tara's chocolate challenge

glowgirl_2

I might check that out glowgirl, but as I've said, cold turkey may be the only way to go.

What did you read about skin tags and have you found it difficult to give up sugar?

I would agree with going cold turkey, the non sugar stuff is ok if your desperate but still pretty grim, I found it really hard to give up sugar, I low carb anyway and chocolate was my one indulgence now even thats gone, but it does get better and my clear smooth skin (very unusual for me) is incentive enough I do however love a cup of coffee (or four:o) and have splenda in it cos non sweetened coffee is just nasty, lets just say I've got used to it;)

I read a thread recently on here about skin tags which I suffer from and so does my dad, in the thread was a couple of links suggesting that skin tags on the outside of your skin are harmless but could be caused by an upset in your blood sugar (insulin) levels caused by sugar, the problem is that you can also get the equivalent of skin tags on the inside which you would know nothing about and the upset in your blood sugar feeds them and there was talk of this maybe leading to cancerous growths. As I understood it none of this has been proven but the links in the thread were interesting and seemed logical, when I first did strict Atkins several years ago, I gave up sugar and the skin tags I had disappeared and then returned when I reintroduced sugar (chocolate) into my diet again, I didnt put 2 and 2 together until I read the thread recently, saying all that my dad has loads of skin tags and has a exemplary Mediterranean diet with no sugar at all for years, however he used to sleep in the sun as a young man in Italy - so take your pick;) I had a recent health scare and don't want to go back to feeling that worried again (and my poor family were even worse) so am trying to do everything I can to keep healthy, now just to give up the fags:rotfl:

I'll see if I can find the skin tag thread, my searching is rubbish though.

glowgirl_2

Here it is:) http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=749853&highlight=skin+tags

Amanita_2

God luck with the new challenge. I've just thrown my remaining easter egg into the bin so I'll join you. Actually it was the Gordon Ramsey luxury chocs I blame for my complete fall off the weight losing wagon this week!!

The only practical way I can avoid eating chocolate is not to buy it. If I have it around then I'll eat it and I won't stop at just a small piece either.

If I have to have chocolate in the house it has to be in a form I don't like - Wagon Wheels are a good example. I hate them more than I crave the chocolate!

I find buying the low sugar and low calorie versions just feed the craving and because they don't taste "right" are much more likely to send me off in the direction of the real thing.

newbeginning_2

Can I join too? I really need to give the stuff up, Biscuits are another major weakness for me, and with 2 kiddies I feel I have to keep something in for them, so I buy the stuff I don't like!

Agree with the other poster about low calorie chocolate, if I buy that I tend to eat the full pack then go in search of the real stuff.

Margaret52129

Me too please! Although I don't 'crave' chocolate, I find it very hard to resist it if it's available! Having said that, I can actually keep chocolate in the house hidden in a cupboard and not eat it, although once it's open .....:eek:

I don't like 'pretend' chocolate - it has to be Cadbury's for me, but will eat other 'good names'. My OH will eat anything, cheap and cheerful for him and cooking chocolate is a favourite and I can resist that no problem.

My main downfall is biscuits - I can easily go through a packet or two with a cup of tea!

Been good so far this week as I've a holiday coming up and need to get in shape - this has been booked for a couple of months and it's now only 6 weeks away and I've really, really got to get on the diet wagon + exercising. Only got 1st to lose . Still it's better to start this late, than not start at all!

Good luck to everyone!

tara747

Oh my goodness, I didn't think anyone would even read let alone join in! Yay! We can kick the craving, I know we can. Welcome one and all.

sweetserendipity wrote: »

Good luck tara & everyone else, another closet chocoholic here

tara, have you thought about when you buy chocolate?? Is it as part of a big shop or do you nip to the shops just to buy chocolatey stuff?? As Bronnie said, you need to just stop buying it, although that can be easier said than done ...

I made the stupid mistake of going food shopping on an empty stomach today & came back with all sorts of carp Put it this way, my stomach is no longer empty & I do feel sick now!! :rotfl:

If you are trying to wean yourself off the chocolate but know you will end up struggling, why not have some minimum 70% cocoa choc in to nibble on, it's much better for you than milk choc & does taste really good when you get used to it. I bought some Prestat Choxi 70% dark chocolate from Tesco the other week & according to the blurb it's 'naturally rich in antioxidants' & the manufacturers suggest 'eating 10g a day of this extraordinary chocolate as part of a balanced diet'. I'm going to give it a try after I've eaten the giant bar of Aero I bought today!! :rotfl:

:rotfl:

I buy chocolate mainly in the supermarket when I'm doing a shop (which can be 3-4 times a week, I live very near one so don't do a big weekly shop), but sometimes I go to e.g. Semi Chem specially as I know they sell 20-packs of Toffypops for £1. :o:o:o:o So clearly I need to go to Tesco less often and avoid SC unless I need something!!

sweetserendipity wrote: »

Even better in Co-op - currently £1 a bar!! :j

:eek::eek::eek::eek: Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I can't hear you!!!

