Or how to reduce the impact of chocolate on your shrinking clothes ;)
1) Switch to Dark chocolate
- Don't switch directly to 99% Dark chocolate. But instead get your palette used to the taste of dark chocolate by switching first from milk chocolate to 60% Dark. Then gradually switch to 65% Cocoa and slowly to 70% and then 80%. This would take a couple of months to graduate to. I would recommend max 85% cocoa when it comes to taste, anything more than 85% is too bitter for our liking.
- Also when you purchase Dark chocolate, keep in mind to check the calories of each bar. They might be dark chocolate by name but still have loads of sugar packed in them. My experience is, by far the best dark chocolate to enjoy in the market is 'Lindt'. They have a really good collection of Dark chocolate called 'Lindt Excellence'. They come in different flavors and few of my favorites are the Intense Orange, Intense Mint, Cranberry.
2) Switch to an alternate sweet source
- I would recommend this step only in the initial weeks of trying to reduce your intake of chocolate. Since your used to having something sweet, you would need an option. But a warning here, don't get addicted to some other sweet in the bargain.
- Few options that have worked for me are few sips of diet coke/juice, fruit, a chocolate flavored granola bar, a spoon of peanut butter, dried fruits, chewing sugar-free gum, 1-2 biscuits (Marie is my favorite), etc.
3) Brush your teeth and sleep early (to avoid temptation for a late night craving of chocolate)
4) Wait Ten mins
- Next time u have an urge to have a bite of chocolate, wait for ten mins before you can indulge. Distract yourself. If you still want to have a chocolate after ten mins, have a little :)
5) Don't be greedy
- Indulge. But even a bite or 2 is sufficient. You don't need to finish that entire bar of Toblerone at one go.
6) Keep Healthy food options around
- At all times, whether at home, at work or even in your purse keep healthy snacks around. So next time your hungry you don't need to reach out for a chocolate but a snack instead
7) Eat chocolate an hour after your meal
- Don't eat it immediately after your meal. Your stomach is already full and all those sweet calories will get stored as fat. If you eat it after an hour or so your brain will treat it as a snack which will re-energize your body.
8) Sip water everytime you have an urge to go for that chocolate bar
- Water is good for you and will fill up our tummy and maybe stop u from craving a chocolate snack
9) Eat chocolate, avoid chocolate deserts
- The lesser the cocoa content means more calories from sugar, butter, flour going right to those hips. Chocolate in the solid form preferably dark chocolate with 65% cocoa or more are far more healthier than chocolate pastries, tarts, cakes or cookies.
10) Stop rewarding yourself with chocolate
- We all have a hard days work and a task we need to get done. But do not reward or incentivise yourself by having that chocolate. Learn to gift yourself something other than chocolates- maybe a weekend holiday, a visit to the spa, or a new dress but not reward yourself with that box of chocolates you saw at the grocery store.
Warning: All the above steps are suggested to 'try' to stop you from eating chocolate, I do not guarantee success. After all who would like to stop eating chocolate all together? I do not recommend ;)
