Fighting Chocolate Cravings

jaramae

I'm sure its come up time and time again in the forum but I was wondering if anyone had any advice, tips, own stories regarding trying to live a healthier life despite having a chocolate addiction/cravings.

Cutting it out 100% only makes me crave it more and once I get some its hard to stop. It's my one weakness and I want to know how to properly deal. Advice folks?

bachooka

Buy yourself some Chocolate bite sized mini wheats... A serving is 200 cals and it kills my chocolate craving. Just sweet enough but with nutritional value as well.

MinnieInMaine

That was always my problem, and the downfall of many dieting attempts. Now my approach is to make room in my diet (earning exercise calories definitely helps) for treats.

For me, the key is finding what will truly satisfy the craving so I make sure it's something that's truly worth it and not a junky diet substitute... For instance, I tried those Fiber One brownies a few weeks ago and while they're pretty good, they're so not worth even 90 calories in my book. I'd rather have a square or two of dark chocolate - makes me happy and it's good for you!

ETA: if you don't think you can portion control, don't keep a bunch around, just get enough to satisfy the craving. Since I like dark chocolate, sometimes those Lindt truffles that you find at most grocery stores will do - grab a couple on the way through the checkout and there's your treat. I do the same thing with ice cream - if I really want some, I'll just go to McD's and get a cone, only 150 calories!

pixiechick8321

Two thoughts:

1. buy a bar of VERY EXPENSIVE dark chocolate and have <35g per day (if the pieces are bigger, break them up). Store in the freezer to keep them from blooming and from being too easy to eat. If you savor it, the little piece will do more for you then a whole chocolate cake (trust me, I tried this yesterday - the cake went faster and wasn't as good as the small chocolate piece). To start off, go to a Whole Foods or similar and look for the ones with less ingredients and higher % cacao - my favorite one is Theo

2. Give yourself a tit-for-tat with exercise and chocolate. Whatever you burn off, you can eat and if you don't go at least for a walk, you don't get a treat. That way the food is "extra" and you don't have to fit it in, but you also benefit from a better body if you do workout for the chocolate (think carrot stick and horse type picture).

Finally, remember that you ARE stronger than the chocolate and you can say NO! ;-)

AlsDonkBoxSquat

I think completely fighting a chocolate craving is against the nature of man and fully reject the idea, it's torture in the sense of cruel and unusual punishment paired with seriously unreasonable expectations particularly during TOM. I buy seriously dark chocolate, take a square and break it into quarters and only eat the one square letting each little quarter melt on my tongue (no chewing allowed, seeing as my teeth have no tastebuds). My new thing, though, is I put 2 scoops of my vanilla protein powder with 1 Tbsp of sugar free chocolate pudding in something liquid like coffee or milk . . . yum.

belinda_b

I think completely fighting a chocolate craving is against the nature of man and fully reject the idea, it's torture in the sense of cruel and unusual punishment paired with seriously unreasonable expectations particularly during TOM.

I concur.

jaramae

I appreciate all the advice. I definitely work off the calories for whatever "bad" foods I eat but it wreaks havoc on my daily sugar intake.

I've only recently started getting into dark chocolate so that's still an adjustment for me. But hopefully I will prevail!

HMonsterX

Fun size chocolate bars.

At 70 calories a pop, they get rid of the craving, without a huge calorie intake.

The more you deny yourself something, the more you want it.

jsmith81515

I successfully avoided a chocolate craving yesterday when I quickly handed the chocolate to my 5 year old, and he ate it faster than I could change my mind!

undermajorconstruction

Fudgesicles work for me. They are only 40 calories