Having my first major craving since I started this, I could kill for some chocolate! If I give in I’ll end up demolishing tons of the stuff. I’ve tried drinking fruit tea to see if that will help, but to no avail. I was planning to go out for a walk, but it takes me past the newsagents and I’m not sure if my resolve is strong enough to resist. I keep telling myself it will pass, but it’s been over an hour now and it just seems to be getting stronger. Any suggestions?

Drink! Lots!
If you have a bar of chocolate, break it up into chunks and calculate the cals in say 6 chunks, then wrap in separate bags and save for another desperate time. By the time you’ve done all that your craving may have gone. Drinking tea is my saviour in these instances. OR have some choc and count it in your cals for the day.

How close are you to a meal? Can you eat your regular meal instead? My sense is you are in need of some fat — how about a slice of Swiss cheese or olives or a pickle (not fat but flavor is there). Clean out a closet, write to your long forgotten relative, wash the dog, balance your checkbook — and tell yourself you CAN have chocolate later, when you plan for it — it’s not never, it’s just later.

I drink tea as well … love my herbals!

Sugar free gum is sometimes good.

How about going for the walk without any cash or card so the newsagent is not an option?

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I had lunch about an hour ago, but my calories are way under as I skipped breakfast this morning. I am going to go for that walk, and when I get back if I’m still craving I have some organic dark chocolate in the fridge – I will have a square or two.

hi stephie63!

leeanne has some great ideas there! i like the breaking it up into chunks, and having just a bit – but totally understand that sometimes that’s just too much.

foodwise:

fizzy water with lemon has been helping me as it makes me feel a bit full and it takes a long time to drink;

exercise:

exercise is a good distraction also but if you have to walk by the shops that’s quite the temptation – could you look up a youtube video for a 10 minute HIIT workout?

mindfulness:

deep breaths. writing. work out why you want this chocolate right now – did something happen? bad day? a trigger you haven’t identified?

good luck & remember, we’re here!!

celeste x

Wow Stephanie – you’re able to keep chocolate in your fridge! – Amazing!!

My slightly off the wall tip for avoiding cravings or snacking – an annual cinema pass!
For me, the cinema is about a mile’s walk, so with the walk each way it’s about three hours of not thinking about what I’d like to eat, and some moderate exercise!

I find a hard boiled egg very filling and satisfying, just on it’s own. Sounds like your body needs some food, and egg would be better than chocolate?.Enjoy your walk.

Frog I am envious that you can walk 1 mile to cinema, great idea for a distraction. We are in the sticks, about 3 miles from cinema, so I suppose I COULD do that too!

Hi Barby – it is great being close to cinema, galleries and stuff – but I would love to be closer to more rural walks.
The only thing ‘rural’ close by is a walk along the canal, but it can get a bit repetitive. I had an appointment over by London Bridge this morning – and afterwards stumbled on an amazing park, a complete oasis of calm – almost in the shadow of the Shard.

Hi Frog
It’s dark chocolate, I can happily ignore it. Now if it was cadburys, that’s a whole other story lol.
I walked for around 2 miles in woodland, avoided the shops until later, and when I got back the craving for chocolate had gone, I’m just hungry now. Chicken and asparagus for dinner. 😃

Hi Frog. When I lived in London my oasis of calm was either walking along Rebents Canal or round St James’ Park.

Now I live in a village and I’m still trying to find interesting places to walk too.

Just realised I have chocolate and chocolate biscuits in the fridge that my granddaughters left behind. Not to mention some food in the freezer that was bought for them. And NO I’m not tempted by it. Must check the dates on it all. Last year they left Easter eggs here and collected them last October – untouched!

Captainlynne, I’m the same. Got 2 granddaughters aged 1 and nearly 3. I buy stuff in for them – Ice lollies,
milky bars, freddo bars, etc, all untouched by me these days! Now hubby is a different kettle of fish!!

Yeah – well done Stephanie on ignoring the chocolate on the craving!
Lynne – yes its Regents Canal that I’m close to. Last week I went to Islington boat club for the first time – I did fairly sedentary narrowboat trip, which was great – but next week I’m going to try something a bit more active. I’m not sure about kayaking, but they have something called bell boats that look good fun.

Frog I’m jealous, I love rivers and the sea, I’m a water sign so maybe that’s why. Some years ago we went on a lovely river trip with my lovely Dad and sister, from Camden Lock up past London Zoo, to Little Venice. I was amazed that one canal had a sign pointing to Liverpool. Can you really go all that way on the canal. Next time I’m up there, I’ll persuade sis to do another trip, so interesting seeing London from a different angle.

I just have country lanes around me, very pretty this time of year. If I drive about 15 mins, I’m on the east coast, I love walking along by the sea rain or shine.

We have friends round for lunch today. I have a New York cheesecake and home made apple crumble, and strawberries for me. I feel like I’ve been abducted by aliens and replaced, this is so unlike me before BSD.

Steph, hope you have a good day and all other BSDers.x

Yes, along Regents canal is the best place locally for walks – I’ve done a few canal trips on it – but I’ve never done a canal holiday going further afield.
Once I arranged a work awayday that included a narrowboat from Camden – the idea was that the locks an stuff would involve team working – we went to a pub and were less enthusiastic about helping with locks on the way back!
The area around kings cross is amazing, its changed so much in the last ten years, I’ve been to some amazing offices around there, but the canal still runs through peacefully – you just pass by nice restaurants & interesting buildings rather than derelict buildings and graffiti.

I grew up by the sea, so I do love the coast – I’m going to Dorset next weekend, which will be fab.
Have a good day – hope the lunch goes well.

Yes, Frog, you are right that the Regent’s Canal is lovely – you are lucky to be close by. I love London (am from there originally) and always walk everywhere from Paddington when I am there on business, which is quite often. I have to go to a course right by London Bridge in early June, to arrive by 9am – so have just worked out my trains from Oxford to arrive at 7.30am and allow me time to walk there.

I am also lucky to be in Oxford, where I have numerous routes to town avoiding the worst of the main roads, and can also get into countryside quite quickly. Envy your trip to Dorset – where are you going? I have recently discovered Lyme Regis (visited twice last Autumn) and so enjoyed the scenery there – and of course I was on holiday – that I could hardly stop myself from going out on walks.
My regular morning treat was a trip to Costa Coffee for a cortado (now need to check the calories/carbs in that!) and a walk along the wonderful beach there. Beautiful 🙂

My exercise this morning is doing the gardening. Should stop writing and reading these threads and go out and do it!!

Good luck to all today.

Leeanne, my granddaughters are identical twins, age 8.5 years. Food for them in freezer was bought before BSD. It’s there in case I can’t get them eating something healthier. They eat sweets etc as treats at home, but rarely ask for them when they stay with me. Mmmm …. just a thought – wonder if it’s because they generally eat fewer carbs at my house?

Frog, that was my stretch of the Regents Canal – from Hoxton to Islington. Walking that was my sanity after a stressful day. Not been there since I left London in 2009.

I love London and do walk a lot when I visit (if I have the time). I’ll be passing through at the end of the month. Train to Kings Cross, then across to Heathrow to stay at hotel overnight before flying out. Anybody nearby on Tuesday 31st May fancy meeting up?

The twins and their parents go to Dorset every summer – Lulworth. Too far from where I live though.