How to Buy Chocolate Then Forget to Eat It

By Kathryn Martyn, M.NLP                

Some Say I'm Strange. I Prefer to Think of Myself as Resourceful
If you'd like to learn how to obtain quality chocolate, put it in a drawer and forget it's there, learn to use EFT and NLP techniques to conquer your emotional eating. That's what I've done, and it's such a freeing thing to be able to feel right with the world, be happy with myself, my shape, and not feel controlled by something like food. I eat what I want, but I do make an effort to make good choices (usually). For example, last night I baked a cake I made on Easter and totally loved (Better than Sex cake). This thing is nothing more than yellow cake, vanilla pudding and tons of whipped cream - not exactly diet fare, but when I can't get a certain food out of my head, I usually either make it or go and get it, and then totally enjoy it. That's what I mean when I said I eat what I want. So today, I have an entire cake in my refrigerator.
Did I have a piece of cake for breakfast? No. My husband bought me some fresh local raspberries at the Farmer's Market yesterday, and I wanted them so I had some on my cereal this morning. The cake sits and waits. When I was in the kitchen I noted the remnants of last night's grocery shopping. I saw a huge, individually wrapped cinnamon roll on the counter. I just "knew" I was going to want to eat something sweet last night since baking the cake was bound to make me crazy so I'd in anticipation of future hunger I bought the following:

1. One Giant cinnamon roll from Sarah's Bakery. (Oops, I weighed this bad boy and it's 15.5 Oz! Almost a pound of dough and sugar - oh my).
2. Small container of Scharffen Berger chocolates. This little clear box comes with 12 squares equalling 2.1 Oz. Individually wrapped. I put them in the drawer.
3. A dozen of my favorite shortbread cookies which I put in a drawer in the kitchen. My husband will eat them if he sees them, so unless he says something about "wanting something sweet" I wait to let him know they are there.

While watching a movie last night (Friday night ritual) I did start to get sort of hungry so I thought about what to do about it. I recalled how I'm feeling much better lately, getting back to a regular routine of exercise, and I just didn't feel like eating a lot of cookies. Yes, they were there, but I just wasn't in the mood to eat them. I had a pang of hunger, but I wasn't really hungry, it was nearly midnight for crying out loud!
So, I ate one of those chocolate squares - remember, they're pretty small right? Well I ate it in four bites, letting the chocolate melt in my mouth. I take my time with chocolates and they satisfy me so much more than just popping it in my mouth, chewing twice and swallowing. I'm not in a hurry to get it over with.
Discovering Lost Candy
This morning I checked my body fat and it just happens I keep my Omron Body Fat Analyzer in the closet on top of a leftover chocolates box from last Christmas. I decided to look inside the box since I thought there was one of those chocolates still leftover and I was surprised to find two of those Christmas chocolates in there (Joseph Schmidt truffles - some of my favorites) and about eight squares of that very same chocolate I bought yesterday (Scharffen Berger). I forgot they were there.
So, you see, I handle my cravings by buying the foods I want, then putting them away and maybe eating them, maybe not. For me it's the need to know I can have what I want - and keeping something nearby in case of emergencies. I also know if I leave things out where I'll see them, I'm much more likely to decide to have some, so I put them away. For you it may be different. Some of you won't want anything tempting in the house. That's okay too. We're all different. The only way you'll discover how you are is to tackle those emotional issues - the reasons you think you can't stop eating after a handful or two; the reasons you feel like it's out of your control, or not your decision how much you eat, when you eat or what you eat.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to buy your favorite food and leave it in a drawer long enough to forget it's even there? That's what it's like to not have an eating problem, and that comes from giving yourself permission to enjoy food. You are worthy, you do deserve to be happy.
My methods can help - I know because they've worked for me, and I truly have had a sweet tooth since I was a kid. I used to eat bag after bag of candy - I once had 11 cavities in one dentist visit!

Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com

Get the Daily Bites: Inspirational Mini Lessons Using EFT and NLP for Ending the Struggle with Weight Loss.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kathryn_Martyn,_M.NLP/939

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1978

How to Buy Chocolate Then Forget to Eat It

By Kathryn Martyn, M.NLP              

Some Say I'm Strange. I Prefer to Think of Myself as Resourceful
If you'd like to learn how to obtain quality chocolate, put it in a drawer and forget it's there, learn to use EFT and NLP techniques to conquer your emotional eating. That's what I've done, and it's such a freeing thing to be able to feel right with the world, be happy with myself, my shape, and not feel controlled by something like food. I eat what I want, but I do make an effort to make good choices (usually). For example, last night I baked a cake I made on Easter and totally loved (Better than Sex cake). This thing is nothing more than yellow cake, vanilla pudding and tons of whipped cream - not exactly diet fare, but when I can't get a certain food out of my head, I usually either make it or go and get it, and then totally enjoy it. That's what I mean when I said I eat what I want. So today, I have an entire cake in my refrigerator.
Did I have a piece of cake for breakfast? No. My husband bought me some fresh local raspberries at the Farmer's Market yesterday, and I wanted them so I had some on my cereal this morning. The cake sits and waits. When I was in the kitchen I noted the remnants of last night's grocery shopping. I saw a huge, individually wrapped cinnamon roll on the counter. I just "knew" I was going to want to eat something sweet last night since baking the cake was bound to make me crazy so I'd in anticipation of future hunger I bought the following:

1. One Giant cinnamon roll from Sarah's Bakery. (Oops, I weighed this bad boy and it's 15.5 Oz! Almost a pound of dough and sugar - oh my).
2. Small container of Scharffen Berger chocolates. This little clear box comes with 12 squares equalling 2.1 Oz. Individually wrapped. I put them in the drawer.
3. A dozen of my favorite shortbread cookies which I put in a drawer in the kitchen. My husband will eat them if he sees them, so unless he says something about "wanting something sweet" I wait to let him know they are there.

While watching a movie last night (Friday night ritual) I did start to get sort of hungry so I thought about what to do about it. I recalled how I'm feeling much better lately, getting back to a regular routine of exercise, and I just didn't feel like eating a lot of cookies. Yes, they were there, but I just wasn't in the mood to eat them. I had a pang of hunger, but I wasn't really hungry, it was nearly midnight for crying out loud!
So, I ate one of those chocolate squares - remember, they're pretty small right? Well I ate it in four bites, letting the chocolate melt in my mouth. I take my time with chocolates and they satisfy me so much more than just popping it in my mouth, chewing twice and swallowing. I'm not in a hurry to get it over with.
Discovering Lost Candy
This morning I checked my body fat and it just happens I keep my Omron Body Fat Analyzer in the closet on top of a leftover chocolates box from last Christmas. I decided to look inside the box since I thought there was one of those chocolates still leftover and I was surprised to find two of those Christmas chocolates in there (Joseph Schmidt truffles - some of my favorites) and about eight squares of that very same chocolate I bought yesterday (Scharffen Berger). I forgot they were there.
So, you see, I handle my cravings by buying the foods I want, then putting them away and maybe eating them, maybe not. For me it's the need to know I can have what I want - and keeping something nearby in case of emergencies. I also know if I leave things out where I'll see them, I'm much more likely to decide to have some, so I put them away. For you it may be different. Some of you won't want anything tempting in the house. That's okay too. We're all different. The only way you'll discover how you are is to tackle those emotional issues - the reasons you think you can't stop eating after a handful or two; the reasons you feel like it's out of your control, or not your decision how much you eat, when you eat or what you eat.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to buy your favorite food and leave it in a drawer long enough to forget it's even there? That's what it's like to not have an eating problem, and that comes from giving yourself permission to enjoy food. You are worthy, you do deserve to be happy.
My methods can help - I know because they've worked for me, and I truly have had a sweet tooth since I was a kid. I used to eat bag after bag of candy - I once had 11 cavities in one dentist visit!

Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com

Get the Daily Bites: Inspirational Mini Lessons Using EFT and NLP for Ending the Struggle with Weight Loss.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1978

Still Think of Chocolate As Health Food?

By Joan Kent  |   Submitted On July 03, 2019      

This isn't exactly news because it came to light several years ago, but chocolate isn't the health food it was proclaimed to be, say, 5 or so years ago.

Yet people still seem to think it is - so they eat it and tell themselves it's good for them.

Why they do that? Well, they like it; it's easy to like.

