CHOCOLATE!!!

britpatt2010

So I believe I'm beginning to rely on chocolate. It's horrible when dieting its empty calories and full of sugar. Which is a main thing I don't need.Does anyone know something that I can substitute for chocolate? Hershey's kisses are my favorite and I only have 3 a day but I feel like I cheat when I do....

savvynurse

Well I eat the Special K protein bars... they are chocolate covered

chewy8874042

I totally say reward yourself -especially if it's only 3! Moderation and log it! Also, Hershey's cocoa powder if useful ~ I flavor oatmeal with it if I want chocolate first thing in the morning. Only 10 calories.

mallorybriann

I warm up a deep chocolate Vita Top in the microwave 100 calories and gives me my chocolate fix. You can get them in the freezer section

spaboleo

Stop feeling guilty for eating what fits your taste!

Feel guilty if you miss you daily calorie-goal instead

Or setup rules, like I did (see signature). Maybe it helps if you eat at least some fruit, when you feel the urge to eat chocolate. Make it an habit.

Urge to eat chocolate -> eat fruits instead -> wait 10-15min. if there is still an urge to eat chocolate -> eat it

Maybe you will once overcome the dependence on chocolate.

hilhall822

I love the idea of the cocoa powder in oatmeal- I'm going to have to try that! I love the fiber one oats & chocolate bars- they really do taste like candy to me (lost of chocolate drizzle & chips inside).

warmachinejt

Well I eat the Special K protein bars... they are chocolate covered

I second this. Just get protein bars that are low in fat. Special K are decent enough.

Lula16

try some Cocoa Almonds!!! that always fixes my chocolate cravings.

InMyJeans

Im probably the wrong person to answer bc I LOVE chocolate and try to squeeze in dark chocolates at least once a week or two weeks BUT if I was giving chocolate up I would try low fat yogurt or chocolate pudding. BUT then again instead of giving it up, just try to have more self control and not eat 3 pieces a day. Not that 3 pieces is bad but too much of a good thing can be bad for you.

RMinVA

I totally say reward yourself -especially if it's only 3! Moderation and log it! Also, Hershey's cocoa powder if useful ~ I flavor oatmeal with it if I want chocolate first thing in the morning. Only 10 calories.

Totally agree!! Nothing wrong with rewarding yourself with a small bit of chocolate: the darker the better. Or try a cup of Swiss Miss no added sugar hot chocolate....about 60 cals and none of the guilt. And as someone already mentioned, the cocoa dusted almonds by Diamond rock!

Allison29

I just discovered dark chocolate almond milk and I LOVE it. Totally takes off that sweet craving.

neuroticalme

Especially if you can treat yourself to the good chocolate, it's more than just "empty calories". Anti-oxidants!
For me, though, I can't limit myself to one piece of chocolate as a daily thing, so I drink a cup of hot cocoa instead; it's warm, filling, and chocolaty.

But either way you do it, treating yourself a little each day can curb binging. Plus, it doesn't put you in the "food denial" state of mind.

4meeshka

i eat an ounce of dark chocolate almost every day. when i try to stop eating it i find i substitute that desire with more calories in other foods and sweets. so why not have what i LOVE. just in moderation. if you have the willpower, and you do (ie. 3 kisses) then i say keep it in your life and just don't go overboard. the protein bars are a good idea too but i think they wind up being more calories.

jessicalhall85

fiber one bars are actually really yummy too!

fitterpam

I'm finding too that I'm relying on chocolate and I stopped losing. I'm relying on my light hot chocolates now, but if I have to have chocolate, I try and find a CMX bar. They're super yummy and have bitter melon and stuff to counteract the effect on the blood sugar. If I can't find it, then I try and go for 75% or higher. I used to prefer milk, but now I'm totally into the dark chocolate.....

