Should I give up Ben & Jerry's??

michelle4173
michelle4173 Posts: 21
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

I need advice. For as long as I remember, I've been having a pint of Ben & Jerry's (my fav is Chubby Hubby) every Sunday night. This sounds sad, but it helps with the Sunday night blues. I always eat the whole pint and I've never been one to have a few spoonfuls and put it away (like my hubby who isn't chubby btw!) :-) I just joined MFP and I have over 50 lbs to lose. Should I try to quit this habit? I feel like I'll be deprived, but I know it hasn't helped with the weight gain. And one pint equals my daily calories or close to it and I usually take Sundays off from exercise. Please let me know your thoughts and thanks!

Michelle
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Replies

  • SP0472
    SP0472 Posts: 193 Member
    I'm new to all of this so I'm not sure how much advice I can give that's actually helpful but I'd like to think that you don't have to give it up altogether. A serving once a week is fine and you can work it into your calorie budget. It may be difficult to eat just one serving if you're eating the entire pint, but I'd say try it. If it is difficult, it may be something you have to give up altogether.

    My downfall is potato chips. I CANNOT eat one serving so I don't buy them at all anymore. If they're not in the house, I won't eat them.
  • I reckon you should—if it's equal to your daily calorie allowance then it's patently not going to do you any good.

    I used to nominate every Friday as fat Friday, so I could go for a fast-food lunch during my working day, but I realised that the same thing was happening, and that it was contributing a great deal to my weekly calorie intake. What I've decided to do is cut it out as a weekly treat, and instead made it a monthly treat that I take on the Friday that I get paid. Still not ideal, but there's a certain quality-of-life aspect that can't be ignored. Everything in moderation!
  • Aeriel
    Aeriel Posts: 864 Member
    If you are serious about this, then yes, give up the pint. Get yourself some small freezer containers and split up the pint into small portions (1/2 cup or 1 cup) Take one out to eat and stop there. You will still get to finish a container, but it will be a small one. You still get your treat without blowing your calories right away. :happy:
  • i dont say give it up but i do say give up the whole pint. just have half a cup and put it in a small bowl so it looks larger and that should take care of your craving
  • karenjoy
    karenjoy Posts: 1,840 Member
    I think you should, a pint of chubby hubby is 1360 calories!!! its a LOT of calories! And it's not good for you at all. :-( Sorry
  • Try to cut it down to 1/2 a pint and see how you feel. Then you aren't totally depriving yourself, or even better to fight the Sunday Blues go for a nice face paced walk to lift your spirits. Good luck!
  • raelbee
    raelbee Posts: 219
    YES!! Seriously, that is a habit that needs to be changed...and perhaps examined more closely. You are not going to meet success keeping this up. If you aren't able to eat it in moderation, a couple of spoonfuls like your husband, perhaps set a goal where you do not have ANY ice cream for a month or so. You need to get it out of your system....and re-establish a healthier relationship to treats like this. Or find a low cal alternative and have ONE serving - just enough so you don't feel deprived, but avoiding your trigger food.

    I don't think anyone looks forward to Mondays, but is there a reason why you need a pint of ice cream to face the week? Unhappy at work? Maybe there is a change that you need to think about making. This sounds like a clear case of emotional eating, and you need to conquer this beast.

    You can do this. Only allow yourself treats that fit within your MFP guidelines. Make yourself accountable...whatever it takes to meet your goals.
  • If you are serious about this, then yes, give up the pint. Get yourself some small freezer containers and split up the pint into small portions (1/2 cup or 1 cup) Take one out to eat and stop there. You will still get to finish a container, but it will be a small one. You still get your treat without blowing your calories right away. :happy:

    This is the way to do it! I promise that it's worth it!!
  • atynk
    atynk Posts: 400 Member
    UMm if you are eating your entire daily calories in one food I would say its a prob! How bout just a small bowl.. you say you use this to get over the sunday blues... with this being your weight loss journey do you really want food to be how you get over a bad day? It's time to learn to get over bad days with something other than food, or else you will be doing this forever.. time to relearn the mindset that a bad night won't be fixed by food!
  • hill242
    hill242 Posts: 412 Member
    That's a tough decision because I really think we all (well, maybe 95% of us) need a planned treat even as we are losing weight. Yet, that's a lot of calories to take in at one time.

    My suggestion is to look for a high quality ice cream in one of the smaller 1/2 pint sizes. I have seen several brands offering this size lately. I think you'll still feel satisfied with half as much ice cream or less.
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    I'm not anti-ice cream, but if you really want to change yourself, using food to "help with the Sunday blues" is a bad idea. In my sincere experience, using food as a mind-altering substance is what made me out of control and seriously overweight.

