Eating one high calorie fatty sweet or salty item per week
sam6403
Posts: 3 Member
I'm well on the way to getting to goal weight, losing 1 - 2 lbs a week. I'm eating & tracking around 2000 cals per day and I hike 5 miles / 5x per week with a hiking club. I eat 40% carbs - 30% protein - 30% fat & I don't feel hungry. Its a fun project I am enjoying. I yo yo in weight so I'm concerned about maintenance, later. I'm gonna try eating once per week: a donut or slice of pizza or make my own cheeseburger or Costco sundae or one pancake w/butter & syrup. Would like helpful comments (not criticism, I do that very well on my own) on how to handle that one splurge, that high sugar / high fat entering my system and its after effects. I don't want to sabotage my progress but I know NOT indulging brings huge fast weight gains after reaching goal and little cravings do build over time - they don't go away. Thanks to all the folks with the same challenge!
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Replies
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The only thing you need to do is keep an eye on your calories. Some people 'bank' calories during the week for higher calories days in the weekend, looking at their intake on a weekly instead of daily basis.
The scale could still jump up when respecting your calorie goal, but that will be water weight from extra carbs and salt and some more food waste in your system.
I indulge daily, in the sense that I have treat foods every day within my calorie goal, and on top of that I have occasional higher calorie days (for example an indulgent restaurant meal) which I will handle by banking some calories beforehand and/or skipping breakfast that day.5 -
I like the "banking" idea. Some people would say work out harder that day which I always thought was really a form of punishment which could be counter productive. I could bank cals that day by drinking more water, increasing salad & vegs - lowering carb / fat but keeping protein levels.. Thanks!2
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I don't see something like a burger or a pizza as something special. When I want it I cook it and count the calories. I found deepfreeze pizzas that kind of fit into my calorie budget (possibly a smaller desert afterwards) and I make my own burgers with toppings that I love, and of course count. I don't do that every day of course. But I don't make an issue out of this when I'm having something like this.2
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I always bank extra calories for the weekend, or to use if I'm going out for a higher calorie meal during the week. I usually try to have one day, more often than not a Monday, when I eat 500-600 calories under my maintenance calories, then 2 or 3 days when I eat 100-200 under. This gives me plenty in the bank for the higher calorific meals or extra treats I like to enjoy.
I don't weigh myself (well I did a few weeks ago for the first time in almost 3 years), so I don't see any temporary fluctuations after my higher calorie days, and this works well for me. However, I do appreciate that in maintenance you can't get too complacent so I might need to adjust my eating plan at some point further down the line.
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I buy a Hershey bar and eat one little rectangle a day and make that one candy bar last well over a week! My thinking is that, to a mouse, that one rectangle is a lot. When I reframe my idea of what a "portion" looks like, I feel so much better PLUS I get a treat! .5
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Please don't take this as a personal criticism (it's 100% not) I find the question . . . kind of odd, honestly. Understandable, though. It just doesn't match my conceptual framing of weight management.
(As context, I've been calorie counting since 2015, maintaining a healthy weight since 2016, after having been overweight to😆 obese for around 30 years before that. I have a firm belief that personalization of path is the way to long-term success, which is why I don't think the above is personal criticism.)
If you stick with your (experience proven) calorie goal and activities, on average over moderate time spans (days to small number of weeks) and longer, your body fat levels will behave as expected - that's been my experience, at least, over nearly 7 year so far.
But body weight isn't just body fat, it's also water, digestive contents, lean tissue (muscle, bone, etc.), a few pounds (!) of gut microbiota that genetically isn't part of us.
In the absence of obvious calorie reasons for them: Sudden multi-pound weight changes tend to be from changes in water retention and digestive contents. Fat changes tend to be slower, more of a cumulative thing over days to a small number of weeks, depending on size of calorie deficit and amount left to lose. Muscle mass changes (absent some dire health condition - which you'd know) tend to be even slower, many weeks to months and beyond.
When you eat consistently (calories, macros, electrolytes, water) and behave consistently (exercise, daily life activity), weight will be relatively more stable, because you haven't done as much obvious stuff to affect water weight or digestive contents. (Surprising shifts in water retention can still happen, because healthy bodies do that for good reasons.)
