Methods for fighting cravings

(Fiddlestix H. McWhiskers) #1

I’ve quit quite a few things. When I decide to quit something, and I’m having a difficult time with doing so, I pour into obsessive research. I try to find as much negative information about that vice as I possibly can to make it as unappealing to me as possible.

When I quit smoking, I found images and videos of people with all sorts of cancers and parts of their face missing. When I quit pornography, I found interviews of current and ex porn stars describing, in detail, the absolutely stomach-turningly disgusting things that happen behind the scenes and off screen.
…and so on and so on, with all of my former vices.

I did the same thing when I decided to do the carnivore diet and have been very successful in eliminating all fruits, veggies and all other carbs and sugary sweets… except chocolate. I can go a few days, or even a week, but then I give in to Hershey’s Nuggets or Reece’s Mini Peanut Butter Cups. When I would go into trying to find harmful aspects of chocolate and/or its manufacturing, nothing that I had found was enough to permanently put me off of it… until now… and, by “now,” I mean, a few hours ago.

It’s the forced/coerced/slave labor involved in nearly all of the harvesting of it… especially the children, that has finally sealed it for me. Harming or oppressing people, especially children, is my Kryptonite. I’ve just come across a bunch of documentaries that expose the working conditions of those who harvest and process the cacao.

Knowing that they have, and are, going through what they’re going through, just so I can have something sweet… because I’m weak, makes me indescribably ashamed. The little boy chopping weeds with a machete wearing only his underpants… have I eaten chocolate that he harvested? I took a break from watching the second one to write this and I just don’t have any words, but I know that chocolate will never touch my lips again for as long as I live.

Here’s the one I’m watching now:
“The True Cost Of Chocolate: Child Slaves Of Cocoa Farming”

p.s. Now I need to look up how sugar cane and beet sugar is grown and harvested.

Attempting My First Intentional Fast
(KM) #2

It’s so upsetting to realize the depth of lies in the name of greed. Exhausting. Horrifying. And seemingly endless. Good for you to find a silver lining in this, motivation for improvement, and thanks for sharing the link. :frowning:

(Cathy) #3

I understand your method and maybe share some of it. I don’t view the conventional wisdom as lies or intentionally misguiding however. I understand that human nutritional science is very difficult. It was important for me to learn how to basically understand the differences between good studies and poor ones.

All of this to facilitate my adherence to a well planned ketogenic diet. I understand that carbohydrates do me no favours and I feel confident about my choices. They are mine to make. I appreciate how different ways of eating make me feel both physically and mentally. Tying it all together and being mindful is key for me.

Sounds like you are doing the same.