The chocolate bar guilt...

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Shannon311
Shannon311 Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So today I took a healthy choice grilled veggie steamer to work for lunch. YUCK. I had a different type yesterday and loved it. Such a let down. I only ate a few bites and of course after lunch I was pretty hungry. All I could think about all day was chocolate. I did buy a dove bar and ate half. I felt so guilty afterwards. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good chocolate substitute? I want something that I can feel good about eating, but will help with the craving of chocolate or sweets.
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Replies

  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
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    I wouldn't recommend any "substitute." The real thing is going to be more satisfying. Less of it will be better than a lot of those so-called diet foods.

    Don't beat yourself up. Instead, why don't you try incorporating a little chocolate into your diet a couple days a week. That way, you have something to look forward to. Make it a special treat. Like one Dove piece (not a whole bar) right before bed or something.

    And I'm not a fan of those frozen lunches. They're never very satisfying. It might be better to just make yourself a light sandwich in the mornings to take with you. Plus, those frozen foods have a lot of sodium in them.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    Allow yourself a small portion of quality chocolate once in a while. Fruit is good when you need a sugary treat, as is flavored yogurt. However, if you crave sugar every day, you may want to ween yourself off. If you eat it daily, your body just wants more. Kick the habit of regularly eating sweets and it will get a lot easier (says the girl with the former afternoon sugar snack addiction!).
  • Mairgheal
    Mairgheal Posts: 385 Member
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    Never feel guilty, it's only another food. If you are going to eat 300 cals or so on chocolate, you may as well ENJOY it!
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    taking a magnesium citrate supplement will help with chocolate cravings. I'm a chocoholic, and taking magnesium has turned my obsessive "Must have!" into "Meh."

    also, always aim to eat dark chocolate. It's loaded with antioxidants and less processed than milk chocolate. The darker the better! I really like Scharffen Berger's 99% bar.
  • Adiptee
    Adiptee Posts: 3
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    I usually have Cadbury's 100 Cal chocolate. It's the real deal, but sold at a size that ensures you're only consuming 100 calories. It usually rids me of my chocolate cravings.:happy:
  • Syreeta6
    Syreeta6 Posts: 377 Member
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    Hershey's dark chocolate minis does the trick for me! :)
  • plharwood
    plharwood Posts: 3
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    I add Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder to oatmeal or yogurt. The cocoa is only 10 calories per tablespoon, and adds a LOT of chocolate flavor, so I don't even add a whole tablespoon to a bowl of oatmeal. However, you will need to add somne sort of sweetener also, because it's unsweetened. I use Equal, but you can add whatever sweetener you prefer.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    I LOVE Reese's peanut butter cups. I mean LOVE THEM. Well, I managed to stumble across Skinny Cow heavenly crisp peanut butter bars. OMG. They are so very good and you know what? I eat one of them instead of Reese's and I'm happy afterward. They are 110 calories and only 8g of sugar -- BIG difference from the Reese's. Try and find stuff like that to help with the chocolate craving. Another thing I've found that works? Buy the mini candy bars and portion them out (most of them you get 4 or 5 minis for around 100 calories). That helps too. :)
  • GoneWithTheWhinge
    GoneWithTheWhinge Posts: 168 Member
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    I eat dark chocolate, my preference in Lindt dark mint intense.

    Most importantly though, IMO, is to remember that chocolate, in moderation, can be part of a healthy balanced diet. I find trying to find substitutes for something you REALLY REALLY crave is on a hiding to eating more calories as downing an apple when you've got a chocolate thing going on won't cut it all the time. Dark chocolate is better than milk, its a higher cocoa % so hits the chocolate craving better, in a smaller quantity. I keep it in the fridge and have a square and really really savour it rather than just scoffing it down how I used to.

    That's just my opinion, I'm trying to make my changes a long term sustainable thing and for me, a life without any chocolate wouldn't be good so by working it into my daily calories its accounted for. I also don't like the idea of guilt after eating, we HAVE to eat to live and the act of eating shouldn't be something to feel guilty about.