Chocolate also feels like an easy answer to various problems because it's a mood changer. The mood-changing chemicals include theobromine (similar to caffeine) and phenylethylamine (likened to the feeling of being in love). It also triggers endorphins (beta-endorphin) and serotonin, two brain chemicals associated with mood.

Were You Caught in the Chocolate Trap?

I was not, and here's why.

Chocolate - even 70-plus percent dark chocolate - contains sugar, and I'm fiercely anti-sugar. In fact, I've been anti-sugar for well over 25 years, long before anyone was talking about its negative effects on health or its addictive properties.

A few clients have called me The Sugar Nazi. What can I say? I wear the label proudly.

When health gurus were pushing chocolate, I was against it because I was certain the drawbacks of the sugar in chocolate would override any benefits we were then hearing about cacao itself.

What the Chocolate Story Turned Out to Be

Basically, it's an unsurprising story. Chocolate manufacturers and the cocoa industry funded scientific studies to "prove" the benefits of chocolate. One company, Mars, maker of Snickers, M&Ms, Milky Way and many other candies, actually funded hundreds of such studies.

It doesn't feel worth it to me to hash through the alleged benefits of chocolate, but here's a partial list. It was said to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, enhance weight loss, decrease risk of diabetes, stroke, atrial fibrillation and heart failure, as well as alleviate immune disorders.

Gee, will it make my brown eyes blue, too?

Claims like these keep springing up even in current articles - and are still affecting the eating behaviors of my colleagues in the fitness industry.

My recommendation is to forgo chocolate because of the sugar. If you must consume cocoa or cacao, make sure it's unsweetened. Problems with sugar affect health, appetite, food preferences, mood disorders, hormones, brain chemistry, and a lot more.

Sugar's negative effects can't be overstated. Chocolate can't and won't override those.

If you'd like to adjust your diet for better health, better mood, and more, just visit http://www.LastResortNutrition.com and grab your free Empowered Eating consult. Discover how a few easy tweaks can bring big results.

Brought to you by Dr. Joan Kent, best-selling author of Stronger Than Sugar: 7 Simple Steps to Defeat Sugar Addiction, Lift Your Mood, and Transform Your Health.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joan_Kent/1748388

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10142862

A Chocolate A Day Can Keep You Healthy

By Raja Priya

It is widely believed that eating dark chocolate is good for cardiovascular health. Some health and lifestyle experts, however, emphasized that there is no evidence for this fact. Recently, the British Journal of Nutrition published a new study, which supports regular consumption of chocolate. Before changing your diet to eat more chocolate and sweets, you should understand that this study is published based on clinical observation and available data.

According to the new study, the researchers from Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), university of South Australia, university of Warwick Medical School and university of Maine suggested that consuming a small amount of chocolate every day can help to prevent insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. The study considered the data of 1,153 people between the ages 18 and 69. When comparing the health of various participants, the research group found lower insulin resistance and healthy liver enzymes in those who claimed that they ate around 100g of chocolate every day. Insulin resistance is one of the very important factors determining the onset of cardiovascular diseases.

The academic researchers proposed the hypothesis that chocolate can be useful for insulin sensitivity and liver enzymes. This study is conducted rigorously, noting down the lifestyle and diet preferences of the participants. The consumption of tea and coffee is also monitored. Both tea and coffee contain polyphenol which is useful to accelerate cardiometabolic effects of chocolate.

The visiting academic at the University of Warwick Medical School,and Scientific Director of department of population health at LIH, Prof Saverio Stranges said that cocoa based products can be suggested as dietary recommendation to improve cardio health and metabolism. However, he added that the results are simply observatory and more robust evidence based trials are required. He also emphasized that natural cocoa product is entirely different from highly processed commercial chocolates.

Among those who participated in the study, 80% of the individuals said that they eat at least 24.8g of chocolate every day. These people were active, young and had higher educational status compared to those who did not eat chocolate regularly. The principal investigator of the study, Dr. Ala's Alkerwi said that the people who consumed chocolate had significant socio-demographic profiles, better health access and healthy lifestyle habits. This can also be an important contributor for the reaction of the body to insulin and liver biomarkers.

