Needing Dessert Every Night

SergeantSunshine_reused

5 Hershey's kisses a day will not lead to diabetes. A small taste of chocolate is not a bad thing. I went from wanting ( not needing) a full blown dessert every night to a square of chocolate....it satisfies enough and I don't feel like I am doing without.

My concern is more that the OP said they would avoid eating other foods throughout the day to have a Snickers bar and stay under their calorie goal. THAT is not healthy and that is a dangerous habit to get into.

Dangerous to save room in your calorie budget for a dessert? Not unhealthy AT ALL.
If it fits into your calories/macros and you have a tooth brush you will be just fine.

soccerblocker66

I have the chocolate addiction also. Skinny Cow has Heavenly Crisp Bars that taste exactly like a candy bar! And they also have crispy clusters that are similar to peanut clusters but crispy instead. They satisfy my craving and they are low enough I can have at least one a day.

Bentley2718

To me that seems like a lot of calories for something that has no real nutritional value. If you wanted to have 1-2 Hershey's kisses, I'd say okay, but 5-10 seems like a lot to me. What I find troubling is that you're giving up potentially more nutritious food, to eat something with no real micro nutrients, protein, or fiber. Personally, I try to limit myself to small amounts of such things. I sometimes keep a nice bar of dark chocolate around and have a square or two at a time. I'll sit down and really make it a point to enjoy my chocolate. Like many people, I can't keep much of that sort of thing around, once the bag is open I'll have one or two here and there, and it really adds up.

pjh1953

Try the Fiber One 90 calorie brownies - they are terrific tasting, have filling fiber, and they take care of that chocolate urge. Good luck - I know what it feels like to want that chocolate rush!:bigsmile:

tinalatina

BUmp!

Hot Cocoa gives me chocolate low cal fix.

Or Skinny Cow 50 cal fudge pops!!! Yummmy!

Mollydolly10

I have some dark chocolate every night and have since I started this journey. I try to keep it around 2 squares or so and fit it within my calories. It keeps me from feeling deprived and I have had great success to date. I say enjoy it if you want it, just keep it in small portions

I do the exact same thing. Organic dark chocolate with 72% cocoa, 3 squares = 1 serving = around 60 cals

ashleymcquown

I find that drinking a cup of no sugar added hot chocolate helps me out! No more than 50-60 calories, and it really does the trick. If you look in my food diary, you can see I have one almost every day.

great idea! i'm going to try this...warm drinks tend to help a lot : )

alishuman

I was reading a book that suggested if you need a chocolate fix, try dipping a banana in unsweetened cocoa powder (about 1 tsp. will do for a whole banana).

Anyway, I tried it, because I had a hankering for chocolate, but am trying really hard to stay away from processed sugars. I hate bananas... but I really liked them like that. The banana was sweet enough to carry the unsweetened cocoa powder, and the banana was helped exponentially by the chocolate. =D It's my new favorite treat-snack.

Suziq2you

Chocolate by itself is good for you, the problem is the sugar, specifically the processed sugar. The bottom line is that you need to cut it from your diet every night. Eating that much sugar on the daily can lead to diabetes. I would suggest for you to simply stop buying it and weaning yourself from it slowly. If you were to replace that milk chocolate Snickers with some organic dark chocolate, I would say that would be a start in the right direction.

There is nothing that says eating sugar will cause diabetes.

Personally, I prefer dark chocolate and I have it on a regular basis. If your dessert is within your calories, it will not hinder your weight loss.

cloud2011

One more thing...I didn't mean to suggest that anyone should eat salad instead of chocolate at night! I just do it later (I still have something sweet). I eat the salad for the crunch.

paigemarie93

When I started MFP two weeks ago, I had the same craving, I satisfied it for half a weak & it hasn't come back since :]

frugalmomsrock

I usually have some form of chocolate every day-be it an Aldi Fit & Active fudge ice cream bar, a TBSP full of chocolate chips, a couple truffles, a piece of pie/cake that I've modified to be healthier, half a piece of cake that isn't modified, some frozen yogurt, a tortilla with peanut butter and nutella, etc. I love chocolate. There is no reason that you have to totally give it up. All things in moderation. This is a lifestyle change, so it's not about depriving oneself for ever; it's about moderating yourself for a lifetime.

vamback

I do sugar free dark chocolate pudding. The individual cups are only 80 calories and they are yummy!!

fittraier

I think it is a mindset! If you change your diet and take out most sugars, you will find you don't "need" it every night. After cutting most process sugars out maybe once every 14 days I get a craving for chocolate. I eat 15 chocolate chips and that takes care of it.