When you start including unusual eating - the big deals are more carbs than usual or more salt than usual (even if either or both are perfectly reasonable levels, just higher than normal) - you'll tend to see bigger/wilder water and digestive contents fluctuations, so more scale-weight fluctuation as a result.
It's not fat, so it's not worth worrying about . . . but it will make the scale results more confusing, a less clear gauge of ongoing fat loss. (The fat loss plays peek-a-boo on the scale with the water/digestive-contents fluctuations.)
If you weigh daily under consistent conditions (first thing in AM, after bathroom before food/drink, same state of dress every time - tends to be good), you may be able to come to understand these fluctuations, find them less worrisome. Some people find daily weighing stressful though . . . if that's you, that might not be the best approach, I don't know.
Other than that, I don't see that there will be much effect from your weekly indulgence** on weight or nutrition, if you're within your proven calorie level averaged over (say) one week. Some individuals (but not others) might see some individual, personal effects, such as:
* A feeling of sugar rush - meaningless as long as it doesn't make you faint, unsteady, cause heart palpitations, etc.
* A later sugar crash that spikes appetite - meaningless as long as managed.
* Somewhat looser bowel movements from higher fat levels than normal (not necessarily problem-loose).
* Feeling thirstier from extra salt intake (if so, drink some).
* Urinating more as water-weight dissipates.
Those won't happen to everyone (mostly don't happen to me, generally, if indulgences are semi within reason), but IMU they're possible for some people, and could be at a problem level for a rare few. Maybe re-introduce foods gradually, see how it goes, before going all out suddenly?
** I have to say, I'm disinclined to schedule these kinds of things, like "once a week": I tend to do them when they fit in, and I feel like it. I prioritize nutrition, so it's rare for me to indulge in a calorie-dense but nutrient-sparse thing unless I'm in good shape calorie-wise and already have nutrition dialed in for the day. At my size and experience-based calorie level, I can fit in things like you describe, in reasonable portions, quite frequently.
Yesterday, for example, I had wine, cheese, a frozen Greek yogurt bar (fudge brownie flavor), a Lindt chocolate truffle, and a couple of Godiva chocolates . . . and also exceeded my protein and fiber minimums, got a good amount of MUFA/PUFA, exceeded all the MFP-tracked micro goals, got over 12 servings of veggies/fruits, within 2131 calories. That's more typical than unusual.
I do calorie bank a small amount, too, for occasional bigger indulgences (still not on a defined schedule).
It's a fun game, fitting in good nutrition from yummy food and a few treats - kind of like calorie/nutrient Tetris.
You can figure this stuff out, for yourself, if you treat it as a calm, analytical set of experiments. Even the worst that can realistically happen isn't terrible, generally. You can find a personalized routine that works for you.
Best wishes!6 -
You've been here a long time so you know all of the basics.
Pain is the precursor to change. Painful joints, knees and feet only add to the daily stress of living. When the pain fades away it's easy to forget absolutely everything. The brain is the biggest bully. The brain enjoys eating it all back.
Take note: Someone who worked like a sonuvagun to remove the excess can eat it all back in a fraction of the time. Not one single time did their brain ever stop them and say it's time to get ahold of yourself. The brain doesn't care. The brain will take you back to the highest weight you've ever been and then some. Rebound weight gain with friends.
The brain prefers to eat all of the things. In the most snidely whiplash of ways, the brain will turn around and lay blame right back on you when cr@p hits the fan. What a bully.
You're going to have to rein in the brain. Show it who's really in charge. When you learn how to do that... you can have your cake and eat it, too.
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I just handle sudden jumps in weight out of relation to my calorie balance with either maths or a sense of humour.
Maths - I know a sudden jump up of several pounds can't be fat from the simple maths of how many thousands of excess calories it would have taken so I know it must be something else. I'm not bothered by "something else" and if the cause is understood and expected it's just a curiosity if it's extreme.
Sense of humour - there's times when you get a jump (or dip) for no apparent reason and you just have to smile and wonder what the scales will tell you tomorrow.
The trend is important to me, individual data points are not.3 -
Everyone works differently. When I make specific rules, I get frustrated.
