How often do people have treats

lauraloy2013
lauraloy2013 Posts: 58 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, I've been using MFP for 2 weeks and lost 3 pounds. I added a post last week because I felt that it was going slow and I had headaches and dizzy spells but since putting my goal back to 1lb a week putting my calories up to 1390 and eating back some of my exercise calories I feel much better and actually enjoying it. My diet before this was quite unhealthy eating take away and junkies of the week and doing very little exercise. In the last two weeks I haven't had take away but I have had some weight watchers low cal treats and rich tea biscuits in the evening as a treat and have stayed within my calorie goal. I think I need to take these treats occasionally as I was so used to take sugary snacks so often and feel that if I cut it out I will give in and gorge.

So what do people think? Is it ok to have these treats as long as it's in the calorie goal or I'll I stop my weight loss.

The treats taste so much better now that I've cut way down and I look forward to it and feel that I've earned it which I never thought would happen with chocolate haha

Thanks any opinions would be appreciated.
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Replies

  • cantfail
    cantfail Posts: 169 Member
    As long as it fits into my daily calories budget, I eat whatever I want. IMO having foods that are forever and always forbidden is counterproductive. I don't want to feel deprived or punished.
  • 02ruth
    02ruth Posts: 4
    I agree that a few treats are definitely deserved if you keep to your calorie goals. I lost quite a bit of weight at the start of the year on here, and I was still having my favourite snacks. Just started again yeaterday to lose a bit more before the end of the year, and fully intend to keep having the treats, but staying under my daily limit, and making sure that the rest of my food is really nutritious.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I don't categorize food as "good" or "bad" so I have "treats" whenever. I have calorie goals and macro goals and I hit those...how I hit those is irrelevant so long as I'm getting proper nutrition. If all of my nutritional needs have been met, I don't get extra credit for more broccoli and I don't get dinged for having a handful of jelly beans.
  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
    There's no harm in treating yourself if it fits into your calories for the day. If your nutritional needs are being met, I think a little indulgence is totally normal, and if you can eat the things you like, it makes sticking to a calorie deficit that much easier. I have a little dessert pretty much every day, and it doesn't seem to have affected my weight loss. :smile:
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    I do IIFYM (If it fits your macros) or Flexible Dieting. I eat poptarts / ice cream. I even plan on stopping at Starbucks in an hour and getting one of their chocolate chunk cookies.

    I don't care what anyone says, but, as long as you stay at or even slightly above the number MFP set for you (I'm assuming you picked 1lb. per week to lose, which is -500 calories from your TDEE) you will lose weight.
  • KateK8LoseW8
    KateK8LoseW8 Posts: 824 Member
    I eat a treat every day. I let myself get more of my calories from treats during my hormonal times because otherwise I would just eat the same amount and go over on my calories anyway. So yesterday I had three treats, but still under my calorie goal.
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    I don't categorize food as "good" or "bad" so I have "treats" whenever. I have calorie goals and macro goals and I hit those...how I hit those is irrelevant so long as I'm getting proper nutrition. If all of my nutritional needs have been met, I don't get extra credit for more broccoli and I don't get dinged for having a handful of jelly beans.

    This^
  • sunsetzen
    sunsetzen Posts: 268 Member
    I eat a treat whenever I feel like it. I just make sure I have the calories for it.
  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
    These "treats" are designed to be physically addictive. Most people on this site will disagree with me, but i view those items the same way a recovering alcoholic views whiskey. One is too many, and a thousand is never enough.
  • greenhudler
    greenhudler Posts: 150
    I have a treat every single day if I want to, I just be sure not to overeat on them and meet all my other nutritional needs. For example I may have a square of dark chocolate. Or a few chips.
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
    When I first started losing weight, i cut chocolate out. My "treat" was jaffa cakes. maybe two a day. Now i'm maintaining, i eat chocolate but in moderation. I workout and enjoy it!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I don't categorize food as "good" or "bad" so I have "treats" whenever. I have calorie goals and macro goals and I hit those...how I hit those is irrelevant so long as I'm getting proper nutrition. If all of my nutritional needs have been met, I don't get extra credit for more broccoli and I don't get dinged for having a handful of jelly beans.
    This.
  • KateK8LoseW8
    KateK8LoseW8 Posts: 824 Member
    These "treats" are designed to be physically addictive. Most people on this site will disagree with me, but i view those items the same way a recovering alcoholic views whiskey. One is too many, and a thousand is never enough.

    As a recovering alcoholic - no. Just no.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    I don't categorize food as "good" or "bad" so I have "treats" whenever. I have calorie goals and macro goals and I hit those...how I hit those is irrelevant so long as I'm getting proper nutrition. If all of my nutritional needs have been met, I don't get extra credit for more broccoli and I don't get dinged for having a handful of jelly beans.

    This^
    This plus infinity. It is people's advice like this that I took when I first started here and this has been the first time I have been able to maintain a successful weight loss plan. See ticker below. I have ice cream every single day, (and other treats some days too, I'm currently on a Poptart ice cream sandwich kick), and consistently lose weight, because I keep a calorie deficit. That's it. My diary is open if you want to peek. Losing weight does not have to be miserable. I will go grab a few helpful links.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    http://impruvism.com/flexible-dieting-basics/
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Every day!
  • EHisCDN
    EHisCDN Posts: 480 Member
    I have no intention of feeling completely deprived for the rest of my life so I work "treats" into my calories. Sometimes I go over my calories but I still eat below maintenance. It may make the process slower for me but it's definitely more sustainable.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Hi everyone, I've been using MFP for 2 weeks and lost 3 pounds. I added a post last week because I felt that it was going slow and I had headaches and dizzy spells but since putting my goal back to 1lb a week putting my calories up to 1390 and eating back some of my exercise calories I feel much better and actually enjoying it. My diet before this was quite unhealthy eating take away and junkies of the week and doing very little exercise. In the last two weeks I haven't had take away but I have had some weight watchers low cal treats and rich tea biscuits in the evening as a treat and have stayed within my calorie goal. I think I need to take these treats occasionally as I was so used to take sugary snacks so often and feel that if I cut it out I will give in and gorge.

