Everyday treat/sugars??

Options
anaboneana
anaboneana Posts: 195 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So.. I've been looking into whether or not eating sweets everyday is ok and wondering if eating them will significantly hinder my weight loss. Lots of sites say that sugar is just bad and that it should be completely eliminated.

I've tried to give up sugar and it just doesn't work. My cravings get so out-of-control that I end up binging - thinking that I'll never be able to have sugar ever again so "justifying" why I think it's "ok" to have 20 cupcakes or whatever in one sitting (that's my skewed logic that's come about from when I first started binging and purging; note: i no longer purge!).

I've come to find that if I let myself eat something sweet (say, a few pieces of candy or an ice cream bar) that I end up being content and not needing anymore. Fulfilling my horrible sugar addiction with an everyday fix seems bad.. But is it really? I know I should completely cut out sweets because they're "empty calories". It just seems like an impossible task. Banning sugar (or anything really) from my diet makes me want it 2x as bad. Whereas if I --allow-- myself to have something, I don't seem to want it as much.

Can anyone else relate? Have you been able to lose weight and be healthy while satisfying your sweet tooth? Has eating a treat a day helped curb cravings or has it led to more intense ones for you?

Replies

  • Daysednconfused
    Daysednconfused Posts: 975 Member
    Options
    I was never a sweet eater until I started eating healthier, working out and losing weight. Since then, I have to have something sweet at the end of the day. I've lost almost 50 lbs, so it's not hindered my weight loss so far. If it fits in your calories, I think it's fine. Moderation.
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    Options
    My reasoning is that I'm trying to figure out a way to eat that I can live with for the rest of my life. Looking ahead, I can't see myself giving up sugar. I don't want to give up sugar. So, I incorporate sweet treats into my day, keeping within my calorie goals. I try to come close to hitting my macros: carbs, fat, and protein, but don't worry about how much of the carbs comes from sugar.

    Perfect? No, I don't expect I'll ever eat perfectly. I eat my spinach salads and baked sweet potatoes and lean chicken...sometimes. And sometimes I have BBQ pork ribs and PopTarts. I try for balance. If I look at my diary and have been eating more sugary and processed foods for a few days, I try to eat cleaner for a few days to make up for it. But almost every day, I have some sort of treat.

    I find I can keep to this just fine. Last time I did it, I lost 35 pounds, kept it off within 5 pounds for 2 years, and am now back to tracking to lose some more. I also have good blood pressure, don't get sick often, and have the energy to run 22-25 miles a week. So, for me at least, it's working.
  • thevegankelly
    thevegankelly Posts: 85 Member
    Options
    I eat a quarter of a dark chocolate Camino chocolate bar a few times a week. It's a reasonable portion, it fits into my calorie allowance, and dark chocolate has health benefits, so it's not the worst thing I could eat. For me the key is to avoid sweets I know will cause a sugar crash later, because I used to be a huge sugar eater and constantly had blood sugar crashes that would make me crave more. Now that I'm eating better and avoiding the worst foods, I don't have those blood sugar crashes and therefore don't have the cravings.
  • TheTrimTim
    TheTrimTim Posts: 222 Member
    Options
    I have a massive sweet tooth and I'm trying to curb it too. Taste will change - 7 to 10 days will be hard but if you stay strong, you will find that the sweet stuff is too sweet.

    Perhaps you can just your sweetness intake down gradually, cut down on sugar in tea/coffee bit by bit, a little less on your cereal, etc.

    For my sweetness kick, I have fruit. Apricots and cranberries are great. And then you can try things like protein cookies and cakes, with some dark chocolate in them if you make them yourself. The protein cookies are great because they are full of... well, protein, and whilst they taste great, they aren't loaded with sugar.
  • anaboneana
    anaboneana Posts: 195 Member
    Options
    My reasoning is that I'm trying to figure out a way to eat that I can live with for the rest of my life. Looking ahead, I can't see myself giving up sugar. I don't want to give up sugar. So, I incorporate sweet treats into my day, keeping within my calorie goals. I try to come close to hitting my macros: carbs, fat, and protein, but don't worry about how much of the carbs comes from sugar.

    Perfect? No, I don't expect I'll ever eat perfectly. I eat my spinach salads and baked sweet potatoes and lean chicken...sometimes. And sometimes I have BBQ pork ribs and PopTarts. I try for balance. If I look at my diary and have been eating more sugary and processed foods for a few days, I try to eat cleaner for a few days to make up for it. But almost every day, I have some sort of treat.

    I find I can keep to this just fine. Last time I did it, I lost 35 pounds, kept it off within 5 pounds for 2 years, and am now back to tracking to lose some more. I also have good blood pressure, don't get sick often, and have the energy to run 22-25 miles a week. So, for me at least, it's working.

    I like your way of thinking/eating.
  • anaboneana
    anaboneana Posts: 195 Member
    Options
    I eat a quarter of a dark chocolate Camino chocolate bar a few times a week. It's a reasonable portion, it fits into my calorie allowance, and dark chocolate has health benefits, so it's not the worst thing I could eat. For me the key is to avoid sweets I know will cause a sugar crash later, because I used to be a huge sugar eater and constantly had blood sugar crashes that would make me crave more. Now that I'm eating better and avoiding the worst foods, I don't have those blood sugar crashes and therefore don't have the cravings.

