Can I lose fat having a treat once or twice a week?

Voca_Star
Voca_Star Posts: 140
in Food and Nutrition
Title says it all. Trying to get my BF down to about 20% (I'm a female). It's currently about 26.5%. I won't eat bad foods every day or anything, but maybe just a cookie or two once or twice a week. No "cheat days" - I'll eat the same every day of the week. I generally try to eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, protein, etc. I exercise 5 - 6 days a week, doing a circuit of strength+cardio 2 days a week, and strictly cardio for 35 - 45 minutes 4 days a week.

Replies

  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    bummmp
  • Jexebel
    Jexebel Posts: 67
    Yes.
  • Voca_Star
    Voca_Star Posts: 140
    Thank you!
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    Anyone can lose fat having a treat once or twice or 10 times a week if they really want to. If you're going by mfps recommendations chances are you're likely able to eat at least 500 cals a day in treats and not gain any weight.
  • DREXENDELSANGRE
    DREXENDELSANGRE Posts: 23 Member
    Yes, snacking in the manner you described above will definitely still allow you to lose weight.
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
    how big of a treat are we talking about here?
  • hottottie11
    hottottie11 Posts: 907 Member
    I have cookies everyday.

    Don't miss the forest for the trees (my new favorite saying). "Treats" in the context of an otherwise balanced diet are perfectly fine.
  • lisasch67
    lisasch67 Posts: 135 Member
    I have daily cheat calories, so I don't go and binge too badly on the weekends. I let myself have something sugary and sweet... like I'll have four starbursts or amd oreo cookie (pretty awful overprocessed treats), but allowing my self 80 - 100 calories of a treat a day has always helped with binging when I am really concentrating on my diet.
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    depends on who you ask, apparently...
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Nope, impossible to get lean without eating 100% clean
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    I'm 24.9% BF with a goal of 20%. You're welcome to take a look at my diary. You will see that I eat ice cream, cookies, cereal, etc. I'm still consistently losing weight and body fat.
  • leahartmann
    leahartmann Posts: 415
    Title says it all. Trying to get my BF down to about 20% (I'm a female). It's currently about 26.5%. I won't eat bad foods every day or anything, but maybe just a cookie or two once or twice a week. No "cheat days" - I'll eat the same every day of the week. I generally try to eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, protein, etc. I exercise 5 - 6 days a week, doing a circuit of strength+cardio 2 days a week, and strictly cardio for 35 - 45 minutes 4 days a week.
    Yes!! Just adjust with what else you´re eating, then you can have a treat every day, if you want to. And be careful not to eat to monotonous. You need to vary your food, even though a lot of fruit and veggies are great!
  • cyndymar
    cyndymar Posts: 73
    Hi it depends on the treat do you do instagram well a IG friend of mine getfitfeelsexy totally skinny but she has a blog too where she posts recipes for treats all fat free like protein muffins cakes all healthy ingredients to keep you fit check it out she's on Instagram and she has a blog www.getfitfeelsexy.blogspot.comshe is currently working on getting her cookbook published you won't be sorry = )
  • LisaKunz
    LisaKunz Posts: 73 Member
    Yes, you can. However, in my case, I've found that the more frequently I have treats, the more I CRAVE them. I haven't eliminated anything from my diet, just tried to bring it under control. But the unhealthy, carb, sugar and fat-laden foods make me want MORE!! So pretty soon my once-a-week treat turned into twice a week. Twice-a-week turned into every day. I deserved it for being so good. But an alcoholic can't just have one drink and be OK...I'm now calling my food issues an addiction and trying to treat it as such. "Trying" being the key word.
  • cbeutler
    cbeutler Posts: 667 Member
    You can eat pretty much anything once in a while as long as you hit your number. I gave up pop and candy, but still eat ice cream, chips, burgers, the occasional cookie.

    The closer I get to goal the harder it is because I have less allowance to work them in. Exercise is great for that.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    LIft weights and eat cookies!
  • lissy3211
    lissy3211 Posts: 1
    yes
  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    I eat chocolate every single day and I've lost 12 lbs this summer.
  • Marll
    Marll Posts: 904 Member
    Sure you can, but why potentially derail a goal or prolong it when you don't need to?

    I'd be asking myself why I feel like I need to justify a treat that apparently in my mind I know/think is the wrong thing to do, and then come to a forum looking for permission/acceptance of that decision?
  • eilmeister
    eilmeister Posts: 37
    Absolutely. And your weight loss is going to be more sustainable if you don't deprive yourself too much. Go have that cookie now ;-)

    It's the overall picture that counts. I eat healthy foods most of the time and home-cook almost all of my meals. That gives me room to fit in the occasional burger and fries, and even a beer now and then (or two, or three). I try to make sure that it fits in my calorie goal, but even if it doesn't, I try not to obsess about it. I'm still losing steadily. The key is to figure out a lifestyle that you're able to maintain without feeling like you're "on a diet".
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    My body fat is 20% and I got to this point while still enjoying a treat or two every single day.

    I eat a lot of healthy food - but not a day goes by that I don't have some kind of indulgence, whether it be dessert or pizza or a burger.

    Edited to add - I'm female, 40 years old, 137 lbs. My primary exercises are hiking and lifting weights. :-)
  • Ali155
    Ali155 Posts: 30
    Absolutely!
  • medennison123
    medennison123 Posts: 191 Member
    hell ya.
  • smaschin
    smaschin Posts: 91
    Nope, impossible to get lean without eating 100% clean

    is that a joke ? if not then its complete crap ! ;-)
  • smaschin
    smaschin Posts: 91
    you can lose fat and weight with a treat everyday if you want, i do and eat like a pig at least 2 days a week.

    its all about what you burn
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    A calorie is a calorie. You could lose weight eating your calorie goal in nothing but junk food (you would be hungry all the time, shaky, weak and probably get scurvy though).
  • sc1572
    sc1572 Posts: 2,309 Member
    I have a small treat everyday! :)
  • sbbc09
    sbbc09 Posts: 22
    I have a small treat after lunch every day. 2 Dove Promise squares (under 100 calories) or some such thing. Over time I've lost weight, and now it's weight maintenance with a drop in BF%. Go figure.
  • rlmadrid
    rlmadrid Posts: 694 Member
    Hi it depends on the treat do you do instagram well a IG friend of mine getfitfeelsexy totally skinny but she has a blog too where she posts recipes for treats all fat free like protein muffins cakes all healthy ingredients to keep you fit check it out she's on Instagram and she has a blog www.getfitfeelsexy.blogspot.comshe is currently working on getting her cookbook published you won't be sorry = )

    I read that all in one sentence and it hurt.
    OP, you can lose weight while having "treats". Just don't let the treats derail your progress. It's a matter of self control and moderation. There are people who will advocate for only "clean" foods for fast success, but that really doesn't start having an influence until you are very close to your goal. Even at that point, it's quite minimal. It's more of an issue of sanity. If that little piece of chocolate or handful of crisps keeps you from eating an entire cake, have at it.

    ETA: That cookbook looks interesting and will be my form of procrastination for the next hour.
  • LifeJacketWaterJogger
    LifeJacketWaterJogger Posts: 231 Member
    I eat treats all the time look at my photo!

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