Also, if you don't want to try the light hot chocolate because of the artificial sugars, someone here suggested to me that you heat up some almond milk - I use vanilla and it completely knocks out the chocolate craving - it tastes a little like ovaltine....but I'm slowly subbing it in. Just make sure to get the unsweetened.

javamonster

I'm with the 'everything in moderation' folks. ;-) If you can get yourself onto dark chocolate you're eating less sugar with the added benefit of antioxidants. I always have a Lindt 90% bar handy. Doesn't take much of that to satisfy the craving.

carolynmittens

as someone else said, the chocolate vitatops are AMAZING. i also make these little chocolate blobs all the time, not exactly low fat but the ingredients are all healthy and it really takes care of my chocolate craving:

ingredients:
1/4 cup lightly salted cashews
1/4 cup coconut date rolls (or medjool dates, but i like the rolls way better)
vanilla
water
2 T dark cocoa powder

blend the cashews in a food processor until they turn into fine crumbs. then add in the dates and cocoa powder and process until the mixture looks VERY crumbly. then add in a splash of vanilla extract and a teaspoon or so of water and process again. the mixture should form into a sticky blob, if it's still too crumbly add more water or vanilla. roll into balls and then die in a pool of chocolatey bliss because what you're eating is so freaking good and healthy at the same time!

carolynmittens

also if you want to make your own chocolate, this recipe is so easy and REALLY good, also quite healthy, containing good fats and fiber. a much better alternative than hersheys kisses if you're looking for something with a few health benefits

1 T coconut oil
1.5 T agave nectar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 T cocoa powder   
 
melt the coconut oil and agave in the microwave (mine takes forever because my microwave sucks, so i can't really give a precise estimate, for people without a sucky microwave i'm thinking anywhere from 10-30 seconds)
add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract & stir, then the add 2 Tbsp cocoa powder & stir until it forms a thick luscious chocolate sauce. you can eat it just like this (makes an amazing dip for apples, pears and bananas!) or freeze it into plastic wrap and cut into cubes which are equally delicious.

dr1981

What?? Chocolate???

*drool*

alight494

i am not a really big chocolate fan but more a sweet fan, the one thing i found that fufills both are fiber one bars in the cereal isle, they have one that are only 90 calories per bar, one is straight chocolate and the other is peanut butter chocolate...they are sooooo good and a great source of fiber which keeps you feeling fuller...our nutritionist at the hospital i work at also recommends the south beach one too. she says low on calorie/carbs and high on taste.... give them a try...

bitabee

oh wow, I am trying that chocolate recipe! thank you!!

lizzyb0601

I second the vita tops recommendation.

britpatt2010

Thank you so much everyone!!! I love fiber one bars. My mom used to buy them when I was in high school and I would eat one for breakfast. Can't believe I didnt think of them!!!

susanswan

My chocolate fixes are:
* eating bittersweet chocolate. I make sure to buy one that breaks into small squares, then portion out 1/2 ounce. I suck on each little piece and it is VERY chocolatey and doesn't take too much before it is almost too much. Not a lot of sugar, and the lovely antioxidants!
* Another fix is using Hershey's cocoa powder and stevia to make some hot chocolate.
* My summer time treat is to get out my blender and make a chocolate milkshake!! (Can't wait for summer!) I just use maybe 12 ice cubes, 1/2 cup of non fat or soy milk, additional non fat milk powder (helps to thicken it up!), stevia sweetener, and a good 2 tablespoons of Hershey's cocoa powder. This is essentially the calorie content of a glass of milk! Sometimes I add half or a whole banana which really makes it thick and yummy! It makes about 20 ounces, so when you have savored every last drop you really feel like you've had something bad, but good!
*Good Earth Chocolate Chai tea is my latest find! (they sell it on Amazon! I think I'll buy it and split it with her because it is 6 boxes!) My friend shared this with me and when I opened the foil pouch it smelled EXACTLY like the chocolate NECCO candies! I immediately made a cup. My friend likes to make it really strong and add milk, but I drank mine straight and it was very chocolatey and satisfying! = D

agibsonky

bump

amybrauch

I love the Kellogg's Fiber Plus bars. They are around 120 calories, but they really are soooo good. They taste really sinful. Also, I don't think that eating 3 kisses a day is cheating at all, as long as you are w/in your calories. I keep Dove Chocolate squares around (my weakness) and they are 44 calories each, but sometimes you just have to eat one! Don't be so hard on yourself!