If you want something sweet, eat fruit!

gp79

Then you need to learn about protein fluff. This big ole' bowl is fluffed with Coconut Protein Fluff - 233 calories, 28g protein 17g carbohydrates 7g fat and I bet you couldn't even finish the entire bowl.
Plenty of places to learn how to make it. There's even a group here on MFP, called Protein Fluf

darkheart

I usually crave chocolate a lot once a month... (you know, that time of the month) and I'll have a few squares of 72% or higher dark chocolate. If that doesn't do the trick, I keep Fiber One 90 calorie chocolate fudge brownies around. They're really good, and plus I don't feel so bad knowing that I'm getting an extra fiber boost, so it's not 90 completely empty calories.

cydonian

Dangerous to save room in your calorie budget for a dessert? Not unhealthy AT ALL.
If it fits into your calories/macros and you have a tooth brush you will be just fine.

So, you're saying that skipping out on extra protein, fat, carbs, or calories from a healthy food source such as eating less of yor salad of fresh vegetables or half of the chicken breast instead of whole, so that you can eat an empty calorie, processed candy bar is perfectly heahtly? Um... right. I'm apparently doing it all wrong. I always thought it was about WHAT you put in your body, not just the calories.

darkheart

Oh! Forgot to mention Arctic Zero "ice cream". The protein fluff reminded me of it. THE WHOLE PINT IS 150 CALORIES. Yes, you read that right. The. Whole. Pint. It's made mostly of whey protein, and doesn't exactly taste like ice cream, but it definitely satisfies me. You can always add your own toppings (granola, fruit etc), but be reasonable and don't go overboard! There are so many flavors available too. You can buy it at Whole Foods and Amazon. I'm sure your local health food store might carry it too!

Barneystinson

Try just a square or two of REALLY dark choclate. Like 67-85% cacoa. That should hit your craving on the head and cut back on the sugar.

I love a nice after dinner chocolate like this. Or if it's cold outside and you want a nice after dinner drink:

2T Hershey's special dark cocoa
1 c. almond milk (I like the Silk unsweetened, only 35 cals/serving)
1-2 packets stevia or Splenda
Dash of pure vanilla extract (or almond extract)

Bring the above to a boil in a saucepan while stirring constantly to avoid the mixture sticking. Pour into a mug and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

flyguy767

eat a Zone Perfect bar, chocolate strwberry or double chocolate. About 10 grams protien and only 190 calories and really taste great.

chyloet

Chocolate by itself is good for you, the problem is the sugar, specifically the processed sugar. The bottom line is that you need to cut it from your diet every night. Eating that much sugar on the daily can lead to diabetes. I would suggest for you to simply stop buying it and weaning yourself from it slowly. If you were to replace that milk chocolate Snickers with some organic dark chocolate, I would say that would be a start in the right direction.

Agree. Organic dark chocolate. Eat only the recommended serving ie 3 pieces. Mind over matter.

Trader Joe's sells a sugar free chocolate (dark and milk with and without almonds) and it is yummy! :happy:

havingitall

Plain Greek yogurt with a small squirt of chocolate syrup = HEAVEN.

This sounds heavenly!!!! I found my new treat! Thanks!

I also heard that greek yogurt and nutella was good

Barneystinson

Dangerous to save room in your calorie budget for a dessert? Not unhealthy AT ALL.
If it fits into your calories/macros and you have a tooth brush you will be just fine.

So, you're saying that skipping out on extra protein, fat, carbs, or calories from a healthy food source such as eating less of yor salad of fresh vegetables or half of the chicken breast instead of whole, so that you can eat an empty calorie, processed candy bar is perfectly heahtly? Um... right. I'm apparently doing it all wrong. I always thought it was about WHAT you put in your body, not just the calories.

