How to go about fixing my chocolate cravings?

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I am a self-diagnosed chocolate addict since my early high school years. If I go a day without I feel like I'm going crazy and I will go to extreme lengths just to have something chocolatey. It's actually so ridiculous. And I can eat SO much of it! Literally, I can casually eat an entire block, and on nights when I haven't had the best day, I could eat myself sick with chocolate, and when I feel sick, I'll stop and then keep eating it until I feel sick of it again. I'm limiting myself to have one chocolate a day now, but on days where I can't get my hands on any, I search my cupboard and fridge 20 times over even if I know there is nothing sweet in there. Help meeeee! :sad:
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Replies

  • mccbabe1
    mccbabe1 Posts: 737 Member
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    awww :flowerforyou: You poor thing!!!! basically your addicted to it.. mostly mental too.. cuz your relating it to 'a hard/bad day'.. so its like your "wine or a drink"!!! do you ever try DARK chocolate? DARK is lot healthier for you.. usually less sugar and makes you crave LESS way LESS vs milk chocolate...
    i love me some chocolate too (im kind picky tho, LOL) hmm maybe you should get some fun size candys keep one in ur purse or something?? for now. DONT try to limit yourself completely by all means!!!! lol.. you want your experience on MFP to be successful and NOT depriving.. cuz deprivation doesnt work long term for wt loss..
    :flowerforyou:
  • sarahisme18
    sarahisme18 Posts: 574 Member
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    I have big chocolate cravings, too! I like this recipe at CCK for a healthy, quick chocolate fix: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/11/06/one-minute-chocolate-cake/

    Also, I've been doing chocolate milk with almond milk and mocha powder! Low cal, low fat and if you make it SUPER hot, it takes awhile to drink---meaning I feel like I'm REALLY indulging. Yum! :)
  • jpe71
    jpe71 Posts: 50 Member
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    Yep, I love my 70% dark chocolate. The calories aren't that bad, and it satisfies that urge. Otherwise, sometimes I'll substitute a Zone Bar (chocolate mint) for a meal when I really, really want chocolate. If I'm having some at meal time, I don't have to satisfy the urge later as a snack. I try not to overdo that - I want to eat real food most of the time.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    17010006_lg.jpg
    pGNC1-7794153t300x300.jpg
    Optimum_100_Casein_Protein_-_Chocolate_Cake_Batter_.jpg

    These are my daily "indulgence" foods that are good for you :)
  • mccbabe1
    mccbabe1 Posts: 737 Member
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    I have big chocolate cravings, too! I like this recipe at CCK for a healthy, quick chocolate fix: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/11/06/one-minute-chocolate-cake/

    Also, I've been doing chocolate milk with almond milk and mocha powder! Low cal, low fat and if you make it SUPER hot, it takes awhile to drink---meaning I feel like I'm REALLY indulging. Yum! :)

    bump! ive done this too and yumo.. unsweetned almond milk and like ONE tbsp of the guiradelli hot cocoa mix and half tbsp of baking cocoa (and lil stevia) heat it up and YUMO hot cocoa and way lower cal/carb too..
  • mccbabe1
    mccbabe1 Posts: 737 Member
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    17010006_lg.jpg
    pGNC1-7794153t300x300.jpg
    Optimum_100_Casein_Protein_-_Chocolate_Cake_Batter_.jpg

    These are my daily "indulgence" foods that are good for you :)

    wow that first pic looks bomb dark choc/peanutbutter dreams! lol
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
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    Could be a bit of a chocolate addiction or just poor habits... Try eating protein instead like like cottage cheese, Greek yogurt (by the way chobani campions has a chocolate chip Greek yogurt that's really good.) or low fat string cheese.

