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Original poster

How to stop eating chocolate?

84 replies

Neveryours · 17/01/2024 12:35

Hi everyone, I need a little bit of help and I am wondering if anyone can offer some advice who has cut chocolate out of their life, or at least cut down on it dramatically.

I desperately want to be healthy, and I try to be. I am not overweight, so that’s not my issue, it’s just that I want to stop eating unhealthy food. I am not bothered about any other junk food other than chocolate. I am completely addicted, I feel like I NEED it, I can’t get through a day without it. I know that sounds extreme but it’s just the way it is and I don’t want it to be like that anymore.

I know it’s easy to say just ignore the cravings, but I struggle, they are just too strong. I get cravings for other things too but I can ignore these ones. I had a craving for Chinese takeaway last Friday but told myself nope, just don’t order it, simple as that. And I didn’t. However I just can’t do this with chocolate. If I have a chocolate craving, I can’t concentrate on anything else like I will try to take my mind off it but I just can’t stop thinking about it. It gets to the point where at 10pm I’ll literally get dressed and walk 20 mins to the shop just to get a chocolate bar. And I always hate myself for it afterwards. I start every day thinking right do not eat chocolate today!! It’s not as if I’m an alcoholic or a drug addict, this should be easy! But I cave every single day. I eat a share bar of chocolate daily. Why don’t I have the willpower to stop doing this? What can I do, what can I tell myself?

You know how some people LOVE a cup of tea and they can’t wait to get home from work, get their pjs on and settle down in front of the TV with a nice brew? Or maybe it’s a glass of wine for some people. That’s me with chocolate, I don’t drink alcohol at all, for me that comfort feeling comes from chocolate. I look forward to it, it makes me happy (in the moment).

i know that this is bad for my body and I get moments of panic when I think about how unhealthy I must be. Sorry for sounding so dramatic about this, I know it’s not that deep, it’s just bloody chocolate not heroin! But I’m sick of having a constant battle with myself in my mind over it.

can anyone who managed to kick a sugar addiction help? I know that the answer is probably just to stop eating it and eventually the cravings will go away. But how do I gain this will power?!!

OP posts:
kerstina · 17/01/2024 12:54

I am addicted to chocolate too OP but I just try and make the healthiest choice .Such as chocolate Brazil nuts. Hazel nut chocolate and I have some Vegan chocolate that is lovely from Sainsbury’s.Forgot the name !
why deprive yourself of one of the few pleasures in life ! Sorry not much help am I ….

hskdnek572 · 17/01/2024 12:58

Every time you crave it, you could try brushing your teeth? Get in the bath? Might help!

loveyouradvice · 17/01/2024 13:00

Create simple rules for yourself eg

  1. No chocolate in the house (or what is, is hidden by DH)
  2. EXCEPT for really dark choc eg Lindt 85% - which u can eat as much of as u like but aim for 1-4 squares a day ie choc but healthy choc and helps quell cravings

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GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 17/01/2024 13:01

How about not buying it? Or having it as just as e.g. a weekly treat.

Maybe someone can tell me how to stop eating the leftover Nutella (which I only buy when Gdcs are visiting) with a spoon!

Pr1mr0se · 17/01/2024 13:06

Try more exercise - I find the better I feel the more healthier my eating habits become.

Pr1mr0se · 17/01/2024 13:07

Obviously not a walk to the shops!

PamelaParis · 17/01/2024 13:09

loveyouradvice · 17/01/2024 13:00

Create simple rules for yourself eg

  1. No chocolate in the house (or what is, is hidden by DH)
  2. EXCEPT for really dark choc eg Lindt 85% - which u can eat as much of as u like but aim for 1-4 squares a day ie choc but healthy choc and helps quell cravings

Where does the OP say she has a DH who can hide chocolate? She might live alone.

Anyway OP I can't help as I just eat the chocolate and have no desire to stop.

Tdcp · 17/01/2024 13:10

I think allowing yourself a bit each day is fine, I have my daily treat about 9pm after the day is done and the kids are in bed, most of the time it's a funsize bar of something.

EmmaStone · 17/01/2024 13:11

I'm the same, but since the New Year have really managed to pretty much exclude chocolate (I'm trying to retrain my taste buds and habits to stop eating quite so much sugar). I'm listening to a lot of podcasts about UPFs and actually, that's really helping the resolve as I'm more conscious about what's crossing my lips. I also try to avoid my trigger points, which is usually straight after a meal, so I tell myself to hold off, and the craving does fade (or a few times a week, I'm out, so don't think about it). If it really won't, then I have some. Life's too short!

blackpanth · 17/01/2024 13:15

You don't 🤣 I'm the same. Will never stop eating it

NisekoWhistler · 17/01/2024 13:15

I'm very much the same, my binge eating is out of control from time to time. The problem is that sugar/chocolate is like a drug, it's highly addictive to some of us.
You have to stop to stop, if that make sense. Each night you have chocolate you keep the addiction going. It's brutal but try to replace it with cheese or something else, maybe a teaspoon of peanut butter, anything that isn't sweet.

