Serious chocolate addiction keeping me from losing - Advice needed.

[srigo19]

New to fitbit community. I am about 25 pounds overweight and have started going to the gym 3 days a week to work with a Pilates trainer. I feel as though I am getting stronger, but my stupid chocolate addiction is keeping me from succeeding in my weight loss goals.

I would love some serious advice on how to curb this issue.

Thank you!

Susan

[Shelb]

I have issues with chocolate as well. I drink a chocolate shake that helps me a lot. Also I eat proteins bars if I am really craving something sweet. Cliff bar chocolate peanut is I'm not going to say really good but it does the trick. The down side to protein bars are that they are a ton on calories.

[ericakelly · Accepted solution]

Hi Susan!

Beating sweet cravings can be tough! I've found that incorporating more healthy fats into my diet has played a HUGE role in keeping me from craving anything sweet. Try eating more of these:

+ avocados

+ salmon

+ nuts

+ peanut butter

Give it at least 1 week with these foods in your diet, and I bet you'll notice a difference 😉

I also (like the post above me) drink a chocolate nutrition shake for breakfast every morning. I'm sure it helps.

Also - if it's not in your house, you're not going to eat it! Clean out that kitchen of all things sweet, and your body will adjust!

Hope this helps! If you want any more info on how to get a hold of a chocolate nutrition shake, feel free to message me!

Erica

[LCHFmom]

Hey,  I hear ya!   I have a SERIOUS sweet tooth. Prior to starting this change in my lifestyle ( grain-free, sugar free, etc etc ), I  literally had 3 dessert choices available at every lunch and dinner.  Cookies, pies, brownies, cupcakes, ice cream... . Im honestly surprised that Im not diabetic and morbidly obese.  I have lived this way since being a child, as my mother started this dastardly habit! ( thanks to southern living!)

I dont know if you are prepared to go through the withdrawals and "detox", but my first recommendation is to remove all chocolate. Period.  Every time you continue to feed this addiction, you give your mind and body permission to continue to crave and demand it.  

The softer side of me thinks you can try to trick yourself with substitutes for the sugary, carby product with things like dark chocolate. If you have not been a fan of dark, I would recommend starting off with 33% and working your way up to 70% .  Not the best "quality" , but Hersheys makes dark choc kisses... Just a quick touch at 2g carbs and 1g fat each .

I would also look at recipes that work with cocoa powder rather than actual chocolate ( choc chips, squares) ... then you are not getting quite the sugar / carb spike.   I work with several recipes for brownies, choc peanut butter cups, and others that Id be happy to send you - but they contain a lot of fat, no grains, and no sugar ( as its part of my diet plan).   If you are doing anything low- calorie , these will wreak havoc on your day. 😞

I do wish you all the best!

[Del678]

Don't try everything at once. If you're just starting your healthy life journey it's ok to just establish one habit at a time. Whether that be gym routine, or more vegetables. Processed sugar is addictive so you need to be prepared for withdrawals. Withdrawals are just part of it. Like smoking there's the cold turkey way to quit, weaning off it, and substitutions. But with all methods, at some point you're going to have to tough through withdrawal on some level.
Saying 'no' to temptation is like a muscle. The more you use your 'no', the stronger it gets. Maybe you can only say no a few times this week, but that will build up to a few times a day, and then you won't even need effort to say no. Then you can occasionally indulge, but still say no enough to keep it strong!

[AuroraThunder]

I have terrible chocolate cravings, and my old doctor told me that can sometimes happen with magnesium deficiencies.  At that time my body wasn't properly absorbing nutrients so I started taking a supplement.  It definitely helped me to curb the craving a bit.  Like others I find if I drink a chocolate protein shake I can keep the cravings down.  

[srigo19]

Thank you everyone ... I really appreciate your suggestions. It's tough being a sweet freak and wanting to be healthy. A lot of great options I plan on trying. 🙂

[Ladyeliz]

I also have the same problem. I really can't keep chocolate in the house either. I keep telling my husband to stop buying me treats! 

One treat I have discovered and satisfies a craving quite well is almond milk mixed with carnation lite, about 80 calories total. Its also comforting on these cold winter nights.