    Good luck in your weight loss and stay positive. You are doing wonderfully well.
  • nisharae
    nisharae Posts: 204
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    Chocolate Chips... If you find the right brand you can have 2 TBS for 70 cal. If you eat them slow they last a while and are pretty satisfying ;)... And btw every once in a while I eat a dove chocolate bar, when I want chocolate... I mean its only like 180 calories.. sometimes it just has to be done ;) Just go lighter with dinner ;)
  • shonasteele
    shonasteele Posts: 473
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    Someone suggested Fibre One bars with chocolate. I ran out and bought a box yesterday! But haven't tried it yet. Hmm. That does sound pretty good now that you mention it. Oooh, I've got one in my purse - I may be posting my opinion shortly...
  • kent4j
    kent4j Posts: 391 Member
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    I buy a bag of Dove dark chocolate pieces and incorporate two pieces in my daily diet. I'm a huge sweet/chocolate lover and this satisfies me as a dessert after dinner. I really take the time to eat them slowly so I enjoy every calorie.
  • riespieces
    riespieces Posts: 1
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    I enjoy the 90 calories fibre one brownies (found mine at Costco) they are nummy and satisfy my chocolate craving! Good luck!
  • blacktallon
    blacktallon Posts: 38
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    I like the special k 90 calorie bars. I also like these little tiny frozen yogurt bars by irresistibles for 90 cal. I still get awful cravings for chocolate so the small portions make it easier not to eat too much. I find opening a chocolate bar just to eat a few squares too tempting. :)
  • dfunk06
    dfunk06 Posts: 56
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    Deep Chocolate vitatops! (www.vitalicious.com and select stores)
  • katt742
    katt742 Posts: 196 Member
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    Hershey's dark chocolate minis does the trick for me! :)

    Me too! One little piece and i savor it...its so rich that it satisfies me!
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    Why the guilt? I suppose if it was unplanned I could see how it might hit you that way or if you didn't have enough calories left in your allotment. Otherwise a bit of dark chocolate (NICE quality, not cheap crap or you'll be disappointed and feel cheated) or treat like that planned out shouldn't make us feel guilt. It's the guilt that will make us binge and eat chocolate until we're sick!:sick: :wink:

    Chocolate without Guilt!:tongue:
  • TNAJackson
    TNAJackson Posts: 686 Member
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    Look into the 100 calorie packs... they even have those mini chocolate cupcakes (my weakness). :)
  • bryzzl
    bryzzl Posts: 17 Member
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    I know what you mean, I'm the kind of person who goes on a diet and then sneaks chocolate throughout the day so that I have ended up eating a full on bar of chocolate plus! And have to think about that later..and cos I'm sneaking it (BAD BAD!!) I can't savour the taste, it has to be chomped fast. Sometimes I think part of the compulsion of chocolate is that it used to be my go - to food when I am bored, as I ate it so fast I never really appreciated it as chocolate, if you nkow what i mean...so then I used to have some more chocolate to go on top of that. I think the trick is to allow yourself chocolate, afterall you have to be realistic within a diet and yourself (otherwise you sneak) but to incorporate it into your daily eating plan; 2 squares of chocolate after tea or something so that you can have it, and enjoy it without feeling guilty. That's what I'm hoping to do, cos ill never be able to NOT have some! :D
  • shonasteele
    shonasteele Posts: 473
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    I eat dark chocolate, my preference in Lindt dark mint intense.

    Most importantly though, IMO, is to remember that chocolate, in moderation, can be part of a healthy balanced diet. I find trying to find substitutes for something you REALLY REALLY crave is on a hiding to eating more calories as downing an apple when you've got a chocolate thing going on won't cut it all the time. Dark chocolate is better than milk, its a higher cocoa % so hits the chocolate craving better, in a smaller quantity. I keep it in the fridge and have a square and really really savour it rather than just scoffing it down how I used to.

    That's just my opinion, I'm trying to make my changes a long term sustainable thing and for me, a life without any chocolate wouldn't be good so by working it into my daily calories its accounted for. I also don't like the idea of guilt after eating, we HAVE to eat to live and the act of eating shouldn't be something to feel guilty about.

    Good luck in your weight loss and stay positive. You are doing wonderfully well.

    EEEEK! A world without chocolate! I'm with you - NOT an option!

    And I agree that sometimes substitutes just don't cut it. I've had days when I'll eat fruit and a bunch of other "less bad" stuff then wind up eating the chocolate anyway cuz the other stuff didn't cut it and I ate an extra 200 calories in the meantime. Little bits of dark chocolate that you take your time & savour are a great solution - milk chocolate just goes down way too quick & easy.

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