topped with a little halo top is my savior. Chocolate rice cakes with a little peanut butter on top are pretty good too.
This site is all about finding ways to fit things you enjoy into your deficit. If you can't keep any in the house without losing total control, then I suggest banking some calories throughout the week and taking yourself out on the weekend for a nice dessert.3 -
Sugar free fudgesicles, sugar free chocolate pudding, light hot chocolate. I can keep Ghiradelli dark chocolate squares in the house and eat one or two squares a day. BUT, Hershey Kisses...not so much.
Ooh, yeah - the Fudgesicles were one of my go-to treats in my early days here! I forgot about those.
I second what @lolothedragon said about going out for a treat as well - if you can't keep it in the house, going out for just ONE portion of something nice once or twice a week (whatever fits in your calories) might be a good way to not feel deprived. Maybe take a trusted friend with you who would gently stop you from buying more and remind you of your goals?0 -
I would handle it through reframing and education and environment control (that's actually what I did in order to lose 50 pounds, and more importantly, to maintain):
Chocolate addiction is not a thing. You overeat chocolate because it's delicious, easily available, comforting, and because you feel scared and out of control and call yourself an addict. You try to control the things you can't control, and don't control the things you can control.
In the heat of the moment, an immediate relief or gratification will always feel more important and valuable than any distant future rewards or results.
To lose weight (body fat), you need a consistent calorie deficit. It means that you over time eat less than you burn, or just "eat less, move more". "Trying" has no place in this game - it's a single player game - you either do, or don't do. "Tone up" is so vague that it's pointless to have as a goal. You will look leaner when you lose weight, and you will be stronger if you use your muscles more.
You can't control your cravings, but you can control your actions. A craving does not mean that you have to eat. If you don't have something around, you can't eat it. Wanting is not the same as doing.
You can eat anything in moderation. If you stick to your calorie allowance, nothing will "hinder" weightloss.
Telling yourself something is off limit, fattening, toxic, or whatever, will not make you stop wanting it, it will cause your cravings to intensify.14 -
1. 80/20 rule: and don't waste the "20" - eat the best quality dark chocolate you can find.
2. IIFYM - if it fits your macros.
3. NO guilt. Enjoy your chocolate.9 -
I agree with the above posters that say buy dark chocolate--72% at least, very good quality. Divide it up into small portions, weigh them out, and then have a piece once or twice a day depending on your calorie allowance. Dark chocolate takes getting used to, but once you do it scratches an itch that nothing else will.0
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sschauer513 wrote: »check out walden farms their chocolate spread is 0 calories as is their chocolate syrup they have a more coco taste but freakin 0 calories
just a word from my experience with Walden Farms...do NOT order the 'whipped peanut butter'....It is the most vile stuff I've ever tried! Had to throw out...and I don't waste!
Maybe the syrups are better? I've been too cautious to try...
I do second the peanut butter is horrible threw mine out also. Used the maple syrup in baking in place of honey or syrup and like the jelly but more of a jello consistency but has the flavor.
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Do you like dark chocolate? I found that the higher the cocoa content, the less I crave it. If I have milk chocolate, or even dark chocolate that's less than 80%, I always want more even if I eat my carefully-weighed portion slowly and savour it. If I have really strong dark chocolate, I can be satisfied with a small piece and not go looking for more.
As for brownies, I make small pumpkin brownies that are only about 90 calories each (more like a moist cake than a chewy brownie, but they're tasty!), and I try to limit myself to just one at a time and freeze them to make them last.
I want to make some pumpkin brownies and was going to change up a "normal" recipe. Can you share yours? 90 calories sounds just about what I'd like to hit.0 -
I thought I was chocoholic, until I worked on a military ship and my shop ran out of chocolate for 3 weeks, survived just fine! I cut down drastically for months afterwards.
Now I just accept that I like chocolate and try to fit a little into my calorie allowance each day.7 -
sschauer513 wrote: »sschauer513 wrote: »check out walden farms their chocolate spread is 0 calories as is their chocolate syrup they have a more coco taste but freakin 0 calories
just a word from my experience with Walden Farms...do NOT order the 'whipped peanut butter'....It is the most vile stuff I've ever tried! Had to throw out...and I don't waste!
Maybe the syrups are better? I've been too cautious to try...
I do second the peanut butter is horrible threw mine out also. Used the maple syrup in baking in place of honey or syrup and like the jelly but more of a jello consistency but has the flavor.
I had to throw the whole peanut butter tub! I really tried to swallow it a couple of times, but it was so disgusting. As for the syrups, I did have the maple one and the taste was okay, until my second jar when I began tasting all the fakeness and it turned me off the products (they say the chocolate one is awful). Now I have real maple syrup (controlling the portions) and I'm a much happier person!
As for chocolate cravings, I usually go for a chocolate shake with defatted raw cacao powder, any milk of your choice and half a banana, so good!
This is a good brownie recipe: https://deliciouslyella.com/2016/10/08/new-and-improved-sweet-potato-brownies/
You can tweak the ingredients to make it more low-cal, such as subbing half the maple syrup for stevia, half (or all) the sweet potato for pumpkin...and see how it turns out!0 -
Eat only the good stuff - one piece at a time.1
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I bought a pound of dark chocolate hershey kisses and split it into the small servings for myself. I now only eat them a few times a week but i fit it into my calorie goal.0
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Simple, just don't buy any. When I was a teenager, I used to always drink Coke/Pepsi and chips. When I hit my 20's, I knew it was a problem, so what did I do...simple, not buy any. Of course, back then I didn't know about nutrition and CICO. Nowadays with what I know with IIFYM, I can fit it in my diet without any issues and I am pretty disciplined. I am pretty good at saying no to food, but if I had the same issues as I did growing up, I'd simply avoid it altogether. My goals are more important than one particular food.1
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I mix unsweetened cocoa powder and stevia into my coffee in the morning. Tastes like a mocha 0
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I can't eat too much of dark chocolate at once, so it's what I buy now.
Technically though, brownie isn't chocolate, but in the end, it's really all about wanting to lose weight more than wanting the extra calories.3 -
We were just discussing this at a 5 Rhythms workshop last weekend!
90% cocoa dark chocolate - you cannot binge on that stuff.
Also, protein shakes with a really good chocolate flavour.
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Portion control and self control. If you can’t do those then don’t buy chocolate, etc.2
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pomegranatecloud wrote: »Portion control and self control. If you can’t do those then don’t buy chocolate, etc.
This!
Once you learn moderation and portion control, start to buy the goodies again.0
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