chocolate addiction

[Nottsangel2015]

So ive put about 3 stone on in the last couple of years, partly due to pregnancy but mostly due to rubbish eating habits and snacking. Have a holiday booked for July and want to get on it and lose some weight. Problem - I am completely out of control with chocolate. Even trying to not keep it in the house just makes me go out and fetch some I am that addicted! If we have a pack of bars I won't just have one a day I'll have 2 or 3, same with cake.
Does anyone have any tips on how to kick this habit, I don't even tell my partner how much of it I eat, I will eat it when he's not around so he doesn't know. I think that is a serious problem! I have done diets where I've tried to stick to it but the minute I allow myself a treat I binge on it and it's all over and I'm back to square one.
There must be something I can do i have no control or willpower at all!

[KeepsAwayTheNargles]

I'm the same :( so no help but you've saved me starting the same thread! I'm miserable and exhausted and I don't know if what I eat is the cause or the symptom any more...

[Nottsangel2015]

It's horrible but so nice to hear someone in the same boat. I hate feeling out of control with it as I am very much in control of other aspects of my life! I know what you mean though about not knowing what is the actual problem. I've always had a sweet tooth but the last year has got worse, we had a lot of upset in 2015, my dp's mum died suddenly whilst I was pregnant then literally 2 months later I developed preeclampsia at 28 weeks and ended up delivering dd2 at 30 weeks and was in hospital for weeks and so was dd2. Then coming home with s prem baby was stressful and I think thats just where the bad eating began from and had continued to just get worse and now I'm tired most days as have the baby and also am working that I'm turning to the chocolate for energy as well!
Sorry I'm proper waffling, least I think it's making me feel better about it writing it down X

[MrAliBongo]

I don't believe in chocolate addiction, as such. I think if there's a physiological addiction going on, it's more likely to be to sugar, or maybe that combination of sugar and fat... I bet you're not always going for the 85% cocoa stuff?

That being said, the first thing to do is probably cold turkey ALL sugar, not just chocolate. Focus on eating to stabilise your blood sugar: protein, fibre, and only slow-release carbs. Be especially careful about booze... It makes me crave sugar for days after I drink. OK, I'm not saying it's easy to make such a drastic change, but sometimes it's easier to have a clean break, especially where addiction is concerned. Has to be worth a try, right?

The other thing to sort out is the psychological aspect of it, and that's probably even harder! Are you using food to subdue some uncomfortable feelings? If so, what are they, and how could they be better dealt with? There may be practical solutions or therapeutic ones, but until you find some appropriate strategies for dealing with your emotions, any dietary changes are going to be temporary.

[JustABigBearAlan]

Yes, I agree with going cold turkey!
I too have a very sweet tooth and so since January I've cut out all chocolate, biscuits, sweets etc. Surprisingly it's not as hard as you might think.
I don't intend to do it forever, just until I get to my target weight.

I'm not that good at having just one biscuit though, I'd happily eat the lot so for me simply cutting it out completely is actually easier, if that makes sense.

[Chocolatteaddict1]

Look at my username - anything with chocolate in it or on it and I'll eat the lot. It's got feel good hormones in it!

BUT mrali is right. It's the sugar. As soon as I have anything sweet (sugar in tea/coffee) I'm literally on the rampage all day eating ridiculous amounts of chocolate then failing that all dd sweets

I used to spend a fortune at work in the vending machines, so I stopped taking my purse. Then I dropped my sugar in take in my morning brew then eventually none at all. When I used to try and give up sugar I got an over whelming urge to bake - then I realised as I was pouring sugar in to mixing bowl, that my head was messing with me and I was clearly addicted to refined sugar.

I went cold turkey and had a hellish week but after that it honestly didn't bother me and I did lose weight.

I'm back to chocolate/haribo /chochobnobs binging but could do with cutting it out again. This thread is inspiring me. Shall we start a no sugar thread?

[Nottsangel2015]

I'm up for that, can we pretty please start after Easter because my dp has brought me a lovely Easter egg!
I can never stop at just one biscuit etc I'd happily eat a whole packet in fact I've done so many times!
In not to bad when I was working as only 2 of us in the office and the other girl is a complete health freak and lactose intolerance so the treats we used to bring in to share would be fruit lol
I have been working but from home but next month I am braving 1 day a week in the office and then build up to two so hoping those days will be easy to stick to no sugar.
Does no sugar mean no Diet Coke? I literally have a can (has to be cold) every day I love it! Think I'd break if I have to cut that out too
Thank you all for replying its nice to see others have been/are in the same position and understand.

[BillBrysonsBeard]

I'm with you in your chocolately need OP. I can easily eat several big bars and share bags in a day. I just eat one after the other after the other... It's my downfall before any savoury food. The only way I can get past it is to cut it out all together. After a few days I don't think about it, think it's the sugar leaving my body? I can go in shops and not be tempted at all.
I had none at all while losing weight and then at my target weight I give myself one binge day a week and then back to no treats and my weight is unaffected. I look forward to it all week! I know that's not great advice, but if you're anything like me then you can't just have a few squares every day! It's probably hard for non-addicts to understand but I literally can't just have a bit.

[Nottsangel2015]

Hi bill
Yes that's exactly the same as me! I like your way of thinking I think o will try that, go cold turkey until I reach the weight I want and then allow a treat day once a week. Do you find it easy to go back to not eating it for the rest of the week? X

[Chocolatteaddict1]

Oh I think no sugar stuff is fine.

Shall we start the Tuesday after bank holiday? I'm pregnant and last time I ballooned on choc hob, cake ect ... Honestly I would eat a full packet with a cuppa for tea

[rewardformissingmojo]

I might lurk around... Need to quit sugar but too addicted ATM.

[Chocolatteaddict1]

What could you cut down on reward?

