Sweets, sugar, chocolate... uhgg I think I died.

I have a great relationship with food, thanks for your concern. I don't need to eat chocolate. and I rarely get cravings...if I do, they aren't cravings that I need to post on a forum about..so I think i'm good.

Well, that's a relief. Then how about don't eat the chocolate? And new folks who are trying to get a handle on things can start learning the indispensable skill of moderation, without which weight maintenance is almost doomed to fail.

That's my problem, learning to stop at just one.

Cannot stop thinking about buying a chocolate candy bar or bag of candy... haven't gotten over craving sweet things.. not even by a little bit =(

So buy a candy bar.

If you keep trying to deny yourself a candy bar that you really want, you'll end up passed out face first into a 5-lb bag of Reese's Pieces with your face covered in runny mascara.

There's nothing wrong with a candy bar. Eat one.

"Eat one" may be the issue. Some people can't have just one. One turns into 2, then before you know it, you've eaten about ten times more than you should.

OP, you're not cravings sweets and chocolate. You don't need them, you want them. You need nutrients...eat those instead.

No. I've tried telling my body it doesn't want chocolate. It responds by making me want chocolate AND potato chips. Now I just have a little chocolate when the craving hits. I work it into my calories and that's it. No binging, no brain damage, happy body.

You know what causes people to "not have just one"? Deprivation and over-thinking. RE: The story about landing face down in a 5lb bag of Reese's Pieces.

Not everyone has the "can't eat just one" problem.

I love chocolate covered potato chips!

I eat chocolate literally every day. I'm currently trying to decide on tonight's chocolate food of choice.

I say: eat it, log it, and carry on.

There's no reason why you can't work your favorite treats into your calorie goal.

Chocolate, holiday food and holiday drinking = feeling absolutely terrible (almost back to my heaviest weight) so now I am trying to get back on track with a vengence

Try mixing cocoa powder, cinnamon and a tiny bit of honey into oatmeal!
It is soooooooo delicious

Cannot stop thinking about buying a chocolate candy bar or bag of candy... haven't gotten over craving sweet things.. not even by a little bit =(

So buy a candy bar.

If you keep trying to deny yourself a candy bar that you really want, you'll end up passed out face first into a 5-lb bag of Reese's Pieces with your face covered in runny mascara.

There's nothing wrong with a candy bar. Eat one.

"Eat one" may be the issue. Some people can't have just one. One turns into 2, then before you know it, you've eaten about ten times more than you should.

OP, you're not cravings sweets and chocolate. You don't need them, you want them. You need nutrients...eat those instead.

No. I've tried telling my body it doesn't want chocolate. It responds by making me want chocolate AND potato chips. Now I just have a little chocolate when the craving hits. I work it into my calories and that's it. No binging, no brain damage, happy body.

You know what causes people to "not have just one"? Deprivation and over-thinking. RE: The story about landing face down in a 5lb bag of Reese's Pieces.

Not everyone has the "can't eat just one" problem.

if you're actually craving chocolate you could be deficient in magnesium.

I realise not everyone has the "can't eat just one" problem. which is why I said "some people"

Well let's give people the benefit of the doubt and not assume they have an eating disorder before giving them generalized advice.

This.

Cannot stop thinking about buying a chocolate candy bar or bag of candy... haven't gotten over craving sweet things.. not even by a little bit =(

So buy a candy bar.

If you keep trying to deny yourself a candy bar that you really want, you'll end up passed out face first into a 5-lb bag of Reese's Pieces with your face covered in runny mascara.

There's nothing wrong with a candy bar. Eat one.

"Eat one" may be the issue. Some people can't have just one. One turns into 2, then before you know it, you've eaten about ten times more than you should.

OP, you're not cravings sweets and chocolate. You don't need them, you want them. You need nutrients...eat those instead.

No. I've tried telling my body it doesn't want chocolate. It responds by making me want chocolate AND potato chips. Now I just have a little chocolate when the craving hits. I work it into my calories and that's it. No binging, no brain damage, happy body.

You know what causes people to "not have just one"? Deprivation and over-thinking. RE: The story about landing face down in a 5lb bag of Reese's Pieces.

Not everyone has the "can't eat just one" problem.

if you're actually craving chocolate you could be deficient in magnesium.

