How/why I'm cutting out chocolate completely!
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But, you do like chocolate. I have switched to dark chocolate and fit in a few pieces a night instead of eating tons. This way I don't feel deprived and binge later on.
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I did the same type of thing. I gave up chocolate cold turkey, with plans to reintroduce it into my diet in smaller quantities. It's worked so far! I no longer crave it but still get to enjoy it here and there.0
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I cut out sweets for now, too. I will eat them again, in time - and in small portions! - but honestly, seeing as I don't have that many calories a day, they are better used on some nice, filling meal instead of chocolate. And if I want chocolate, I think I'm gonna go and buy some expensive chocolate. I would have less, it would taste better and there would be no danger of binging on hordes of cheap chocolate like I used to.
So good for you!0 -
WOW just made a long post and it got deleted.
Ah well -- quickly meant to say that I've been at it for just over a month and it hasn't led to ANY binges at all, which I used to struggle with a lot when I tried the in-moderation route. And the allergy comment is a really good idea, thanks! And I can't handle myself with both dollar store cheap chocolate (which I binged on to 'save money' which is kind of funny and ironic), as well as the expensive good stuff. I would feel guiltier eating the expensive chocolate because I felt like it was more of a waste of money, even though it was 10x more delicious. But baked goods have always been the hardest to resist (my freshman year of college I had a bad habit of mixing butter, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and sugar, into a big bowl, and eating that as a 'snack'...LMAO).
And I find all this discussion really interesting, how people handle their 'trigger foods' in different ways!!
And I don't think that my choco-addiction is anything 'deeper,' just that it's always been the one thing I've struggled with the most when it comes to over-eating.
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barbecuesauce wrote: »
I wish the OP good luck as well. My old roommate, woman in her late 50's, had an actual addiction to chocolate. She would come out of her bedroom with chocolate still smeared around her mouth. She would end up going to the store still not realizing she had it on her face. She was (and is) obese and severely diabetic, yet cannot shake the chocolate addiction. So.... I guess I should be more on board with the OP if she knows she can't handle it. Anyway...enough out of me. Everyone take care.0 -
I wish I was as strong as you. Can't live without some chocolate every day I try to eat only dark chocolate now, as I find it harder to binge on it than on milk chocolate. 0
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My nemesis is Doritos.
As far as chocolate goes, I have one square of 90% dark chocolate on most days. I kind of think of it as a very tasty nutritional supplement.0 -
jeebieheebies wrote: »...And just quickly I want to say that I've been keeping track by a calendar print-out of July and August on my wall. I put a smiley face on days I don't have chocolate. I am rewarding myself by : 3 successful consecutive days => $5 to MAC, and 5 sucessful days => $10 to MAC. Each day I fail it is $1, and the next day $-2, etc. I'm keeping track of my tab right next to the calendar. It's very visual and 'public' -- even if the only one in my room to see it is me, it's still *out there* so visible and I want to be proud of it, of lots of lil smiley faces on it!
I may try a variation of this method to incentivize me to floss. My dentist scolding me periodically apparently isn't enough motivation.
For chocolate, I don't have cravings anymore now that I take a magnesium supplement - chocolate cravings can be a sign of a magnesium deficiency.
Now I can eat 15 grams / 70 calories of chocolate chips and stop.
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kshama2001 wrote: »I may try a variation of this method to incentivize me to floss. My dentist scolding me periodically apparently isn't enough motivation.
Oh wow, that's actually how I started this method!!! It's the reason I floss every single day, now for about 1-1/2 years! It seriously works.0 -
I have trouble moderating artificial cheese flavored chips and crackers. There aren't really any good reasons for me to consume them so I'm really better off not having any. I can handle real cheese just fine. It is probably less challenging than chocolate because chocolate is everywhere.
Good luck to you.
Maybe taking magnesium supplements would help.0 -
I did that for a while too.
Then my sister brought me a box of chocolates and I polished it off in two days. And I still missed it. So I decided that something had to change.
So I stocked up on chocolate, and decided that I would eat it one square at a time. I still have a lot of it, and when my mom brought me the same chocolates my sister had brought, I hardly touched them.. still have some in fact (she brought more and I hadn't even finished the first ones).