I love to eat and have a small bit of ice cream and nuts most days. If I really want to treat myself because it looks great, I do. Just not too often and not too much. I eat lots of good healthy food. And I always hit my weekly goal. That gives me leeway to eat what I want when I want, but keep on track for the big picture.
You do you. Everyone has their own method.1 -
Washboard12 wrote: »You've been here a long time so you know all of the basics.
Pain is the precursor to change. Painful joints, knees and feet only add to the daily stress of living. When the pain fades away it's easy to forget absolutely everything. The brain is the biggest bully. The brain enjoys eating it all back.
Take note: Someone who worked like a sonuvagun to remove the excess can eat it all back in a fraction of the time. Not one single time did their brain ever stop them and say it's time to get ahold of yourself. The brain doesn't care. The brain will take you back to the highest weight you've ever been and then some. Rebound weight gain with friends.
The brain prefers to eat all of the things. In the most snidely whiplash of ways, the brain will turn around and lay blame right back on you when cr@p hits the fan. What a bully.
You're going to have to rein in the brain. Show it who's really in charge. When you learn how to do that... you can have your cake and eat it, too.
@Washboard12
Your post is really important. I regained all my weight losses over 40 years. And you are absolutely right, my brain just looked the other way & then was *surprised* “how did that happen?” As in a blink of eye I regained 70lb back.
Now, even having spent 3 years losing, and 3.5 maintaining… I’m very aware of my brain’s trickiness.
To the original poster: @sam6403
when my brain told me to just re-integrate some higher sugar salt fat foods as I was losing my final 15lbs, I knew it was my Monkey Mind talking & told it to go away. It’s almost always a sign that I just need a tad more *healthy* foods.
So as I got closer to my goal weight, I gradually increased my calories slightly with healthy foods & then eased into maintenance.
Could it be that you just need a bit more food to stop your brain from creating a false categorization of treat & non-treat foods?
I don’t eat salty due to recommendations to keep sodium under 1,500 mg for folks over 60. Salty is not a treat for my body.
I eat minimal saturated fat due to doctor’s recommendation due to family history of atherosclerosis. Saturated fatty foods are NOT a treat for my body.
I’ve stopped eating sugar, maple syrup, etc. because 1) they make my inner Sugar fiend some out like crazy 2) I only like sweet things that also have saturated fat/salt & ive tried many times…I cannot control them 3) My interest in fruit & veg decreases dramatically as they don’t taste as good when I’m eating sugar… so a double problem. So far is NOT a treat for me.
Every one is unique. I place my #HealthFirst. I have reframed what a “treat” is. I think the whole idea of “pass days” is a slippery slope. I know many disagree with me, but again we each creates our own path.
I am facing a worthy foe, obesity, one I have battled since puberty. It kept me from doing things I loved and negatively impacted my health. I’m never letting it get the upper hand again.
Try things. Your results may well differ. No one can decide for you.2 -
Pain is the precursor to change. Painful joints, knees and feet only add to the daily stress of living. When the pain fades away it's easy to forget absolutely everything. The brain is the biggest bully. The brain enjoys eating it all back.
Take note: Someone who worked like a sonuvagun to remove the excess can eat it all back in a fraction of the time. Not one single time did their brain ever stop them and say it's time to get ahold of yourself. The brain doesn't care. The brain will take you back to the highest weight you've ever been and then some. Rebound weight gain with friends.
The brain prefers to eat all of the things. In the most snidely whiplash of ways, the brain will turn around and lay blame right back on you when cr@p hits the fan. What a bully.
You're going to have to rein in the brain. Show it who's really in charge. When you learn how to do that... you can have your cake and eat it, too.
@Washboard12
Your post is really important. I regained all my weight losses over 40 years. And you are absolutely right, my brain just looked the other way & then was *surprised* “how did that happen?” As in a blink of eye I regained 70lb back.
Now, even having spent 3 years losing, and 3.5 maintaining… I’m very aware of my brain’s trickiness.
To the original poster: @sam6403
when my brain told me to just re-integrate some higher sugar salt fat foods as I was losing my final 15lbs, I knew it was my Monkey Mind talking & told it to go away. It’s almost always a sign that I just need a tad more *healthy* foods.
