Today in your Advent box, you have a little chocolate heart. Everyone likes a bit of chocolate right?
The truth is that many of us look at different foods in different ways, and assign concepts like naughty / good / bad / shouldn't eat. A key in reversing the negative thoughts about eating chocolate, is to stop making it taboo.
Having a healthy relationship with all foods is important for your mind and your body.
Indulging in a chocolate treat shouldn’t be fraught with stress or guilt, whether it is antioxidant-rich dark chocolate or white chocolate, which has very little nutritional benefit. As in most healthy relationships, the key is to maintain a positive and balanced outlook.
You don’t have to feel guilty about craving a food, whether it’s chocolate or broccoli. In fact, labeling any food as completely off-limits usually results in increased cravings for that food and guilt when you eventually do eat it, the experts say.
Instead, try setting some terms of your relationship with chocolate. Savor it and enjoy it with purpose and intention, without the guilt. Don’t sit in front of the TV with your hand in a bottomless bowl of chocolate sweets. Instead, be mindful of when and why you are eating it.
A healthy relationship with chocolate helps you enjoy it in moderation and without guilt, rather than cycling between trying to completely avoid it and then overdoing it.
Life is short. Eat the chocolate.