Chocolate addiction is a very difficult challenge for some people.If you have an addiction to chocolate, it is possible to overcome it by gaining a better understanding of the causes.You can overcome your chocolate addiction by learning to eat chocolate in moderation or by cutting chocolate out of your diet.
Step 1: Do you know when your chocolate addiction began?
If you want to understand your chocolate addiction, you have to identify when you started to increase your intake and rely on chocolate.When you started showing the signs of addiction, such as intense cravings, inability to overcome or control your cravings and continuing to eat chocolate despite experiencing negative consequences, consider what was going on in your life.Addictions can be a side effect of another issue.You might know that you started eating chocolate when you lost your job.It is important for you to understand the motivation for your addiction in order to overcome it.
Step 2: Consider why you eat chocolate.
Chocolate might be used to compensate for another feeling if you don't eat it because you are happy.Many of the reasons why people crave food are related to negative emotions.You can figure out a course of action for tackling the problem if you can identify your reasons for overindulging.If you want to figure out why you rely on chocolate, try to pause for a few moments and pay attention to your feelings the next time you reach for it.Do you want to eat the chocolate because of the taste or because you are sad, upset, or anxious?When you eat chocolate, practice being aware of your surroundings.This will help you identify what type of help is needed to overcome your addiction and become more aware of it.
Step 3: How much chocolate do you eat a day?
You may not be able to identify when your cravings started or why they persist.It can be helpful to keep a daily log of how much chocolate you eat and when.It can help you to be honest with yourself about your addiction, and also help bring to light any patterns in your chocolate consumption.You may find that you crave and indulge in chocolate more frequently during a particular time of year, if you keep track for several months.Seasonal depression may cause your addiction to be a side effect.It's possible that your chocolate addiction is worse during times of emotional, psychological, or physical stress.
Step 4: To understand your addiction, talk to a healthcare professional.
If you have a chocolate addiction, it can affect your physical, mental, and emotional health.To better understand the cause of your addiction, and to create a plan for overcoming it, it is helpful to talk to a healthcare professional.Mental healthcare professionals can help you understand your addiction and deal with the underlying cause in order to overcome itYour family physician or a nutritionist can help you understand the physical impact of your addiction on your body, as well as help create a food and exercise plan that can both diminish your cravings and help reverse the negative effects on the body.
Step 5: You can set a goal to limit your chocolate intake.
Setting a limit on how much chocolate you can eat per day or week will help you overcome your addiction.You can only purchase that amount of chocolate if you have set your limit.Set a goal to eat at least 2 ounces per day.
Step 6: Choose dark chocolate over milk chocolates.
If you are trying to manage your chocolate addiction without completely cutting chocolate out of your diet, go for dark chocolate instead of white or milk chocolate.Dark chocolate has more health benefits than white or milk chocolate.The health benefits of chocolate come from its cocoa content.Milk and white chocolate have less cocoa than dark chocolate.Cocoa can help fight heart disease, improve cardiovascular function, and lower blood pressure.Dark chocolate is rich and less sweet than regular chocolate.
Step 7: It's a good idea to eat chocolate with fruit or nuts.
You can cut back on your chocolate intake by choosing either chocolate covered fruits or nuts, or trail mix snacks with a mix of all three.This will help you get the vitamins you need while limiting the amount of chocolate you eat.
Step 8: To decrease chocolate cravings, add more magnesium to your diet.
When you get a craving for chocolate, try eating other high-magnesium foods, such as nuts, seeds, whole grains, and leafy vegetables.If you have chocolate cravings, your body may be in need of magnesium.If you swap out chocolate for other high-magnesium foods, you may be able to stop craving it.Your body uses magnesium to regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure.Taking magnesium can help curb chocolate cravings.
Step 9: It's a good idea to fill up on healthier foods.
If you're trying to cut back on your chocolate consumption, try eating larger portions of healthier foods.People with a chocolate addiction will eat less at meals in order to leave room for chocolate later on.If you eat larger portions of healthier foods, you might find that you are too full to eat chocolate or that your craving has subsided for the time being.
Step 10: On holidays and special occasions, limit your intake.
If you want to manage your chocolate addiction, don't use holidays and special occasions as an excuse to indulge.It can cause your addiction to start up again, if you indulge on occasion.Use the same approach to chocolate that you use to manage your addiction in your daily life when faced with chocolate on special occasions.
Step 11: Get rid of the chocolate in your home and workplace.
If you don't want to buy chocolate in the future, throw away all the chocolate that you have.If you know that you have a chocolate addiction and need to cut chocolate out of your diet for mental or physical health reasons, it is a good idea to remove any sources of chocolate from your life.It will be hard to overcome your addiction if you have easy access to it.
Step 12: It's important to remind yourself why you need to quit.
When you have an addiction, it can be easy to convince yourself that you need chocolate on a particular occasion, or you are only going to indulge one last time.You can overcome these mental hurdles by reminding yourself why you need to overcome your addiction and that you are capable of doing it.It is helpful to say to yourself, "I don't need this to be happy" when you have a chocolate craving.
Step 13: There is a new go-to sweet snack.
Chocolate addictions are a symptom of a sugar addiction.If you are cutting chocolate out of your diet to overcome your addiction, you may be able to replace it with a sweet snack to satisfy your sugar craving.It is a great alternative to have fresh fruit.It is still very sweet and high in sugar, but it is more filling than chocolate and has more health benefits.
Step 14: Go for a walk when you feel hungry.
It is helpful to have a go-to action that will distract you until your craving passes, as you work to overcome your addiction.A brisk 20 to 30 minute walk can distract you from feeling like you need chocolate and give you a boost of dopamine, which may diminish your desire to indulge in your chocolate craving.
Step 15: When you are tempted to indulge, do something that makes you happy.
When you are stressed, sad, or overwhelmed, chocolate cravings can arise.To help ward off cravings, it is helpful to do something that makes you happy.You'll be able to address the cause ortrigger of your chocolate craving, which can make it go away.If you are having a bad day and want to indulge in chocolate, try calling a friend to cheer you up instead.You will have less of a desire to eat chocolate after talking to a friend that makes you happy.Doing a hobby, such as knitting, painting, or playing the piano, can make you happy and keep you away from chocolate.
Step 16: You should be rewarded for avoiding chocolate.
When you have been able to avoid eating chocolate, reward yourself every so often.Even small weekly rewards can help you stay on track.For every week that you don't eat chocolate, try to get yourself a spa treatment, a long bubble bath, or a movie ticket.You will start to look forward to your weekly reward, which can help motivate you to stay away from chocolate.