The thing is, I love chocolate. I don't want to binge on it because I never have it, but I can't imagine never having ti again. I'd much rather have a little when I crave it.0 -
Good luck OP. I don't think you have any disordered thinking. You're trying this out, and hey, nothing is permanent. You have the right to change your mind if you want to.
I tried the advice to eat a square of really good chocolate. That left me wanting more. Then I started buying Skinny Cow chocolates...they are pretty tasty for only 120ish calories. Then I started eating chocolate covered protein bars instead for dessert to up my protein. For 190 calories I consider it a good investment. And I rarely touch the rest of the chocolate in our house (I keep a halloween jar in a too-high cabinet for the kids to have once in a while....it requires a step stool, which makes me think twice most days).
As far as using the allergy excuse, I wouldn't do that. When I'm passing on food, I just say "no thanks." No need to explain. I've noticed many of my skinniest friends will say "ugh, I'm soooo full!". That works, too.0 -
I also love chocolate. I can't imagine giving it up but I can't have it in the house either. I treat myself with a little chocolate bar when I go to Trader Joe's. If I but more than one serving I will eat it all in a day or two. I feel that way about a lot of treats (cake, cookies, ice cream, chips). Best thing for me is to not have any of it in my house. I know I have no self control!0
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I guess if it helps you, then best of luck. But I think that at some point in your life, you'll want chocolate again. Maybe not in one year or two years or five years... but eventually. At that point, it would be nice if you could learn to have it in moderation. In fact, it's usually a lot easier to learn to have something in moderation if you don't have it for a while.0
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I don’t post a lot of comments, but this hits pretty close to home. I would definitely say I have a disordered relationship with chocolate and reading the OP’s plan both inspires and scares the hell out of me. Some days it’s almost as if 50% of my day is spent thinking about chocolate: buying it, what kind, how I’m going to attempt to ‘moderate’ myself this time, etc. I’ve tried cutting it out and end up with a textbook binge session. I’ve tried buying dark chocolate, I don’t eat it quite as fast, but when I start to feel deprived enough I end up eating it all in a few sittings too (who am I kidding, I usually eat most of it while standing in front of the pantry, once piece at a time as I tell myself “this one is the last one I’ll have today”). My husband even suggested a competition when he was quitting smoking, that I should also give up chocolate so I could see how he felt. I flat out said ”No”. I absolutely knew he would win because I couldn’t imagine going the rest of my life without chocolate.
I’ve sometimes wondered if I’m not subconsciously addicted to the mood boosting effects, that it somehow combats the bouts of depression and anxiety I’ve experienced. Heaven knows those are the times when moderation seems almost impossible. I’m also really fascinated by the earlier comment about chocolate cravings being a sign of a magnesium deficiency. At this point I’ll try anything so I’ll be looking for supplements tonight.
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HappyCampr1 wrote: »Just curiosity, but does it matter if it's milk chocolate or really dark chocolate? Do you binge on both types? Is it just chocolate, or chocolate flavored things too, like hot chocolate?
ETA - Chocolate is also a very common allergy and there are a lot of people who actually can't have it. That will make it easier on you when people offer it and you say you can't have it. People will just assume and you won't have to explain.
Just as long as you don't lie and claim to have an allergy! I ended up in the ER because some pendeja didn't take my food allergy seriously.0 -
I don't think there's anything wrong with cutting something out temporarily or even permanently if you do have a reason to do so (which is up to you).
I personally think there's something wrong with lying to yourself or telling yourself you don't (or shouldn't?) like something that you in fact do like. I just generally think it's better to be honest with myself, and besides that it's approaching what I've seen some people do--tell themselves something they love is "disgusting," which tends to end up with them falling off the wagon (or whatever) eventually and indulging and then not only being more likely to binge, but feeling really shameful and horrible, because they must be disgusting to want something so disgusting.
Thus, for me it's actually important to try to approach food as logically as possible (which I've found makes it usually not too hard to be moderate). To be truthful with myself about what I like (and what I eat for reasons that seem to go beyond taste or nutrition--comfort stuff), and also to understand the nutritional aspect and to prioritize that, not just what I enjoy. (Although I also make sure everything I eat is as delicious as possible.)
