Do you allow yourself to have a treat night ??

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paigethurlow95
paigethurlow95 Posts: 54 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi so I’ve been on my calorie control diet for 6 weeks now and I have lost 1 stone. My calorie goal is 1200 a day but I never really go over 1000 calories. I have fruit and yogurt for my breakfast & for dinner I’ll have something like prawn salad, crab, egg salad and for tea I have a weight watchers meal and if I’m hungry in between for my snacks I will have some fruit or rivita. I’ve never had any treat nights just wondering if anyone has a treat night ? and is it weekly. I said for every stone I lost I would have a takeaway and I had it last week as I reached my goal. Some people have told me it’s ok to have say a bar of chocolate as long as it’s under my calorie goal. But the way I see it is if I was to have one treat night a week it would probably turn into 2 or 3 or every night !! Haha
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  • 100_PROOF_
    100_PROOF_ Posts: 1,168 Member
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    I have a treat every day.

    It doesn't turn into 2-3 treats because I have learned moderation and portion control.

    I've been doing this so long that I don't use a food scale anymore. I can eyeball my portions and get it close enough but for years and years, I weighed every food and measured all my liquid.
    I learned moderation and portion control and now I have the tools needed for long term success.
    1000 calories per day doesn't sound like enough for you. Are you using a food scale? How are you determining that your eating 1000 per day?
  • laurenbastug
    laurenbastug Posts: 307 Member
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    I fit a dessert in nearly every night. For me it's usually a bowl of fro yo with edible cookie dough or a lil buff protein cake (these things are amazing) - it may be helpful that these are kind of like one off foods so I finish it and it's done, not like a sleeve of cookies I can easily keep dipping into.

    I would have to bake another cake if I really wanted more but I wouldn't do that because a. lazy and b. the first one was big/satisfying enough.

    But agreed with above, 1000 calories doesn't nearly sound enough. I'd make sure you're eating enough for a healthy weight loss. You could be feeling you need those 2 or 3 more because your body is genuinely hungry. If you up you cals and fill your day with whole foods, then you may find your 1 treat at night sufficient.
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,268 Member
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    I have something special every day and I just make it part of my calorie count. I pre-log everything in the morning so I know exactly what my day looks like and what wiggle room, if any, I have for "treats". Although I just call everything food... not treats or good or bad food, just food.
    Sounds like you are eating too little to me, but I'm not an expert. I just know you need a certain amount of calories to keep your brain and body functioning. If you aren't eating enough then yes, easily, one "treat" can become many.
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
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    yep just food.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    I eat something sweet before bed every night. Usually in the 150-250 calorie range.
  • saragd012
    saragd012 Posts: 693 Member
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    I always save extra calories for a treat, but I also eat a good deal more calories than you do. If you're currently eating 1000 calories a day I would think you have more than enough allowance for a treat. When I was losing I still had a net average of 1400-ish calories.
  • paigethurlow95
    paigethurlow95 Posts: 54 Member
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    So I log everything I eat I scan my foods mfp has told me to eat 1200 calories a day to loose 2lb a week and it’s been working so I’m not doing to complain :) however sometimes I have 100 odd calories left and I don’t just eat them for the point of it if I’m not hungry after all the whole point in eating less calories is to loose weight :) but even when I only have 100 off calories left I still don’t have a treat otherwise that’ll probably take me over 1200
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Why are you eating so little?
  • paigethurlow95
    paigethurlow95 Posts: 54 Member
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    DanR_85 wrote: »
    paigethurlow95 wrote: »
    So I log everything I eat I scan my foods mfp has told me to eat 1200 calories a day to loose 2lb a week and it’s been working so I’m not doing to complain :) however sometimes I have 100 odd calories left and I don’t just eat them for the point of it if I’m not hungry after all the whole point in eating less calories is to loose weight :) but even when I only have 100 off calories left I still don’t have a treat otherwise that’ll probably take me over 1200

    On the other hand though, have you ever been in that situation at the end of the day where you *are* hungry and you only have 100 calories left?

    It's painful trying to find something small enough :#

    Are yeah some days I will find I’m still hungry on a night so I will have something like rivita and cheese or fruit even if it takes me over now and then it isn’t a big deal I have more snacks when I go to the gym because I eat half of my calories back that I burn. At the moment I’m just eating weight watchers meals and I add some salad to it which seem to satisfy me as long as I’m having breakfast dinner and tea
  • paigethurlow95
    paigethurlow95 Posts: 54 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Why are you eating so little?

    Like I’ve just said for my to loose 2lb a week mfp has give me a calorie goal of 1200
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    paigethurlow95 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Why are you eating so little?

    Like I’ve just said for my to loose 2lb a week mfp has give me a calorie goal of 1200

    You said you were eating 1000?
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    paigethurlow95 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Why are you eating so little?

    Like I’ve just said for my to loose 2lb a week mfp has give me a calorie goal of 1200

    So 2lbs per week is quite aggressive, and you're eating significantly below your calorie target.

    I can understand, in that context, why you'd be concerned about a treat taking over. I'm not a big fan of unsustainable change.

    Personally I just eat things, and remain within my calorie target. By being thoughtful about what it is I meet my needs for fueling, and make choices about what fits into that target.
  • paigethurlow95
    paigethurlow95 Posts: 54 Member
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    I said I don’t always eat the full 1200 every day ... so today I had a banana & natural yogurt for my breakfast for my dinner I had a chicken tikka masala weight watchers meal at 339 calories & I had a pasta Bol weight watchers meal 274 calories & I’ve been drinking loads of water and green tea to fill me up
  • paigethurlow95
    paigethurlow95 Posts: 54 Member
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    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    paigethurlow95 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Why are you eating so little?

