I have started my very first 21 day challenge and have picked up two challenges - eating more healthy and perform more exercises. I am a sweet addict. There is no day in a week I would spend without having a chocolate bar, cake or muffin, and I am absolutely sure there are more people out there having the same problem.
Crave for chocolate has nothing to do with a hunger, it is more habit and emotion based. It got so bad that I was feeling anxious, alarm and even depressed right before experiencing craving, therefore a piece of chocolate used to become almost as a first aid kit for feeling miserable. I ended up spending the whole day wandering when could I get some more sugar. Finally chocolate and cakes had full control over me and I felt absolutely helpless to fight with it and gave up! That means - waste of money, danger for health, unfit body and more desperation for sweets.
Does Chocolate create addiction?
A recent report in the New Scientist magazine suggests people can become overly dependent on the sugar and fat in fast food. Princeton University researcher Dr. John Hoebel found that rats fed on sugar became anxious when the sugar was removed. Their symptoms included chattering teeth and the shakes – similar to those seen in people withdrawing from nicotine or morphine. Dr. Hoebel believes high-fat foods stimulate opioids or “pleasure chemicals” in the brain. This theory is backed up by many other studies.
Chocolate contains several biologically active ingredients, all of which can cause abnormal behaviors and psychological sensations like those of other addictive substances. Researchers at the University of Tampere in Finland found that self-proclaimed chocolate “addicts” salivated more in the presence of chocolate, and showed a more negative mood and higher anxiety. The researchers state that chocolate addicts show traits of regular addiction, because they exhibit craving for chocolate, irregular eating behavior, and abnormal moods.
Although there are similarities between eating chocolate and drug use, generally researchers believe that chocolate “addiction” is not a true addiction. While chocolate does contain potentially mood-altering substances, these are all found in higher concentrations in other less appealing foods such as broccoli. A combination of chocolate’s sensory characteristics — sweetness, texture and aroma — nutrients, and chemicals, together with hormonal and mood swings, largely explains chocolate cravings.
“Humans used to have to search for food,” according to Baylor College of Medicine researcher Dr. Ken Goodrick. “Now food searches us out.”
/from `Does chocolate addiction exist` by Jane Collingwood/
After reading this piece of article I sat down and had some food for thought. I reminded myself all the situations I was kind of jo-jo dieting - going from restricting myself to out-of-control overeating, and tried to fine some common conclusions. I noticed that chocolate DID make me addictive if consumed daily, but it ¨stepped back¨ as soon as I got busy with something and forgot to take my daily chocolate dose. Usually after three to five days I didn´t even think about it anymore and then it became more controllable and moderate, but I was never strong enough to stop this overeating myself, it always happened accidentally.
That´s why I chose chocolate & cake & muffin restriction as my challange that would help me to drop this terrible habit. I am not going extreme! I am simply not eating all the chocolate bars I used to and not stopping by the bakery to grab 2 apple muffins and chocolate roll before going to work! I am saying no when someone offers me cookies or other sweets. It is not a strict weight-loss diet, I am still eating lasagne, pasta, potatoes and all the other stuff, but in limited portions, if possible. I am focusing on more exercising and overall more healthy eating.
The second habit is 8 min abs exercise every second day. Easy and measurable! Appart from this one I am going to attend Fitness classes as much as it´s possible during my spare time.
Will keep my challenge updated!!!
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