What to do when portion control takes away the pleasure on desserts?

esperanzalinares

A moderate slice of cheesecake feels like a slap in the face 🙈, like it is just a teaser 🥺. I even prefer to skip it than to eat a normal portion. Is it because sweets are designed to make you crave more? It feels like eating a little bit, wakes up my inner cookie monster 😂 and then I struggle with will power.

MargaretYakoda

If I’m going to have cheesecake?
I’ll try to plan for it.

yirara

Have the dessert, plan for it, maybe a smaller slice. Don't run a too big calorie deficit so that weightloss remains enjoyable.

acpgee

Here’s a fairly low calorie cheesecake recipe based on Basque Burnt Cheesecake which is crustless, where most of the calories are in a conventional cheesecake.

Whisk together a small tub of low fat Philadelphia cream cheese and an equal amount of 0% fat yogurt in a large spouted measuring cup. Whisk in enough condensed milk to sweeten to taste and then 2 eggs. I prefer to whisk by hand which results in a denser texture. Put a nonstick springform pan in the air fryer and fill it from the measuring cup. Bake at 150C for about 20 minutes. It can still be wobbly as the mixture continues to set while it cools.

If you want the characteristic rustic look of a Basque cheesecake, line the springform with baking paper. Pop a piece of tinfoil on top if the cheesecake starts to overbrown.

mtaratoot

If you prefer to skip the cheesecake rather than have a small slice, then for sure skip the cheesecake!

At some point if you decide that maybe a small piece would still bring some joy to your mouth, have a small slice.

If you want to have a large slice, find somewhere else in your day to reduce calories. Don't do that too often; there's a few nutrients lacking in a cheesecake-only diet.

Lietchi

Depending on the indulgence, I find a smaller portion can be satisfying (I've found it works for potato chips for example, if I portion out
35-45gr beforehand) but for others it doesn't work as well (ice-cream for example).

For those indulgences I need a larger portion of to feel satisfied, I find an appropriate time where I have a a larger number of calories available. I like to share a pint of Ben & Jerry's with my BF occasionally, usually on a day when I've done a long run (easier to fit in 500-600 kcal on those days if I minimise other snacks and meals).

lisakatz2

I find sweets are a trigger for me. I'm like you, I can't have a reasonably sized portion of cheesecake or any other type of sweet, cookie, or candy. I'd rather do without. The exception to the rule for me is when I go out to dinner, then I'll have a really fine dessert. I only go out to dinner twice a year though (birthday and anniversary - my husband's birthday is only one day from mine). Restaurant desserts are so off-the-chart fabulous I can savor them s-l-o-w-l-y.

Cookies are the worst. Who can stop at one cookie (especially home made)?

springlering62

Get creative. How can you take your favorite recipe and cut calories?

As said above, cook cheesecake with no crust. Massive calorie savings.

I use drained greek yogurt, a pinch of stevia or a dribble of zero cal syrup, an egg and liquid egg whites, and mix with berries that have been cooked down til syrupy.

Bakes up into a lovely light cheesecake texture, high protein, and even if I go nuts and eat the whole thing (filling, so highly unlikely) it’s well under 500 calories. A squirt of canned whipped cream (15cal/serving) and it’s quite tasty.

I also enjoy flan, and have managed to knock the calories on that down quite a bit. Scones and shortbreads, too.

An easy place to start is cutting butter down by 1/3, and possibly even replacing it with margarine for more calorie savings. Try an alternate sweetener. I found I could make very good cupcakes with just kefir and a cake mix. Sub out applesauce for oils in cakes or cupcakes. Soooo many neat ways to get similar results at lower calories.

I’m going to start experimenting with aquafaba soon in pies and other dishes I’ve made aquafaba meringues that came out at about 8 calories apiece. They tasted like cotton candy, so need some more work. People loved them til I told them what they were lol. That’s on them. What? They were good before but not after you knew?

Recipes are simply a suggestion of something that’s been successful for someone else. Look at the recipe instead of following it to the T and see how you can alter it.

springlering62

And I know people are sick of me singing the praises of the Ninja Creami. I swear I’m not on the Ninja payroll. 🤣

Tonight we will each enjoy a half pint of homemade peach ice cream, for 133 calories apiece, including not one, but two squirts of whipped cream. 👍🏻



(The extra volume comes from ice water added to the icecream base. Comes out very thick and very creamy.)

I’ve got 101 variations on the recipe we never get bored of a big bowl of ice cream.

Retroguy2000

Quaker chocolate rice cake, 60 calories. Or the caramel one is 50 iirc.

yirara

I have a chocolate wafer bar every day, and I plan for it. I also eat fruit throughout the day, which is low calorie and yummy. Hey, frozen green grapes are like ice sherbet, but you can't eat them that quickly. And yeah, totally not rock bottom 1200 calories. Exercise calories are usually compensated with more fruit, a wafer bar and possibly a pudding of sorts.

springlering62

We’ve got a local gourmet popsicle place that sells via pushcarts and local coffee and high end food shops.

Their raspberry lime and other fruit bars are outstanding and generally in the 50-60 calorie range.

And very easy to copy, if you save the wrapper for ingredients and invest in an el cheapo popsicle mold.

Hobartlemagne

Eat in slow motion. It's delicious! chew slower, taste for a longer time, think about how good it is for a moment between bites. This is entertainment eating. The whole purpose is the experience of it. Eat a lower total amount, but slower so the enjoyment lasts more.

This sounds like Desert Meditation. Is that a thing?