I've just had a visit from a very special friend who has left me a gift.
It's a big box of my favourite chocolates.
I'm wondering,
No I'm longing,
To open them.
But I know once I open them I will just eat and eat and eat them until they are all gone.
Hello,
My name is Jacqueline.
Welcome to my Tranquil Spirits podcast.
When I was younger,
More than 20 years younger,
I could eat anything I wanted,
Which mostly included chocolates and biscuits,
Without putting on an ounce.
Back then I wouldn't think twice about enjoying two or three bars of chocolate each day,
Sometimes even more,
And a packet of biscuits would soon disappear if I had a nice cup of tea to go with them.
When I hit my early 40s,
I noticed a little weight going on in places I did not want.
I hadn't changed my diet,
Although I admit my activity was changing.
So,
Instead of eating chocolate and biscuits every day,
I would have a couple of days off and then continue my usual habit.
But then in my 50s,
Things were getting much different,
As the muffin top around my middle started to get a little more noticeable in certain clothes I wore.
And now in my 60s,
I really have to watch what I eat as the weight seems to stick more than it used to.
But I still eat chocolate,
Although not nearly as much and not every day like I used to.
So I had to look at different ways of enjoying the treats I love,
Without feeling I was depriving myself.
And these are some of the ways I've found which helped me.
For me,
If chocolate is not in the house,
I don't crave it as much.
But when I know chocolate is in the cupboard,
It's almost as if it becomes a magnet and pulls me towards it,
Especially in the evenings when my self-control and healthy thinking seems to vanish.
So if I don't buy it,
I set myself up for victory.
And if I then become really desperate,
I can go to the shop and buy some.
Normally,
When my self-control is feeling strong,
If a packet of anything,
Chocolate,
Biscuits,
Cakes,
If they're not open,
I can resist temptation.
But if they are open,
It's as if a little chimp is sitting on my shoulder whispering to me over and over again,
The packet is open,
So they will go stale if you don't eat them soon.
And before I realise what I'm doing,
I've eaten the whole lot.
Make sure I close the rings on my Apple Watch each day.
Some of you may have Fitbits to track exercise and steps.
Whatever you have,
Or even if you don't have an exercise tracker,
By doing some exercise when the urge to eat chocolate comes,
I find it takes my mind off of chocolate.
And I feel a little healthier for it too.
Drink more water.
Sometimes I find myself eating chocolate just because I think I am hungry.
But sometimes I feel hungry because I am thirsty.
Therefore,
By making sure I drink plenty of water throughout the day,
I can swerve the desire for chocolate.
Eat more fruit and vegetables.
My desire for chocolate can sometimes be curbed by eating a piece of fruit.
The sweetness is not the same,
But it does help.
Also,
The fibre from eating plenty of vegetables doesn't make me crave food so much.
And also,
Eating more protein,
Along with the vegetables,
Also helps keep me fuller for longer.
Chewing gum.
Now,
Chewing gum is a really good one.
It kind of takes my mind off of wanting to eat the chocolate.
Maybe because my mouth is actually doing something.
But I have found that chewing gum has really been a big help for me.
And if all else fails,
I clean my teeth.
For some reason,
Doing this makes me not want to eat anything in that moment.
So,
By the time that feeling of freshness in my mouth has worn off,
The thought of eating chocolate has also disappeared.
Now,
I can't guarantee these things will work every time,
But most of the time,
One or two of them will.
But I also have to be strong with my self-control and not just give in to temptation.
The evenings seem to be the worst time for me.
The time I lose all my healthy thoughts and willpower.
So I try and keep myself busy.
Because,
As the saying goes,
Idle hands are the devil's playground.
And when I am sitting doing nothing at night,
My idle hands search for chocolate and then feeds my desire.
So,
If you can relate to chocolate craving,
Give my ideas a go.
And if you have any tips which work for you,
Please share them with me by going to my website,
Tranquil-spirits.
Com,
And send me an email.
Thanks for listening.
Have a beautiful day.
You deserve it.
And remember,
Always follow that dream.
Thanks again for listening,
And I'll speak to you again soon on my next Tranquil Spirits podcast.
Bye for now.