[Imnotaslimjim]

I have gone cold turkey on sugar/chocolate. My biggest issue was cake, I couldn't just have one slice. I'd have enough to make me feel sick

I've not had chocolate for a month, and I've had 2 slices of cake, on 2 separate occasions, in that time. So it can be done

[thenewaveragebear1983]

I'm average bear and I'm a sugar addict. Can I join in too please?

[WritingBeagle]

I'm the same with chocolate, I could have written your original post. After Christmas, I did feel it was almost like an addiction, or at least a compulsion to keep eating it.
For that reason, I gave it up for lent. It was hard at first, but it has got progressively easier, to the extent that rather than getting myself a huge easter egg as a reward, I've told my family I don't want one. I don't think I'd be able to cut it out in moderation, so I'm going to try to keep it out of my diet. I'm also going on a good holiday in July, so I'm planning not to eat it until then. It is SO hard though.

[rewardformissingmojo]

chocolate addict I am working on not buying the large packets of minstrels/giant buttons/maltesers every day.
Today I have eaten an iced bun and some hot cross buns, but after am trying not to hunt round for chocolate now!

[BillBrysonsBeard]

NottsAngel Yeah it's easy because I know I will get another treat day a week later Plus it reminds me how bad I feel after a chocolate binge so I don't want to carry it on past a day. And also once you are at your target weight, you're less inclined to want to ruin it by carrying on!

[TelephoneIgnoringMachine]

I would like to join this too. I'm in the "normal" weight range for my height, technically, but I'm fairly flabby & tired a lot of the time, I rely far too much on refined carbohydrates for energy as I don't always sleep well. Struggling to do any exercise, or some days even climb the stairs, as I'm so tired. I've tried so many diets & although they worked, they never seem to a 2nd time.

I get heart palpitations after eating sometimes, particularly after sugary foods or refined carbohydrates. I really need to do something about it. I've put on a stone since autumn, as I came off some medication which suppressed the appetite as a side effect. Now eating lots more & not liking it.

[Chocolatteaddict1]

Right ! I think we should do one day at a time and I'm going to chuck bread in with the sugar ban.

It really does mess with my body and mood and I don't like the fact I can feel 'high' or in a really good mood while eating chocolate then feel really shit about myself the min I finish.

Let's focus on getting through a morning then afternoon then that's one day done.

[BillBrysonsBeard]

That's it chocolateaddict, it's basically a legal high! I do love how much energy and happiness it gives me, which like you say is over until the next bar. Actually the energy sticks around all day but not the happiness

[MNetter15]

I lost 4 stone and reached my target weight last year, (maintaining but finding that harder).

I couldn't bring myself to give up chocolate but 'allowed' myself to have one mini bar everyday. I had it with my cup of tea at night when the kids were in bed. It was heaven. When I had lost a lot of weight, and was much more active, I allowed myself 2 - I now have a second mini bar with a cup of coffee around lunch time.

You have to be extremely strict about it... Absolutely no breaking it or having seconds. You'll find that you'll actually enjoy the small amounts you eat much more. For me anyway, I no longer had the feeling of fullness (used to scoff 5-10 at a time), the guilt, etc, plus - you can be THIN and STILL eat chocolate!

[Nottsangel2015]

So agreed we are starting in Tuesday?
I may cut bread, may also check crisps into that too!
Maybe should be one thing at a time though? Don't want to try and cut too much and then fail.
How are you all going to do it? Actually a full on diet or just cutting out the sugary foods?
Glad there are more of us, feels like much more support knowing your not the only one that has the same issues!
I munched a bag of mini eggs last night - would say I feel bad but I don't I love them lol they tasted amazing! Maybe because I know I won't get them for ages as they will be out of the shops by the end of the weekend. Oh and of course because I'm cutting all sugar out too lol x

[Chocolatteaddict1]

Just thinking about a warm chocolate fudge cake with cold cream makes me feel really happy about my life

I'm not dieting. But I'm going to do my bestest not to any sugar (don't have it in tea anyway), no bread (maybe hard as I'm really liking ham salad on tiger bread at the moment) and pastry pies just for one day. At the end of that day I'm going to draw one match stick and cross it off when/if I get to five ect..

Also dd eats too much sugar so I'm clearing it all out.

I can't eat even a square of chocolate with out me immediately thinking 'fuck that just eat it'

Infact I think davina McCall has a book out about giving up sugar that's supposed to be good. I remember when I was skinny and in my 20s and I hardly ate or fancied chocolate ☹

[LazySusan11]

I am 11 weeks 'clean' I had a major sugar addiction, I could never eat a square of chocolate it had to be a whole bar and the biggest bar, I'd eat it all even though I felt sick. I ate sugar every day but I felt tired, bloated fat you name it. I listened to a sugar hypnosis app every night for a month fell asleep in the first few minutes but it worked.

I stopped eating any sort of chocolate, biscuits, stopped having sugar in tea and coffee. I have so far dropped a stone, I'm no longer bloated my skin looks great and I feel much better.

I eat fairly healthy normally but could never finish dinner and not have something sweet afterwards. I honestly have no feelings of temptation at all even around that time of the month.

I bought Madeleine Shaw's glow app and although I didn't do all of the recipes I pretty much picked and chose from her app excluding snacks. I bought raw cacao powder and started making a hot chocolate some nights with a very small amount of coconut sugar and find that's enough.

I never ever thought I could do this I have tried and failed so many many times. I ignore chocolate in the aisles when I go shopping just like I do nappies as they're no relevant to me (if that makes sense!) if I can do it I have no doubts that someone else can too.

[thenewaveragebear1983]

I'm in for Tuesday! Re-reading Michael Mosley after seeing the new thread on here. The people on it are coming to the end of their 8 weeks and have had some great weight losses.