the best advice i can give you is since you crave chocolate then you should try the slimfast optima royal chocolate shake! it's GOOD. i drink one every morning and every chance i get. you don't have to give up what you really enjoy. I eat whatever i want but, i use calorie intake and portion control. that's the best way to lose lbs. I've been losing a few lbs a day! I started at 138 and now i'm 130! in just two weeks! it's the best thing i've done.

tazziemommie,

I had the same problem, so I had to eliminate ALL sugar from my diet for over a week in order to shock my system into recognizing where the sugar lies.  That means no high glucose fruit - instead of a banana, have an apple.  Instead of a potato, have broccoli.  Instead of pasta, try spagetti squash.  My point is, your body is craving the sugars, artificial or natural it's still sugar.  Eliminate for a week, and your cravings should subside.

Another cool trick:  Every time you crave sugar, eat some protein.  When you're craving that sugar,  your brain is really telling you that it's hungry for fuel - protein!  It works.  Even if it's something simple like a mozzerella stick.  Wait fifteen minutes afterwards, even drinking some water afterwards, and your cravings should subside.

Good luck.  Let me know how you do!

guppypuppy

Spaghetti SQUASH? Sign me up! Where can I find that??!?!?!

Carb anonymous right here - I can't seem to get away from them! Seriously I can't make noodles or anything of the like for my "meal" because I will over-do it for sure.  I haven't had pasta for dinner in almost a month!

tazziemommie,

I've been there about the bread cravings.  Eat more fruits and veggies for starters.  When you're eating bread, are you hungry?  I'm a carb craver myself and bread is a weak point for me.  So every time I want bread I eat protein (yogurt or slice of cheese or small handful of nuts).  That will usually tackle the carb thing.  I had to eliminate potatoes, pastas, etc almost completely because I craved it so badly.  So I allow myself one bread a day.  If I have my turkey reuben sandwich for lunch, then I don't have my potatoe at dinner.  Noodles for spagetti?  Try either whole wheat noodles or even better, steam up some spagetti squash and have your marinara sauce over that.  That's pretty awesome!  Spagetti nights are terrible for me (noodles, corn, garlic bread - you get the idea).  So either I cut back my eating earlier in the day or I eliminate two of the carbs.  Corn I don't eat a lot of because of its natural sugars.

Chocolate - that is a whole nuther animal!  Buy hard candy instead of chocolate.  While your mouth is busy sucking on a lollipop or crunching on sweet tarts, etc., it's keeping your mind off of chocolate.  And don't let it in your house!  It'll get away from  you and take over...grrrr!  I hate having chocolate in my house.  I love it, I'm allergic to it (gives me migraines and muscle pain), and I can't stay away from it.  Too bad my entire family loves chocolate.  Easter and Halloween I've finally narrowed it down to.  (Except Xmas this year was pretty pathetic...all my FRIENDS wanted to give me fudge, chocolate chip cookies, etc., and they all know I'm dieting.grrrrrr!)  And do you think I can turn them down? grrrrr!

good luck,

guppypuppy

We only use Arnold Brand to eat because there is no high fructose corn syrup and perservatives and my youngest is allergic to so many things including the high fructose corn syrup. 

I commend you, that would be so hard and impossible for me.

hi,

i started my better way of eating and living on Jan 1...on that day I also gave up bread,pasta and rice..i take my craving for bread on a weekly basis and make a sound choice on monday to cut my carb intake for the week or to let it slide...so far i have chosen to cut it every week.....afer 4 days i totally lost the cravings for any of them...this comes from a person who is used to having toast for breakfast, 2 grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch and garlic bread for dinner...bread was and still is a major staple in my household but it really hindered my weight loss....what i want to ask you is...are you putting anything on the bread? if so.... its often we crave the things we place on the bread and not so much the bread itself...for instance if you eat bread with butter or as a sandwich its quite possible you are mistaking what you crave....if you eat bread plain and dry its not really bad for you try small portions and try eating it with other items such as roasted veggies,Hummus,sugar free jams......main thing is portion control try using bread as a reward and only once a week as opposed to daily.....

Portion control.  Ihave one small piece of choc. a day.  Make your bread whole grain and use one slice for sandwiches instead of 2. Only put 1 or 2 pcs of bread on table w/meal if u are having it.

Portion control.  Ihave one small piece of choc. a day.  Make your bread whole grain and use one slice for sandwiches instead of 2.

Hi,  You don't have to give everything up to lose weight.There are a lot of 100 calorie sweet or salty snacks out there that are really good, and could fit into  a healthier lifestyle.There are also lower cal wholegrain breads with  a good amount of fiber to help fill you. I found when I eat these instead of my once beloved white bread they helped fill me better, and I don't crave sugar as much.That and having  as someone else said  having a serving of trail mix or nuts, instead of chips or  a regular chocolate bar.There are many different kinds , some with chocolate, that  help satisfy my sweet +/or salty tooth.Find some healthier options to your cravings, and watch your portions.   Also   if you pair a  slimfast snack bar with fruit or   veggie  it helps fill you more. If you have  apple , have it with   little low fat yogurt, or peanut butter,  or  pair carrots with low fat dip.The carb protein helps keep you fuller, too. They have really good snack ideas here on the site. Keep trying to make little changes here and there, and find what works into your life . Good luck.