Researchers have agreed that randomized control studies and additional observational research are required to truly understand how chocolate is useful in reducing insulin resistance and preventing disorders related to cardiometabolism.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Raja_Priya/341227

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9451518

How Good Is Chocolate As a Health Benefit?

By Norma Holt     

We hear it frequently that chocolate is a good anti-oxidant and has, therefore, health benefits. So what is an anti-oxidant agent and how does it work. It's not difficult to explain and there is research available for those who need more information. Generally, however, one should look upon it as something that counter-acts disease. It does this by 'hooking' itself onto a free radicle, which is a disease laden molecule looking for a cell to engage.

Anyone with a background in chemistry, even at school level, will understand how molecules of matter join with others to form elements. They comprise a nucleus with an electric charge that has room for opposite charges to attach to it. In other words they have either a positive or a negative charge.

Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons. As they enter the body they search for cells that can be robbed of electrons. This causes damage which, over time, can manifest as conditions ranging from aging of the body to cancer.

When anti-oxidant levels are low, such as through poor nutrition, the immune system is overloaded and toxins take effect more readily. These unpaired electron microbes are extremely dangerous. They are looking for what other cells have that they require and can easily capture. That's why food that are known anti-oxidants are important.

They catch the free radicals by offering to pair them and thus cancel out cell damage. The more we have the greater the protection. Vitamins are great anti-oxidants and the effect of vitamin C's action against viruses is well-known.

So what about things like chocolate? Cocoa from which it is manufactured contains powerful anti-oxidants called polyphenols. It is the same found in grapes, berries, and wine. It also contains catechins and epicatechins that are found in green tea. These elements are found in the beans, however, not necessarily the finished product.

Chocolate goes through a refining process and is manufactured using things like sugar, protein, and fat. Any heat applied to an anti-oxidant has the power to kill it and the way this finished product is produced is through heat.

The enjoyment of chocolate by most speaks of its popularity. As to its health benefits one must not fails to take into account the calories and other things it represents. Some manufacturers also add MSG (monosodium glutamate) to which many are allergic, as I am. Consequently migraine headaches may occur after consumption of certain brands.

Norma Holt has knowledge that enables her to understand many issues. Social, political, and behavioural problems are usually on her list for discussion and the depth of her research will amaze.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Norma_Holt/270038

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9758028

Still Think of Chocolate As Health Food?

By Joan Kent    

This isn't exactly news because it came to light several years ago, but chocolate isn't the health food it was proclaimed to be, say, 5 or so years ago.

Yet people still seem to think it is - so they eat it and tell themselves it's good for them.

Why they do that? Well, they like it; it's easy to like.

Chocolate also feels like an easy answer to various problems because it's a mood changer. The mood-changing chemicals include theobromine (similar to caffeine) and phenylethylamine (likened to the feeling of being in love). It also triggers endorphins (beta-endorphin) and serotonin, two brain chemicals associated with mood.

Were You Caught in the Chocolate Trap?

I was not, and here's why.

Chocolate - even 70-plus percent dark chocolate - contains sugar, and I'm fiercely anti-sugar. In fact, I've been anti-sugar for well over 25 years, long before anyone was talking about its negative effects on health or its addictive properties.

A few clients have called me The Sugar Nazi. What can I say? I wear the label proudly.

When health gurus were pushing chocolate, I was against it because I was certain the drawbacks of the sugar in chocolate would override any benefits we were then hearing about cacao itself.

What the Chocolate Story Turned Out to Be

Basically, it's an unsurprising story. Chocolate manufacturers and the cocoa industry funded scientific studies to "prove" the benefits of chocolate. One company, Mars, maker of Snickers, M&Ms, Milky Way and many other candies, actually funded hundreds of such studies.

It doesn't feel worth it to me to hash through the alleged benefits of chocolate, but here's a partial list. It was said to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, enhance weight loss, decrease risk of diabetes, stroke, atrial fibrillation and heart failure, as well as alleviate immune disorders.

Gee, will it make my brown eyes blue, too?

Claims like these keep springing up even in current articles - and are still affecting the eating behaviors of my colleagues in the fitness industry.

My recommendation is to forgo chocolate because of the sugar. If you must consume cocoa or cacao, make sure it's unsweetened. Problems with sugar affect health, appetite, food preferences, mood disorders, hormones, brain chemistry, and a lot more.

