Choose one decadent chocolate, then stop. (cacaobug/creative commons)
It's easy enough to turn down the office doughnuts. You can even pass up a hot slice of pizza when your amazing dieter's willpower is in full swing. Fries? Schmies! You wanted a lowfat yogurt, anyway.
The one little thing, though, that's hard to pass up on a diet, no matter how strong you are, is chocolate. What is it about the addictive bars of processed cacao seeds that leaves us so helpless? Whatever it is, it's possible to have your chocolate and still diet too.
Pick one of these treats and enjoy a chocolate fix that satisfies the craving without moving the scale.
1. One square of really good, expensive chocolate. It's no wonder you overdo it on the chocolate when you're mindlessly eating the cheap, unsatisfying, candy-coated variety. Indulge in one sinfully rich chocolate, like a Godiva truffle or a Dove dark chocolate square, and savor it. The damage: only 35-100 calories.
2. Hot chocolate. Next time you need a hit of chocolate, try drinking it instead of reaching for a candy bar. Dieters should look for a sugar-free variety like Swiss Miss, which has plenty of cocoa taste without all the calories. The damage: only 60 calories.
3. Chocolate milk. Combine your craving for chocolate with a bone-strengthening boost of calcium. Choose lowfat milk, and with the extra sweetness, you'll never notice the missing fat. Make it even healthier by choosing a chocolate soy milk, like Silk brand. The damage: only 140-150 calories.
4. Chocolate syrup. Contrary to popular belief, chocolate syrup doesn't have to have an ice cream sundae underneath it. Drizzle a tablespoon over your favorite fresh fruit at snacktime and you'll get a diet-friendly chocolate fix along with one of your daily fruit servings. The damage: only 50 calories.
5. Chocolate chips. Just a few decades ago, our deprived selves had to make do with only one type of chocolate chip --the semi-sweet cookie-making kind. Now there are multiple choices, from dark to peppermint-flavored, and even names like Ghirardelli have gotten into the act. Have a handful, one at a time, when your next craving hits. The damage: only 70 calories per tablespoon.
6. Reduced-fat chocolate ice cream. Lowfat ice cream products are light years away from what they used to be, and now dieters can rejoice that many of them have a rich, decadent taste that deserves to be called ice cream. Choose a low calorie indulgence like the Skinny Cow or Slim-a-Bear products, or one scoop of a reduced-fat favorite. The damage: only 100 calories (for frozen pops, up to 200 for some scoops.)
7. The no-bloat float. Craving a sweet treat that brings back your childhood? Scoop one serving of reduced-fat chocolate ice cream into a frosty glass of diet soda or diet root beer, and you'll feel six years old again. Since you don't have your childhood metabolism, be grateful for the shaved-off calories and fat! The damage: only 100-200 calories, depending on ice cream product.
8. Chocolate pudding. Pudding snacks are a godsend when you're wanting something with a rich mouth feel and a whole lotta chocolate flavor. Whether you choose the make-it-yourself instant packs or the individual cups, the fat free flavors are decidedly rich --and decidedly chocolatey. The damage: only 90 calories.
9. 100 calorie packs. While you can divide any food you like into 100-calorie portions, it's too easy to go back for seconds. Pre-counted packs make it easy to have your chocolate fix and be certain where to stop. Look for packs of Hershey's products, or try the Oreo version, which contains thin crisps with a distcinctly Oreo taste. The damage: only 100 calories.
10. The chocolate inhaler. It's true! Someone has developed a choolate-scented inhaler to allow dieters to breathe in the essence of chocolate. It may not be for everyone, but it might be good for a try (or a laugh), and if it doesn't work, there's always 1-9 on the list. The damage: 0 calories.
Dieters have been proven to have greater success when they work their favorite foods into their diet, rather than forbidding them completely. Be sane and sensible, and treat chocolate as an occasional treat, or as a reward for a job well done.
You deserve it.
Need a laugh, as well as a lesson in what not to eat? Check out these slideshows full of shockingly hilarious photos.
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Comments
I love dark chocolate. I like to melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave and dip sourdough pretzel bites in the chocolate. Yum!
1,2 (gourmet, the dark stuff),5 and 9 (an emotional fix) are the best for you. The others? You're not getting quality dark chocolate with all the feel-good compounds. If it's not the real thing, IMO it's not worth the indulgence.
www.calorey.blogspot.com
A chocolate inhaler? Well, now I've heard of everything.
A piece of dove dark chocolate is one of my favorite treats. Nice article!
I found some really great recipes for low-carb chocolate cakes and brownies made with, of all things, BEANS! I can't wait to try them. I'll let you know how they turn out.
thank you for the road to heaven here I love chocolate.
A teaspoon of chocolate syrup. That works. I do the same thing with Black-Strap Molasses. "Get to know what good is." Another thing is that powdered chocolate doesn't us HFCS, but sugar. I'd rather eat genuine sugar than HFCS.
LOL at the No-Bloat float.
Thanks for the permission to splurge a bit. ;-)
Love the list of lists! I'm totally addicted!
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