    But, the biggest thing I am going to tell you is to play mental games with yourself. Instead of reacting impulsively to your craving, STOP yourself and then convince yourself that there IS something even better than the chocolate you're craving and then eat an apple with peanut butter or a Greek yogurt ANYTHING but chocolate. Immediately after you've eaten that item, remove yourself from the kitchen... Pick up the phone, go for a walk, take a shower... Anything to get away from eating anything else for atleast 20 minutes. After 20 minutes the cravings should subside and you are effectively REtraining your brain... That is the only way to stop the cravings and urges... To not feed them... I liken it to driving the same route to work every day... You don't have to think about it or know the names of the streets, you just do it... BUT, if there were a major detour to work, you'd have to LEARN a new route... You'd have to stop and THINK about how to get there... It would likely take you longer to get to work... But, in a few days you'd been more comfortable with the new route and within about 30 days it would become habitual and you'd get so you wouldn't have to think about it anymore. In fact, if your "old" route became an option again, you may choose to not return to that option!

    I used to have a horrible ice cream "addiction" that I realized was really just a bad eating habit. I practiced how to have one serving, SUCCESSFULLY... I practiced how to have a healthy relationship with food.... Check out my blogs..here is a link to one, about a candy bar!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/DawnEH612/view/the-candy-bar-phenomena-252332
  • Julicat6
    Julicat6 Posts: 231 Member
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    Find low cal substitutes for when just a little won't do it. I like sugar-free instant chocolate jello stirred into yogurt. just a tablespoon or so in a single serving cup makes a lot and the protein helps make it more filling. Fruit dipped in Hershey's syrup is good too.
    I also make a choco-cherry milkshake with frozen dark sweet cherries, cocoa powder, stevia, and almond milk, sometimes I add protein powder if its replacing a meal(breakfast, I hate eating when I first get up, but a smoothie I can handle.) Also another favorite is cocoa-pudding.
    1 c of unsweetened almond milk(30 cals) Silk works best for some reason(it thickens better)
    1 T cornstarch(30 cals)
    2 T cocoa powder(20 cals)
    drop of vanilla extract
    stevia or other sweetener(if you use sugar add the cals)
    wisk in saucepan and bring to boil, then drop heat and simmer til thick, makes a bowl full for less than 100 cals
  • Hannahgetssvelte
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    Last night, I polished off a jar of Duncan Hines chocolate frosting. So, it's no guess that I am also a self-proclaimed chocoaholic. Sometimes I find the best thing is to add it in incrementally. So if you ate a small serving of dark chocolate everyday, it would be better than going into a chocolate rage (what happened to me the other night). But try not to beat yourself up over it! It's all about the learning process. :wink:
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
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    1) Get dark chocolate, at least 80% cocoa. Harder to eat a lot of that than milk chocolate.

    2) Eat something sort of opposite to chocolate. Something sour, or salty.

    3) Berries & vanilla yogurt instead.
  • MrsWonderland
    MrsWonderland Posts: 107 Member
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    I was a chocolate addict too. My doctor put me on a body detox. It first detoxed the liver. Since useing that I havent craved any sweets, I may accationally think I might have one, but fear they will get in my system again so I dont want to start that up again. Its been almost a month.
  • spicymama3
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    I never expected so much support so quickly! I want to thank each and every one of you so, so much for your ideas and support. :heart: :flowerforyou: I don't mind dark chocolate, I'll definitely eat it if there's no milk chocolate in the house, but I really love milk chocolate, and MINT chocolate, so much. I've tried eating yogurt, honey and banana when I'm craving chocolate, but it really just doesn't solve those cravings! :ohwell: I feel like I'm never satisfied unless I've actually had a something solid, and chocolate, as a hot chocolate doesn't do it for me either. Do you guys think my addiction is something that will fade out as I'm only having a small amount of chocolate per day, where as I would usually binge on a bag of chocolates or a few bars? Much love xxx :heart:
  • Joreanasaurous
    Joreanasaurous Posts: 1,384 Member
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    Silk Almond Dark Chocolate Milk and Zico Chocolate Coconut Water both have been helping me survive my chocolate cravings personally.
  • anna473
    anna473 Posts: 49 Member
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    I have been eating chocolate daily on my journey. My husband always has something sweet late in the evening and I find I'm more likely to avoid a binge if I have a pre planned treat coming up. I don't feel deprived and it doesn't trigger a massive binge when I do partake. I am actually proud to log just 5-10 squares of chocolate when my husband has sat next to me and eaten the rest of the family sized block. I'm only eating up to 200 calories but it does the trick.

