Should I treat myself a little everyday?

Options
13»

Replies

  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
    Options
    I have to have a dessert with dinner, like every night. When we try keeping desserts out of the house, I end up making something terrible from scratch and binging.

    I am kind of like this too. I don't have to have it every night - but definitely a few times per week, either with lunch (I come home from work for my lunch break) or dinner. I live alone 4 days per week, so it's even "worse" for me to bake or create desserts myself
    ;-) For this reason I've always got Z bars (Kids Clif bars, 100-130 cals and decent) and some higher quality chocolate chips on hand, along with nuts and horrible-for-you marshmallow crème. I never binge on these things but some nights, 1 TBSP of the crème, 2 almonds, and 9 chocolate chips keeps me from going out for a Snickers bar or sundae...so far so good.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    I have treats every day. I try to eat 1400 calories of good food (I put noodles in there, honestly, although I mostly buy whole grains anyway), and the rest is 'junk'. I would probably have given up months ago if I couldn't have any...
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Options
    Of course you should. I allow myself approximately 500 calories in treats every day. Invariably I choose beer for said treat. It's been 2.5 years and counting...
  • simplybe13
    simplybe13 Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    I'm not a guru on this topic, hence I need to lose so much weight.......however........I know that total deprivation ends up with me craving everything and then binging....then feel like crap. So, I now just add things to my calorie allowance occasionally.......my guilty pleasure is a 2 finger Kit Kat (107 calories) with a cup of Earl Grey tea (milk from my daily allowance which I account for in my calories)........it's about balance I guess. Which is hard after a life time of extreme!Good luck!
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    Options
    There are two very popular approaches to this question: 1) yes, enjoy a treat every day so you won't feel deprived, and 2) no, make treats rare if at all to eliminate cravings. I've tried both ways and each has merit. I'd suggest you try one way for a month or two (because it can take a while to really know) and see which way works for you. If you find yourself slipping hard because of cravings from daily treats, then try cutting them entirely out for a while. This is probably a personality/character thing more than anything else.

    Most importantly, regardless of which approach you take, make give careful thought to your total calories. Too large of a deficit can easily undermine either approach (while too little of a deficit will result in little results).

    Good luck.
  • Matt24442
    Matt24442 Posts: 324
    Options
    I give myself a treat every night and I'm still doing just dandy
  • JoanieGirl2013
    JoanieGirl2013 Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    :smile: Our office goes out to lunch together once a week...That's when I allow myself a treat...It gives me something to look forward...Good luck!!
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
    Options
    I'm going to disagree with most of the advice here but only becuase this is what I found works for me. It very well might not work for you so please do what you will. For me a little treat everyday hampers my progress or adds weight even when I am under my calorie goals. That's because I'm very sensitive to sugar. If I have a little sugar everyday it pretty much stops my weight loss or has me start gaining.

    However what I've found that if I do a "cheat" day when I am really craving this stops the cravings and makes it easy for me to return to healty eating. I only do this when I find myself craving for several days. Usually it's once every 3 to 4 weeks.

    This is what has worked for me but totally get it if it's not for everyone.

    Good Luck!

    If you have some sort of medical issue with sugar, and the OP does not, then this doesn't apply.

    Many of the users of MFP eat chocolate, cookies, donuts, cake, fast food, and all the "bad" food, and still lose weight, such as myself and Ed (as previously posted above) without any issues or hindrance on weight loss.

    Eat what you want, stay within your calorie goals and macros and don't worry about every little pound that goes up or down. The scale won't give accurate information daily so you'll have to be patient and make adjustments over time. If you keep restricting yourself, you'll end up giving in and most people who restrict their diet normally don't last long enough to see any real progress, or if they do, they don't learn how to eat regularly when they reach their goal.

    Look at what you eat now, is that the way you want to eat forever? If it's not, you may want to adjust your thinking for long term, not for just right now. Everyone wants to drop the weight today....but that's not the way it works.

Categories