Amanita wrote: »

God luck with the new challenge. I've just thrown my remaining easter egg into the bin so I'll join you. Actually it was the Gordon Ramsey luxury chocs I blame for my complete fall off the weight losing wagon this week!!

The only practical way I can avoid eating chocolate is not to buy it. If I have it around then I'll eat it and I won't stop at just a small piece either.

If I have to have chocolate in the house it has to be in a form I don't like - Wagon Wheels are a good example. I hate them more than I crave the chocolate!

I find buying the low sugar and low calorie versions just feed the craving and because they don't taste "right" are much more likely to send me off in the direction of the real thing.

Wow, throwing chocolate in the bin, hardcore!!!

You are so right by the way, not having it in the house *is* the only way. Sigh.

tara747

glowgirl wrote: »

I would agree with going cold turkey, the non sugar stuff is ok if your desperate but still pretty grim, I found it really hard to give up sugar, I low carb anyway and chocolate was my one indulgence now even thats gone, but it does get better and my clear smooth skin (very unusual for me) is incentive enough I do however love a cup of coffee (or four:o) and have splenda in it cos non sweetened coffee is just nasty, lets just say I've got used to it;)

I read a thread recently on here about skin tags which I suffer from and so does my dad, in the thread was a couple of links suggesting that skin tags on the outside of your skin are harmless but could be caused by an upset in your blood sugar (insulin) levels caused by sugar, the problem is that you can also get the equivalent of skin tags on the inside which you would know nothing about and the upset in your blood sugar feeds them and there was talk of this maybe leading to cancerous growths. As I understood it none of this has been proven but the links in the thread were interesting and seemed logical, when I first did strict Atkins several years ago, I gave up sugar and the skin tags I had disappeared and then returned when I reintroduced sugar (chocolate) into my diet again, I didnt put 2 and 2 together until I read the thread recently, saying all that my dad has loads of skin tags and has a exemplary Mediterranean diet with no sugar at all for years, however he used to sleep in the sun as a young man in Italy - so take your pick;) I had a recent health scare and don't want to go back to feeling that worried again (and my poor family were even worse) so am trying to do everything I can to keep healthy, now just to give up the fags:rotfl:

I'll see if I can find the skin tag thread, my searching is rubbish though.

That skin tag thread is scary!!! Thanks for the link glowgirl.

I do remember reading about how sugar is really bad for your skin's elasticity (and your health in general), I guess that's even more reason to give it up. I do usually give up sugar when I'm on hols in Africa/Asia as there is hardly any chocolate out there and the food is amazing. It does take a week or two to get used to it but then I feel brilliant. So why not choose to feel like that all the time? Have you found it really hard to give up chocolate and what (if any) copies strategies do you use?

Oh and I love unsweetened coffee (and tea - and herbal teas) so that's a bonus.

belfastgirl23

Alas I hate to admit it but Bronnie is right for me it's an all or nothing situation. And I have 5 big weightloss target occasions coming up - a big birthday, a regular holiday, a special big birthday holiday and 2 family weddings. The holiday is in May, the special holiday in July, the weddings in August and Sept. So I have got to get up off my lardy you know what and get on with this. Giving up chocolate is symbolic. When I go home I am getting rid of every last scrap in the house and that is it!! Tara maybe we need to resurrect the NI weight loss club as well

Count me in. Totally and utterly.

Good luck everyone!

tara747

belfastgirl - are you really going to chuck it all in the bin??? :eek:

We could ressurect the NI weight loss thread, or why don't you come and join us on the half-stone thread (as the NI one is like tumbleweed central lol).

I'm not sure what to do with my chocolate, maybe I will give it to the peeps in the office or something. I just can't throw it away, I am pathetic!

So... do we want a list of members in the first post?

I am so on for this challenge. The fact that I've wasted almost £12 in the last ten days on crap that's going to make me fat is nothing short of sickening. It stops here.

sandiep

I have a simple approach. I totally walk past the crisps/biscuits/sweets aisle in the supermarket. And I buy my kids what they want when they want it. Which means that we don't eat any of these kind of snacks at home - simply because they're not there.

And, if you physically have to go and buy when you're out, somehow, you end up talking yourself out of 80% of the purchases, because you think twice about buying it, you think about when you're going to be home and can get something, you think how close to meal times you are, etc etc etc.

Being doing this now for a couple of years and it works well for me. Because, simply put, if it's here i'll eat it, and eat it all, but i will very rarely go out specifically to buy it.