Eat Chocolate and Lose Weight!

Midnight is lingering and you're still awake. Your stomach is growling although you ate a late dinner. You turn the channels hoping to distract the animal inside your belly. Not sure of where, when, or even if it were a valid truth, but somehow you know that maybe if you have a small piece of dark chocolate it will both be good for you, and tame your urge to down a bag of chips. So you eat that piece of dark chocolate with a smile and an imaginary pat on your back that you made a smart decision. Then proceed to nibble this and that for another hour till the wee hours of the night.

Sound familiar? Of course there are plenty of foods that are good for you and taste good too. Everywhere you turn there is a story about how you can eat what you want, when you want and still lose weight. Unfortunately, most Americans have taken that to heart and eat their regular sized portions when they want, and of course whatever it is their heart desires. Most of us have no clue about how many calories we should consume and what a normal meal even looks like. Studies have shown that over the years, restaurant portions have grown to an unreasonable size, and even things as simple as donuts and bagels are twice the size they were even twenty years ago. So what's a hungry person to do when they both want to lose weight, and eat what they want?

Losing weight and being satisfied is very easy if you follow these simple rules: Eat less, exercise more. There-that's the secret. Seems simple enough, but incredibly difficult to adhere to, especially when the weakly thing we call 'Will Power' lets us down again and again. The way to overcome your hunger and fit into those jeans is a lot easier than you think. The most important thing to know is to not diet. Forget you ever knew the word. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you change your lifestyle. By putting yourself on a diet, you set yourself a timeline, and once you reach it, you reward yourself with a piece of cake (everyone does it) and by doing that you set yourself up for failure.

When you feel that hunger pang you have to ask yourself a simple question-why? Then go down the laundry list of questions: how long ago did I eat? It's important to eat three main meals and two snacks throughout the day; disperse them evenly through your day and that should be a good indicator to you as to whether or not you should be eating again. Ask yourself if you've had enough water. Most people are dehydrated. If you feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Sometimes your brain confuses dehydration with hunger. Drink a cup of water and wait 10 minutes. More than likely, you won't feel hungry anymore.

Calories are like money. You have a certain amount a day you can afford to "spend". As long as you don't exceed them (according to your physical activity level) you should begin to lose weight-so long as you exercise also. For a fairly average woman with an average activity level who is looking to stay at a certain weight, a good rule of thumb is the '3,4,5' method with either two 50 calorie snacks or one 100 calorie snack (300 calories for breakfast; 400 for lunch, and 500 for dinner).

For the same woman to lose weight, switching the calories to 300 per meal (making sure to include a vegetable, protein and whole grain for fiber), plus two 100 calorie snacks (it's best to make those a fruit or anything without refined white sugar or white flour), and she'll start shedding the pounds. Tacking on a 30 minute exercise a day (parking in the furthest spot; swimming; taking a stroll around the block; going up and down the house stairs 5 times) and she'll start feeling better in no time.

If you still want that chocolate, a high grade dark chocolate is your best bet. This type of chocolate has antioxidants that help your body, and has the least calories (milk chocolate is next up, and white chocolate has the most). If your cravings consist of other munchies, make sure to have a very small portion of it (take a look at the nutrition label and what the recommended portion size is). Cravings are difficult to control in the beginning, and if you banish them forever, eventually you will end up overindulging. Remember, it takes 3 weeks to overcome a habit. Drug addicts and alcoholics go through the agony and are grateful in the end. Food can be an addiction also. Don't be discouraged; give yourself the time to deprogram yourself. It took you years to pack on the pounds-it takes more than a week to take them off.

Next time your sitting in front of the TV at midnight and your stomach growls, drown it with water; turn off the TV and go to sleep. Sleep deprivation is a huge culprit for overeating. If you sleep enough, eat food when you really need it, and exercise your body, you'll feel better, look better, and change your outlook on dieting. Doing yourself the favor of listening to your body and giving it what it needs is the best thing you can do for yourself. Who knows? You may stop eating chocolate all together. Or not.