susanswan

as someone else said, the chocolate vitatops are AMAZING. i also make these little chocolate blobs all the time, not exactly low fat but the ingredients are all healthy and it really takes care of my chocolate craving:

ingredients:
1/4 cup lightly salted cashews
1/4 cup coconut date rolls (or medjool dates, but i like the rolls way better)
vanilla
water
2 T dark cocoa powder

blend the cashews in a food processor until they turn into fine crumbs. then add in the dates and cocoa powder and process until the mixture looks VERY crumbly. then add in a splash of vanilla extract and a teaspoon or so of water and process again. the mixture should form into a sticky blob, if it's still too crumbly add more water or vanilla. roll into balls and then die in a pool of chocolatey bliss because what you're eating is so freaking good and healthy at the same time!

That reminds me of LARABARS which are just dates and nuts as a base so they don't use "things" that you couldn't find at the grocery store in them. I used to try to come up with a recipe similar to yours using peanuts and dates and cocoa powder. Tasted like a brownie!

fitnesspirateninja

I eat a couple of squares of dark chocolate almost every day. It's usually between 45 - 90 calories and it's really not a big deal. I don't feel bad about it. In my experience, it's not healthy to deny yourself the foods you enjoy. It's important to be mindful about your choices and to use moderation. But I realized something a few months ago - if I tell myself that I can never eat chocolate or tuna salad or hamburgers again, I'm going to fail. Should my entire diet consist of those foods? No. But I can treat myself every so often. I can also make better choices when I do have a treat.

That being said, if you have issues with portion control, you might want to get used to healthy eating before reintroducing sweets and fatty foods back into your diet. When I first started losing weight, I needed to keep certain foods out of the house, but now I don't have any problem avoiding the junk food in our pantry and freezer.

susanswan

I totally say reward yourself -especially if it's only 3! Moderation and log it! Also, Hershey's cocoa powder if useful ~ I flavor oatmeal with it if I want chocolate first thing in the morning. Only 10 calories.

Wasn't sure this would work for me. I tried Chocolate Malt-O-Meal, ate it once then threw the rest of it out after a couple years of realizing I'd never eat it again.

I added just about 1tsp. to my Original Oatmeal this morning and OMG! It took me right back to Cocoa Krispies, and then reminded me of a chocolate lava cake how the oatmeal separates from the thickened milk! I think this would handle any winter craving any time of the day and get some good fiber in, too! = D Great idea for when you don't want to add fruit to your oatmeal!!

susanswan

That being said, if you have issues with portion control, you might want to get used to healthy eating before reintroducing sweets and fatty foods back into your diet. When I first started losing weight, I needed to keep certain foods out of the house, but now I don't have any problem avoiding the junk food in our pantry and freezer.

This is VERY WISE advice. Think of an alcoholic trying to just have a drink now and then! Different scenario, I know, but still I know for myself that I am shooting for 90 days of not even one "Oh, I'll just have one today". I really need to reinforce the changes I plan to make. I am using the money comparison of : Can I afford it?. If I only have cash in my wallet, why would I buy a $20 lunch if I only have $10? I have a good 30 pounds to lose. I am only 3 weeks in. I don't think now is the time to reward myself with a big piece of chocolate cake! I can wait! I think I'll live. In the meantime I can refocus on what is really important to me such as not letting food run my life anymore!

nickyevans

I am one of those lucky people who doesnt really like chocolate, or sweets. My weaknesses tend to be butter and ready salted crisps etc....