Help! I'm addicted to chocolate! Tips please?

[twinkletoes5]

Hi All!

I'm currently following the Jenny Craig diet - basically they deliver 3 meals a day (I then add in milk/yoghurt/fruit/veg) but you end up sticking to 1200 calories a day.

My only problem is that I'm absolutely addicted to chocolate - pathetic I know! During the day I'm fine (probably because I'm busy at work!).. but its when I'm sat watching TV in the evening that I start to crave.. and quite often I end up cheating and having a couple of chocs (mini ones!).

I figured there must be lots of other people out there with similar cravings.. but hopefully some people will have tips to get over these! Any recommendations?

Thanks so much in advance!! xx

 

[Agent Shagwell]

It's not pathetic It's ok to have cravings for chocolate. Here are some suggestions for you; it's up to you which ones you go with...just pick which ones resonate with you (if any ):

1. Eat really good quality dark chocolate instead of milk or white. It has less calories, is better for you, and because it is so rich it takes less to make you feel satisfied.

2. Savour the taste instead of just gobbling. You'll feel satisfied more quickly.

3. Eat the chocolate when you're not watching TV or doing anything else. It's easy to just mindlessly eat when you're watching TV or distracted, and then you lose count of what you've eaten and don't feel satisfied afterwards.

4. Stop watching TV for a while. It seems like the chocolate and TV are a habit that go together. Find something better to do with your time than TV (read, walk, spend time communicating with people, computer games that stretch your mind, write, draw, create, join a group or a hobby). TV can be a mind-rotter.

5. Don't keep any chocolate in the house. When you want some, buy just the amount you will eat that day. E.g. just a milky way, or a pick'n'mix bar, or a small packet of two ferreo rocher truffles.

6. Try low-calorie chocolate drinks instead. I have a white chocolate one that can be made up as hot or cold white chocolate. You just add water and it's only 61 calories a serve. There's lots of them out there.

7. Make sure you're getting enough slow release energy throughout the day, including good sugars from fruit etc. It may be that your sugar levels are crashing early evening and resulting in your craving something sweet.

8. Substitute fruit for chocolate. You will still get a sugar kick without the calorie guilt.

9. Make a mind movie with inspiring messages such as 'I find it easy to eat healthy food!' and 'Sticking to my diet feels great!'. (google mind movie or vision movie for inspiration). Watch it daily.

10. Instead of using your money to buy chocolate, either put it aside for something else you want (save up)...or give it to a cause you feel passionately about. Or both. You'll feel great

11. Learn EFT (emotional freedom tapping). You can google it. A great, easy technique which clears emotional blocks in the body and can stop a craving instantly when you get practiced at it. Getting practiced takes all of 5 minutes Here's a good site to start with: EFTMagic - Learn how you can apply EFT to many areas of your life. Including many free how to EFT videos.

Those are my tips Good luck!

 

[Bostik]

Wow brilliant tips there

 

[Caz]

A tasty mug of hot chocolate is only like 40 calories if you get Options or something, I find that's good for the chocolate cravings.

 

[ally87]

I agree- I love the Options mint or orange hot choc. That tends to hit the choc cravings x

 

[Baby_Cakes]

They do a whit hot choc too - OMG - that is to die for!

 

[carrot_tit]

Great tips there. If i really craved something and was worried i would go over board a would chew a stick of suger free gum. I can never eat anything once i've had something minty.

 

[twinkletoes5]

amazing tips - thanks! they all look so simple on paper.. will give them a try!

That white chocolate hot choc sounds amazing.. will be definitely buying some of that x

 

[emma_30]

Low cal hot chocolate has been my saviour.

I work in a shop and Mondays I stay until 10pm. By then I'm normally shattered and Ive got into the habit of buying chocolately pick me ups. The last 3 weeks I've had a hot chocolate instead and it's really curbing my cravings. Stood in front of all that choc can be a real test of will power though so I just make sure I don't take my purse to work lol

 

[twinkletoes5]

so i bought the white chocolate options.. its so yummy! think it will definitely help curb the cravings for a bit x

 

[wirralmum]

Fantastic tips,LST!