Needing Dessert Every Night

lscbydesign

There are days when I live for my Trader Joe's dark chocolate covered almonds in the evening. 20g (about 5 nuts) is 105 calories and, because of the almonds, they are filling and satisfying.

cHaRlIe0411

I've been like this ever since I tasted chocolate! To fix this, I buy one dark chocolate bar per week and have one piece per day, whenever I feel like I need it the most. It's not too sugary but satisfies my chocolate craving

erintheinspiration

I like to toss my Hershey Kisses in the freezer then when I get a hankering for something sweet I'll suck on a few of them. That makes them last just a little bit longer.

Oh, that's a great idea! Kind of feel like you're eating a fudge bar or something! Great tip!

Elzecat

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.

She actually said she'd avoid eating other snacks throughout the day...that's different. It's simply choosing how to "spend" her calories. On days when I know I might go out to eat or might treat myself to something after dinner, I may not eat my usual snacks either.

For many people, this is a journey about learning portion control and eating less healthy foods in moderation. It's all about learning what you can personally live with. Personally...I like a little chocolate now and then, and it certainly has not prevented me from losing 44 pounds in a slow, steady, and healthy manner. Hopefully the OP will be able to determine for herself what works best.

moniquelessard

you need to plan for it in advance that's all. If you eat healthy all day and meet your nutritional requirements through lean protein, lots of fruits and vegetables and whole grains, you can have chocolate every night.

I have chocolate almost every single day, and do you know why? Because it is important to not eliminate certain foods, but rather eat them responsibly. If you are making a life-long change here, you might as well make it sustainable. For you to cut out chocolate completely, you will;
1) binge on it eventually
2) resent your new 'diet' and possibly give up
3) be very unhappy (because chocolate is delicious, and dark chocolate is actually very good for you in moderation)

There are 100 cal chocolate bars. Save 100 cals a day for that, and buy a box of em. Eat it slowly and take the time to taste/enjoy each bite. Follow it with a HUGE glass of water. You'll be satisfied.

graysmom2005

SKINNY COW! They have the yummiest Ice cream sandwiches for 140-150 calories. They taste full cal to me frankly. I have to have dessert at night. PERIOD!

SergeantSunshine_reused

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.

Protein is protein. Many dessert choices have it. They also have fat, and simple carbs. WOW! Look at that. It has macronutrients just like every other food out there.

She is still eating healthy food such as fruits, veggies, and lean meats as she stated. To leave 100-200 calories per night for a treat is certainly much better than her old habits I would assume. Eating a diet rich in veggies can help you hit your micros (vitamins) and cause her to be perfectly heath.

Eating healthy is very important, but you DO NOT have to 100% of the time to be healthy.

jenlarz

Blue bunny makes some good low cal ice cream treats also, fudge lites are 35 cal and krunch lites are 100-I think..they may be a bit more

beckipercy

I eat chocolate every day. I enjoy chocolate and I can be healthy while eating chocolate. I very rarely go over my calorie limits (once a week max, usually less) and I am consistently losing weight. It's fine saying people shouldn't, but I want to enjoy my food. I can be perfectly healthy whilst still eating small chocolate bars or weight watchers desserts.

cheermom614

It's not just about staying under your calorie goal. You can eat 5 snickers and be under your calories that doesn't make it good. The more sugar you eat, the more sugar you crave! I say you need to wean yourself off the candy everynight. If you need something chocolatey try a light or sugar free hot chocoate, or like others have suggested a square of dark chocolate.

jenlarz

Also, you can make cupcakes with a cake mix and a can of dt pop and they are under 100. I used Betty Crocker fudge cake and a dt. cherry pepsi and they are yummy. The box shows a serving as 1/10th so I made 20 and they came out about 80 cal each

SergeantSunshine_reused

OP: I highly recommend Protein Fluff or Protein Ice Cream. Filling, sweet, and delicious

Kelly50054

I found out I had to take all bread stuff out of my diet and the sugar cravings stopped! I was a Pepsi drinker for many years and fought for several years to kick the habit, but just couldn't do it, but once I stopped the bread (yeast) I no longer crave it.

LindsayAnderson2012

She may not have meant it but I know I "need" it and honestly feel like a drug addict craving/needing drugs. I say that with all seriousness, nothing joking about it. I find myself having to "detox" from the sweets and it isn't easy at all. Once I have detoxed and gone through total withdrawals for about a week or so I am okay but it only takes one cookie, piece of cake, etc., for me to fall off the wagon. I looked into FAA (Food Addicts Anonymous) but we don't have any groups around where I live but in reading through their literature I believe some of us are prone to certain addictions including certain foods (sweets, caffeine, etc.,). So to tell me to have a cookie, in moderation, is like telling an alcoholic that it is okay to have one drink, in moderation. If you don't have the addiction, you don't understand - some can do it in moderation, some can't. I can't. (Wish I could!)
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Just want you to know, I totally understand this, and I think you explained it VERY well.

kristelpoole

I have chocolate more days than not. However, I only have one square of expensive super dark chocolate (usually made with sea salt) that I keep in the freezer. And that's it. Dark chocolate is good for you, it tastes like heaven and if I buy the good stuff, I don't want to go through it quickly. I want it to last and I want to savor every bite. It's all about quality in this case for me.

vingogly

Here's the problem I have with "there are forbidden foods"/"break yourself of bad habits by giving them up" thinking:

1. Some foods are forbidden. I won't be able to eat them any more.
2. If I eat one of these forbidden foods, that means I've failed.
3. Therefore, eating these forbidden foods will mean I'm a sinner.
4. Oh, oh ... I've eaten a forbidden food so I'm a sinner.
5. WTH, I'm a sinner so I might as well have some more. See you in hell.