So as I got closer to my goal weight, I gradually increased my calories slightly with healthy foods & then eased into maintenance.
Could it be that you just need a bit more food to stop your brain from creating a false categorization of treat & non-treat foods?
I don’t eat salty due to recommendations to keep sodium under 1,500 mg for folks over 60. Salty is not a treat for my body.
I eat minimal saturated fat due to doctor’s recommendation due to family history of atherosclerosis. Saturated fatty foods are NOT a treat for my body.
I’ve stopped eating sugar, maple syrup, etc. because 1) they make my inner Sugar fiend some out like crazy 2) I only like sweet things that also have saturated fat/salt & ive tried many times…I cannot control them 3) My interest in fruit & veg decreases dramatically as they don’t taste as good when I’m eating sugar… so a double problem. So far is NOT a treat for me.
Every one is unique. I place my #HealthFirst. I have reframed what a “treat” is. I think the whole idea of “pass days” is a slippery slope. I know many disagree with me, but again we each creates our own path.
I am facing a worthy foe, obesity, one I have battled since puberty. It kept me from doing things I loved and negatively impacted my health. I’m never letting it get the upper hand again.
Try things. Your results may well differ. No one can decide for you.
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I stand by my words. Do you know the percentage of people still maintaining a major weight loss at the 5 year mark. How about the 2 year mark. The numbers don't lie. There's no such thing as the Finish Line and there's no such thing as a free lunch. It's going to take true grit to rein in the brain. Be persistent and consistent. If dieting and even WLS worked for the long haul it would take only one time and one 'diet' to solve all of your problems. It doesn't work that way.
Turn around and take a good hard look at where you've been and what you've been doing. Constant dieting. Has it changed everything for you then?
You have to create your own positive food management plan that you can live with for the rest of your life or none of this will stick. You can't force someone to eat foods they loathe and do exercises in ways they can't stand. There's only choices and consequences in life.
Compliant without complaint. Huge.
You can whine, rant and rave all you want or you can choose to leave all of it at the front door. We have to learn to use our heads besides something to part our ears with. It's easier to keep a horse under control than rein in an out of control horse. An out of control horse is going to get someone hurt or even maimed.
It's far easier to keep your body and mind under control than constantly reining in overreactions, overthinking, over-researching and over-the-top everything. I believe in can't fool myself realism.
Use this place as a springboard. A tool to create sustainable habits that you can live with for the rest of your life. A victory is a victory. Constantly bouncing in and out of your positive food management plan is like going through a swinging saloon door. It will get you nowhere good.
Draw your line in the sand. These positive habits need to continue on for the rest of your life. Constant starts and stops are just another major disconnect for the brain.
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I eat out(fast food) once a week Friday night, and also usually have a donut on Sunday. I might skip the donut if trying to lose, but I can fit it easily into maintenance. If I stay just a little under my calories Monday-Thursday, there is enough room for fries on Friday. My long run is on sunday. My calorie burns from exercise are usually close to 1000. That leaves room for a donut and extra coffee after my run. You just have to plan ahead and budget with calories like you would money.6
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Here's my comment on the high fat/high sugar splurge. Unsure of it's helpfulness. I try not to have stuff that will give me bad after effects, or more specifically, I have it in quantities that don't have after effects. Too much sugar feels a lot like an alcohol hangover to me the next morning, so although I enjoy both alcohol and sugar on the reg, I try to avoid quantities that induce after effects.
That said, I definitely do have high fat and high sugar stuff pretty much every day. Donuts aren't really my thing, but I get it if someone truly relishes them. If this is worth the calories to you, I would just plan around it. Eat other stuff that's high fiber and low fat so it kind of balances by the end of the day.
More broadly, though, the "once a week" construct would feel rigid *to me*. I would be tempted to pack it in and have too much. Having smaller treats here and there (basically daily) works for me, but I can understand if you want a "sense of occasion" about it. After effects will increase with the quantity you consume, so you have to be down with that.
By "after effects" I am thinking of genuinely feeling bad, not water weight fluctuation on the scale or temporary bloating. I don't worry about transient water gain. That's meaningless to me.1
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