    Why not make a Sunday trip to an ice cream parlor and have a small serving there? It would still be delicious, but you could budget for it in your calories.

    If you find you can't just have some, but need the whole pint...then I would say give it up entirely.

    Just MHO,
    :flowerforyou:
  • leakewh
    leakewh Posts: 91 Member
    Don't give it up....just cut back...are you going to quit eating ice cream for the rest of your life...? I still ate popcorn and hersheys chocolate bars every week while I was losing my weight...just not as much lol...don't let it beat you...learn to control it...
  • Here;s the deal if you want to lose over 50lbs then yes you have to give up things that make you gain weight. Its hard at first but you can do it. While you are actively trying to lose weight you need to be really strict about what you eat. Once you reach your goals than you can slowly bring back foods you enjoy but in moderation of course. A pint of ice cream is never acceptable. A serving size of ice cream is usually 1/2 a cup. Ben and Jerry's is also one of the fattest ice creams. I usually eat Eddy's slow churned ice cream and it is very good.
    Anyways if you would like friend me. Im a fitness instructor, beachbody coach, and about to become a personal trainer. Plus Ive lost 35lbs so know where you are coming from. I would love you to help motivate you and give you advice if you would like.
    -Doreen
  • platoon
    platoon Posts: 340
    When I ate icecream, I only ate it (1) after an average serving size was served to me (at a local shop or parlor), and (2) in public...

    There's something about indulging in public . . . not as fun. Unspoken accountability, perhaps.

    I think treats are fine, but you don't want to undue your hard work . . .
  • FunkBunny
    FunkBunny Posts: 417 Member
    If you can't eat a single serving, don't buy the Pint size. Try and get a healthier, low cal/fat/sugar brand that you like and buy in smaller quantities. If you absolutely must have B&J, then buy the 1/2 pint size, only that size and eat it and enjoy. But track it and account for it. If you already know you'll feel deprived, then keep it. You want to make a lifestyle change, bot live miserably. that's a set up for failure.
    So go ahead and eat it in moderation, you can't go wrong with moderation. With added in activities during the week, you'll be fine!
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    I was doing the same thing with chunky monkey , not once a week , but often enough. I have cut it out and replaced it with skinny cow ice cream sandwiches , klondike slim bars(100 cal, they are small but very yummy) once in awhile either mcdonalds ice cream cone (only 150 cal) or pinkberry frozen yogurt a small is only 150 cal. so maybe you could try these. I hope this helps and good luck.
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
    1360 calories is more than you should be eating in a day, if not at least a large majority of it. I on a rare occasion eat a single serving of Ben and Jerry's low fat frozen yogurt, the Chocolate Brownie is 180 calories a serving. It still gives you your ben and jerry's fix, but it's a fraction of the calories. You don't have to give up everything you love to eat, but sacrifices have to be made. Portion control is #1, cutting out the junk is #2. It'll take time to get used to it, but those 50 pounds aren't gonna come off unless you do both.
  • kpopa
    kpopa Posts: 515 Member
    I would say YES give it up. I find that once my body is free from the sugar addiction I know longer feel the need or the want to indulge in sweet treats. Example: I LOVE (and i mean LOVE) the Cheesecake Factory. I knew we'd be in the neighborhood over the weekend so I grabbed some to take home...well, sure enough, I didn't eat even 1/3 of it because it was too sweet!!!

    My point is, try to see if you can go without (without bingeing of course). Try to replace your Sunday night treat with frozen bananas, grapes, or other fruit along with a bit of exercise. You'll be easing the Sunday stress by exercising and using the fruit to help you with your sweet tooth. Your body will thank you for it believe me! :smile:

    Good Luck!
  • Everything is okay to eat in moderation...its the best way to stick to a diet and make a life change!! What I would suggest is to large market where they sell the individual size serving of the ice cream and buy a single serving of chubby hubby! If your worries about portion control only buy 1 a week. Just think by doing this and removing the temptation from your house you`ll save about 1000 calories every Sunday!!!
  • skinnyminnie
    skinnyminnie Posts: 95 Member
    Can you keep your tradition but use something that wouldn't take as many calories? Like for example, we have an ice cream store here that has really awesome low fat and low calorie soft serve frozen yogurt. I can't get a giant one, but I'll get a junior cone and then I'm all smiles because I got away with something, but it was only 200 calories or so.
  • If you give anything like that up cold turkey, odds say you're going to end up binging on it eventually. I agree with everyone else about doing it in moderation. I only diet 5 days out of the week and it's working wonders for me. I always have something to look forward to on the weekends and that's what keeps me disciplined during the week. 15 lbs and counting. Your taking this journey to make yourself happy. Don't make yourself COMPLETELY miserable in the process.
  • I may not give the best advice, but heres my point of view. Everything is fine in moderation. A whole pint, no... portion it out, make it last longer. Or maybe make it a special occasion thing, or just when you go out to dinner thing (assuming you don't eat out everyday, some people do) I love sweet tea, but i only drink it when we go to dinner.. although my husband and roomate keep some made in the apt, it has WAY to much sugar to be healthy lol. Good luck.

