Little treats/strict most days?

kanaada

Hi so I'm wondering how many of y'all give yourself little treats Everyday instead of splurging on days that u have craving on? I feel that if I were to give myself a little treat Everyday I will not fully enjoy the treat because it's probably very small in portion to fit in my calorie intake for the day or I will just feel that I need to eat a treat for the sake of eating! Is there anyone here like me that would prefer eating clean most days and probably overindulge on some days and feel guilty about it

seska422

You do you.

I prefer to eat treats every day.

If you prefer a higher calorie day, that can work too. You can average your calorie deficit over the week rather than trying to hit the same calories every day.

Log your treat days so that they are a part of your game plan and don't feel guilty.

fr33sia12

If by treats you mean "junk" food then no I don't have any at all. I don't crave them or want them. If you mean something you have as a treat for yourself then yes I treat myself to something, but it still fits in with my meal plan and is still healthy.

bethannien

Splurge days go very wrong for me personally (the last week has gone from being slightly over to a no holds barred eat-a-thon today). So personally, a square of dark chocolate every day usually helps me feel like I'm not deprived and I'm not going over my calorie count.

But different strokes for different folks. If little treats don't work for you, do what does.

daisy552014

If it fits in my calorie goal I'll eat it! So yesterday I was with my mum and she bought me a Reese's chocolate bar, it fit in my calorie allowance so I ate it. When she offered ginger cake in the evening I politely turned it down. Generally I try to do a bit of added exercise if I have a big naughty thing. If it's a treat that pushes me way over calories usually a takeaway meal (mmmm pizza). I'll make sure to eat less the next day so my weekly calories balance out.

TavistockToad

you like to make yourself feel guilty about what you eat? that doesn't sound healthy to me?

AlicePixi

It's entirely up to you, whatever works I prefer to eat as well as I can 99% of the time, as during the weekends I'm usually seeing family and friends and those occasions normally focus around delicious but not necessarily the healthiest of home-cooked dinners or meals out.. I personally would rather eat like an angel most of the time so when I get an opportunity to enjoy something indulgent, I don't worry about it and then it really does feel like a "treat"! I swear chocolate tastes better when you only have it once in a while

sweetpea813

I save calories everyday to have 3 small snack size York Peopermint Patties. Sometimes I just eat one or two but I save 150 calories for the 3 of them.

Machka9

Everything I eat is a treat!

Seriously!

I made a decision when I signed on here that I was not going to waste my calories on anything I didn't like. Only foods I like. It's been great! There is so much good food out there.

PinkPixiexox

If I want a treat, I'll generally have the treat.
I'm in ED recovery and I've learnt that constant restricting does no good whatsoever. If you are trying to lose weight, make your treats 'fit' in to your allowance if you can. If it can't fit but you MUST HAVE THAT TREAT AT ALL COSTS - have it. Log it. Move on. Deprivation never works, it's all about finding that balance. And that can be the hardest part of this whole process!

WinoGelato

I'm in the "fit foods you want in as often as you can" camp. For that means wine and a little chocolate pretty much every day. Pizza usually once a week. A more indulgent dessert on a date night maybe once a month.

I've never been a volume eater so a small piece of chocolate, one or two Oreos, or a serving of gelato has always been plenty for me. It's just a matter of working it into my calories.

I'm not crazy about the concept of "cheat days" where people are uber restrictive all week long so they can go crazy on the weekends, however, I often bank 100-200 cals each day during the week so I can fit more in on the weekends since this is when I tend to have more social events with higher cal foods.

rybo

I'll try to explain my approach as best I can. I don't do well at all trying the "have a small treat everyday" approach. If it's in the house, it will be eaten pretty quickly. So whenever the opportunity comes along I'll just enjoy whatever indulgence it happens to be (if I am in the mood) and not worry. I don't plan out cheat days or specific treats.

daniip_la

I eat whatever I want every day, as long as it fits in my calorie goal.

dragon_girl26

Treats everyday for me, although I also tend to eat foods I enjoy anyway, so it's all sort of like a treat.

Ploofs

I splurge on one day. I don't regularly crave them (so I don't eat them) but on the weekends I tend to go out.

Lounmoun

I fit the food I want in my goals whenever I feel like it. If I want to eat at maintenance level for a day I do. I don't feel like eating something like half a cake or a whole container of ice cream though.

I don't think of food as clean or junk or treats or indulgences. It is all just food. I don't feel guilty about it.

spring913

I do both. If there is a party or outing I know I'll be going to I plan for the extra calories I will no doubt eat that day because of lack of food choice. If it's just a normal week, I tend to have a little treat each day to keep my sweet tooth at bay.

jemhh

Right now I prefer not to have treats every day. One to two times a week makes them feel more treat-y to me.

kgirlhart

I eat what I want every day and fit it into my calorie goal. I would rather have a small treat every day than have days where I wasn't "allowed" treats. I don't crave things unless I restrict things and that usually leads to over eating for me. As long as I know I can have treats when I want them I am able to moderate my portion sizes.

RandiNoelle

Machka9 wrote: »

Everything I eat is a treat!

Seriously!

I made a decision when I signed on here that I was not going to waste my calories on anything I didn't like. Only foods I like. It's been great! There is so much good food out there.

LOVE THIS!! It's how I look at my food, as well. I eat what I enjoy. This is a lifestyle change for me. Not some temporary weight loss solution.

divcara

I eat pretty healthy most days without splurges, but I get pretty creative with my daily meals. When I have an occasional splurge, I just have whatever I want and don't feel guilty about it. But - I get back on it the next meal. Meal, not day. Consistency is what what helped me drop the weight (60+ lbs) and has become so much of my routine, I don't have the same cravings I did. Except ice cream. But if I really want it, I just have it, enjoy it, and get back on it.

kshama2001

kanaada wrote: »

Hi so I'm wondering how many of y'all give yourself little treats Everyday instead of splurging on days that u have craving on? I feel that if I were to give myself a little treat Everyday I will not fully enjoy the treat because it's probably very small in portion to fit in my calorie intake for the day or I will just feel that I need to eat a treat for the sake of eating! Is there anyone here like me that would prefer eating clean most days and probably overindulge on some days and feel guilty about it

When I do the following, I don't have cravings:

1. Get sufficient sleep
2. Exercise regularly - when I get the happy hormones from exercise, I'm not prone to seeking them from food.
3. Get sufficient protein in relationship to carbs. I'm not low carb, but reducing carbs and upping protein worked for cravings for me. See also http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html
4. Eat moderate amounts of fruit. This makes me less interested in higher calorie sweets.
5. Take a magnesium supplement. This can be especially helpful for women premenstrually.
6. Save foods like chocolate for after dinner, in small amounts
7. Stay hydrated
8. Have a calorie deficit that is appropriate for the amount of weight I need to lose. An overly aggressive goal can definitely lead to cravings.
9. Eat at maintenance when my appetite goes up premenstrually.

mjffey

I eat what i like as long as it fits in my cals. I'm vegan on 1200 cals which suits me fine and even within this 1200, i have room for chocolate, pizza etc. I think you shouldn't see your journey as a diet. That will never work in the long term. If you see it as a lifestyle change, a treat will fit in without you feeling guilty.

cross2bear

I'm an every day girl - I save at least 100 calories for an evening bowl of cracker chips (80 cals) and a mug of tea. Thats the psychological signal to stop eating for the day, and the day ends with something I love (the chips!!) I have used this approach since October last year and I am down 106lbs - one hundred and six pounds (I had to say that twice, cuz sometimes I dont believe it myself)