I realise not everyone has the "can't eat just one" problem. which is why I said "some people"

Well let's give people the benefit of the doubt and not assume they have an eating disorder before giving them generalized advice.

This.

How is my suggestion in any way assuming she has an eating disorder?
How is your advice any less generalized?

How is my suggestion in any way assuming she has an eating disorder?
How is your advice any less generalized?

Let's go back to your original suggestion:

""Eat one" may be the issue. Some people can't have just one. One turns into 2, then before you know it, you've eaten about ten times more than you should.

OP, you're not cravings sweets and chocolate. You don't need them, you want them. You need nutrients...eat those instead."

Teaching food abstinence usually doesn't work any better than teaching sex abstinence. Sure, there are a few people with serious eating disorders who need to exercise total abstinence in order to succeed, but the vast majority of people are far better served by learning how to responsibly feed their cravings.

NO! Unnecessary restrictions on the majority because of the problems of the minority are the only way! (I do believe that this is legitimately true in some non-food cases, which makes them not "unnecessary", but anyway...)

Cannot stop thinking about buying a chocolate candy bar or bag of candy... haven't gotten over craving sweet things.. not even by a little bit =(

So buy a candy bar.

If you keep trying to deny yourself a candy bar that you really want, you'll end up passed out face first into a 5-lb bag of Reese's Pieces with your face covered in runny mascara.

There's nothing wrong with a candy bar. Eat one.

"Eat one" may be the issue. Some people can't have just one. One turns into 2, then before you know it, you've eaten about ten times more than you should.

OP, you're not cravings sweets and chocolate. You don't need them, you want them. You need nutrients...eat those instead.

No. I've tried telling my body it doesn't want chocolate. It responds by making me want chocolate AND potato chips. Now I just have a little chocolate when the craving hits. I work it into my calories and that's it. No binging, no brain damage, happy body.

You know what causes people to "not have just one"? Deprivation and over-thinking. RE: The story about landing face down in a 5lb bag of Reese's Pieces.

Not everyone has the "can't eat just one" problem.

if you're actually craving chocolate you could be deficient in magnesium.

I realise not everyone has the "can't eat just one" problem. which is why I said "some people"

Well let's give people the benefit of the doubt and not assume they have an eating disorder before giving them generalized advice.

This.

How is my suggestion in any way assuming she has an eating disorder?
How is your advice any less generalized?

If you think that the slender young woman in the profile picture has difficulty in controlling herself from over-indulging, you're assuming that she's bulimic, because she obviously isn't obese.

Tl;dr? Because I actually looked at her profile pic instead of blathering crap.

Cannot stop thinking about buying a chocolate candy bar or bag of candy... haven't gotten over craving sweet things.. not even by a little bit =(

Why give it up? Just have it in moderation. I buy a dark chocolate bar and just have a square or two, whatever fits into my calorie count. It's good for you as well.

Key word "moderation"....most people are fat as they choose not to eat things in moderation! You clearly have found what works for you, however I know myself if I could eat in moderation I would of never become this fat! Easier for me not to have certain foods in the house as they are triggering and I lack that willpower to just have 1 or 2

However I must admit...I do keep a pile of Atkins single serve chocolates in my garage for emergencies:-)

When I started this journey I was homebound at 560 lbs, consuming 10,000 calories a day and totally out of control... I was ordering in 21 inch pizza's after my family left the house (several times a week) and eating my fair share and putting the rest in tupperware and hiding it in closets so I could eat it later after everyone went to bed.. Did this with little debbies swiss cakes, candy bars, etc... When I finally had that AHA moment to get a handle on things I had to practice Abstinence in the beginning, literally brought in 2 - 35 gallon trash cans empty the house of ALL trigger foods and replace with lean meats, veggies, fruit, and grains... I allowed myself 2 meals a week of discretionary food choices but both meals had to be eaten out of the house and I could only get what I could consume there and could not bring leftovers home... I then met with a therapist to work on my food addiction with the sole purpose of mentally getting to the point that I had total control of the food and that the food would no longer control me... So as I got stronger and lost weight, we introduced those foods I could not handle having around back into my diet, in moderation, slowly overtime. I gained a new perspective on my food choices and after 4 years (3 years of weight loss and 1 year of maintenance) and losing 312 lbs. There is absolutely NO Foods I deem off limits and NO Foods that control my eating behaviors. I have a set caloric intake and macro's I aim for each day and if there is something I would like then I have it. You goal is to get to a place that is sustainable for the rest of your life and one that you can adhere too. Keeping things out of your diet forever in my mind is setting your self up for failure or at the very least the endless years of Yo Yo Dieting and gaining and losing those same 30 lbs. over and over and over...... Just my 2 cents..... Best of Luck OP but if it was me, I would figure out a way to work in some chocolate if you want it..... Best of Luck

I'm in the "eat what you want in moderation" (with a IIFYM caveat) camp.

