Is it OK to eat your cravings?

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needtolosethatweight26
needtolosethatweight26 Posts: 89 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Is it OK to eat your cravings as long as it is within your daily calorie goal?

I weigh around 150 lbs and I am 5'2 tall. I log about 200 everyday for exercise. Is it OK to eat my cravings within the 1400 calorie mark to reach my goals?
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Replies

  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
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    Treats and snacks are absolutely fine in moderation.

    I would not suggest eating 1400 cals of only cake per day. But having a slice of cake along side of a well balanced diet is fine.

    I lost all my weight while enjoying a treat every night .
  • needtolosethatweight26
    needtolosethatweight26 Posts: 89 Member
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    thorsmom01 wrote: »
    Treats and snacks are absolutely fine in moderation.

    I would not suggest eating 1400 cals of only cake per day. But having a slice of cake along side of a well balanced diet is fine.

    I lost all my weight while enjoying a treat every night .

    Oh definitely not 1400 calories of cake a day. Maybe 2 oreos of 110 calories or a chocolate of 50 calories?
  • zerojunk
    zerojunk Posts: 70 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Macro and Micro nutrients should be your priority if you want to get serious about this weight thing. Leave those foods you crave elsewhere I say. It's safe to assume they are trash or you wouldn't ask about it.
  • Alyssa_Is_LosingIt
    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt Posts: 4,696 Member
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    zerojunk wrote: »
    Macro and Micro nutrients should be your priority if you want to get serious about this weight thing. Leave those foods you crave elsewhere I say. It's safe to assume they are trash or you wouldn't ask about it.

    You can treat yourself to indulgences in moderation and still meet your macro/micro goals for the day.
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    Unless you're craving something like dirt (don't laugh, some people actually do, it's got a medical diagnosis), there's nothing wrong with eating what you're craving within moderation (fitting in your calorie goal). The key is to just eat a small amount, and enjoy it, and not to go overboard and binge.

    It is important, for overall health, to make sure you are getting a good balance of your macros, and meeting all your micronutrient needs. That means an overall diet filled with mostly nutrient-dense foods (fruits, vegetables, proteins, some grains and dairy are fine too). But having a "treat" won't undo everything. Indulging in a craving, while making sure you're still within your calorie goals and doing well on meeting the other needs, won't hurt at all.

    Of course, you don't want to eat nothing but twinkies all day. Except maybe on a special occasion (though I personally would choose something yummier than twinkies :wink:) But having one within an overall nutritious, calorie-contolled diet is just fine, even on a daily basis.


    *Twinkies are used as an example, it could be and food.
  • needtolosethatweight26
    needtolosethatweight26 Posts: 89 Member
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    zerojunk wrote: »
    Macro and Micro nutrients should be your priority if you want to get serious about this weight thing. Leave those foods you crave elsewhere I say. It's safe to assume they are trash or you wouldn't ask about it.

    Yes I still manage to meet it within the macro nutrient goals too.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
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    Make what you like fit into your calories. If you can't give up something for your lifetime, don't give it up to lose weight, or you set yourself up for failure at maintenance. Just don't eat so much during the day that you find it impossible to stick to your calorie goals (as treats tend not to be very filling).

    I eat some kind of treat almost every day, and I'm over 90 lb lost so far. All I track are calories, protein, and I take a multivitamin as insurance against any micronutrient deficiencies.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    zerojunk wrote: »
    Macro and Micro nutrients should be your priority if you want to get serious about this weight thing. Leave those foods you crave elsewhere I say. It's safe to assume they are trash or you wouldn't ask about it.

    She said nothing about weight lifting, why confuse the issue.
  • needtolosethatweight26
    needtolosethatweight26 Posts: 89 Member
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    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »
    zerojunk wrote: »
    Macro and Micro nutrients should be your priority if you want to get serious about this weight thing. Leave those foods you crave elsewhere I say. It's safe to assume they are trash or you wouldn't ask about it.

    You can treat yourself to indulgences in moderation and still meet your macro/micro goals for the day.

    Exactly what I wanted to hear. Thanks!
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,135 Member
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    anusharajesh13 wrote: »
    thorsmom01 wrote: »
    Treats and snacks are absolutely fine in moderation.

    I would not suggest eating 1400 cals of only cake per day. But having a slice of cake along side of a well balanced diet is fine.

    I lost all my weight while enjoying a treat every night .

    Oh definitely not 1400 calories of cake a day. Maybe 2 oreos of 110 calories or a chocolate of 50 calories?

    It's fine. I'm having some chocolate with lunch. 2 Oreos or a square of chocolate won't kill your progress.
  • zerojunk
    zerojunk Posts: 70 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    zerojunk wrote: »
    Macro and Micro nutrients should be your priority if you want to get serious about this weight thing. Leave those foods you crave elsewhere I say. It's safe to assume they are trash or you wouldn't ask about it.

    She said nothing about weight lifting, why confuse the issue.