    I thought about getting dark chocolate the other day, mostly for the health benefits, when I was getting groceries but.. Even though I like the taste, it's just not the same as a mini Kitkat or Reese's.

    As for the sugar crash.. I haven't dealt with that. I think it has to do with the fact that I eat chocolate inbetween when I eat fruit (like I'll have fruit for breakfast, chocolate piece midmorning, fruit at lunch, chocolate piece in the afternoon, fruit at dinner, chocolate at night right before I study/go online).
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
    Options
    I eat whatever I have no intention of never eating again.

    If you tell yourself that you can't have something, what happens? Obsess much, maybe? Avoid it for quite awhile and then when it happens back into your life you binge and feel guilty, maybe? I still eat chocolate, cake, cookies and ice cream, but now I know how much I can have. I have weekly budget of about 13000 and can spend them however I choose. If I follow the 80/20 rule (80% healthy 20% whatever) that leaves me with 2600 kcal for "junk", I don't have such a rule this is just an example. I do buy the bags of mini chocolate bars and find that one or two is usually enough to satisfy my sweet tooth for awhile.

    Sugar itself isn't something you need be too fussed with unless you have a medical condition that makes it necessary to do so.
  • anaboneana
    anaboneana Posts: 195 Member
    Options
    I have a massive sweet tooth and I'm trying to curb it too. Taste will change - 7 to 10 days will be hard but if you stay strong, you will find that the sweet stuff is too sweet.

    Perhaps you can just your sweetness intake down gradually, cut down on sugar in tea/coffee bit by bit, a little less on your cereal, etc.

    For my sweetness kick, I have fruit. Apricots and cranberries are great. And then you can try things like protein cookies and cakes, with some dark chocolate in them if you make them yourself. The protein cookies are great because they are full of... well, protein, and whilst they taste great, they aren't loaded with sugar.

    Luckily, I really dislike straight sugar in my coffee or on my cereal/fruit.

    I'm going to have to try finding a chocolate protein cookie recipe, that sounds awesome. I've been getting Kashi granola bars and they sorta fit in with my love of chocolate and baked goods - the cherry dark chocolate has 5g of protein and is 120 cal each and the dark mocha almond has 6g of protein at 130 cals.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    Options
    i have a small piece of chocolate (50-75 calories) almost every day. In addition, when I want something special, I'll treat myself to something more (and log it); often on a day where I have been extremely active and have some extra calories to spare. 89 pounds lost since last summer... chocolate almost every day. It is for sure one of the things that makes my "diet" something I can live with long term.
  • Carolstone1959
    Carolstone1959 Posts: 40 Member
    Options
    I have a wicked sweet tooth! The key for me was slowing re-training my palate, lowering carbs and tweaking some supplements. I also try to pay attention to the foods that trigger binge eating, since that triggers my sweet tooth too. I'm allergic to most artificial sweeteners so that was never an option.

    A few years ago I gave up sugar in my coffee. It was tough for a while but now it's a preference to go without! Then I whittled away the sugar in my smoothies by cutting back on fruit and ditching the yogurt or kefir I used to add. Again, it took a while. But it was worth it. I recently traded the banana in my smoothie for avocado. To be honest I still have to beat my taste buds into submission for the first couple of sips but when I look at the fiber, calorie and sugar counts I get a thrill. And the smoothies are more filling because of the avocado fiber. It's a win/win.

    I still struggle with cravings but I can see how far I've come and it feels like progress. Make sure you track your sugar on MFP so you know WHERE the sugar is coming from. And also to see how much you improve over time. It CAN be done!
  • carfamily08
    carfamily08 Posts: 179
    Options
    I have something sweet every day - a small piece of chocolate, some pudding, some fruit & whipped cream, etc. I love sugar, I cut out my former habits of buying bags of candy and overindulging on those but I still work a little treat into every day. I'm down almost 40lbs so far and have no health reasons not to have sugar. I know for some people they prefer to cut it out but I know that I, personally, do best when I allow myself a little each day :)
  • jenderby1
    jenderby1 Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I love sweet but I stay away from them . I was wondring what I can eat that would help the craving?
  • Carolstone1959
    Carolstone1959 Posts: 40 Member
    Options
    And at the risk of annoying folk, I absolutely disagree that sugar isn't bad or not worth worrying about. EVERYTHING bad that happens in the human body feeds on sugar! Sugar stresses your organs. Sugar feeds cancer. Sugar messes with your chemistry. Sugar makes you want MORE.... It's ALL bad. Not neutral. Bad. At the very least, track it.
  • TheTrimTim
    TheTrimTim Posts: 222 Member
    Options
    Not sure about the cancer link but I agree with the rest. Sugar does stress the body. But if it has to be eaten, best eaten before bed.
  • skiersteve12345
    skiersteve12345 Posts: 89 Member
    Options
    i have a bad sweet tooth but carbs also make me feel so hungry, so my last meal is where im always hungry and this last week ive been having for my last meal 600g broccoli and 200g green peas and around 300g meat and its worked wonders for me, so much fiber and protein that i feel stuffed after <3 and the whole meal is only like 500 cals <3 veggies are a dieters best friend!!
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    Options
    I vote to continue what works for you. I think moderation is the key if you are going to keep this up. If you are eating a little treat everyday and fitting it into your dietary goals, it will not hinder you.

    I lost 50 pounds over the course of 8-9 months and have maintained my weight loss for 16 months, all while having treats in moderation (and sometimes not so much moderation for special occasions).

Categories