What works best for you in terms of incorporating "treats"?

_J_en

Hello!

I've lost 8.9kg / 19 lb (yay me, I'm proud of that HAHA ) but still got a lot to go.

I've been trying my best to incorporate the foods I love (ice-cream etc) into my diet without going overboard.

What has been working best for everyone?

Just exercising it off, allowing yourself to go over that day, weekly treats, cheat days, daily allowances and portion control, monthly treats, low cal alternatives or other??

I've been trying a few things but still SLOWLY getting a hang of things.

afia233

same problem here!
i always feel terribly guilty after

tmcc70

Hi... Same here....I'm so addicted it sugar. I do good for a few days then I end up binging. I'm going to start incorporating sweets in to
my everyday diet, while try to stay with in my calorie goals. Lol.. so then maybe I'll only have that half cup of icecream instead of half of the container.

What I like:

Eddy's no sugar add pecan ice cream.
Sugar free pudding.
MD's hot fudge sundae.

MoreBean13

I get all my nutritional goals met with my base calories, and I'm a bit more liberal with my exercise calories. Even on days when I don't have exercise calories, I will squeeze ~50 cals for a square of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate got me through some rough times when I was more strictly cutting. :happy:

tryclyn

I just make it fit within my kcal goal for the day. I do find that if something doesn't taste as good as I was expecting I don't finish eating it because I would rather spend my kcals on something tasty.

MoreBean13

same problem here!
i always feel terribly guilty after

With total sincerity, don't feel guilty. Guilt is the downfall of many a diet. Plan for treats, and have them- just stick to the plan. When you realize treats aren't forbidden, the cravings for them will lessen considerably.

taso42

IIFYM

Shadowknight137

I pretty much find enough room in my day to include treats. Not too hard.

Guess it could help to pre-log foods to ensure you're getting enough protein and fat then toss in a goodie in some of the remaining cals.

cmcollins001

same problem here!
i always feel terribly guilty after

I don't have a standard cheat/treat/whatever day, but I do go over on purpose when I feel like it, and I even pick a day or two and not even log. I want this to be a tool for me to use, not an obsession.

Something I think a lot of people don't understand is that even if we are trying to lose weight and "dieting," life goes on and life is unpredictable,. You ARE going to go over your calories, you ARE going to binge, you ARE going to not feel like doing everything "right" but that's just part of it.

Waiting. Probably the hardest part of the whole weight loss thing. Waiting for results. IF you stay within your calorie deficit about 90% of the time and you are exercising, you WILL succeed. You will succeed in a way that will allow you to keep it off because you will learn about food and learn about how to eat the foods you like at a maintenance level.

honkytonks85

Hello!

I've lost 8.9kg / 19 lb (yay me, I'm proud of that HAHA ) but still got a lot to go.

I've been trying my best to incorporate the foods I love (ice-cream etc) into my diet without going overboard.

What has been working best for everyone?

Just exercising it off, allowing yourself to go over that day, weekly treats, cheat days, daily allowances and portion control, monthly treats, low cal alternatives or other??

I've been trying a few things but still SLOWLY getting a hang of things.

Try dividing out treats into smaller serve portions, so that you are only eating a bit at a time.
I tend to go overboard if I buy for example, a large bag of chips or nuts but if I get smaller bags I don't go overboard.

NRSPAM

I love the smart ones ice creams! They're not too bad on cal's, and they're so yummy! I like the one that's like a snicker's ice cream bar, and the ice cream cones, and I just got the turtle sundae now. It's hard to stop eating junk once you eat one though, just a word of caution. I wouldn't feel guilty though, if you do goof off once in a while. you can always make up for it. Also, you know, you don't have to be losing EVERY single week. And one goof off day will not typically make you gain, just maintain. So give yourself a break once in a while. Especially if you have a lot of weight to lose, you will definately need a little break now and then. Good luck!

DesertFox15

I generally have dessert after dinner. For dinner, I have a lean protein with lots of greens; this makes it easier to eat fewer calories for dessert. I have the 100 calorie Klondike ice cream sandwiches. Also, I have Quest bars for snacks when I'm on the go; some complain that they're too tough. To deal with this, I put it in the microwave for a few seconds and it's as soft/chewy as a brownie. Good luck!!!

jikkenkekka

To be honest, I have treats just about every day. I think I'd go nuts if I didn't. :x I just try to work on portion control. Lately I've been trying Healthy Choice greek frozen yogurt--I've got a box of I think 12 and there's two flavors, strawberry and vanilla bean, which are both really good. They come in pretty small cups that are 100 calories each. But even though they're small portions, I find them quite rich--especially the vanilla bean flavor--so one serving is plenty.

nataliescalories

I don't do cheat days or anything, but I do leave 100 calories every day for some kind of treat. I pre-log everything the day before (and I end up changing things often enough), but that gives me a pretty good guide and helps me meet my macro goals. Some of my favorites are; a few squares of a delicious chocolate, a glass of wine, a 1/2 cup of a sorbet or ice cream of some kind, hot chocolate, a few caramels, or a cookie. I've never been a binge eater, but I find that knowing I have something special coming at the end of the day keeps my mind from straying throughout the day.

Edit to add:

I keep so many treats in the house just so I can mix things up in interesting ways. I also try to make the treats as high end as I can within my budget. Organic licorice, French chocolate, etc. I think mixing things up helps a lot. I also always put my treat on a nice plate and make sure I'm aware I'm eating it (i.e. not staring at a TV or taking on the phone).

boatsie77

One square of Ghirardelli 72% Intense Dark Chocolate EVERY NIGHT. Break it into 10-12 pieces and melt each slowly in my mouth while sipping my coffee after dinner -- takes 10 - 15 minutes. 55 calories of "Good for me" dark chocolate each and every night is my treat.

MrsJSF

One meal once a week - I indulge (within reason) and have dessert. This meal is on a weekend and it's lunch so I have the time to burn off calories later. Usually, I'm too full from the lunch to have dinner anyway. Also, gives me something to look forward to during the weekend when I'm watching what I eat.

mjhedgehog

I don't really have days that I count as "cheat days". If I want a treat I fit it into my daily calories either by exercising a bit more or eating a bit less at lunch or dinner.

twinkiemon

I'm a chocoholic so I allow myself a Hershey Kiss or mini chocolate bar (no bigger than a 'fun size') every day because otherwise I will REALLY crave it and end up binging. This satisfies my sweet tooth.

_J_en

Thanks everyone.

It's been my biggest struggle incorporating treats correctly.

I don't feel guilt about them anymore which is great, and even when I binge I dont feel guilty.

So will keep working on it, incorporating your advice....especially eating a treat everyday! :happy:

Chadandbradsmummy

I don't really have days that I count as "cheat days". If I want a treat I fit it into my daily calories either by exercising a bit more or eating a bit less at lunch or dinner.

I do this. I don't think cheat days would work for me as once I start again I won't be able to stop!:happy: