Chocolate fan trying to lose weight

feefee84
feefee84 Posts: 27 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I love chocolate , ever since being pregnant I have craved chocolate it's probably in my head but I need some help with some alternatives that give me that fix! Fruit doesn't quite cut it! Any tips? :|
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Replies

  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
    I use chocolate covered coffee beans. At 8-10 cal each just 2 or 3 is a satisfying treat to me.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    I never could give up chocolate. What I did was switch to dark chocolate, which I like anyway. I buy the extra large bars at Wal-Mart of Hershey's Special Dark. The bars are huge, and 3 blocks of it (which is equivalent of likely a normal size candy bar) is only 170 calories. Generally I'll chop it up and sprinkle it on low calorie no sugar added Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom Ice Cream (vanilla is 80 cal per 1/2 cup). So for barely over 300 calories I can have a chocolaty ice cream snack that fixes that craving right up. Catch, of course, is that you need to have the calories for it. If you're trying to diet without exercise you likely aren't going to have it. So that's why I always adopted an exercise routine that was challenging but one that I could keep up long term (as in the rest of my life if possible).
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Ghiradelli dark chocolate squares. They come individually wrapped (about 70 calories). I plan for one of these just about every day.

    No Sugar Added Fudgsicles......only 40 calories

    Yogi Mayan Cocoa Spice tea. Add some milk and a teaspoon of sugar, yum.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    If you want chocolate, eat chocolate. If you feel that you don't want chocolate, but can't stop thinking about it, investigate if something is going on. Have you been trying to restrict too much? Do you think chocolate is bad for you?
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    Dark chocolate--has less sugar and more protein, and even has iron in it. I eat it everyday, at least 200 calories worth! I just fit it into my 1500 calorie limit, and still losing weight.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
    lightenup2016 wrote: »
    Dark chocolate--has less sugar and more protein, and even has iron in it. I eat it everyday, at least 200 calories worth! I just fit it into my 1500 calorie limit, and still losing weight.

    My motto is there's always room for chocolate, especially dark chocolate!
  • myszka0611
    myszka0611 Posts: 17 Member
    edited February 2017
    Have you tried avocado chocolate pudding? *2 large avocados - peeled, pitted, and cubed *1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder *1/2 cup brown sugar *1/3 cup milk *2 teaspoons vanilla extract *pinch of ground cinnamon (I also add about a half teaspoon of instant coffee granules for a richer flavor). Blend in a blender or food processor until smooth, chill for a bit, enjoy guilt-free chocolate pudding. Seriously tastes JUST LIKE "regular" chocolate pudding, no avocado taste at all
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    edited February 2017
    Just don't eat it as often and when you do make sure it is quality dark chocolate without any butyric acid.

    If you are not meeting your dietary goals then restrict it more.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Work it into your calorie goal. Moderation, not deprivation.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,736 Member
    My tip is to eat chocolate.
    Log chocolate.
    Or vice versa. :)

    Seriously, no need to give it up if you can fit it into your calorie goal or if you love it so much that you take one bite and the next thing you know is you're waking up and look like Augustus Gloop after having fallen into the chocolate river.
  • annacole94
    annacole94 Posts: 994 Member
    Chocolate overnight oats are like eating dessert for breakfast. I love it.
    I use this recipe, and sweeten with stevia rather than syrup/sugar.
    http://wholefully.com/2016/03/07/8-classic-overnight-oats-recipes-you-should-try/?m

    Sweet potato chocolate pudding is also actually delicious:
    http://www.healthyfoodforliving.com/sweet-potato-chocolate-pudding/

    And yes, I totally eat dark chocolate on the regular.
  • MISSYLOU143
    MISSYLOU143 Posts: 22 Member
    Try a delicious chocolate protein shake that's what I did I LOVE chocolate it's my weakness! All together 190 calories! And u feel full after u drink it.
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  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    Agreed with those that say "just eat chocolate but count it towards you calories".
    myszka0611 wrote: »
    Have you tried avocado chocolate pudding? *2 large avocados - peeled, pitted, and cubed *1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder *1/2 cup brown sugar *1/3 cup milk *2 teaspoons vanilla extract *pinch of ground cinnamon (I also add about a half teaspoon of instant coffee granules for a richer flavor). Blend in a blender or food processor until smooth, chill for a bit, enjoy guilt-free chocolate pudding. Seriously tastes JUST LIKE "regular" chocolate pudding, no avocado taste at all

    This has far more calories than the chocolate itself! The only good thing about this is the fibre.
  • feefee84
    feefee84 Posts: 27 Member
    Thanku all for your replies, really helpful. If I add a choc to my calorie intake will I still lose weight? I know they are full of sugar and saturated fats. :|
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    myszka0611 wrote: »
    Have you tried avocado chocolate pudding? *2 large avocados - peeled, pitted, and cubed *1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder *1/2 cup brown sugar *1/3 cup milk *2 teaspoons vanilla extract *pinch of ground cinnamon (I also add about a half teaspoon of instant coffee granules for a richer flavor). Blend in a blender or food processor until smooth, chill for a bit, enjoy guilt-free chocolate pudding. Seriously tastes JUST LIKE "regular" chocolate pudding, no avocado taste at all

    Curious what makes this "guilt free" as opposed to regular chocolate pudding, which doesn't cause me guilt at all. This actually sounds pretty calorie dense - avocado can really be a calorie bomb and is this for a single serving of pudding? So what makes this better than say, a single serve jello chocolate pudding (regular or sugar free)?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    feefee84 wrote: »
    Thanku all for your replies, really helpful. If I add a choc to my calorie intake will I still lose weight? I know they are full of sugar and saturated fats. :|

    If you are within your calorie goal - yes.

