How often should I have treats (cheat foods)?

senaliperera
senaliperera Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm new to my weightless journey and it's always been a question to me: When is it okay to have treats/cheat foods? It's been 5 days since I last had anything especially oily/sugary. And today I had fried manioc chips, roti (made of bread flour and oil) and fanta (soft drink). It feels like a cheat meal. And it worries me. Again, I ate clean for 5 days. Do you think this was too soon to have a cheat meal? How often should I give in to indulgences? Thank you. :smile:

Replies

  • veephil31
    veephil31 Posts: 53 Member
    Eat as little junk food as you can while still feeling okay. If you need to cheat 3x a week at first, then that's better than just giving up completely. As long as you count the calories for it. As time goes on you will feel the need to cheat less and less.
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    When I was losing weight, I didn't eat a single dessert for almost 2 years. That's a little extreme, but sweets were always my downfall.

    It really depends on your personality. It's just better for me not to tempt myself at all. I'm an "all or nothing" person; and when it comes to food, I'll eat the whole cake or no cake.
  • Medicine13
    Medicine13 Posts: 1
    As long as you're counting your calories religiously and still making sure you're under, you can include a small cheat meal as often as you like, i used to go running everyday for one hour or more and i was eating two small snickers every other day and was still losing weight at a pretty good rate, just don't go with the whole mindset of dieting and having a day where you can cheat. Cheating doesn't exist, everything in moderation :) good luck.
  • quarkenstein
    quarkenstein Posts: 60 Member
    I have "cheat foods" every day, if that's what you want to call them. A cookie, scones, whatever. But guess what? It's all built into the calorie count, so it doesn't matter. It keeps me sane and sticking to it. If you deprive yourself, you'll have binge days more often than if you just build it into your life.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    'Cheat foods' are generally carbs. Make sure you get your protein and healthy fat goals in for the day, and then if you have room for the 'junk foods' then have them. Just log everything.
  • Johnplusfour
    Johnplusfour Posts: 105
    You know cheating is wrong. If you're mentally allowing yourself those comforts then you're making yourself susceptible to failing. Why should alcoholics not get a cheat day?!. We're talking about changing your habits for life, not for a week or two then go back to the way it was.. That is, unless you're wanting that day one picture of yourself to come back for a visit. Stay the course.

    I personally take pride in not stepping back to any old traditions that lead me to weight gain. And I guarantee you those who never cheat are the ones that are more likely to succeed and meet their goals faster and live that healthy life much much longer.
  • SJackson50
    SJackson50 Posts: 282 Member
    Make sure you log everything and be honest with yourself. I have special meals on both Saturday and Sunday; and my results have not suffered. I love McDonalds, pizza and cake w/ cream cheese frosting :-). Most of us would not be able to (or want to!) live without some of our favorites for the rest of our lives, so it is best to find a way to fit them in.
    Good luck and much success!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I have "treats" every single day. I don't consider that to be cheating...having some potato chips with my sandwich at lunch doesn't undo the nutrition I receive from everything else I've eaten during the day. I eat around 6-8 full servings of vegetables per day...2-3 servings of fruit...around 145 grams of protein and 50-60 grams of good healthy fats....and sometimes I have chips with my sandwiches and I eat desert every single night....those "treats" do not undo all of that other nutrition.
  • debraran1
    debraran1 Posts: 521 Member
    I think "lifestyle" not diet, so I try to incorporate what I like often in my day. I will have pasta, pizza, etc but less of it unless it's a holiday or something special. I will buy small quantities of cookies or snack packs to keep indulging down.
    I've seen too many people over the years cut everything and when reintroduced, the sweets seemed to make them gain weight even when under the same calorie count. I don't know why, but I feel for some people, maybe you need to keep things as normal as possible with healthy choices but not a complete change unless you plan to keep it that way.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    I'm new to my weightless journey and it's always been a question to me: When is it okay to have treats/cheat foods? It's been 5 days since I last had anything especially oily/sugary. And today I had fried manioc chips, roti (made of bread flour and oil) and fanta (soft drink). It feels like a cheat meal. And it worries me. Again, I ate clean for 5 days. Do you think this was too soon to have a cheat meal? How often should I give in to indulgences? Thank you. :smile:
    You can have that stuff every single day if you fit it into your calorie count for the day. That is what matters.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Most days I fit something in my calories. Yesterday it was ice cream... today it was some 'pastry crisps' with ice cream. Not feeling deprived at all here, or guilty one bit.
  • mymodernbabylon
    mymodernbabylon Posts: 1,038 Member
    I eat exactly the same foods as I did before I began to lose weight - just a bit less of them. And I try to fulfil my protein macros. Once I do that, I can have my beer or eat my chicken wings. If I deprive myself, then I probably won't do this for life. Think 80%/20% - "healthy"/treats.
  • fushigi1988
    fushigi1988 Posts: 519 Member
    I eat it whenever I feel like it, I just fit it in my calorie goals.
  • rawhidenadz
    rawhidenadz Posts: 254 Member
    As often as you like if it fits your macros and allows you to keep to your calorie deficit
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,858 Member
    Everything in moderation! I ate at Chick Fil A today, fries too! But I had grilled nuggets and small fries, with unsweet tea/diet lemonade. Yesterday I had dark chocolate and 6oz froyo. If it fits into your goals, it's fine. Heck, I ate birthday cake twice last week(my oldest turned 14). I still lost 1.7 lbs in the last 9 days.

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