Is it best to go cold turkey or have cheats

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honeyjasmine
honeyjasmine Posts: 12
in Health and Weight Loss
I have had a sweet tooth since I was a child. For a period of my life I would eat only chocolate for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. To this day I crave chocolate daily and could live off it and nothing else if I could.

Currently I'm doing the insanity workout 5-6 days a week and eating very well for my breakfast, lunch and dinner. However when evening comes I am craving chocolate. Even if I have none in the house I will go out late at night to buy some because I am so desperate for it (embarrassing to admit). Not small bars either, the ones made for sharing...

What is the best way to go to beat your cravings? To completely cut it out? Have it once a week? Once a month? The thing is if I have one piece I cannot put the bar down so having a little square a day, I don't think I would be able to do. I'm sure I read something on having to completely cutting out junk if you want to erase your craving for it, but I would like to know if anyone had successfully completely cut out their guilty pleasure.

Does anyone else have this problem, or if you can share tips on how you control yourself with these sort of things, it would be appreciated. :)
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Replies

  • butterflies2127
    butterflies2127 Posts: 8 Member
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    Cutting out stuff you love is only effective short term. What you want is a lifestyle change and if you fight yourself too much you won't ever reach that change. I'd say make yourself earn it. For example, if you want chocolate- in moderation of course- have it, but do something like a quick 10 minute cardio, a few situps, or something like that.
  • 4ever420
    4ever420 Posts: 4,088 Member
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    What if instead of eating a small piece everyday, you saved the calories you would have used on them and then enjoy a whole bar on the weekend?
  • bethlaf
    bethlaf Posts: 954 Member
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    why are you cutting it out ? moderation is the key to everything..
  • honeyjasmine
    honeyjasmine Posts: 12
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    What if instead of eating a small piece everyday, you saved the calories you would have used on them and then enjoy a whole bar on the weekend?

    That doesn't sound like a bad idea actually. Thanks for that. :)
  • Murphy0126
    Murphy0126 Posts: 84 Member
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    I love everything.

    I eat everything

    (in moderation)

    It works. If you don't believe me, see ticker below.

    Rob
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    It depends 100% on your psychology.

    For me, if I have them in the house I *will* eat them. I deliberately go around without cash so that I can stay away from vending machines and candy bars (most places around here won't run a credit card for under 5 bucks, so I'd have to buy 5 bucks worth of candy instead of one bar). I have cut out many things that I like because I cannot control consumption, including candy, soda, baked goods, and popcorn.

    Maybe sometime in the future I'll be able to control it. But that time is not now.
  • JackieRL55
    JackieRL55 Posts: 144 Member
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    I love everything.

    I eat everything

    (in moderation)

    It works. If you don't believe me, see ticker below.

    Rob

    ^^^THIS....I love food more than anything in the world and I eat very well about 80% of the time and bad about 20% of the time. I think that is more sustainable then denying yourself something you love...unless you love crack then it's best to go cold turkey.
  • dt3312
    dt3312 Posts: 212 Member
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    I think it's different for different people and situations. My friend, who lives with her husband who is also trying to lose weight, got all of the junk food out of her house and totally banned sweets from her diet. My friend and her husband are working on eating healthfully together. At their family gatherings, they bring healthy foods. Some of their relatives are also eating healthfully. They do not go out to many other social events.

    That doesn't work for me. I am the "everything in moderation" type of person. I live with my husband and son who are not trying to lose weight. I go to several social occasions per week which involve eating. So it works for me to eat everything, but just watch the portion size and be sure to log it. Now instead of 10 truffles, I can eat just 1.
  • kingscrown
    kingscrown Posts: 615 Member
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    I have chocolate several times a week. I buy good quality dark chocolate, keep it in the freezer, snap off a couple squares and enjoy. I don't plan cheats they just happen. I eat healthy and when comes a long that I want to participate in I do it.
  • DeterminedFee201426
    DeterminedFee201426 Posts: 859 Member
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    yes moderation is key you dont have to cut it out completely .
  • DeterminedFee201426
    DeterminedFee201426 Posts: 859 Member
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    i eat anything i want but make sure its in moderation daily even greasy things even tho they are so high in calories
  • rainbowxelephant
    rainbowxelephant Posts: 71 Member
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    I have chocolate several times a week. I buy good quality dark chocolate, keep it in the freezer, snap off a couple squares and enjoy. I don't plan cheats they just happen. I eat healthy and when comes a long that I want to participate in I do it.

    Exactly. I keep enjoy life chocolate chips in my freezer (they're vegan and gf) and tend to have some with coconut milk ice cream now and again. I'm working on working on my portions though because if I eat mindlessly, I always overdo it
  • gaylelynnbell
    gaylelynnbell Posts: 248 Member
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    I am also a chocolate lover and can't stop when it's available. Maybe I should say "don't" instead of "can't". I know I CAN, but I choose unwisely. My way is to buy ONE candy bar when I do my weekly grocery shopping and fit it into my calories. I can't have it in my house either, but once a week works for me and gives me something to look forward to. I don't share it with anyone!
  • honeyjasmine
    honeyjasmine Posts: 12
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    It depends 100% on your psychology.

