When is a good time to "treat yourself"???

haleydself

I am new at this.. I've never had, or wanted, to diet. Now, almost 2 years after having a baby, and 50 pounds heavier, I think it's time. I have been eating SUPER healthy this week (still my first week of diet), and am wondering when I could "treat myself" with something not so healthy!! Like a trip to my favorite frozen yogurt place! I just don't want to mess anything up, but I seriously want something sweet!!

MaryJane_8810002

I treat myself when I have lost a certain amount of weight. Maybe some ice cream if I lose 10 lb and a new dress if you lose 30 lbs.

kattipoo93

In my opinion they aren't so much treats. I make room for everything in my diet. If I have the extra calories, then I'll eat something sweet. Simple as that. Moderation is the key.

sweiland1

I go almost every week, if it fits into my calories.

NoAdditives

First, you shouldn't think of it as a "diet". Make healthy lifestyle changes you can live with long term.

Second, I always have one or two days off from counting calories and worrying about eating only healthy foods. It hasn't stopped me from losing weight. it helped me to not feel like I was depriving myself. And, over time I've found that I want the unhealthy foods less and less.

Alyssa_Is_LosingIt

Sometimes on Saturdays or Sundays I let myself have a cheat day. I still log everything though. If you wanna go to the frozen yogurt place (which in Gadsden, isn't called Yogurt Time or something?), you can search the food database here for Yogurt Mountain. They're in the database and I'm sure the calories are similar. You can still log it, and maybe try and stay within your calories, but it's like a special treat! You can work out extra on those days, and you will have even more calories to play with. :drinker:

Beastette

That depends.

For some, a "treat" opens the floodgates and sends them into a spiral of unhealthy choices.

Some people can do it weekly, or even daily, and control their portions and stay within macros.

Just be honest with yourself, and remember that you don't have to use food as a reward. Even Pavlov would agree.

RhonndaJ

Just make certain it fits into your calories.

sc1572

i have a small "treat" each day about 200 cals or under i've lost 31 lbs, it keeps me on track, and i never feel deprived. every couple weeks, i go out for a meal, get frozen yogurt, etc. it's a lifestyle change, not a diet!

loumaag

Hmm, why are you not including things you like in your normal diet? I don't mean eating something that completely just wrong, like a whole pizza or a pint of ice cream, but those things, in moderation, should be in your normal diet; otherwise, you are on a "diet" (which you seem to think you are) instead of changing your eating habits for good (which should be your goal.)

I don't believe in "treats" or "cheats", but that is just me; however, if you look at my diary (I am pretty sure you can) you will see that I eat just about what I want. I keep my calories below my daily goal and I do this still eating popcorn (almost daily), ice cream sandwiches (occasionally), etc.

No matter what you do, please don't treat yourself like you are on a diet.

I_love_frogs

I don't have cheat meals, I have treat meals I try to be good all week as much as I can, and if I can make room for a treat in my day then I will do so. If I know something is incoming, like a birthday dinner or a holiday meal? I will work more at the gym and not eat as much during the week so I can indulge a little and not feel too badly.

I don't fret over my goal....I have read and heard that since so much of the cals are estimated, I should not fuss at 100 cals +/- my goal. so if I go over a little it isn't the end of the world. And if I go over more than that then I workout a little harder the next few days.

I am not going to sit back and be that person that says "No Im on a diet I can't touch anything but rice cakes and tofu and salads." If I see something I can have a bite or a serving...this is a lifestyle change! I'm going to live my life and be happy! If I want that piece of cake then so be it...I wil just work it into my cals that day OR do longer workouts at the gym tomorrow. Either way... I don't deny myself.

My saying no to myself leads to binging, and binging leads to weight gain, and weight gain leads to unhappy sad Shai, which leads to more saying no that leads to binging.....etc etc etc.

NoAdditives

That depends.

For some, a "treat" opens the floodgates and sends them into a spiral of unhealthy choices.

