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

Options
2

Replies

  • Beastette
    Beastette Posts: 1,497 Member
    Options
    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
    tlblood Posts: 473 Member
    Options
    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
    gvheintz Posts: 138 Member
    Options
    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
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    Options
    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
    lanie37 Posts: 204 Member
    Options
    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
    BodyByButter Posts: 563 Member
    Options
    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
    Coffeeholic8 Posts: 270 Member
    Options
    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
    FearlessLissy13 Posts: 11
    Options
    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
    ErinRibbens Posts: 370 Member
    Options
    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
    bacamacho Posts: 306 Member
    Options
    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.
  • dodihere
    dodihere Posts: 490
    Options
    i treat myself on weekends or friday night but my diet is strict during the week
  • raytastic06
    raytastic06 Posts: 28 Member
    Options
    Don't Reward Yourself With Food...You Are Not A Dog.
  • AlphamaleBAMF
    AlphamaleBAMF Posts: 373 Member
    Options
    I binge eat/drink sometimes but I don't really like it because it just slows me down. Every time I do it I get a little voice in my head screaming "NOOOOOOOO!!!" because I know how much work even 1000 calories takes to burn.
  • Nutrition1st
    Nutrition1st Posts: 216 Member
    Options
    If you are equating treating yourself to cheating on your meal plan (which is perfectly fine), the best time to cheat is immediately before or after a workout (resistance). Your body will not have time to store those calories as fat b/c they will be used for energy and muscle tissue repair.
  • LokiOfAsgard
    LokiOfAsgard Posts: 378 Member
    Options
    I honestly don't treat myself anymore. When I do, I usually mess up! D:
    But, learning to keep things in the right proportions and learning to eat healthier, I can afford a candy or two a couple times a week. The funny thing though? After two months of cutting all the sweets out, I don't really like them like I use to!

    So, I say, go treat yourself, with something very small (settle the sweet tooth) and then go out and do something else fun. Don't get into the habit of rewarding yourself with food. lol
  • cheekywench
    cheekywench Posts: 2
    Options
    Congrats to your success!!

    But....
    Don't Reward Yourself With Food...You Are Not A Dog.

    Here to say this.

    Treat yourself to new shoes. A new Dress. A new movie.
    Try to get away from "treat = food" if you can.

    That being said, I've been banned from buying new shoes. LOL
  • SmallMimi
    SmallMimi Posts: 541 Member
    Options
    You can eat anything you want as long as it fits in your calories and you practice moderation and portion control. I don't "treat" myself with food choices.

    If I want ice cream, I eat ice cream IF it fits in my goals for the day. If it doesn't fit then - PISS POOR PLANNING ON MY PART DOES NOT MEAN I LET IT GO FOR THE DAY - I AM IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL NOT A SHORT TERM GOAL.

    I buy new clothes, do things that I was unable to do when I was overweight, etc.
  • KS_4691
    KS_4691 Posts: 228 Member
    Options
    If you've only been at this for a week, why do you already feel a need to have a treat?
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    Options
    If it fits within your daily calories, then have some frozen yogurt! I try to get lowfat or nonfat, and I'm very careful with portion size, so I have some without guilt from time to time. I keep dark chocolate and some other candies on hand, the type of thing that's easy to measure out part of a serving to suit the discretionary calories I have available. "Treat" yourself a little everyday, within reason!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Options
    On exercise days, I allow myself a dessert. I try to keep it under 200 calories though by eating a small portion.

    EDIT to add: My problem with food has been simply following the "See Food" diet and not caring about nutritional content, as well as sitting at a desk all day at work, then sitting in front of the TV all evening at home. So that being said, YES, I reward myself with dessert when I get up up off my *kitten* and burn 300-400 calories.

Categories