How to Beat Chocolate Cravings
What dieter hasn’t wished that calorie-free chocolate existed? Despite innovative research – like the Vulcano chocolate bar under development in Switzerland, and the chocolate bar which replaces fat with water that’s been created in the UK – we have yet to find our shelves and our cupboards full of guilt-free chocolate.
So what’s a dieter to do when cravings strike?
Don’t Ban Chocolate
First, don’t ban chocolate from your diet – there’s no faster way to make something seem irresistible! A healthy weight loss diet can include chocolate, so long as you don’t eat too much too often.
Successful dieters use tricks like telling themselves “I won’t eat chocolate today” rather than banning it outright: it’s much easier to focus on just getting through a single day than on never having your favorite food. You could also try limiting chocolate to a specific day or days of the week, e.g. only having chocolate on Saturdays.
Don’t Get Too Hungry
Many dieters make the mistake of eating too little – or eating foods which don’t fill them up. It’s important to eat enough when you’re dieting, not just to keep your body working well and burning up calories, but also to avoid going overboard and eating all the wrong things.
Make sure you’re eating sensible meals, and that you’re having sufficient snacks in between. Pieces of fruit, vegetable sticks, oatcakes, even a sandwich can all make sensible, healthy snacks. If you’re not sure how many calories you should be eating to lose weight, use the Calorie Calculator.
Wait For Cravings to Subside
If you do get a craving for chocolate, don’t head straight to the vending machine. Even if that craving seems almost irresistible right now, it’ll often vanish completely if you just wait for twenty minutes. To help yourself stay focused, you could try setting an alarm or a timer on your computer, promising yourself you won’t go and get chocolate before the time is up.
Getting yourself busy – whether it’s going for a walk, doing the dishes or ploughing through your inbox at work – is also a great way to distract yourself from cravings. If you can keep your hands occupied (e.g. by typing) or your mouth (e.g. talking on the phone), you’ll find yourself much less tempted to eat.
Try Low-Calorie Hot Chocolate (And Other Treats)
When you decide you really do want some chocolate, look for ways to get your fix without clocking up lots of empty calories. One of my favorite treats is a mug of low-calorie hot chocolate – there are various brands available, and most contain around 40 calories per serving. They last much longer than a square or two of chocolate (which is all you’d get for 40 calories).
You may find other chocolate treats which hit the spot without sending your calorie-count sky high. Chocolate coated cereal bars, chocolate flavored rice cakes and low fat chocolate mousses could all be great options. See what works for you!
Choose Dark Chocolate, Not Milk
Finally, if you do go for a bar of chocolate, pick dark chocolate rather than milk. It’s better for you (containing more antioxidants due to the high cocoa percentage) and because it’s richer, it tends to be more satisfying. Many dieters find that milk chocolate is extremely “moreish” whereas dark chocolate is hard to eat in large quantities.
Buying a high-quality brand of chocolate could also work in your favor. Not only is it likely to contain fewer additives, it’ll taste better and because it’s more expensive, you’ll be less tempted to scoff it all at once.
Are you a bit of a chocoholic? How do you keep your chocolate cravings under control?
Written by Ali HaleRelated posts:
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