    Oh, good news... Ice cream and other "fatty" dairy products are (in moderation) good for women. Especially if you are wanting or having a baby. The female body requires some of that to keep its balance and continue being fertile. I read this on yahoo last night.
  • KarenBorter
    KarenBorter Posts: 1,157 Member
    Skinny Cow Single Serving ... seriously very good :)
  • Avelon513
    Avelon513 Posts: 1 Member
    I went through the same thing. Don't give up the Ben & Jerry's, just buy the single serving size they have. I know they don't have all the flavors, but they have some of the most popular flavors like cherry garcia, chocolate fudge brownie, and strawberry cheesecake -- and best of all, they're portion controlled. Good luck. :)
  • bonnienm
    bonnienm Posts: 329 Member
    My favorite is Phish Food! When I was losing weight I hardly ever had it but sometimes I spurged and had it on a weekend or special occasion. I planned for it and exercised more the next day or so and you can cut calories a day or so the day before or after. Also, will your not chubby hubby share one with you? My husband and I have done that a lot and though it is still way high in calories and fat, you don't have the tempation to eat the whole thing. Good luck with your weight loss!
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
    I have a fab ice lolly after dinner every day = 90 cals. And I might have a 2 finger kit-kat if I exercise = 106 cals.

    I'd love to eat a pint of ice cream every week too, but I know it will ruin my efforts during the week. And as my daily allowance is 1200, there is no way I would deny myself proper food for some ice cream.

    There are lots of alternatives out there, or reduce the amount.

    If we seriously want to lose weight, there's not much point in keeping the old habits that got us here in the first place :wink:

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • ChubbieTubbie
    ChubbieTubbie Posts: 481 Member
    I wouldn't give it up completely, but I'd definitely not eat the whole pint--and if you do, you need to exercise to make up for it. Every Saturday we go out to a restaurant for lunch and I always go over my calories, so I know that every Saturday evening I have to exercie my butt off to make up for my splurging. You should look at it the same way. I'm a firm believer in 1--moderation, and 2--not giving up what makes you happy--that being said, you do have to work extra in other areas to compensate.
    I am an ice cream junkie, and I keep a pint of cookies and cream ice cream in my freezer at all times...once a day, sometimes once every few days, I eat just one spoonful of it. It's enough to get the taste in my mouth, but not enough to hurt me.
    Some people have trouble with eating things in moderation, and if that's the case, you should look for the little tiny servings of B&J that you can buy so you know you won't overeat, or sub your ice cream craving with something like pudding pops, which are only 60 calories per pop. Even if you eat 3 of them, you're doing a heck of a lot better than a pint of ice cream.
  • Wow thank you all for your helpful responses! I'm so glad I found MFP! I think I will try buying smaller servings and healthier versions. I really want to change my ways and agree that feeding the Sunday blues isn't helping me. Plus I always feel sick afterwards! So how about my nightly cotton candy addiction. LOL I buy the Fluffy Stuff bags that are 260 calories and I make sure I have the calories left. I know, it's pure sugar. I need serious help! Thanks again!
  • nasty habits need to be changed before our bodies can be!
  • Iron_Biker
    Iron_Biker Posts: 104 Member
    In a word: yes.

    It is OK if you eat such things occasionally, the problem I see here is of course not the ice-cream, but the habit.

    Weight loss is all about habits. Good ones. If you are really serious about it, then start by supressing the unhealthy habits. Then you can move up and get some healthy ones instead. From there, it is a lifetime battle, always being conscious of what you do and what you eat. It's called the healthy lfestyle; but it is does not mean snack deprivation.

    Don't stop eating your beloved ice-cream for good, just separate the ritual from it. Try eating not because you think you need it (like drugs) but because you really like it. Do it sometimes, not often, and of course not on schedule!

    I hope this helps. Don't forget to tell us what you finally decided.
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