How To Eat Chocolate And Still Lose Weight
With obesity an ever-increasing issue, dieting has become a hot topic. And in most diets, the first thing to cut out is sweets. However, it is possible to eat chocolate and still lose weight. "How?" you ask. It all comes down to the details.
The Deal with Dark
Even the most successful dieters, losing pounds and inches, can indulge in dark chocolate and still lose weight. The simple truth is that dark chocolate (higher in cocoa percentage and lower in sugar) is not bad for you. In fact, it has some serious health benefits!
If your chocolate choice is dark, it will be labeled as such. At a minimum, it will designate what cocoa percentage it boasts. The higher the proportion, the better the dark chocolate is for you, and the less you can worry about your weight. If your chocolate choice doesn't have the word dark or a cocoa percentage on the label, it's probably milk chocolate, which is not the same thing.
While dark chocolate may take your palette some adjusting if you've been a sworn milk chocolate eater over the years, it's worth the investment. Rich, satiating, and healthy, dark chocolate is an excellent choice if you are wanting to lose weight without feeling deprived.
Making Milk Work
But, if nothing will hit the spot quite like milk chocolate, you are in luck. You can still lose weight while indulging somewhat in milk chocolate.
Milk chocolate is higher in sugar and lower in health benefits than dark chocolate; therefore, you need to eat less of it. If you are dieting and actively trying to lose weight, sugar is your worst enemy. So, to maintain your weight loss progression, you will need to allot most of your sugar calories to your milk chocolate choice. That means cutting out soda, juice, and other sweets from your diet. It's a trade-off, but it means you get to have your favorite chocolate and still lose weight!
Tips for Moderation
With either of your chocolate choices--dark or milk--you will need to keep it in moderation. You can eat more chocolate if your choice is dark compared to milk, but even with a healthier option, you can go overboard, resulting in weight gain. There really can be too much of a good thing.
It comes down to calories. For your diet to be successful, your calories in have to be less than your calories out.
Some tips for chocolate moderation include only eating it in one location, having a specific time you eat your chocolate, buying and portioning it out ahead of time, and making yourself accountable to someone.
Eating chocolate and still losing weight is entirely possible as long as you try to make a healthier chocolate choice, stick to reasonable portions, and avoid overindulging.
