I’m on a diet and generally doing well, but in the evenings I have crazy cravings. Sometimes I just eat a square of dark chocolate. Some people say, ‘It all starts here, and then things get out of hand,’ while others say, ‘It’s not that big of a deal.’ Do you think these little indulgences break the diet? Or am I overthinking it?
6 Answers
6I experienced something similar while dieting too. Hunger would hit around 10 PM, and my stomach was literally growling. My dietitian said, ‘a small piece of dark chocolate won’t hurt, but don’t make it a habit.’ I think your situation is similar 
try calculating the calorie count for dark chocolate. For example, one square has about 30-40 calories. You can balance it by cutting back on other things throughout the day. But if you start eating it every evening, then it might get harder to control 
The main issue is that people spread fear by saying “it ruins everything.” You decide what to do with your body; whether you eat chocolate or not is entirely up to you. But if you don’t want that to become a habit that bothers you, you draw your own boundaries there. Don’t let anyone cloud your mind by saying “everything starts here.”
I want to add this: My nutritionist isn’t very strict about dark chocolate, but I’m afraid of not being able to hold back when I keep saying ‘just a piece.’ Because I am someone who loves sweets.
Actually, these little indulgences are quite normal. Not getting into a completely “forbidden” mindset while dieting is a more sustainable approach. Frankly, as long as you don’t generally undermine your diet, you shouldn’t overdo it with such things from time to time.
You say, “it’s just a piece” but those pieces can turn into two or three after a while. You’ve already admitted you love sweets. This is how people lose control. In my opinion, either cut it off completely or make a controlled plan; otherwise, you’ll end up back where you started.