Starting again and wondering about (DUN DUN DUUUNNN!)... treats?

blissful_ignorance_x

Hiya!

So, I've been thinking about getting back into this again properly, I'm halfway to my goal and it's about time I got my bum in gear and did the rest!

How often do you guys allow yourself a treat? Or do any of you have more relaxed days? I think my downfall is that I get too strict with myself and eventually I end up just binge eating everything in sight. Determined not to do this again!

Thanks! x

yopeeps025

If you log and use a food scale you can have a "TREAT" every single day. Just make it fit with calories and/or macros.

blissful_ignorance_x

Thanks! My treats are always crisps (don't have much of a sweet tooth), but totally trying to cut them down! I was wondering if sometimes anyone maybe goes over their daily allowance once in a blue moon (say you're invited out to dinner with friends). I'm thinking so long as I don't go crazy it would be ok?

suky7

I pre-log my food and exercise (when i know I'm going) and then know what i have to play around with. i do have a mini chocolate or snack-a-jack daily to get my sweet fix with a coffee but did find when i was too strict, i tended to blow it on a down day! This isn't about dieting or cutting things out, its about life changes

goldthistime

I hear the 90/10 rule applied frequently, and occasionally 80/20. So your calorie goal factors in as does nutrient density of the rest of the food you have been eating. If your calorie goal is 1600 for instance, you could potentially have a 160 calorie treat every day, or even a 320 treat if the rest of the day has already been packed with nutrients.

yopeeps025

blissful_ignorance_x wrote: »

Thanks! My treats are always crisps (don't have much of a sweet tooth), but totally trying to cut them down! I was wondering if sometimes anyone maybe goes over their daily allowance once in a blue moon (say you're invited out to dinner with friends). I'm thinking so long as I don't go crazy it would be ok?

Daily intake matter but overall is how you manage weight. Also depend on what you set MFP pounds per week too going over can still be losing weight. Overall is to burn more calories then you eat.

yayamom3

I have an afternoon snack and ice cream (I buy $1 single serve portions) in the evening almost every single day. I just work them into my calorie goal. Having them to look forward to really makes it easier for me to stay on track and not feel like I'm depriving myself.

I often (but not always) have one cheat meal (although I don't really like that name) on the weekend, which includes dessert. When I do, I do not eat breakfast and only have something very light for my other meal (such as yogurt or cottage cheese).

prettygirlstorm1

I love treats and I make sure I have one everyday, I just fit it into my daily calories. I have that problem too if I restrict something then I end up overeating. We all have those days when we go over our calories. I just work out a little harder or do better the next day. Good luck!!

katrinakoenig

If what you crave is salty food as "treats," then you might research a little about what your body is lacking. Cravings are generally a lack of some nutrient/vitamin. Also, if you want to eat chips (crisps) every day, then make those your carbs and cut back on others like bread, pasta, cereal. Crisps have very little nutritional value and a lot of sodium, so make sure you're getting nutrients from other foods and controlling your sodium intake. There are 100-calories packs of crisps and cookies, which you could easily incorporate into your daily caloric intake and would satiate your craving. My bet is that after a while of eating more healthy you won't even want them anymore.

AsaThorsWoman

Treat:
noun
1.
an event or item that is out of the ordinary and gives great pleasure.

If you're doing it every day, it's not out of the ordinary, and therefore not a treat. It's just you eating junk food.

If you want to do IIFYM and eat junk food everyday, more power too you, but I don't think "treat" is the right term in that circumstance.

blissful_ignorance_x

Cool, thanks for the responses guys! I think I may do something similar to you, Yaya, it seems to make sense to me!

dopeysmelly

I don't look at any food as a "treat" exactly. It's all just food and if it fits my targets, then it's just fine. Food isn't just a fuel to me, it's variety (taste, texture, color etc.) and pleasure. I find that looking at some foods as "treats" could lead to them being labelled as "good" or "bad" which could lead to guilt, when really, they're just food. If you know you really enjoy those crisps/chips then maybe pre-log them and just move on?

For meals out, as long as it's not too often, I don't bother logging at all. I just focus on eating in moderation, choosing dishes with lean protein and lots of vegetables/interesting salads more often than not and enjoying the company. I tend to skip things like desserts and bread unless I know they're going to be really good and go easy on the alcohol. I did this while I was losing as well, and it didn't stop me from reaching my goals. Every now and then I go too far and eat too much, but that's life isn't it, and I don't beat myself up over it.

xShreddx

Sweet - frozen grapes or dark chocolate Hershey's kisses
Salty - salted almonds or maybe popcorn if I can afford the carbs

Brimixed

If you bite it... write it!

My 'treats' are pretty planned out. I seriously have no self control. So I am pretty strict about what I can and cannot have. But it works for me.

Amanda4change

I eat anything I want as long as it fits into my calories. Occasionally (like Christmas and my anniversary next month) I switch to maintenance calories for the day, I still log everything I eat. I'm not worried about going slightly over which is one of the reasons I think it doesn't happen.

errollmaclean

Same as mostly everybody else. I have a treat/desert after dinner every day and get it to fit into my calories and macros/micros. It gives me something to look forward to and helps me stay on track all day. I found that clean eating lead to guilt and a poor relationship with food. Just have to find what works for you

NikkyT30

I agree w everyone. I eat what I want but make sure I incorporate healthy food too. Example instead of pizza my friends I ordered a 6" pita pizza... That way I wasn't left out. Also had a side salad. If I eat fast food .... Which is few and far between I always get a salad instead of french fries. Plus learning what a serving actually is helps. Instead of a can of Pringles I can now eat 15 and quit. It gives me what I want without going overboard. I always stay within my calories and get the joy of "treats". Nothing has to be off limits...just manage how much you eat of it:) good luck to you on this journey:)

LoadedM6Tina

I have my food planned out by the weeks. I don't really crave anything unless someone else says, "Ohhhhh doesn't KFC sound good!?" It does! But then I think..."Doesn't a smaller pant size sound better!?" I'm lucky to have friends that don't needle me about what they eat and what I eat. If I'm craving sweets, one no sugar fudgcicle or almond butter toast is good. I don't really crave salt that much and rarely add it to food. What do you consider a 'treat'?