My cravings for large quantities of junk have subsided. I eat a fraction of the junk I used to. I also get more enjoyment out of fruits than I use to. You don't have to eliminate it, but if you reduce your consumption substantially you will likely find your body doesn't crave it as much.

However, when I crave chocolate I get the most satisfaction per calorie from pure chocolate, with no fillings. One or two dove chocolates is all it takes to knock out my desire for chocolate. I think they are 45 cals each.

When I started this journey I was homebound at 560 lbs, consuming 10,000 calories a day and totally out of control... I was ordering in 21 inch pizza's after my family left the house (several times a week) and eating my fair share and putting the rest in tupperware and hiding it in closets so I could eat it later after everyone went to bed.. Did this with little debbies swiss cakes, candy bars, etc... When I finally had that AHA moment to get a handle on things I had to practice Abstinence in the beginning, literally brought in 2 - 35 gallon trash cans empty the house of ALL trigger foods and replace with lean meats, veggies, fruit, and grains... I allowed myself 2 meals a week of discretionary food choices but both meals had to be eaten out of the house and I could only get what I could consume there and could not bring leftovers home... I then met with a therapist to work on my food addiction with the sole purpose of mentally getting to the point that I had total control of the food and that the food would no longer control me... So as I got stronger and lost weight, we introduced those foods I could not handle having around back into my diet, in moderation, slowly overtime. I gained a new perspective on my food choices and after 4 years (3 years of weight loss and 1 year of maintenance) and losing 312 lbs. There is absolutely NO Foods I deem off limits and NO Foods that control my eating behaviors. I have a set caloric intake and macro's I aim for each day and if there is something I would like then I have it. You goal is to get to a place that is sustainable for the rest of your life and one that you can adhere too. Keeping things out of your diet forever in my mind is setting your self up for failure or at the very least the endless years of Yo Yo Dieting and gaining and losing those same 30 lbs. over and over and over...... Just my 2 cents..... Best of Luck OP but if it was me, I would figure out a way to work in some chocolate if you want it..... Best of Luck

Wow! Thank you so much for sharing that. That story is so full of win I can't stand it!

Cannot stop thinking about buying a chocolate candy bar or bag of candy... haven't gotten over craving sweet things.. not even by a little bit =(

So buy a candy bar.

If you keep trying to deny yourself a candy bar that you really want, you'll end up passed out face first into a 5-lb bag of Reese's Pieces with your face covered in runny mascara.

There's nothing wrong with a candy bar. Eat one.

"Eat one" may be the issue. Some people can't have just one. One turns into 2, then before you know it, you've eaten about ten times more than you should.

OP, you're not cravings sweets and chocolate. You don't need them, you want them. You need nutrients...eat those instead.

No. I've tried telling my body it doesn't want chocolate. It responds by making me want chocolate AND potato chips. Now I just have a little chocolate when the craving hits. I work it into my calories and that's it. No binging, no brain damage, happy body.

You know what causes people to "not have just one"? Deprivation and over-thinking. RE: The story about landing face down in a 5lb bag of Reese's Pieces.

Not everyone has the "can't eat just one" problem.

if you're actually craving chocolate you could be deficient in magnesium.

I realise not everyone has the "can't eat just one" problem. which is why I said "some people"

Well let's give people the benefit of the doubt and not assume they have an eating disorder before giving them generalized advice.

This.

How is my suggestion in any way assuming she has an eating disorder?
How is your advice any less generalized?

If you think that the slender young woman in the profile picture has difficulty in controlling herself from over-indulging, you're assuming that she's bulimic, because she obviously isn't obese.

Tl;dr? Because I actually looked at her profile pic instead of blathering crap.

I assume nothing - you cannot determine someone's relationship with food from a photo. I was merely offering an alternative suggestion to just "eat it in moderation". I didn't assume she couldn't control herself, just like you shouldn't presume she can.