Food isn't an addiction, and there are no "evil" foods ... just foods that should be eaten occasionally or in small proportions. I've often wondered why so many of us fail on diets or to make lasting changes in our lives. I think the answer is in numbers 1 to 5 above. Our problem isn't the foods we eat, it's our relationship with them ... and with ourselves.

ladyphoto

I would alternate actually- I like the hershey kiss idea because they are small and controllable (as long as you stick to very few of them and your calorie intake allows for them for the day)- however, I would never recommend having them every single day. It sounds like a crutch for you and maybe is just part of a mental barrier from really having full on success? (not saying you arent' successful...) I just think hanging on to bad habits in general needs to be changed.

My opinion is to have those hershey kisses maybe 2-3 times a week. Put the correct serving size in a little baggie and put the date on them for when you can have them- then stash them away. On "off" nights, try the skinny cow frozen chocolate treats or other brands and see if you can eventually get yourself shifted away from all that sugar.

Good luck

Shona67

Same here I Love weight watchers Ice cream sandwhiches as well as their crunch bars & skinny cow as well

mistersmithsbox

I have to say something about all of the sugar-free options being listed. Artificial sugar is in NO WAY better for your body than other sugars. In fact, you're loading your body up on sweetening chemicals and aspartame is constantly being complained about to the FDA. (http://fittipdaily.wordpress.com/2008/01/16/is-sugar-free-really-better-for-you/)

I would say that if you have the calories and are meeting your other daily macronutrient requirements and this treat is better than and/or keeping you from eating your face off (or, you past ways), DO IT. Processed food is still processed food regardless of it being sugar free, milk chocolate vs dark, etc. A WW ice cream bar isn't better than a Hershey's Kiss. (If it's made with art. sugars then it may be worse.)

ottawagirl613

all the people that have said to cut it out altogether i think are being needlessly diligent.. i would be sure to LIMIT the amount that you leave for dessert to around 100 calories (some days 80ish some days 125 or 150ish depending on what you have).. before MFP i lost almost 20 pounds eating a little chocolate for dessert everyday.. since MFP ive lost another 6 pounds doing the same thing.. i never go a day without it.. ive just SERIOUSLY learned to control my portions.. it's actually been a really good lesson in self discipline.. i never budge from the one portion i give myself (seconds lead to thirds lead to fourths etc) and if i want more or something different i tell myself theres always tomorrow for this or that.. just be sure not to keep anything you absolutely cant control yourself around in the house.. some things just dont portion well lol! good luck!

Uhmanduh

sometimes I have some semi sweet chocolate chips after dinner for something sweet. I also like to eat the dessert delight gum... that helps me a lot

natalieg0307

I need dessert every night too.......sherbet. MFP says I should shoot for 1200 calories per day. I eat my exercise calories too. If I don't, I'm miserable.

lukeout007

I'm in the same boat as the OP. But I've found since I stopped indulging myself every night I actually no longer miss it. A good example...My wife bought reduced fat oreos for her and my son. Last night my son wanted one but he wanted daddy to eat one too. I actually hesitated at first not because I needed to make sure it wouldn't put me in the red for calories...but because I really didn't feel like sugar. I ended up eating one because he wanted me to and I was able to fit it into my day...but I would have been completely indifferent otherwise. I've decided that by killing that everyday craving it allows me to indulge in the few times here and there that the craving gets really bad. There's nothing wrong with a small piece of cake or a candy bar if it A) fits into my daily calorie goal and isn't a frequent thing (like once every week or two).

MrsNoir

I do understand the chocolate craving. I can't conceive the idea of having cereals without a couple of HEAPED spoons of drinking chocolate powder.. it makes a pleasure to have my dosage of fiber...sometimes I have two portions of cereals a day! It can't be healthy, but I'm going down slowly, my worst craving is the double cream, or the fat in it, I guess. , I should try to avoid it buying it, I did it for a long time, but now I keep finding myself buying again and again.. sight!:D

frugalmomsrock

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

O.M.Gosh. I just looked up the way to make this, and I'm so all over it with my strawberries. I have some coconut milk I wasn't sure what to do with. Now I know. *drool* Thanks!!

sj915

I went on google and looked up low calorie desserts/snacks, and there are TONS of things that you can have under 100 calories that are great. Like for example I found a recipe for a low calorie ice cream sandwich where you put 2 tbsp of chocolate frozen yogurt in between a graham cracker you broke in half. There are TONS of recipes that you can get creative with the desserts you eat and you won't have to feel bad about the calories

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/cookbooks.asp?cookbook=110095

http://www.delish.com/recipes/cooking-recipes/low-calorie-chocolate-desserts

Try these and see if they help you curb your chocolate cravings and stay within the calories!

THANK YOU!