My last surgery was in November and I was restricted to only walking until mid-March. So- I am getting back into the groove. (Not to mention the weather is nice again!)
OK- now time for my confession....................last Thursday I had lunch with my dear friend from Colorado. She brought her sweet babies and I had my kids too. We decided to eat at Cafe Express in Southlake. I was sooooo good and ordered the gluten free salmon entree. THEN- my friend went and bought 3 cookies and a BROWNIE for the kids! I began eye-balling that brownie and salivating by just looking at it. I took a small nibble and promised myself that was all I was going to take...just a nibble.
Well-the kids were full from lunch and barely touched the beautiful BROWNIE. I couldn't let it go to waste. I was trying to have a conversation with my friend but all I could think about was the BROWNIE and who was going to eat it! We get ready to leave and the next thing I know I stuffed the whole thing in my mouth. I don't even remember doing it-it just happened! It was dark chocolate with chunks of chocolate and a touch of cinnamon powder with white sugar on top. HOLY COW it was amazing.........so I ate gluten and 400 extra calories in a matter of 2 seconds.
My stomach swelled up and I felt guilty all day for eating the calories...but it sure was incredible. I think I would do it again.
Yesterday I was at Walmart and Target with my kids and husband. Not to mention about 50 coupons in hand to use. Have you ever tried to shop with kids and coupons???? Not a good combination right?? You get nothing you were trying to save money on. Ok- add a husband into the mix!!! It was pure stress..I was ready to leave my family and run down the road screaming. Anyways- I did not give into their demands and stuck to my budget. However, my mental state was a mess. I craved a dark chocolate with sea salt candy bar. So-despite saving a bunch of money using coupons I bought myself a $2.50 candy bar and refused to share it with my family. It was tasty....relaxing and very necessary for my mental state.
Here is an article I found that explains why use women love CHOCOLATE!
Chocolate craving is very common, but can we actually be addicted to it? Can these powerful urges to eat truly be classed as an addiction?
We generally crave foods due to external prompts and our emotional state, rather than actual hunger. We tend to be bored, anxious, or depressed immediately before experiencing cravings, so one way of explaining cravings is self-medication for feeling miserable.
Chocolate is the most frequently craved food in women, and many women describe themselves as ‘chocoholics.’ Chocoholics insist that it is habit-forming, that it produces an instant feeling of well-being, and even that abstinence leads to withdrawal symptoms.
When we eat sweet and high-fat foods, including chocolate, serotonin is released, making us feel happier. This partly explains the cravings common in seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and pre-menstrual syndrome.
In many women, the craving occurs on a monthly cycle, which suggests a hormonal basis. 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.
We generally crave foods due to external prompts and our emotional state, rather than actual hunger. We tend to be bored, anxious, or depressed immediately before experiencing cravings, so one way of explaining cravings is self-medication for feeling miserable.
Chocolate is the most frequently craved food in women, and many women describe themselves as ‘chocoholics.’ Chocoholics insist that it is habit-forming, that it produces an instant feeling of well-being, and even that abstinence leads to withdrawal symptoms.
When we eat sweet and high-fat foods, including chocolate, serotonin is released, making us feel happier. This partly explains the cravings common in seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and pre-menstrual syndrome.
In many women, the craving occurs on a monthly cycle, which suggests a hormonal basis. 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.
OK- it is official....I am a "Chocoholic" and proud of it!
