Sweets: occasional treat, or total ban?

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  • HappyathomeMN
    HappyathomeMN Posts: 498 Member
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    I learned (the hard way) that I can not keep my treats in the house. If I really want it (I mean REALLY want it). Then I have to make the effort to go get it and when I do, I am able to get a reasonable portion and be totally satisfied with that amount. Otherwise, I mindlessly eat until it's gone if I have it at home.

    As a side benefit, my children learned that treats are just that- treats and not everyday snacks.
  • ashley_jorah
    ashley_jorah Posts: 71 Member
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    If I ban it, I find I want it more! And then I'll over eat it when it does appear. I need to work things in in small amounts.

    I've started keeping the good ice cream at my brother's house. When I go over and walk his dogs every week or two, I have a few bites of the ice cream. It's not in my freezer, so it can't tempt me.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    I'm the same way with ice cream so that is the one thing I cannot have in the house. If I want a cold treat, I get a small cone from McDonald's or I have a sugar free fudgecicle (or 2).

    For sweet cravings, I have a Special K chocolately pretzel bar or a mini dark chocolate candy bar from the "store" here at work, but sometimes it's as easy (and much healthier) to have a piece of fruit. Yesterday I wanted something and the big naval cara cara orange I'd packed for snack did the trick perfectly - filling and sweet! A friend of mine packs her own 100 cal packs of cereals like cookie crunch or chocolate cheerios.

    Gum helps some people but I have TMJ/TMD so that doesn't really work for me.

    Edited to add - try not banning things from your diet altogether as you may feel deprived and not be able to stick with your new lifestyle for long. Finding substitutes is a great idea!
  • barbarajean3
    barbarajean3 Posts: 132 Member
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    I'm a sweet junkie too. Lucky me there is a bakery on my block. When I cannt stand it any more I'll go get one cupcake, it's like total heaven. If i'm gonna eat it I want it to be worth it. I do limit myself to 1 maybe 2 a month.
  • cjjones007
    cjjones007 Posts: 602
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    I have to totally ban it! If I have a little I am going to have a lot. I want to get to my goal as soon as possible. I will work on moderation, once I reach my goal. Currently, I lack the will power to stop.

    I'm a total banner as well... I LOVE 2 teaspoons of sugar in my morning coffee, for example, but even THAT amount of sugar causes me to crave sweets the rest of the day...

    personally - if you can have a small sweet and go on like no big deal - OUTSTANDING - but since I can't my personal preference was to ban it - truth be told it is what I've had to do for all of my "cheats" - I don't feel I can properly control that part yet so better to drop it completely and live thin than not and live heavier for longer lol (for me)

    I hope you find a great median that you can work from - Just know we'll support your efforts regardless!!! :)
  • dellr
    dellr Posts: 2
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    I don't eat a lot of sweets, but I found that 1-2 hard candies after dinner curbs the want for something more substantial later in the evening, which is even worse. But Yes, do allow the occasional sweet. You and I started about the same time. Getting your mind around this takes time, and your body will eventually follow, so don't be in too much of a rush. You'll work it all out eventually.
  • GrampsWooha
    GrampsWooha Posts: 184
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    total ban if possible
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
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    I Grocery shop once every two weeks, and I allow myself to buy one box of baked goodness (I.e. Brownies cookies cake etc) I can choose any time between those two weeks when I want to have that treat. Once it is gone tho... Its gone...

    Other things I have around the house to have at anytime, is

    Chocolate Light Soy milk (90) calories a glass
    Sugar Free Fat free Pudding mix if you make it with skim milk its super low calorie, I also mix a spoon full of the powder into my plain greek yogurt and its like pudding heaven, this is my after work out snack
    Fruit galore
    Sugar Free Jello
    Sugar free Whip Cream to top my jello or pudding
    70% dark chocolate. I melt it and pour it over almonds. YUMM. or craizons... (cranberry raisens)
  • Schraudt814
    Schraudt814 Posts: 496 Member
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    I'm kind of half and half...I cannot have a carton of anything in my apartment...if it's not preportioned, it's gone in a few days (if that). Even the little things like those pillsbury sweet things you keep in the fridge (cannot for the life of me remember the name!) aren't good for me...I eat the little 3 piece serving size and I feel good...until I have 2 more servings! That bag is GONE! So I can only eat sweets that are wrapped in tiny little pretty packages...like hershey kisses and tootsie rolls! I love those Skinny Cow ice cream cones too...YUM!
  • StrawberrySprinkles
    StrawberrySprinkles Posts: 90
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    I can identify with this to some degree. However, the difference is that...my spouse...he's an eating machine. :huh:

    If we buy ice cream or other assorted and evil goodies for a treat, he will work his way through it pretty quickly and if I don't get in there while I can, my goodies are gone too. Kind of annoying when I'm asked 'Are you going to eat that?' :embarassed:

    I know it saves me from jumping over the table and scarfing it myself, but it would be nice to have it there for when I do want it. :flowerforyou:

    I think the best way to handle this is to set aside the portion that you want and put the rest away. After all, you have set aside a goal and you owe it to yourself to try to stick with it.