    Weight loss is about calories. If your body requires 2000 calories in fuel each day and you eat 1500 - that's a 500 calorie deficit. That's not to say a diet high in added sugar & saturated fat is healthy. But all things in moderation. Eat more good stuff....but find a balance. We don't have to eat perfectly.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    feefee84 wrote: »
    Thanku all for your replies, really helpful. If I add a choc to my calorie intake will I still lose weight? I know they are full of sugar and saturated fats. :|

    Weight loss comes down to a calorie deficit. You have a calorie target set up on MFP based on your stats and a rate of loss that you selected when you set up your profile, right? What are those stats, what is your goal, and what calorie target did MFP provide? When you log your foods, put in the chocolate treat you desire, and see how that fits into your overall day. Then you can determine if you can eat that treat every day, or if you need to make it a special occasion splurge. You can determine if there are other foods you want to cut out to make room for that food (like maybe a smaller serving of cereal or trade a sugary soda for a piece of chocolate or something like that). That's the beauty of logging through MFP, you can really play with the numbers and figure out how to make the foods you love work into an overall balanced diet.

    You can absolutely lose weight while eating chocolate. I'd venture to say that most of us here do include chocolate in our regular diets - I ate a Lindt truffle today (73 cals) and am having homemade ice cream with homemade hot fudge sauce tonight. I'm in maintenance, but even when losing I regularly ate a serving of gelato, or a couple of oreos in the evenings. I eat some sort of chocolate most afternoons at work.

  • OhMsDiva
    OhMsDiva Posts: 1,073 Member
    feefee84 wrote: »
    Thanku all for your replies, really helpful. If I add a choc to my calorie intake will I still lose weight? I know they are full of sugar and saturated fats. :|

    As others have stated, chocolate is just another type of food. I have at least one piece of chocolate, usually dark, at least once a day. Right now I am eating a dark chocolate that is expensive, IMO that I bought from HSN. I am looking at other alternatives that are less expensive. Also that dark chocolate that I eat is only 26 calories for a square and I eat 2 a day.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    feefee84 wrote: »
    Thanku all for your replies, really helpful. If I add a choc to my calorie intake will I still lose weight? I know they are full of sugar and saturated fats. :|

    Dark chocolate generally has less sugar than milk chocolate. I don't pay attention to fat much, saturated or not (I do avoid trans- fats, though). The actual content of the food you eat won't affect weight loss, anyway--it's the number of calories you eat/burn that counts! As long as it fits within your calorie goal, you could eat spoonfuls of sugar and lard and not gain weight. I'll just take the chocolate, though :wink:
  • KelGen02
    KelGen02 Posts: 668 Member
    You can eat anything you want in moderation... but if you are looking for an alternative I make these Dark Chocolate Oat "Balls"... as my husband calls them. I take dark chocolate, almond butter or peanut butter, almond milk to melt, then I add in rolled oats, use a melon scooper and put them on a baking sheet and then refrigerate a couple hours. then put them in individual snack baggies 2 each. when I get the urge for something sweet I have them on hand in the fridge... even keep them in the fruit bin in the fridge ;)
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    feefee84 wrote: »
    Thanku all for your replies, really helpful. If I add a choc to my calorie intake will I still lose weight? I know they are full of sugar and saturated fats. :|

    Doesn't matter. Chocolate has the calories that it has. The calories in chocolate aren't "more fattening" just because they come in the form of chocolate. Sugar and fat doesn't double count.
  • Chunkahlunkah
    Chunkahlunkah Posts: 373 Member
    edited February 2017
    feefee84 wrote: »
    Thanku all for your replies, really helpful. If I add a choc to my calorie intake will I still lose weight? I know they are full of sugar and saturated fats. :|

    In the math of weight loss, sugar and fat etc don't matter. All that matters is the calories.

    I say "in the math" because those other things can matter indirectly. Sugar might increase your appetite, for example, making it harder for you to eat within your calorie limit. On the other hand, it might not. Every individual needs to experiment to learn those things about themselves.

    I know cultures label certain foods "fattening" but it's not the foods that are fattening, it's their calories. Eat the right number of calories for your deficit and, no matter what foods you're getting those calories from, you'll lose weight.
  • Hello_its_Dan
    Hello_its_Dan Posts: 406 Member
    Ever see the fiber content of 80%+ dark chocolate?
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    feefee84 wrote: »
    Thanku all for your replies, really helpful. If I add a choc to my calorie intake will I still lose weight? I know they are full of sugar and saturated fats. :|

    Yes. Calories are all that matter for weight loss itself. Sat fats and sugar are not the cause of obesity, too many calories are.

    I'm 100lbs down and still eat chocolate almost daily.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
    I'm having a small chocolate shake and bowl of chili tonight from Larkburger. I love chocolate, too, so I make it work. We have a love/love relationship.
  • DefiningStrength
    DefiningStrength Posts: 6 Member
    cocoa.... 12 kcal per tablespoon. Make hot cocoa (with stevia/ sweetener of choice), add to oats, smoothies, natural yogurt (freeze and it's choc frozen yogurt). Cook/ blend kumara with cocoa, sweetener of choice and an egg- pretty much a brownie in a pot....
    I might be a chocoholic... Just a little :wink:
  • FarewellBlues
    FarewellBlues Posts: 66 Member
    If it's moderation with chocolate you have problems with, try dark chocolate. It might be a hard switch because it's not very sweet (I get 90% usually), but I think it's hard for most people to overeat -- a small piece suffices and generally stops the craving for chocolate.
  • sessik86
    sessik86 Posts: 18 Member
    Chocolate pb2 (35 cal) with bananas or apples or jello dark chocolate pudding cups (60 cal)
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    Eat chocolate, just not all the chocolate. My diary is full of little bits of chocolate, cheese too.

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