Anyway, just some thoughts. You're a grown up and can decide for yourself what to do.0 -
I think you're wrong about that.SoDamnHungry wrote: »A life without chocolate is a life I don't want to live.
I bet if you were actually told that you needed to change your eating habits or die - you'd choose to live.
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I gotta say, I'm pretty much the same with potato chips. Except that after a couple, they aren't even that good, but I still eat a totally ridiculous amount. The only time I have potato chips now are in those little single serving bags, and I very rarely eat them. My boyfriend knows this and will only buy chips that I don't like, which I really appreciate! So as much as I was shocked at first when reading your post, I think I definitely understand. Maybe some day it will be something you can eat in moderation.0
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Good luck! For me it's weird. It seems the older I get (I'm 50 now) the less I like chocolate.0
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Keep at it OP! I have a lot of trigger foods I have yet to come to terms with. I keep thinking "Oh, it won't happen this time." At the moment, I have been practicing mindfulness to help keep me from getting swallowed up in the whole ordeal. Your chart system keeps you held accountable which rocks! I personally have been using HabitRPG.com . Its a silly but effective way for gamers, like myself, to get things done and keep on track. This has kept me flossing like a boss and my fish doesn't starve!
DOWN WITH CHOCOLATE!0 -
jeebieheebies wrote: »I'm not thinking I can't eat it ever again -- I'm thinking I don't want to eat it ever again.
Whoa! That's deep!
Just kidding.
Serioulsy, if you love it so much why would you want to cut it out forever?0 -
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DeguelloTex wrote: »It works for you and leaves more chocolate for the rest of us.
Win/win.
Yes, that is true. I LOVE chocolate.0 -
jeebieheebies wrote: »I'm not thinking I can't eat it ever again -- I'm thinking I don't want to eat it ever again.
Whoa! That's deep!
Just kidding.
Serioulsy, if you love it so much why would you want to cut it out forever?
Because she evidently is sick of loving something that doesn't love her back.0 -
However, the trying to make yourself not like something you clearly like seems somewhat disordered. Have you thought about talking to someone about your relationship with food/chocolate in particular? I wonder if the trigger to binge on chocolate goes a bit deeper.
Also as a footnote I've been trying to get myself to like mushrooms for a long time, and still hate the damm things.
Thank you. This is along the line of what I meant when I said thinking you can't have something forever is disordered thinking, especially when it's something you love.
I hear liver is really good for you due to the iron in it, but I hate it. There is not way I will try to make myself like it just because it has lots of iron. In fact, I don't eat it because I don't like it.
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Dang, that's like life without sex to me. Although females are much better at holding out than men, so good luck.
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I use to love chocolate, but my taste buds have changed with age (I'm 55). It's not my trigger food anymore. In fact, it will sometimes make me feel yucky. My favorite now is plain old refreshing vanilla ice cream - but I don't feel the need to have it every day, thankfully. OP, you may find the same applies to you some day.
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... I’m also really fascinated by the earlier comment about chocolate cravings being a sign of a magnesium deficiency. At this point I’ll try anything so I’ll be looking for supplements tonight.
You may find this article about the different types of magnesium helpful: https://drnibber.com/understanding-different-types-of-magnesium/0 -
However, the trying to make yourself not like something you clearly like seems somewhat disordered. Have you thought about talking to someone about your relationship with food/chocolate in particular? I wonder if the trigger to binge on chocolate goes a bit deeper.
Also as a footnote I've been trying to get myself to like mushrooms for a long time, and still hate the damm things.
Thank you. This is along the line of what I meant when I said thinking you can't have something forever is disordered thinking, especially when it's something you love.
I hear liver is really good for you due to the iron in it, but I hate it. There is not way I will try to make myself like it just because it has lots of iron. In fact, I don't eat it because I don't like it.
Did you remember the bacon? I hated liver when Mom made it when I was a kid but have since learned that you're supposed to cook it with bacon so will give that a try in the near future.
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