    Starting to portion control is always the hardest because there are several factors at play whether it's a physical 'need' to eat or a psychological 'need' for comfort. For me, I know which one is the hardest to overcome (the latter). It's like having to deal with all the crumby emotions that are attached to food all at once. :tongue:

    There have been some good suggestions here: smaller packages of food, pre-calorie counting, etc. Stop and think why you do what you do and then decide how you can still indulge in a small treat without going off the rails. :)

    Best of luck,
    The Strawb
  • FitCoachJen
    FitCoachJen Posts: 139 Member
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    I can't buy sweets (cookies, cakes, candy) from the store because I'll devour them in one sitting. The food manufacturers design them to be the ideal blend of tastes and texture and I don't like that, so I don't buy them. Ever. 3 Oreos are 160 calories (that's 10-30 minutes of cardio depending on intensity) and one TABLESPOON of sugar (14g). Would you sit and eat an entire spoon of sugar?

    I'll eat dessert if it's a celebration. It's not about depravity, it's about finding a balance for me.

    If I'm really having a craving, I'll make something myself with healthy substitutions AND no chemicals. Apple turnovers with wheat flour and half the butter, or strawberry shortcake with real (non-hydrogenated) cream and wheat pound cake with apple sauce instead of fat.

    So, total ban on buying fake food. Occasional treat if I feel like baking or if it's a celebration.
  • xxjacqueline
    xxjacqueline Posts: 97 Member
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    I have the same problem. I've found it helps me to drink water afterward, to get the taste of whatever sweet treat I'm eating out of my mouth. So after I eat something sweet I drink a full glass of water. It generally helps.
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
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    I've tried and tried again with the moderation thing, and I have to keep stuff out of the house. Even with the best intentions, if I know the ice cream (even low sugar stuff) is sitting in my freezer, I'll go eat half the container. I can't even keep the no sugar candies and treats around or I'll eat the entire bag.

    Oh, and here's a fun fact: Sugar alcohols consumed in excess may cause loose stools. Eat a triple portion of Russel Stover sugar free pecan turtles and uh, chances are you'll be running to the bathroom and FAST.

    I'm one of those people that cannot stop once they start eating sugar. I REALLY have to stay away from it. I even get the same effect from eating too much fruit :( Puts me on this sugar high and all I want are sweets afterward. Ugh, it sucks. But the longer I stay away from the stuff, easier it is to stay within my goals.
  • Merodie
    Merodie Posts: 21
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    Sugar is my nemesis!!!! Skittles is even part of my e-mail adderss so I feel ya. For me, I did a whole two week 100% ban on sugar and it was H***. Headaches, cravings, the whole works but after that two weeks ... not so bad. Now, my solution is to not deprive myself because then I feel cheated. So, fiber one bars are my candy bar :happy: I do not buy stuff to have around the house. I make myself leave and spend too much money on something small just for me. I eat it slow and savor every bite. Goofy I know, but it is what works for me. Eastewr time I even ate a handful of skittles (I made sure I shared the rest IMMEDIATELY)

    I am now to the point where it is a genuine treat. So I guess my suggestion would be to ONLY buy single serving if you have it at home. ( I still can't) , make it a pain to get to it . It will get better. oh and figure how much extra exercise you would have to do to burn it off EEK! that can be a deterrant too!!

    Good luck!!! You can do it! Merodie
  • Zeromilediet
    Zeromilediet Posts: 787 Member
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    Occasional ...

    I used to LOVE desserts, but a long time ago made a committment to only eat primo treats and not something in a bag from the grocery store. So I used to make decadent brownies, frosted cakes, homemade cookies & ice cream, mousses, etc. only buy & bake with the finest ingredients--my beloved stand mixer really got a workout :-) Now I've cut sugar out of my diet and allow only a treat of the occasional square of dark chocolate and sometimes a quarter cup serving of decadent ice cream; my worst sugar weakness is sugar in my espresso from time to time.

    Not as hard as I thought it would be, but if any of these had to be given up, the hardest would be that square of chocolate :-)
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
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    Just don't bring it home. I've been lving healthy for almost 2 years now, and if there is ice cream to be had i will have it.

    Once you get to a stage that you realize (seriously, we all know...but until knowing makes a difference) that it can screw up your goals, you just have to account for it. If i eat a pint of ice cream (which i do, and i apologize for nothing) I log my calories, etc and i do better afterwards. I also add ANOTHER hour of working out.

    I finally found a balance where a Drumstik is not the be-all-end-all of my goals.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    If I do it is usually at a function. I will not bring them into the house. If I do have a Birthday party or anything at home I send the sweets home with guest or trash them. IF not I will eat them til there gone.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    dp
  • Teeladog
    Teeladog Posts: 157 Member
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    So....just reading this topic made me seriously crave the unopened Hershey bar that was in my pantry (leftover from s'mores on a camping trip). The more I read, the worse the craving became. So, clearly, I am one of those people that can't have the stuff in the house. I just went and split the bar with the kids so now it is all gone and I only ate 1/3 of it. And, my daughter just told me how nice I am :-).
  • Teeladog
    Teeladog Posts: 157 Member
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    Oh...and funny story related to this...my sister growing up LOVED little debbie swiss rolls. My mom found that she would buy them for my sister and then end up eating a bunch of them herself. So, she tried putting them into the freezer figuring that if she had to wait for them to thaw then she would be less likely to eat them. That is when she discovered that they are excellent frozen.

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