[SensiblyFit]

What kind of chocolate are you eating?  Are you eating 90% dark or milk chocolate with sugar as an ingredient?  Perhaps you are really craving energy and that comes in the form of chocolate for you.

Chocolate cravings as another responder indicated can be a sign of magnesium deficiency.  It's pretty rampant in the US due to our farming practices.  Our soils are depleted, so we aren't getting the minerals we need.  You might try supplementing with magnesium.  Glycinate is the best choice.  If you have sleep problems it will help with that too as it promotes muscle relaxation.

Chocolate is not a bad thing.  I like Lindt 90% as it's low in added sugar:

http://www.amazon.com/Lindt-Excellence-Chocolate-3-5-Ounce-Packages/dp/B002RBOCZE

It took a little getting used to the taste, but now I can't eat any other chocolate.  I buy one of these and have 1/2 a square when I need a chocolate fix.  Just let it melt in your mouth.  Very satisfying!

[srigo19]

I eat milk chocolate the most; but I also crave frosting ... vanilla, butter cream. I really have issues with sweets in general. I like the idea of eating a good dark chocolate and will try that. It's just so frustrating to feel as though I have no control. I am sabotaging myself and need to stop.

Thank you!

[SensiblyFit]

Perhaps a little more information might help you become more determined to remove sugar from your diet. Not only will it make losing weight difficult, it will destroy your health and is implicated with many diseases.  🙂

Here is a good article from Mercola's website:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/20/sugar-dangers.aspx

[Inga]

Perhaps some help from OA would help, they have meetings on line and support through email loops

http://www.therecoverygroup.org/trg.html

[peterseaford]

Good morning all - just new at this and need to loose heaps - i am 104.9 but should be 59k 

am 75 years old and eat less calories than fit bit suggests and in two weeks have moved down from 106k

My question is about chocolates - if I only have two Quality Street chocolates and my calorie intake is still less than the amount suggested will i loose weight or not.

I have started around 30 minutes of moderate walking and find that for example yesterday i was 104.8 but today i am 104.9 weifhed at same time of day on my aria scales

would have no trouble not eating the chocolate but believed that if it was inside my calory maximum it was OK

Would appreciate the benifit of your experience

kind regards

peter

[Inga]

If you are within your calories and fat for the day and overall it doesn't matter.

[SensiblyFit]

I am reading the book called The Plan.  Perhaps chocolate is a reactionary food for you.  I am studying nutrition and I am convinced that what Recitas discusses in her book is right on.  I eat very healthy but notice that when I eat certain foods I actually gain a few pounds.  And then it just disappears.   Basically, all food causes a chemical reaction in the body which can cause inflamation which can lead to not losing weight or weight gain. This is an excerpt from Amazon:

Nutrition expert Lyn-Genet Recitas reveals the surprising truth behind what actually makes people pack on the pounds. Carbs and portion sizes, it turns out, are not the problem. Foods that are revered by traditional weight loss programs, such as turkey, eggs, cauliflower, beans, and tomatoes, may be healthy in a vacuum, but when combined with each person's unique chemistry, they can cause a toxic reaction that triggers weight gain, premature aging, inflammation, and a host of health problems including constipation, migraines, joint pain, and depression.

You can also watch a video that she presented to Hawthorn University here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/HawthornUniversity

Good luck!

[ProjectChrissie]

Yeah I know what you mean, chocolate is a big problem for me too, I have cut down heaps to what I use to eat but I still like the sweet stuff.  I know that I can go without it, because I have done that in the past it is just that things get you down and that is the only constant in your life, it is hard to look the other way.

[HelenaFitbit]

I love chocolate. It's a fact. 

I wouldn't want to say to deny your craving as a whole but to adapt it into a particular spot of your caloric budget, so you'll be able to eat it without feeling guilty.

Budget your calories and pay well for them. By this I mean, if you have the spot for a chocolate treat, invest in a really good quality chocolate that will have much more flavor in one bite than a ton of convenience store chocolate candy bars. 

[Trinann]

Starting on the same program type you are on.  I would love those chocolate recipes