You should never have to fully abstain from the foods that bring you the most joy. The good news: A little chocolate daily can actually support you in achieving your weight-loss goals.
The reason chocolate can be helpful has to do with indulgence, satisfaction, and balanced eating. When individuals take on the approach of complete restriction of certain foods like chocolate, they often end up with just the opposite: temptation, mental exhaustion, self-sabotage, and weight gain (1, 2).
Balanced eating, on the other hand, is not about complete restriction. It allows for controlled, portioned, and moderate indulgences, such as indulging in a small amount of chocolate. Balance is what makes weight loss sustainable. You can maintain balanced eating, believe it or not, by having a little chocolate daily.
Small, regular indulgences keep you enjoying life without guilt and without compromising your weight-loss goals – as long as you also make your daily consumption something to look forward to as a reward for a job well done in healthy eating.
Don’t Deny Yourself
The key is to avoid feelings of guilt, which can have the potential to lead to additional feelings of helplessness or loss of control (3). Instead, research into the psychology of dieting suggests that those who associate sweet indulgences like chocolate with “celebration” have a better time losing weight (3).
Consider adopting a balanced eating plan for weight loss – one that’s higher in protein, higher in nutrients, and lower in unhealthy fats and refined carbohydrates – but then leave some room in your plan for chocolate daily. By treating small indulgences of chocolate as a “celebration,” you will be more successful in losing weight because you will maintain a feeling of being in control of your nutrition.
Much like managing money, when you pay close attention to your budget, you can feel comfortable buying something special once in a while. This rule applies to dieting as well, as it is sometimes acceptable to have a little treat after a day of hard work.
Chocolate on Cleanse Days
If you like chocolate and are starting an Isagenix System for weight loss, you’ll be pleasantly surprised that Isagenix offers a variety of chocolate-flavored meal replacements and snack options. Some of these options include Creamy Dutch Chocolate IsaLean® Shake, IsaPro® Chocolate, and IsaLean® Bars in Chocolate Peanut Crunch, Chocolate Cream Crisp, and Chocolate Decadence.
But if you’re a regular chocoholic seeking out a way to best satisfy your cravings, then look to IsaDelight® chocolates – now available in Salted Caramel Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate with Mint.
IsaDelight chocolates were designed especially for use on Cleanse Days, as satisfying rewards for successfully overcoming cravings and abstaining from food throughout the day. Each 60-calorie IsaDelight is individually wrapped for convenience and to help with self-control.
With the products that Isagenix provides, you can still indulge in your craving for chocolate while comfortably losing weight.
References
- Karim N. Dieting Makes People Fat. J Obes Weight Loss Ther 2015; 5(242): 2
- Tindale B. The Magic of Sensible Dieting: Healthy Weight Loss without Hunger or Deprivation. Balboa Press, 2015.
- Kuijer RG, Boyce JA. Appetite. Chocolate cake. Guilt or celebration? Associations with healthy eating attitudes, perceived behavioural control, intentions and weight-loss. 2014 Mar;74:48-54. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.11.013. Epub 2013 Nov 23.
