Everyone has certain foods that they crave. For some its cookies, other its ice cream. My weakness is chocolate.

There are two types of foods that can wreck a diet. One is foods that you will eat if they are around. These are called "trigger" foods and the only way to deal with them is to keep them out of the house (and the office).

For example, a carton of Ben & Jerry’s never lasts in my freezer. So, I don’t buy it. If it’s not there, I won’t eat it. Another example is an open bag of chips - always dangerous.

The other is crave foods. These are foods that if you get a little taste, you can be satisfied for the rest of the day. Not getting a daily taste, however, can lead to big quantities later. These are often foods and drinks that can be weaned off with a little bit of self-control.

Chocolate is a good example. A small piece of chocolate satisfies my craving for the day. It is often enough to keep me from having a bigger piece of chocolate later or, more importantly, something higher in calories such as a chocolate chip cookie.

I will eat two or three Hershey’s dark chocolate kisses a day. The calorie penalty is only about 60 calories, which is low enough to compensate for with other dietary choices. The upside is that I satisfy my craving without reaching for something that is higher calorie.

Trigger and crave foods are different for everyone. If you have a hard time parting with a certain food, start by eating less of it. For example, order a small size of fries. Alternatively, have a few bites and then throw the rest in the trash. Often just throwing a portion of the food into the trash or a container is enough to keep you eating less.

The point is cutback on calories without feeling like you are sacrifices. Most diets don’t work because they are too restrictive to adhere too. Allowing a little slack for crave foods, however, increases the odds of long-term success.

It’s worked for me.

Read part one about losing weight