Let’s face it, great food is addictive, but if you’re trying to stay healthy or lose weight, addictive food is your Achilles’s heel. Unfortunately, the foods you love the most are often the ones you shouldn’t be eating. Doctors and nutritionists refer to addictive foods as “hyperpalatables“, but you can just call them dangerous!

In no particular order, here are five foods that tend to be more addictive than others:

1. Chocolate

While not necessarily the worst food for you (if you eat it in moderation), chocolate is easily one of the most addictive foods on the planet. The sweet cocoa, rich texture and melt-in-your-mouth awesomeness are impossible for most anyone to resist.

Try a few nibbles of dark chocolate, once in a while, to satisfy this craving without crashing your diet.

2. Pizza!

Surprisingly, the theory behind pizza isn’t all that unhealthy when you think about it; there’s bread, vegetables, cheese and sometimes meat, making it a nearly complete meal all by itself. However, the greasiness, carbohydrates, and calories may not appease your doctor’s orders.

Try a small grilled pizza with limited, but healthy toppings. On the grill means little or even no grease and if you only add a smidgen of sauce and heap on the veggies, you’ve created a masterpiece that won’t come back to haunt you later.

3. French Fries

Is it the greasy goodness or all that salt, salt, salt, nobody knows, but fries are utterly addictive, despite all the fat and calories.

A salad as a side is a much more nutritional choice, but if you really love the grab-and-munch style food, slice up some veggies and serve with a healthy dip.

4. Cake

Especially when totally fresh, soft and moist and even more so with gobs of frosting oozing off, a cake is hard for anyone to say no to.

When craving something sweet from the bakery, opt for fewer calories, less sugar and preferably, more nutritional value than what’s in the cake, or at the very least, order a small slice.

5. Ice Cream

The creamy, sweet deliciousness of ice cream is truly one of the wonders of the world, but unless you buy a real high-quality product, it’s pretty awful for your body. Avoid high-fructose corn syrup and other man-made disasters and look instead for plain and simple stuff; add nuts for a nutritional bonus and less guilt and you’re good to go!

So, how do you get yourself under control in the face of such tempting foods? It’s not easy, but you can do it. Here are five ways to curb your cravings and meet your healthy goals:

1. Empty Your Cupboards Of The Worst Foods

Beyond the five addictive foods listed here, you likely have a number of your own you find irresistible, but which pack on the pounds or are otherwise just not good for you. Get them (all) out of your house, now. If they’re not around, you can’t eat them!

2. Stick To A Healthy Grocery List

Make an ideal grocery list, featuring only the foods you intend to eat. When you get to the store, limit your time there, so there’s no possibility of you lingering around the candy aisle or bakery shelves. Just get in, get what’s on your list only and get out of there as fast as your feet will carry you.

3. Stop Eating Out At Your Favorite Restaurants

At least a few of your favorite addictive foods can be found at your favorite eatery; thus, avoiding the establishment in the first place is one certain way of avoiding that particular food item. Besides, nearly anything you eat at a restaurant has untold fat, calories, sodium and more that’s just going to work against you.

4. Start Preparing Foods In A Healthier Way

Substituting something like olive oil for butter is a delicious way to eat healthier and the calories you intake work better with your body’s natural functioning. Instead of salt, try a fantastic spice like turmeric – which has numerous health benefits, in addition to adding wonderful flavor. These little habits can add up to saving big calories!

5. Get Yourself In Motion!

There’s no better way to trim down and improve your overall health (not to mention possibly increasing your lifespan, too) than to get up off the sofa or chair situated in front of the computer. Too many people are too idle these days and it can develop into a fatal condition. Besides resisting your addictive foods, add exercise to your list of things to do every day.

Addiction of any kind can be dangerous, but when you’re trying to live a healthy lifestyle or drop a few unwanted pounds, addictive foods are your arch enemies! You’re in good company, though, as no less than 20 percent of people live with food addictions. Learn that self-discipline and how to resist temptation, otherwise, you’re going to be hard pressed to reach any goals that pertain to health and weight loss for sure!