    So what do people think? Is it ok to have these treats as long as it's in the calorie goal or I'll I stop my weight loss.

    The treats taste so much better now that I've cut way down and I look forward to it and feel that I've earned it which I never thought would happen with chocolate haha

    Thanks any opinions would be appreciated.

    Laurel,

    Wonderful news that you're feeling better after raising your calories!

    I plan my calories accordingly so that I can have a treat each day. My big treat is So Delicious Cocoanut Milk Frozen Dairy Desert with no sugar added (no processed sugar, that is, but fruit juice). Actually, now that I think of it, everything I eat is a treat. :smile:
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    These "treats" are designed to be physically addictive. Most people on this site will disagree with me, but i view those items the same way a recovering alcoholic views whiskey. One is too many, and a thousand is never enough.

    What, in your definition, is a treat?
  • lauraloy2013
    lauraloy2013 Posts: 58 Member
    Thanks so much for all the replies. So much help. I feel a lot more content now. I'm always afraid that I'm enjoying it too much to actually be doing good but I suppose that's one of the good things about MFP. Thanks guys.
  • ChrisS30V
    ChrisS30V Posts: 157 Member
    Whenever I feel like. In fact, I'm going to be baking a chocolate cake tonight and I plan on having a great big slice, or two. And why not? I exercised today, it easily fits into my caloric budget and by god I WANT it, that's reason enough for me.

    Like one of the other posters mentioned, there's not a Health-God or other nutrition-related deity keeping tally of every "good" or "bad" food that you eat. There's foods that should be eaten in greater abundance because they have nutrients that your body needs (fruit, veg, etc.) and then there are foods that aren't quite as nutritious (cake, muffins, all that wonderful stuff). As long as you're eating enough of the former to meet your nutritional foods, it's perfectly fine to enjoy the latter within the limits of your caloric budget.

    I'm not trying to point fingers or single anyone out, but if you'll notice, it's usually the people with the most restrictive (skinless chicken breast and steamed broccoli at every meal) diets that end up falling off of the wagon and binging their guts out at some point. IMHO being inflexible is not sustainable and is detrimental in the long run.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    I don't categorize food as "good" or "bad" so I have "treats" whenever. I have calorie goals and macro goals and I hit those...how I hit those is irrelevant so long as I'm getting proper nutrition. If all of my nutritional needs have been met, I don't get extra credit for more broccoli and I don't get dinged for having a handful of jelly beans.

    This
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    I don't categorize food as "good" or "bad" so I have "treats" whenever. I have calorie goals and macro goals and I hit those...how I hit those is irrelevant so long as I'm getting proper nutrition. If all of my nutritional needs have been met, I don't get extra credit for more broccoli and I don't get dinged for having a handful of jelly beans.
    Same here. I eat gelato, cookies and cheeseburgers every day regardless of my goals. I'm a minimalist in some aspects of life - but definitely not in terms of fat loss and calories.
  • eazy_
    eazy_ Posts: 516 Member
    Every day!
  • Irenaekl
    Irenaekl Posts: 116 Member
    I eat whatever I want so long as I record it and it fits my calorie budget. This is a life change in eating habits but I am not going to deny myself things for the rest of my life. A LITTLE of what you fancy etc
  • Irenaekl
    Irenaekl Posts: 116 Member
    These "treats" are designed to be physically addictive. Most people on this site will disagree with me, but i view those items the same way a recovering alcoholic views whiskey. One is too many, and a thousand is never enough.


    That's a very sweeping statement and does not apply to everyone. It may do if you have that sort of personality but denying yourself only makes you want it more.
  • teamnevergoingback
    teamnevergoingback Posts: 368 Member
    As long as it fits into my calories and macros, I'll have it... some of it. If you deprive yourself of everything 'bad', it is more likely for you to fail because you MISS IT. Moderation is key and if you occasionally indulge, you won't miss anything and won't fall back into bad habits, you'll learn new good ones! Such as fun size candy bars... Moderation.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    all the time
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I don't categorize food as "good" or "bad" so I have "treats" whenever. I have calorie goals and macro goals and I hit those...how I hit those is irrelevant so long as I'm getting proper nutrition. If all of my nutritional needs have been met, I don't get extra credit for more broccoli and I don't get dinged for having a handful of jelly beans.

    ^^this
  • FatOldBat
    FatOldBat Posts: 3,307 Member
    Daily. Otherwise I'd feel so deprived that I'd go right back to my bad old habits.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I have a "major" treat about once a week. Like a mini DQ blizzard, boutique cupcake, or a large slice of pie. This is usually on a weekend day and fits my calories due to extra exercise on the weekends.

    I have small treats almost daily. These would include a piece of chocolate with 150 cal or less, "treat yogurt" like 3 oz of noosa strawberry rhubarb or a 100 cal Chobani Bites with chocolate bits in it...a Clif Kids Z bar, or a single homemade cookie.

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