Some people can do it weekly, or even daily, and control their portions and stay within macros.

Just be honest with yourself, and remember that you don't have to use food as a reward. Even Pavlov would agree.

Food doesn't have to be a reward, but treats aren't necessarily rewards. Sometimes it's just eating a little bit of a food (that you wouldn't eat on an average day) that you enjoy, without any emotions involved.

DeadMarsha

I try to make sure I have something good to look forward to daily that fits within my calorie goals... it makes it easier to say "no" to temptations along the way! I also don't count on Sundays (and make sure to keep tabs in my head that I'm still being moderate and not just pigging out), and I let myself go over without too much worry every once in a while too.

The key is to try to plan for everything! Eventually I want to wean myself off the counter, once I've met my goal and have been able to maintain for a while. For me this is a lifestyle change... I want to be able to love the food I eat and I want to splurge every once in a while. I want to be active daily and I want to do something intense, like a long hike) every once in a while. So everything stays balanced.

taratam83

If it fits into your calories and fat intake and its not going to eliminate a meal you actually need then I would go for it. I'm doing this slow (part of the eat more weigh less group) and have lost 30 lbs in 6 months. I have thyroid disease which makes every pound a battle BUT I'm averaging 5 lbs off per month. You've got to live otherwise it becomes impossible to commit. My take on frozen yogurt -- its yogurt! Sure, its dairy, its frozen, its sweet... well, it saves you from getting a huge milkshake and about 750 calories at some other place! I usually get the 80 calorie, no fat, no sugar variety. I don't feel guilty about spending time with my family doing this either. I just don't do this *every* day.

stephyj528

First, you shouldn't think of it as a "diet". Make healthy lifestyle changes you can live with long term.

Second, I always have one or two days off from counting calories and worrying about eating only healthy foods. It hasn't stopped me from losing weight. it helped me to not feel like I was depriving myself. And, over time I've found that I want the unhealthy foods less and less.

^YES TOTALLY AGREE. and yes dont deprive yourself or youll binge more.

myfitnessval

My first month here i designated a cheat day where if I was craving something unhealthy all week i would save it for sunday and eat it then if I still wanted it. It worked at keeping me on track and I managed to lose a good 8-10lbs that first month. Now I just work it into my diet and daily calories and make sure that its on a day that I'm exercising. Do what works for you.

RealMattHopkins

You should be able to treat yourself every day if you budget your calories accordingly.

I find it easier to treat myself best on gym days (MWF) when I burn and earn around 900 calories of extra food. I have been getting a Tim Horton's Ice Cappuccino which is about 310 calories.

Someone else noted that this isn't a diet... it's a lifestyle. I lost about 20lbs using this site last fall. I found I was able to steadily keep meeting my goals without losing out on social events or eating out or having treats. You can too. Good luck!

haleydself

Thank you That's what I was hoping for... I am usually like 200 calories under my limit every day anyway... I guess I can eat something unhealthy every once in a while, and it wont mess me up!

OAvalos

Don't "treat" yourself, you're not a dog... Just make sure a little something fits into your calorie allowance for the day... even if its everyday

welcome to your new lifestyle !

WhatAgirl_

when you are ready to burn it off the next day

RitaSantoss

For me I try to eat as healthy as I can during the week, but Sundays are my 'cheat days'. Every Sunday I try to eat one or more things that I've been wanting to eat for a long time, for example: ice cream, chips, a full bowl of cereal. And in those days I normally go over quite a bit on my calories but I still exercise and I lose weight. Maybe not as fast but I'm fine with that.

Upon saying this, every person is different, so just find what suits you best!

Beastette

That depends.

For some, a "treat" opens the floodgates and sends them into a spiral of unhealthy choices.

Some people can do it weekly, or even daily, and control their portions and stay within macros.

Just be honest with yourself, and remember that you don't have to use food as a reward. Even Pavlov would agree.

