Sexy Chocolate

Last night, my favorite TV show, The Biggest Loser, mentioned that 58 million pounds of chocolate will be bought in the month of February. Damn! That is a lot of fat! Because to me, foods heavily laden with sugar just equate to fat. 

And I can't say that I don't participate. Its just that my participation might not be as indulgent as most. I'm just losing the last of my winter weight (I let myself gain 4 pounds this December and I'm one pound away from reaching where I like to reside ;) So this month weighs heavy on me because I get super excited that people are ready and determined for change in January. And then comes Valentine's Day to mess it all up!

The frustration I have with holidays in America is that every single one of them is our society and media telling us that its okay to indulge. It's okay to have chocolate and candies around Valentine's Day and Halloween. It's normal to have peppermint candy canes and a tin of popcorn during Christmas. It's fine to have chocolate bunnies during Easter. Both kids and adults go crazy over sugar. It's actually been scientifically proven that sugar has the same effect on the brain as cocaine ("The End of Overeating" by David Kessler). 

We really only get a break from the propaganda during the summer -- when we are already expected to look our best in a bathing suit. It's as if the media sets us up for failure. I feel like the consumerism of this country expects us to buy and eat everything and don't worry about it because then you can just go get surgery to cut it off. It's wacko. There's zero guidance and no support system. We really need to have nutrition and fitness education in elementary school. Have the kids teach the parents. This is also what this season of The Biggest Loser is about. They have three kids on the show figuring out how to live healthy lives. Yes, all of their parents are overweight... 

Finding the balance and strength to say no to all of these messages is super challenging. Walking into a drugstore and seeing a full aisle of candy is disheartening. It's like a daily struggle against the odds. Hm, how will you fare today? Will you break for that kit kat? 

The way I deal with this is I almost never eat milk chocolate. It just tastes too good. And actually when I haven't had it for a while, it tastes too sweet unless I've had a lot of sugar lately. Sugar begets sugar. And salt begets salt. It's just how it goes. Read that book mentioned above. It's probably one of the best books I've ever read and explains how cravings become hormonal and actually CHANGE how our brains work. It's crazy. 

So this month I encourage you to walk away from chocolates. Say no thank you and go for a walk instead. Or get a massage -- even for 20 minutes. Take a chocolate bath! Don't let others influence you to the point of indulgence. And if you do go for the chocolate try eating one square VERY SLOWLY and really enjoy it. And stick to the DARK chocolate! It's more fulfilling because it has a slight bitterness to it. I love bittersweet. It's the best way to find the balance of both! 

My favorite part about chocolate is that it's an aphrodisiac. It has a similar effect on the brain as sex does. So, if possible, try the activity instead ;)