Chocolate Cravings: Keep the Treat, Change the Setup
By Derrick Inglut
In my 2009 column, I blamed part of my chocolate problem on a bargain. I had made it through Easter without buying bags of candy—then the clearance signs appeared.
My mother had taught me to buy in bulk when the price was right. Unfortunately, a bargain-sized supply of chocolate was not always a bargain for the routine I wanted to keep.
Change the setup before blaming willpower
If a large open bag keeps turning into unplanned handfuls, try buying a smaller amount or putting a portion in a dish. Decide where the rest goes before you start eating.
You might keep the remaining chocolate in a cupboard instead of beside your computer, or choose individually wrapped portions if that makes the amount easier to judge.
This is not a moral judgment about chocolate. It is a practical change to a situation that keeps producing a result you do not want.
Ask what you are hungry for
Sometimes you want chocolate because you enjoy chocolate. Sometimes you have gone a long time without eating and any convenient food will do.
If the second situation keeps happening, plan the meal or snack that is missing. A lunch you regularly skip deserves more attention than another rule about dessert.
If you want a treat, choose a portion you can enjoy rather than eating several substitutes and still returning to the chocolate.
For ideas about organizing more satisfying meals, read my guides to protein for strength training and adding fiber to your meals.
Leave the supplement out of it
My old article explored concentrated cacao extracts and made claims about theobromine that are not a sound basis for a craving-management plan. I would not recommend treating a craving with a stimulant extract or promising that an extract prevents disease.
Ordinary cocoa used for flavor and a concentrated supplement are different products. Neither needs to become a mandatory part of your fitness routine.
You do not need to turn a food you enjoy into a supplement project.
Look at what happens next
After a dessert, return to your normal eating pattern. You do not need to turn the next workout into punishment or skip meals to compensate.
For the holiday version of this problem, read enjoying pie without the panic. For learning from packaging, see serving sizes and zero-calorie claims.
If you want more structure around your exercise routine, explore my one-on-one personal training in Washington, DC. We can build a manageable training schedule around your goals and everyday life.
If you regularly feel out of control around food, or cycles of restriction and overeating are causing distress, speak with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian. More food rules may not address what is happening.
Adapted and updated from “A Guilt-Free Chocolate Fix?,” originally published in The Southwester, May 2009, page 9.
Further reading: NIDDK: Changing Your Habits for Better Health