    Of course if you're really trying not to eat chocolate, a little bit of cheese will take the edge off for me.
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
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    I never expected so much support so quickly! I want to thank each and every one of you so, so much for your ideas and support. :heart: :flowerforyou: I don't mind dark chocolate, I'll definitely eat it if there's no milk chocolate in the house, but I really love milk chocolate, and MINT chocolate, so much. I've tried eating yogurt, honey and banana when I'm craving chocolate, but it really just doesn't solve those cravings! :ohwell: I feel like I'm never satisfied unless I've actually had a something solid, and chocolate, as a hot chocolate doesn't do it for me either. Do you guys think my addiction is something that will fade out as I'm only having a small amount of chocolate per day, where as I would usually binge on a bag of chocolates or a few bars? Much love xxx :heart:
    Honestly, you mention above you FEEL like you're never satisfied... So I don't think your addiction is lessening. I work with drug addicts and alcoholics... It is a true disease. They cannot just have one drink, one line, one blunt, one pill... Whatever... If you truly think you have a chocolate addiction you may eat only one piece but you will still obsess and crave for more and more and more... Alcoholics Anonymous says this to alcoholics about alcohol... "Once you start controlling your drinking, you've already lost control."

    I used to think that is how I was with my sweets, ice cream, etc. but now I know it was truly just poor habits, poor eating choices, poor impulse control. I truly did practice how to eat. I retrained my brains neuro-pathways... It isn't easy to do, at first, but it is possible and the longer you do it the easier and easier it gets!

    That's why I suggest trying to convince yourself you WANT something else, as soon as the craving hits for chocolate... Tell yourself that there is something better... Then think about that other item... Start saying all the positive things about that food choice. If its watermelon, remind yourself how sweet and juicy it is and how cool it tastes. If its an apple tell yourself how you cant wait to bite into the crispy and crunchy sweetness of fall apples... If its yogurt think about how creamy and smooth and sweet and tangy it is and how it glides so easy down your mouth.

    so much of this is mental.... You must play mind games... It WILL work, I conquered about 95% of my lifetime battle with food issues by playing games and coming up with tricks to help me overcome my mental obstacles... I feel free from the burden of food the majority of my life now... It's such a relief.
  • sarahslim100
    sarahslim100 Posts: 485 Member
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    try mindfulness therapy for eating
  • thatjulesgirl
    thatjulesgirl Posts: 200 Member
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    I definitely haven't figured out the secret to banishing the chocolate cravings for good but I saw somewhere the other day a food pamphlet explaining that when you're craving ____ your body actually needs ____ nutrients so eat _____ instead.

    For chocolate, it suggests eating almonds. I tried it and it really did work. Granted, it doesn't always, but if even half your chocolate cravings can be satiated by almonds, you're doing ok!
    The other thing I've switched to is Soleil dark chocolate yoghurt (not sure if they have it in the US) - I save that for when the almonds just don't work and suck up the 123 calories happily - it's so rich it deals with the cravings and at least you're getting some protein and calcium, too.

    I will say though, everything DawnEH612 has said is spot on: you need to figure out if this really is an addiction or if it's just a bad eating habit you need to break. In the past month I've broken several bad habits, doing exactly what she suggests and I now don't eat pizza, drink soft drink or add sugar to anything. It's HARD at first, but if you stick to it, it becomes natural and the things you substitute end up tasting really good!
  • Kaiukas
    Kaiukas Posts: 111 Member
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    I fix my chocolate cravings by eating a little bit of very good quality dark chocolate.
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
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    try mindfulness therapy for eating
    I didn't know they actually had mindfulness therapy but I came upon mindfulness on my own on my journey...it's a great gift and THE BEST tool you can have!
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/DawnEH612/view/mindfulness-the-greatest-gift-i-gave-myself-426862
  • LiveLoveLaughGiggle
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    i just don't deny myself cravings. i just eat in smaller portions and then move on. shoot... if you told me i had to give up something tasty... i wouldn't know what to do with myself. :)