IIFYM

If it fits in your macros

Not saying a whole Snickers bar will fit in most anyone's macros, but allowing room for a treat within your macros and calories, why the heck not?

ConkreteChic

I, too need (well, not NEED, but really, really want) some sort of dessert every night. I started eating dark chocolate a few years back and now I can't eat milk chocolate at all because it tastes too sweet.

You can get the ghirardelli dark chocolate in single-packaged squares, which I think helps because you're not opening a whole bar. Grab two of those and get some antioxidants in! (lower % cacao milk chocolate gives you very few of those benefits) And dark chocolate tastes richer too, making it easier to stop after just a little.

Another thing I love is the Gone Bananas dessert from Trader Joe's - sliced up frozen bananas covered in chocolate

And, sometimes I eat a bowl of frozen blueberries the way I would eat a bowl of ice cream - they look like dessert, taste like dessert, walk like dessert...:) plus you get some fruit in, they're fairly low-cal and there's no added chemicals.

I know a lot of people on here like the weight watchers stuff, or skinny cow, but if you look at the ingredients they contain a TON of chemicals, which make them less of a food, and more of a sort-of-chocolately-tasting-food-like-product. Not terrible if you don't eat them all the time, or you only have a couple cals left and you have to satisfy a sweet tooth, but if you save calories for your sweets, make them count for you nutritionally too!

I tried to cut out sugar recently, and its just not going to happen. So, I try to at least get some nutritional value with when I feed my sugar cravings Good luck!!

havingitall

5 Hershey's kisses a day will not lead to diabetes. A small taste of chocolate is not a bad thing. I went from wanting ( not needing) a full blown dessert every night to a square of chocolate....it satisfies enough and I don't feel like I am doing without.

My concern is more that the OP said they would avoid eating other foods throughout the day to have a Snickers bar and stay under their calorie goal. THAT is not healthy and that is a dangerous habit to get into.

Dangerous to save room in your calorie budget for a dessert? Not unhealthy AT ALL.
If it fits into your calories/macros and you have a tooth brush you will be just fine.

I agree...especially when you are just making room for a couple of hershey's kisses!

TeaBea

Dangerous to save room in your calorie budget for a dessert? Not unhealthy AT ALL.
If it fits into your calories/macros and you have a tooth brush you will be just fine.

So, you're saying that skipping out on extra protein, fat, carbs, or calories from a healthy food source such as eating less of yor salad of fresh vegetables or half of the chicken breast instead of whole, so that you can eat an empty calorie, processed candy bar is perfectly heahtly? Um... right. I'm apparently doing it all wrong. I always thought it was about WHAT you put in your body, not just the calories.

I guess you forgot to read the part that says "IF IT FITS" ...... I guess my horse is not a high as yours, but I am not attempting to eat perfectly at every meal for the rest of my life. I simply want to lose 15 pounds and keep it off. Giving up all sugar, forever? Really?

sparrow747

I'm really not a fan of sugar-free, low-fat stuff.... huge proponent of eating ANYTHING in moderation.

1 plain M&M only has 3.4 cals... eat 10 of them, heck even 20 for only 35-70 cals!

Also into making small dessert smoothies... chocolate coconut milk, small scoop of delicious Aria protein powder, 1 tbsp of PB and some ice? A FILLING dessert that's under 200 cals!

I will have to try the banana + cocoa powder. That sounds awesome.

kellyiznice1

THANKS FOR THIS IDEA!!



Sorry it's so large--- I don't know how to resize the image

Elzecat

@cyrdonian...there's no proof that eating too many sweets causes diabetes...it can cause obesity which can lead to diabetes but one does not directly lead to the other.

As long as you're staying within your calorie limits, there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating chocolate every day. I eat it at least 5 times per week! My favorite is dark chocolate (which is actually pretty good for you as long as you're not gorging on it).
And as other people have pointed out, if you want to lighten it up a bit so you can still have your snacks, there are tons of lighter snack options out there.

this.

1Timothy4v8

Yes Yes and Yes BIG sweet tooth! Trust me in this don't waist your cals on candy too little for too much go and get some fudgsicles there like 50 cals, also you can browse around the ice cream section and look for some thing that intriges you that is under 100 and that can be your reward for a day well played, when I lost 40 pounds before i did this and it worked GREAT



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