    Why not put your glasses on? I didn't say anything about weight lifting.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
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    anusharajesh13 wrote: »
    thorsmom01 wrote: »
    Treats and snacks are absolutely fine in moderation.

    I would not suggest eating 1400 cals of only cake per day. But having a slice of cake along side of a well balanced diet is fine.

    I lost all my weight while enjoying a treat every night .

    Oh definitely not 1400 calories of cake a day. Maybe 2 oreos of 110 calories or a chocolate of 50 calories?

    Yes its okay. Dont listen to myths and fear mongering , people like to believe the hype.

    I lost all my weight while enjoying ice cream every night. I made sure it fit into my calories . I made sure I met my nutrient needs and then used the left over calories for my treat. I met my goal 2+ yrs ago and have continued to maintain my goal weight while still enjoying treats.
    Some people like to preach the clean eating no junk fear mongering. Those type of diets often end in failure over time. When one restricts all the treats from their diet they usually end up binging on them in the end. So for me it was easier to include a tasty treat into my day along side of a healthy well balanced diet. There's nothing wrong with having a treat in moderation . portion control is key to long term success!
    I believe in Moderation not deprivation!
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    zerojunk wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    zerojunk wrote: »
    Macro and Micro nutrients should be your priority if you want to get serious about this weight thing. Leave those foods you crave elsewhere I say. It's safe to assume they are trash or you wouldn't ask about it.

    She said nothing about weight lifting, why confuse the issue.

    Why not put your glasses on? I didn't say anything about weight lifting.

    Lol. They were on. You are right!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,670 Member
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    Eating what you like in moderation is how lean people STAY lean. People offend wonder how they do it, and have this notion that these people have super metabolisms, but the truth is it's CICO.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • samanthachen
    samanthachen Posts: 360 Member
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    rankinsect wrote: »
    Make what you like fit into your calories. If you can't give up something for your lifetime, don't give it up to lose weight, or you set yourself up for failure at maintenance. Just don't eat so much during the day that you find it impossible to stick to your calorie goals (as treats tend not to be very filling).

    I eat some kind of treat almost every day, and I'm over 90 lb lost so far. All I track are calories, protein, and I take a multivitamin as insurance against any micronutrient deficiencies.

    ^This. I love my treats and snacks. This is something I know I'll be doing for life. I am extremely ok with that, and I know if I am going to stick with it, I'm going to need to be able to snack after my kids go to bed, have treats, snacks, dairy, sugar (in moderation), pizza, take-out (very rarely as we are on a tight budget, but I need to know how to log it).

    For me, giving things up means giving up on weight loss. :smiley:

    Have your treats and eat them too!! (Just log them and don't sacrifice your macros every day for them)
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
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    Actually I think this op should be applauded for learning about this now. Most assume they have to eat " clean " to lose weight and be healthy and that's not true at all. A healthy diet can include a treat. Learning about portion control and moderation now will help you so much in the long run. Learning how to have one serving of cookies instead of an entire box is a great lesson to learn sooner then later.
  • Jomo143
    Jomo143 Posts: 2 Member
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    What zerojunk says is true. I will add my thoughts.
    WHEN you are serious about the weight loss, focus on getting more protein to keep you feeling full longer. That way, you will eat less fat and sugars, which in excess are bad for your overall health. For most people, the cravings contain EMPTY calories, void of vitamins, fiber, minerals, etc. It isn't just that carbs/fat are bad and protein good, it's the make-up of the food that holds these good nutrients vs those that make up "junk" foods.

    However, as long as you are ready to fight off the post-indulging feelings of increased appetite which could occur after splurging on an ice cream, or bag of chips, go for it.

    Your long term goals differ slightly from just losing weight because you have to live where there constant temptations. It is difficult to totally ignore the Girl Scout cookies, pot-luck food, birthday cakes because all of them are part of being social and connected to the world. Just be very smart about it, make sure you plan the rest of your food that day around it. Most of all, take the time to savor the tastes, textures and aromas of these good feeling foods, rather than shoving them in your mouth guiltily. That way, the "spend" of the calories will be worth every bite.
  • zerojunk
    zerojunk Posts: 70 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Alyssa_Is_LosingIt wrote: »
    zerojunk wrote: »
    Macro and Micro nutrients should be your priority if you want to get serious about this weight thing. Leave those foods you crave elsewhere I say. It's safe to assume they are trash or you wouldn't ask about it.

    You can treat yourself to indulgences in moderation and still meet your macro/micro goals for the day.

    Must be pretty rough though. 1440 Cals is what I get, which is 40 more than OP and I still have to down capsules. I'd love to eat back my exercise cals but I just know they are probably less than what MFP says I am burning. I assume OP means original poster just in case I used that incorrectly. Eating bread with nothing on it over here, I dunno.
  • zerojunk
    zerojunk Posts: 70 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Ask that one guy with the incontinence the importance of micros. lmao Can't believe how well timed that was. Just keep asking him questions about anything and everything until he explodes.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I base my diet around my cravings.

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