It's so so so tough but baby steps and you'll get there

coxesorangepippin · 17/01/2024 13:15

Dried fruit instead

SaturdayGiraffe · 17/01/2024 13:24

Been there. It takes huge willpower to stop. I have had success in keeping some 100% Montezuma in the house, as it’s so bitter a little of it stops the craving without giving any pleasure.
Keep a diary of when you’re feeling the worst cravings and try to identify the patterns. Then use the idea that you just won’t have any for 10min. Anyone can last 10min. And when the time is up see if you can tell yourself 20min etc.
The longer you can stretch the more it falls away.

eurochick · 17/01/2024 13:25

I have a small amount daily. My bmi is normal. My cholesterol has always been good. All other markers of health are on the good side of normal. I don't intend to stop.

letmeeatinpeace · 17/01/2024 13:26

Up the cocoa percentage every week until you're eating 100%, then you can eat all you like as it's super healthy! lol

In all seriousness, some 100% choc is SO good - my faves are from Original Beans, and Fire Tree.

Yozzer87 · 17/01/2024 13:27

Try and substitute for different things. I like the Fibre One bars when I'm craving chocolate. I find the less chocolate I eat, the less I want. Try not having it for a week and you might find that when you do give in, it doesn't taste as good as you expected.

SophiaElise · 17/01/2024 13:29

Have you tried only having 100% organic dark chocolate at home?

DelilahBucket · 17/01/2024 13:32

You are addicted to it and it is as bad as any other addiction. I've pretty much cut out chocolate, sweets, biscuits etc but I did have to just stop. Expect headaches to begin with. If it is so bad that you will physically go out late at night after you have already gotten ready for bed then you need to distract yourself with something else. Whatever you are doing when a craving hits, do something completely different. Run up and down the stairs if you must, but you need to break the cycle.
Finding triggers can help. For me it's tiredness, a high carb diet or processed food in general and if I have had alcohol the day before. Drinking less, eating better overall and a good sleep routine are paramount for me being able to resist the sugar.

wfcats · 17/01/2024 13:32

The way I did this was to always have something in the house which satisfied the chocolate craving but that I didn't like enough to eat all of. I bought these 100 calorie Coconut Collaborative chocolate pots and had one of those after dinner. It really helped reset my behaviour around it.

Noomthgil · 17/01/2024 13:32

I’ve been trying to cut it out recently too. I’m also addicted and get such an overwhelming craving. I cut down to a small KitKat type bar a day for a while, that seemed to be enough to just about satisfy the craving. I’d sometimes have a hot chocolate instead. The last week or two (with a couple of setbacks) I’ve managed to cut out the KitKat too. So I’m now on no chocolate. My dh even asked me if I want something from the shop last night and I said no, and genuinely didn’t want anything.
I keep raisins in the kitchen and grab a couple of them when I’m really craving sugar, and they seem to be enough now. So my advice would be to gradually reduce.

JadeMauve · 17/01/2024 13:34

I used to be an chocolate addict. Would always have some after lunch and some after dinner. I just couldn’t help myself. It was affecting my weight so my motivation came from there. I’ve stopped buying it now but I do have a very nice chocolate treat on the weekend when I go out so I look forward to that. It’s really hard to get to that point and I didn’t think I could but it’s so easy now and I wonder why I felt the need to have it all the time. I do have other things that I enjoy during the week eg vanilla chai, chocolate tea.

InfraredMarbles · 17/01/2024 13:52

Don't put it in your mouth... Grin

HumourReplacementTherapy · 17/01/2024 13:53

If I can go 2 weeks without it then that's it, the cycle is broken and I can go months without eating it.
I am not in that place at the moment! Grin
February- I'm going to stop. As a lapsed catholic I could link it to lent but 01 feb sounds good to me.
January is far too miserable to contemplate giving it up.
However I'll just not buy it, no chance would I go out in the cold to buy some at 10pm- you must have it bad!

Holly60 · 17/01/2024 13:56

How about replacing it to a very dark chocolate - 85% cocoa at least and then rationing it out so that you have a square at a time.

QAnoun · 17/01/2024 13:57

I am the same OP. All these people saying “oh just have a tiny bit of 85% each day” just don’t get it. You wouldn’t say “oh just have a little glass of wine a day” to an alcoholic.

For me the only way is cold turkey. It’s really hard to make that step and I haven’t yet but I know deep down that me and chocolate have to break up forever and I can’t “just have a little bit”.