Sugar's negative effects can't be overstated. Chocolate can't and won't override those.

If you'd like to adjust your diet for better health, better mood, and more, just visit http://www.LastResortNutrition.com and grab your free Empowered Eating consult. Discover how a few easy tweaks can bring big results.

Brought to you by Dr. Joan Kent, best-selling author of Stronger Than Sugar: 7 Simple Steps to Defeat Sugar Addiction, Lift Your Mood, and Transform Your Health.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joan_Kent/1748388

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10142862

Addicted to Chocolate? How to Stop Eating Chocolate

By Kelly Aziz 

Do you feel like you are addicted to chocolate? Some people have strong cravings for chocolate and feel the need to eat it daily and frequently. You can stop eating chocolate without issue but first you must understand that chocolate is addictive. Chocolate is addictive in two ways. It is physically addictive and emotionally addictive.

Physical Addiction

Chocolate Targets The Same Spot In Your Brain As Heroin

Chocolate is an addictive substance - many of us know this but we still feel weak and guilty because we can't give it up. Hopefully the information below will allow you to see that it isn't as simple as it first appears.

Chocolate targets the same spot on your brain as heroin and morphine. Although chocolate doesn't affect you as strongly as heroin, it still affects your brain and you can still become addictive as you may well know.

On top of having opiate properties, chocolate also contains caffeine, theobromine (a strong stimulant similar to caffeine that affects the nervous system, particularly the heart), phenylethylaminphy (an amphetamine-like substance) and also traces of compounds similar to THC (the active ingredient in Marijuana).

So as you can see chocolate is full of addictive properties. But chocolate also contains sugar, milk and dairy products which also have highly addictive properties.

The best way to overcome these issues is to quit cold turkey but also to make it easy to quit cold turkey, you need to nourish your body properly. When you eat healthily and the right food you will not have intense cravings.

Chocolate can also, of course, be emotionally addictive. Like many other foods, chocolate is frequently used to comfort us.

Emotional Addiction

Emotional addiction to chocolate involves using chocolate in times of stress, boredom, depression and to cope with life.

To determine whether you are an emotional eater do you do any of the following 5 things:

1. Crave specific foods - usually junk foods.

2. Have hunger that coincides with an upsetting emotion/event.

3. Have hunger that comes on suddenly and you feel a need to address it ASAP.
True hunger can wait until you are able to get food. It is patient. Emotional eating involves an intense desire to fulfil the hunger right then and there even if it means going out of your way to get something and that something is usually specific.

4. Have eating that is very automatic and you don't realize you are doing it.

5. You keep eating even when you are full. 
You can satisfy your true hunger without overfilling. Emotional hunger however never really feels satisfied so you end up eating after you are full and ready to pop.

If you still are unsure, take a few days to observe yourself and write down what triggers your cravings for chocolate. If they are related to stress or emotion, then you know you have some emotional eating tendencies at the very least!

The best way to deal with emotional eating is:

1. Become aware - by doing the observation task above you will know what your craving triggers are.

2. Learn to do something else to unwind instead of eating - To help you do this you can spend time writing a list. Sometimes having time alone to simply feel the emotions is all you need, other times you may feel a walk is more helpful to you. If you find that you are bored in the evenings and this is a time you will eat the most, then being creative or being active will better suit you. Write a list of things you have always wanted to do or activities that will satisfy your creativity. Make your lists specific to the emotions that trigger you chocolate cravings.

3. Get support - sometimes its simply not enough to work on it yourself and you may need someone to talk through your feelings to stop you reaching for food. Try to find someone supportive. Alternatively a great website for emotional eating which also has a forum is ShrinkYourself.com. ShrinkYourself.com also has lots of useful articles on emotional eating and offers a great 12 week intensive emotional eating program if you find you can't cope alone.

For more information about this program Emotional Eating Program.

Kelly Aziz is an expert in the field of nutrition and addiction psychology. She is the author of the acclaimed "Free to Eat" Combat Your Cravings Ebook that helps you eat well and combat cravings for good. For more information please visit: Addicted to Chocolate [http://www.combatyourcravings.com]

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kelly_Aziz/123669

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2413596