I'm addicted to chocolate - help

Some ideas...

You say you eat "the whole bar" before stopping, and are thinking about switching to dark. How about Green and Blacks selection box of mini bars?

Melting the chocolate and eating it with a spoon makes it really sickly. I can eat very little this way (but could easily put away 200g of Cadburys from the fridge). Dip fruit in the melted chocolate?

I have noticed chocolate cravings at certain times of the month. And my friend who is trans said that taking oestrogen made a huge difference in chocolate cravings, when previously my friend hadn't been that interested in it. How are your hormones? Have you ever been on the mini pill and noticed a reduction in the cravings?

Some people have genetics that mean they get addicted to things much more easily than other people, ADHD is associated with it too.

Maybe its not too bad because if you shifted off chocolate, you would pick up another addiction that would be much worse for you?

Maybe try and work with it to accept the addiction but make it healthier for you?
Have you tried getting cacao powder and mixing it with hot milk for a variety of hot chocolate (dont add any sugar). Its very very dark and may satisfy your brain and is actually very good for you.

Do you think having set times through the day when you HAVE to eat a small square of very dark chocolate would help? Break up a bar into small pieces at the begining of the week and bag them by day and time. Then allocate one to yourself every hour for the first week…if that reduces the urgency of the craving, see if you can shift it to every 2 hours…then if you can slowly move towards every 4 hours, I think its perfectly acceptable and healthy.

The key is to get your brain to accept that one square (or a cup of milk and cacao) is all you want at any one time, because the next square is coming soon iyswim.

You have to go cold turkey, it's the only way. I've been in a similar situation (although I fell off the wagon big time, need to do it again).

Something that worked for me which sounds a bit ridiculous is saying out loud 'I swear on (a loved one's) life that I will give up chocolate/sugar etc for x amount of time'. That way I have to do it because my superstitious self won't take any chances. Sounds silly but hey it worked, I gave up all refined sugar for the promised number of months. I just need to do it again now.

Sorry it doesn’t look like the link is working. It shows as a link when I preview but not when I press post

Check out this product Holland & Barrett Glucomannan & Chromium 90 Capsules from Holland & Barrett This is the one I have been taking

OP hard truth time.

I’m a sugar addict. I was exactly like you. I had to do what any addict would do and quit completely.

Ignore the people telling you how to moderate. If you were a drug addict or alcoholic they wouldn’t be asking you to limit yourself to one glass of wine or only line of coke. It’s impossible.

The only way is cold turkey and then treat yourself as “sober”. The first three days are the toughest. I suggest you book yourself a short break somewhere for those three days to get yourself out of your familiar routine. I found this very helpful.

Then when you’re back home treat yourself for the addiction you have.

I recommend the following supports:

https://www.bittensaddiction.com/

https://adaptyourlifeacademy.com/food-addiction/dr-jen-unwin-strategies-overcome-food-addiction/

Feel free to DM me if you want to chat about it.

OP I'm a complete chocoholic. I recommend getting some Montezuma's 100 percent dark with orange chocolate, melt a bar down (it's too bitter on it's own) and mix it with sugar free muslei The sweetness of the raisins make it not so bitter and you can eat several of them and still be completely processed sugar free.

Have you tried magnesium supplements, some people who crave chocolate are low in magnesium. I would also switch out all chocolate for dark chocolate, it's harder to eat a lot of it.

Not for me. I sympathise with the op. Dark chocolate, Gin and tonic and red wine are all still totally delicious after tooth brushing for me!

Trust me this doesn't work.

I switched to dark years ago. My entry drug was 70%, I now eat 90% Waitrose chocolate and often eat 5 squares a day.

But.

Each square is 1.2g of sugar and 1.3g of fibre. So in total, less sugar than two custard creams and 1/6 of my fibre intake for the day!

Try brushing your teeth when you are trying to resist. Nothing is more off-putting than toothpaste

@LucyandLudwig – they also posted a subsequent update.

Edited - did you mean the ** in the post? That's meeeee! Don't know why my username didn't show 😊

@MoserRothOrangeandAlmond what?? Did you read the post??

Apparently cravings only last for 20 minutes…can you distract yourself with something until it passes?

I am exactly the same OP and completely addicted to chocolate. I only eat expensive dark chocolate but that doesn’t mean I eat less of it. I eat it at least twice if not three times every single day. I can be stuffed full after a (healthy and nutritious) meal but still feel I need chocolate.

Except, the last few weeks I have stopped needing it so much. One day last week I realised I hadn’t had my daily chocolate, and then realised I hadn’t had any for a few days. I’ve still had some, but nowhere near like I’d normally be eating.

The only thing I can think of is that since September I’ve been taking a glucomannan and chromium supplement. Maybe that’s stopped the cravings. It wasn’t instant if that is what has changed but could be worth a try.

(A few weeks ago I would have been reading this thread thinking “why would you even want to cut down on chocolate?” which shows how something has changed)

Who have you worked with?

This was part of my eating disorder treatment. I had every cupboard stuffed to the doors with chocolate and crisps.

Another part of the same stage, mind you, was 'thoughtful' eating. The idea was that I had tons more crisps & choc than I could ever eat in one binge (this was important) ... and that I could have as much as I liked, so no need to panic. Just have half a pack of crisps to start with, one bit of chocolate, really pay attention to it, go back and do it again if I want.

The mindful eating was the thing. When you really take your time over either crisps or chocolate, notice everything happening in your mouth - it gets disgusting pretty quick! The chocolate's all gloopy and sticky, the crisps turn into a gritty slush. They taste lovely, of course, and I still enjoy them now. But it did add a whole new, distinctly unattractive dimension to the experience.

In any case, OP, I'm afraid I don't see you as having a serious problem. I agree with the PPs recommending Moser Roth mini-bars and cocoa. As you like dark chocolate, you can just make cocoa with boiling water. Add a bit of sugar if you want. Full-on choc for you and it's healthy!

I also agree you might not be eating enough proper food. Could you try really boosting your protein intake, preferably with a few more fats? See if it makes a difference to the amount of chocolate you feel you need.

This is a post from my AMA;

I" have worked with ** and she is amazing!
I have always had weight issues and had weight loss surgery 4 years ago. I lost the weight but it has slowly been creeping back on due to my chocolate addiction/secret eating problem.
I thought I would be very difficult to fix, because it is so deep-seated, but in one session the whole desire for chocolate and to binge eat it has completely gone!!
I feel like a new person and have so much more headspace because I'm not obsessing about food and chocolate the whole time. It's the best money I have ever spent."

Sugar/chocolate/comfort food addiction often stem from childhood when the mind learnt that unpleasant feelings could be miraculously cured by a 'treat' – that's a very powerful lesson. The problem is that adult problems aren't as easy to resolve but the subconscious will keep reverting back to that failsafe just in case it might work this time – it's trying to help, not realising that it's adding to your problems. Once it does, it stops.

I have a terrible lack of self control when it comes to food, once I start I find it almost impossible to stop. One thing I can do however is not start. I’ve had to stop buying the foods I know I binge on and really focussing on not indulging. It took about a month but the craving stopped and, because I was no longer thinking of those foods, I’ve pretty much stopped snacking altogether.

It’s not easy though.

Don't buy chocolate. If it's not in the house you can't eat it. When you feel you want chocolate eat something very savoury. I did this with sauerkraut and kimchi. If you don't like it, tough it out. Your taste buds will adapt. Get proper fresh kimchi or saurrkraut from a fridge, not the pasteurised stuff in jars. Your digestive system will thank you for the ferments. It may not be easy so you have to persevere. You CAN do it.