LoveLiveLife27

My cherry yogurt is my treat everyday, but as far as a cheat meal, I have 1 every 1st of the month. It's something to look forward to and I only replace one meal that day, not a cheat day but a cheat meal.

LoadedM6Tina

LoveLiveLife27 wrote: »

My cherry yogurt is my treat everyday, but as far as a cheat meal, I have 1 every 1st of the month. It's something to look forward to and I only replace one meal that day, not a cheat day but a cheat meal.

I don't like cheaters so I have a 'Eat Out' meal. That's what I did tonight. So for the next 7 days, I will eat very healthy. BTW, I love your profile pic! LOL!!!

ndj1979

i eat what i want, when I want and must make sure it fits into my calorie/macro/micro goal for the day….

ndj1979

seriously, stop applying moralistic terms to food as "good" and "bad"…food is just food..it is not satan, godly, angelic etc..it fuels your body ..combine the foods into the right calorie/macro/micro goal for you and you will be good to go...

msliz74

I add treats into my daily calorie allotment and dont go over. I find that unless its a spectacular, delicious, fabulous treat.. i end up regretting it and thinking of all the things i could have eaten instead and got more food for those calories.

PMLeigh

I have been on the yoyo before, and I understand that famine mode you are talking about where even the table leg looks edible. I have followed everyone else's diets and they do work, but not for the long term unless you design your plan to cover the things that take you off track.

I have completed a diploma in weightloss with Sydney University and am following the wisdom gained from all previous diets and what I have learnt from them, and it seems to be working (says she one month in). Also am qualified in Community Services Work and considering putting together a program for people to form groups to self mentor in this area.

There is ONE KEY thing you should do; make a list of reasons why you feel you have to lose weight, what are the dangers looming, what will your future be if you don't, what goal can you set and what reward will you give yourself (not food) when you get there; this helps you stay on track. Research the reality of the dangers so it scares you to not go there.

For me: I am not diabetic, but think I just turned about just in time, my mum has alzhiemers, I will too unless I get active, a cloudy lethargic mind will destroy you, I have purchased a house and have to not get sick and make sure I am in good health to keep working and also mow the lawns for the next 15 years (until Im 65yo) so I have to stay fit, I don't want to be homeless and alone when I'm old.

I work on the principle there is no food I'm not allowed to have (a bit like the don't go hungry diet by Dr Amanda)

I just choose to eat the foods that are worthy, ie I like the most, that give me all I need for the day and keep below the kjs required.

This does mean you need to educate yourself on food so that you can look at the various health values in the food, the joy of the food and the satisfaction of the food and choose the one that serves you best. So you'll look at chips differently, maybe for a moment go yeah, but then 'NOT WORTHY'

This looks like normal eating, and it is what I know I can maintain. I now am finding what I thought was dull and boring also now tastes great, your taste buds change as you make better choices.

If I really want to eat something that day so much that I find myself trying to fit it in, then I will work out how much extra exercise I have to do to accommodate it, that way famine kept at bay, which keeps binge at bay, body satisfied, kjs kept under control. I shared a vegetarian pizza with my sisters, we had two slices each while out, that is OK! As suggested by someone else in this post, the body will crave certain foods if it is lacking in some area, so we need to listen to our body and find out what it is telling us.

I have been caught by neighbour doing laps of the back yard to burn off a few more kjs, and I have even done laps of the dinning table during the commercials of my favourite TV show to get my 10,000 steps a day (not always reach that number am human).

There may be some foods you don't realise how yummy they are and less kjs than what you might currently eat that you can substitute (because you prefer to), that one change can make room for a treat!

I have just discovered how yummy the 9 grain via wheat are with salmon or tuna for lunch, at the moment I have 4-6 vita wheat in place of the 2 slices of bread, I drool over this lunch and still have spare kjs (you might think that strange)

Find and use ALL the tools that will keep you focused and on track, I use this site, Vivofit, Runtastic, GP referred me to an Exercise Physiologist, Dietician, and am making plans to find groups 'OUT THERE' now to join, ie, maybe a walking group, or play soccer??/ Who knows, whatever will keep this activity level going as this makes my choice of foods better.

Do keep a pack of frozen berries in your freezer, these are a great guiltless joy when kept as your serve of fruit for the day treat, but watch the sugar levels.

Big reply, hope that helps.

LoveLiveLife27

LoadedM6Tina wrote: »

LoveLiveLife27 wrote: »

My cherry yogurt is my treat everyday, but as far as a cheat meal, I have 1 every 1st of the month. It's something to look forward to and I only replace one meal that day, not a cheat day but a cheat meal.

I don't like cheaters so I have a 'Eat Out' meal. That's what I did tonight. So for the next 7 days, I will eat very healthy. BTW, I love your profile pic! LOL!!!

HaHa thanks! and yes cheat is a negative word. I should use "Eat Out" instead. thanks!