Food doesn't have to be a reward, but treats aren't necessarily rewards. Sometimes it's just eating a little bit of a food (that you wouldn't eat on an average day) that you enjoy, without any emotions involved.

I understand, and agree. The point was to remove the idea of "treat". It's all food. Some is more nutritionally dense, but the word "treat" means that it is, in fact, a reward.

A treat could be something you purchase for yourself that you wouldn't, or something you do for yourself. Just to clarify my point.

tlblood

I treat myself whenever I have the calories to do it. This is not a diet, it's a lifestyle change, and I'm not going to only treat myself on some sort of schedule for the rest of my life.

I have done Weight Watchers on and off and my favorite leader has always said that your "rewards" for your weight loss should never be connected to food (ie: her "reward" for hitting goal was going out to dinner and she ended up gaining all her weight back before losing it for good and becoming a leader).

gvheintz

I agree with those who said part of a healthy lifestyle is to have treats. I've been on enough diets to know that if you starve yourself and restrict yourself with reckless abandon, as soon as your body has the chance it will rebel.

I live 80 meters from an ice cream shop. If I opt to go there, it will be only occasionally because I have to work it into my daily calorie allowance. For me, that makes me prioritize ... ice cream ... and then really having to watch every calorie ... or no ice cream and enjoying more of other foods.

I have decided to make it more of a social event ... so if I choose to go for ice cream, it is to go out with friends and be sociable and to enjoy myself. I guess it becomes a question of what's normal? Do normal people have ice cream cones once in a while? Sure. Do normal, healthy, fit people go over for ice cream every day ... not if they want to remain healthy, fit people.

determinedbutlazy

If it fits into your calories, have what you want.
I agree with what others have said, don't think of food in terms of "treats" or "diet food", if possible. It all has different nutritional values and it all comes down to the numbers at the end of the day.
I eat two squares of dark chocolate with ginger stem every day and it stops me from craving chocolate and then consuming a whole family size bar.

lanie37

I have stopped using food as a treat or reward, thats how I ended up in this state in the first place. I now use trips to hairdresser or other forms of pampering as a reward now.
If you have the spare calories why not have a frozen yoghurt, its a lifestyle change not a diet. If you Diet that leads to failure, Lifestyle is forever.

BodyByButter

I have stopped using food as a treat or reward, thats how I ended up in this state in the first place. I now use trips to hairdresser or other forms of pampering as a reward now.
If you have the spare calories why not have a frozen yoghurt, its a lifestyle change not a diet. If you Diet that leads to failure, Lifestyle is forever.

This!

I gave myself a bracelet and new running shoes for sticking to plan for six weeks. In the past everything was celebrated with dinner out and that's a bad habit.

Coffeeholic8

I have one day a week, usually a Sunday, when I relax my healthy eating choices and if I want something different or 'special' I have it. But, on any day if I want something In particular I'll work it into my eating plan. I'm not on a restrictive diet though so not sure if that makes it easier to do so.

FearlessLissy13

My whole life, it's always been hard for me to keep control when it came to sweets/chocolate. Now after I've arrived at my goal weight, I put the section 'Guilty Pleasures' in my Food Diary. I allow myself one treat a day, and I find that I don't even need one every single day! Just make sure you're able to control yourself. Frozen yogurt isn't that bad, if you keep an eye on the toppings. But honestly, if you know beforehand that you will overeat as soon as you get yourself a treat, don't do it.
For some people (like me), going cold turkey until they've reached their goal is all that helps.

ErinRibbens

I check my total calories for the whole week. So, if I am under for the week, I use those calories for something I wouldn't eat every day, like ice cream. but I try to check how many calories the treat has BEFORE I eat it, sometimes it's surprising! If you are eating under your suggested amount of calories every day, you will be fine.

bacamacho

I do it when I know I'm going to burn a lot of calories. Today I knew I was going to work hard so I made some chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and had Subway for lunch.