    For me, if I have them in the house I *will* eat them. I deliberately go around without cash so that I can stay away from vending machines and candy bars (most places around here won't run a credit card for under 5 bucks, so I'd have to buy 5 bucks worth of candy instead of one bar). I have cut out many things that I like because I cannot control consumption, including candy, soda, baked goods, and popcorn.

    Maybe sometime in the future I'll be able to control it. But that time is not now.

    This is how I feel. I really want to be one of those who can be sensible and just have 1 truffle instead of 20 but if I have a whole box of truffles in the house I will eat the whole thing. Makes me feel greedy and disgusted with myself tbh.

    Thanks for your comments everyone. I guess different people have different strengths when it comes to this kind of thing. I am going to see how I manage having chocolate only once a week (rather than every day like I do now...this is going to be hard!) and see how it goes. I gave up bread/rice/pasta over 8 months ago and haven't had a bite of them since. I hope I can do the same with the chocolate some day. ;)
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
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    \

    Currently I'm doing the insanity workout 5-6 days a week and eating very well for my breakfast, lunch and dinner. However when evening comes I am craving chocolate. ... Not small bars either, the ones made for sharing...

    LIES.

    CHOCOLATE IS NOT MADE FOR SHARING.

    In all seriousness though, I'm not one of those people who thinks it's a great idea to keep trigger foods out of the house. If the only reason I'm NOT eating a delicious calorie-rich food is because it's not around, I've already lost the war. The day must inevitably come when the trigger food and I are near one another again, and never having practiced moderation, I'd cave.

    Learning moderation is hard, but kinda key to long-term success. I don't want to work crazy hard to lose a lot of weight, be at my goal weight for all of 6 weeks and then balloon back up again.
  • honeyjasmine
    honeyjasmine Posts: 12
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    I am also a chocolate lover and can't stop when it's available. Maybe I should say "don't" instead of "can't". I know I CAN, but I choose unwisely. My way is to buy ONE candy bar when I do my weekly grocery shopping and fit it into my calories. I can't have it in my house either, but once a week works for me and gives me something to look forward to. I don't share it with anyone!

    Once a week seems to be working well for many people. I will not be sharing either haha. Thanks for advice.
  • honeyjasmine
    honeyjasmine Posts: 12
    Options
    \

    Currently I'm doing the insanity workout 5-6 days a week and eating very well for my breakfast, lunch and dinner. However when evening comes I am craving chocolate. ... Not small bars either, the ones made for sharing...

    LIES.

    CHOCOLATE IS NOT MADE FOR SHARING.

    In all seriousness though, I'm not one of those people who thinks it's a great idea to keep trigger foods out of the house. If the only reason I'm NOT eating a delicious calorie-rich food is because it's not around, I've already lost the war. The day must inevitably come when the trigger food and I are near one another again, and never having practiced moderation, I'd cave.

    Learning moderation is hard, but kinda key to long-term success. I don't want to work crazy hard to lose a lot of weight, be at my goal weight for all of 6 weeks and then balloon back up again.

    Haha!

    True what you have said. I need to work on controlling it, rather than just avoiding it I guess I could say. That's what's making me like a crack addict sneaking out the house at night to go get my fix of chocolate. I'm going to try this moderation, I'm feeling motivated just by logging on here. :) Great site.
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
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    I feel the same about chocolate. I have learned to not eat as much, but I do workout a lot just to be able to have my chocolate and eat it too. And not just one little square either.
    Oh and I also eat lots of good nutritious food!

    Edited for grammar
  • CCoughenour
    CCoughenour Posts: 10
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    Chocolate causes bingeing for me (disorders eating). Because of health problems (pcos, hypothyroidism, starving mode-hyperemesis during pregnancy, etc) , I follow a low carb diet and I make my own chocolate bars with unsweetened chocolate, liquid stevia, vanilla and nuts. Sometimes I make truffles (Google Fat bombs or avocado truffles). I'm not good at moderation, so I keep room in my calories and then I only make one serving depending on how many calories I can have. I'll put the serving in the freezer so it can set up or sometimes just eat it warm.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    Options
    I have had a sweet tooth since I was a child. For a period of my life I would eat only chocolate for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. To this day I crave chocolate daily and could live off it and nothing else if I could.

    Currently I'm doing the insanity workout 5-6 days a week and eating very well for my breakfast, lunch and dinner. However when evening comes I am craving chocolate. Even if I have none in the house I will go out late at night to buy some because I am so desperate for it (embarrassing to admit). Not small bars either, the ones made for sharing...

    What is the best way to go to beat your cravings? To completely cut it out? Have it once a week? Once a month? The thing is if I have one piece I cannot put the bar down so having a little square a day, I don't think I would be able to do. I'm sure I read something on having to completely cutting out junk if you want to erase your craving for it, but I would like to know if anyone had successfully completely cut out their guilty pleasure.

    Does anyone else have this problem, or if you can share tips on how you control yourself with these sort of things, it would be appreciated. :)

    You will get differing views and some may work and some may not, we're all different.

    Personally I would cut the chocolate out for a month (it will be tough), once you feel comfortable with no or reduced craving then try re-introducing small amounts until you can eat it in moderation.

    It may take a couple of goes to get to the moderation state.

    I have found myself in the past failing each time when I try going from craving certain foods or dink to moderation straight away.

    Good luck.

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