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

Options
2»

Replies

  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,835 Member
    Options
    IIFYM

    this

    however on a low cal diet it is hard to fit in treats simply because of the minimal satiety they generally have. I like to healthify dessert recipes and then I still feel like I am eating "bad" stuff. (for lack of a better word) e.g. protein cheesecake.
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    Options
    I don't have too much trouble fitting treats into my day, especially on days when I run a lot. Anything over 10K is Dunkin' day--I've burned more calories than are in two doughnuts.

    I also look for things I really like that are satisfying in small portions. My sister gave us a box of Lake Champlain chocolate truffles, and I'm still working through them, one 120-calorie truffle at a time. They're so rich that one night when I grabbed a second one I could barely finish it. Learned my lesson--one is plenty!

    And nearly every day, my son and I have a cup of afternoon tea and split a pack of TastyKake Krimpets--120 to 140 calories each, depending on flavor. Pretty easy to fit into my day, especially if I've exercised at all.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Options
    I have incorporated some sort of "treat" every single day. Yesterday, one of my co-workers made cupcakes, that was my treat. Today my treat will be a 7.5 oz of Mountain Dew at dinner. Last week, one of my treats was splitting a desert at Ruby Tuesday's with my hubby.

    I haven't cut them out...I either try to fit them into my calorie intake, or I eat a few less calories the next day...or I don't. I have found that I am generally averaging the week out so really it all depends on how the week has been.
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
    Options
    I think you also have to get into a different mind-set about "treats".

    You're never going to make a lifestyle change (and keep your weight off permanently) if you are constantly trying to "fiddle" the system and try to finds ways to still eat the bad foods that made you gain weight in the first place.

    I see so many diaries with "low fat cakes" "reduced sugar desserts" "weightwatchers pizza" etc... Why not try to wean yourself off those foods and start to crave delicious fresh fruits/veg and healthy fresh food instead?

    Of course I'm not saying never eat "treats" ever again... but you have to change the way your brain views food. Things like chocolate, cakes, potato chips, fried foods - they are foods I don't eat! Once in a blue moon I will have them - but basically they don't concern me - they are foods that fat people eat. Thin, healthy people eat fresh, clean foods.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    Options
    I eat something sweet after every lunch and dinner. I usually keep mini three musketeers or some other small candy bar in the fridge and have a couple after a meal. That satisfies my sweet tooth and they are relatively low in calories. I refuse to deny myself something in the name of eating healthier. I eat healthy foods 90% of the time, the other 10%, I allow myself my indulgences.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Options
    I leave a little bit of room for it in my calories and macros. I had one of those mini Ben and Jerry's cups and it was 250 calories. I ate half if it yesterday and the other half I ate the day before.
  • gfedex
    gfedex Posts: 226 Member
    Options
    I'm not a fan of the "cheat day" mentality, as I don't want to spend my whole week thinking about that slice of pizza or ice cream cone I "allow" myself on Friday. I'd rather just have something every day (and no, not a 1" X 1" square of 85% cocoa chocolate- an actual treat). Because I exercise regularly, I have no trouble fitting it into my calorie allotment.

    For me, that treat is generally a buttered bagel, oat square or cookie with a tea. I have it after the gym at the nearby Tims or Starbucks, and it's as much decompression time as anything.

    I don't buy any junk to keep in the house, thinking I'll be able to eat "just one."
  • muayqis
    muayqis Posts: 72
    Options
    Think I've figured out my treats:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/886377-things-that-help-keep-me-under-control
    Basically i avoid refined sugar wherever i can. It completely turns me into a sugar monster, and it only ends when i eventually fall asleep.
    Now that I've accepted that, life is much simpler.
    I had a binge last night on kidney beans and bacon. It was awesome, and i still feel good today! hurrah!

    YMMV
  • TNR32
    TNR32 Posts: 110 Member
    Options
    I leave room for it every day otherwise I would go crazy with my cravings. Yeah I'm the type of woman that you do not take choc. away from.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Options
    I think you also have to get into a different mind-set about "treats".

    You're never going to make a lifestyle change (and keep your weight off permanently) if you are constantly trying to "fiddle" the system and try to finds ways to still eat the bad foods that made you gain weight in the first place.

    I see so many diaries with "low fat cakes" "reduced sugar desserts" "weightwatchers pizza" etc... Why not try to wean yourself off those foods and start to crave delicious fresh fruits/veg and healthy fresh food instead?

    Of course I'm not saying never eat "treats" ever again... but you have to change the way your brain views food. Things like chocolate, cakes, potato chips, fried foods - they are foods I don't eat! Once in a blue moon I will have them - but basically they don't concern me - they are foods that fat people eat. Thin, healthy people eat fresh, clean foods.
    I disagree; foods aren't "bad". Eating too much of any food will make you gain weight or prevent you losing. You're perhaps not looking at a big enough sample of thin people and what they eat. Most of the people I know who are thin, and appear to be "naturally" thin do indeed eat all those kinds of foods that you are demonising - they just eat them in smaller portions, or less frequently. It's not "fiddling the system" - it's just living. Eating only lean meats and fresh veggies might be for some people, but its' not for everyone. I know one person who eats very "clean" - mostly whole foods, very rarely has any sugary treats. She is, as far as I know, very healthy, but has slowly gained weight over the last few years because she is eating slightly more than her body needs.

    OP - I've always (since being on MFP) made room in my day for things like chocolate or other treats that aren't necessarily contributing to my nutrition goals. When I was on 1200 calories, it was maybe 100 cals left over for chocolate. Now that I'm on about 1650 (before exercise), I try to use at least 1400-1500 on foods that are nutrient-dense. The rest may be used for treats, or may just be used for larger portions of nutritious stuff, depending how I feel that day. At the moment, I still have a big box of Cadbury's chocolate fingers left over from Christmas, so each night I'm having 4 chocolate fingers for about 110 cals. Yesterday I had a lot of cals left over from exercise, and enjoyed a glass of wine and some buttered toast as well.
  • Crazy_Diet_Mom
    Crazy_Diet_Mom Posts: 51
    Options
    I absolutely enjoy my treats and am still losing weight. I fit it into my daily goal - but only after I've made sure to fit in all the necessities: plenty of protein, whole grain fiber, at least 5 veg & fruit options, etc.

    And I believe in single serve sizes. A whole cake in the house makes it hard to stop at a reasonable amount but baking a small cake just for today keeps portions in control and makes it a little more important and feels like a real treat. (I divide out a box of cake mix by weight and mix one serving with a Tbsp of egg whites & a little water and bake it in a ramekin.) Buy mini sizes of candy if that's your weakness, they have single size Skinny Cow ice cream available, I just recently bought a mini pie maker and am looking forward to using that too as soon as I find a lighter pie crust recipe.

    Be smart but don't restrict yourself so much that you rebel and go crazy on a dozen donuts or a full 1/2 gallon of ice cream.
  • littleblonde200
    littleblonde200 Posts: 95
    Options
    I weight on a saturday and i have a treat saturday night. Saturday was the one day a week that i often struggled to be good. However i have just restarted and went out earlier to buy my treat and i realized i was just having it for the sake of it. So i have got myself something with slightly more calories than normal in it but still good and i have a low cal pudding for after if i want it.

    I think the trick is not to say no as then you want it more. The other day i was a but naughty for lunch but i really fancied it. So i was just extra good for dinner and it seemed to of balanced out. i am sure it would not every day but if you have a little of what you fancy it should stop any binging

Categories