    Like I’ve just said for my to loose 2lb a week mfp has give me a calorie goal of 1200

    So 2lbs per week is quite aggressive, and you're eating significantly below your calorie target.

    I can understand, in that context, why you'd be concerned about a treat taking over. I'm not a big fan of unsustainable change.

    Personally I just eat things, and remain within my calorie target. By being thoughtful about what it is I meet my needs for fueling, and make choices about what fits into that target.

    If I do feel hungry I will go over my calories by eating some thing good for me like fruit or rivita biscuits I won’t go over by having a treat like a bar of chocolate or something, I’ve lost 17 pound already by doing it this way some days you feel really hungry some days you don’t If I’m going to bed hungry and miserable every night I just wouldn’t put my self through that
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    paigethurlow95 wrote: »
    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    paigethurlow95 wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Why are you eating so little?

    Like I’ve just said for my to loose 2lb a week mfp has give me a calorie goal of 1200

    So 2lbs per week is quite aggressive, and you're eating significantly below your calorie target.

    I can understand, in that context, why you'd be concerned about a treat taking over. I'm not a big fan of unsustainable change.

    Personally I just eat things, and remain within my calorie target. By being thoughtful about what it is I meet my needs for fueling, and make choices about what fits into that target.

    If I do feel hungry I will go over my calories by eating some thing good for me like fruit or rivita biscuits I won’t go over by having a treat like a bar of chocolate or something, I’ve lost 17 pound already by doing it this way some days you feel really hungry some days you don’t If I’m going to bed hungry and miserable every night I just wouldn’t put my self through that

    I see what you mean. I just don't think about it in terms of a treat, or good vs bad foods.

    Essentially, as long as it fits into your calorie target, then have something that appeals to you. That might be chocolate, pringles, roast cashews, or whatever.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Friday evening is usually pizza and movie night with the fam...I did that while I was losing weight and I've done it for 5 years of maintenance.

    I typically have some kind of indulgence most days.
  • paigethurlow95
    paigethurlow95 Posts: 54 Member
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    So it wouldn’t really matter if I was to have a bag of crisps as long as I didn’t go over 1200. I thought the calorie control diet meant eating good healthy things and staying under your target but when I do have calories left over I might have something as I call a treat “chocolate” “crisps” I also just make sure I have a good dinner and tea so that it fills me up if I mean I wouldn’t just have 2 bars of chocolate for my dinner even if it meant staying under my calorie goal because in the long run I’ll probably be hungry an hr later. Thanks.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    paigethurlow95 wrote: »
    So it wouldn’t really matter if I was to have a bag of crisps as long as I didn’t go over 1200. I thought the calorie control diet meant eating good healthy things and staying under your target but when I do have calories left over I might have something as I call a treat “chocolate” “crisps” I also just make sure I have a good dinner and tea so that it fills me up if I mean I wouldn’t just have 2 bars of chocolate for my dinner even if it meant staying under my calorie goal because in the long run I’ll probably be hungry an hr later. Thanks.

    Weight management is about calories. Yes, nutrition is important, but you have to look at your diet as a whole when you're talking about "healthy". And yes, it is typically going to be easier to consistently hit your calorie targets when you're eating more healthful foods...but having a "treat" is irrelevant to the bigger picture.

    My diet on the whole is very healthy...having a Krackel bar doesn't somehow negate all of my other nutrition throughout the day.
  • paigethurlow95
    paigethurlow95 Posts: 54 Member
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    My diet is very healthy especially compared to what it used to be like I used to have toast for breakfast along with a bag of crisps anything my one year old would leave I would finish it off I would snack all day on crisps and chocolate I would have pizza and garlic bread for dinner and then I would have something like pork chops chips and gravy for my tea and taking a pack of biscuits to bed and other treats like crisps and cakes. Now I’m on a strict diet I don’t know what all the fuss is about and why people are saying I’m eating too little I’m loosing weight that’s the main thing
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
    edited April 2018
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    paigethurlow95 wrote: »
    So it wouldn’t really matter if I was to have a bag of crisps as long as I didn’t go over 1200.

    In principle, no. Losing weight is about eating fewer calories than you burn. The challenge with a target at 1200, and not quite making that, is that it's difficult to maintain a healthy diet at that level. That's why personally I'd question whether 2lbs pw is sustainable for you. I do appreciate that I'm in a very different situation, but you don't have much scope.

    It's easy to lose weight in an unhealthy way, both physiologically and psychologically.
    I thought the calorie control diet meant eating good healthy things and staying under your target but when I do have calories left over I might have something as I call a treat “chocolate” “crisps” I also just make sure I have a good dinner and tea so that it fills me up if I mean I wouldn’t just have 2 bars of chocolate for my dinner even if it meant staying under my calorie goal because in the long run I’ll probably be hungry an hr later. Thanks.

    I agree that feeling satisfied is a big challenge at times. Personally I eat a lot of fruit, but it's not particularly filling in the way that say porridge is, and I'd say the same about chocolate.

    I'll also look at things on about a weekly period, so if I go over on one day I can offset that a little in the rest of the week.

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