How often is dessert okay?

emjam99
emjam99 Posts: 92 Member
edited December 3 in Food and Nutrition
I've always had a sweet tooth, and I have dessert as long as I'm still in my calorie goals. How often is this okay? I don't want to get into bad habits or have it be unhealthy. Here's an example of what I do
Today, breakfast: oatmeal and fruit.
Lunch: chicken wrap
Snack: one cookie
Dinner: side salad and fish sandwich
Desert: one cup of ice cream
Total calories were 1450 so I hit my goal, but how bad is this for me? I also jogged 20 minutes today

Replies

  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    edited August 2016
    I have dessert almost every night I just make sure it fits in my calorie budget. Some days I can only afford a cheap *kitten* 90 calorie Fiber One brownie or a jello sugar free rice pudding with low fat whipped cream (also 90 cals). Some days I can have 2 servings of ice cream with crumbled cookie topping and a nice Weissbier. It depends on my budget so if it fits it gets ate. Lost 50 lbs this way.
  • callmejessica
    callmejessica Posts: 1,868 Member
    Every Single Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • caradack1985
    caradack1985 Posts: 254 Member
    I have dessert everyday.
  • Ultima_Morpha
    Ultima_Morpha Posts: 892 Member
    Sometimes I have a little something sweet after every meal.. breakfast included!

    One of my favorites is 14 grams of dark chocolate chips with 14 grams of roasted, salted nuts. Salty, sweet, rich, and satisfying.
  • cinnabondelights
    cinnabondelights Posts: 121 Member
    I like sweet stuff too, but I try to limit myself one dessert a few times a week and within my daily caloric and nutrition goals.

    But it's fine to have desserts as long as it fits within your daily caloric and nutrition goals. Balance is key!
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    I have dessert twice a day, after lunch and supper. It fits in my calories.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Have it as often as you like if it fits into your calorie allowance, I know I have something sweet every single day.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    emjam99 wrote: »
    I've always had a sweet tooth, and I have dessert as long as I'm still in my calorie goals. How often is this okay? I don't want to get into bad habits or have it be unhealthy. Here's an example of what I do
    Today, breakfast: oatmeal and fruit.
    Lunch: chicken wrap
    Snack: one cookie
    Dinner: side salad and fish sandwich
    Desert: one cup of ice cream
    Total calories were 1450 so I hit my goal, but how bad is this for me? I also jogged 20 minutes today

    as often as it fits your calories and macros
  • SolotoCEO
    SolotoCEO Posts: 293 Member
    Depending on cookie size and brand of ice cream - those two items could add up to as much as 400-500 calories. That's about one-third of your daily value. While having dessert every day fits into your calorie allotment, you do need to be extra careful that you are getting enough nutrition from the rest of your food. If you are - keep doing what you are doing. If your nutrition is getting short-changed - adjust your dessert such as maybe 1/2 c of ice cream or no cookie.
  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
    edited August 2016
    I eat some everyday tbh

    I had ice cream yesterday and will have two brown sugar Pop Tarts with cashew milk today
  • kthompson601
    kthompson601 Posts: 174 Member
    There's nothing wrong with dessert, as long as it fits your calories, and you make sure you are measuring the cup accurately. Personally, I usually have a Fiber One cookie for my lunch dessert, and a piece of dark chocolate after dinner. Sundays I get a single serving of ice cream (you can buy single servings of some brands like Edys and Ben & Jerry). I don't feel deprived and I'm not blowing my calories out of the water. Win-win!
  • debradonothin
    debradonothin Posts: 10 Member
    Having it as long as it fits in my calories works for me :-)
  • beachpizza
    beachpizza Posts: 18 Member
    I have dessert every day!! If you're looking for something more calorie friendly try Yasso Greek yogurt bars (100 cal each) or Halotop ice cream (240/pint). The cinnamon bun and sea salt caramel Greek yogurt bars are amazing!
  • witchy_wife
    witchy_wife Posts: 792 Member
    Every day and sometimes twice a day if it fits with my goals. I have a protein goal I like to hit every day, so I sometimes have to get inventive. I got a mix for protein pankcakes so now I can get my dessert AND some protein too. I put a little nutella on the pankcake and top with berries. Delicious!!!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I like having a little something after dinner, so do, so long as it fits my calories. Sometimes it's a serving of ice cream or sorbet or a small amount of chocolate if I'm low on calories, sometimes some cheese, sometimes fruit. I don't think dessert needs to be sweet, but I don't have the hugest sweet tooth.

    What I consider more important than how often I have dessert is whether the overall day hit my nutrition goals, especially in terms of overall protein, lots of vegetables, healthy fats, fiber.

    Sometimes I trade off the calories I might use for dessert to have a more indulgent dinner (maybe going to a restaurant or a higher fat main dish like pork shoulder or homemade lasagne). I don't know why dessert would be more nutritionally questionable than some extra calories that don't happen to be from a dessert type item.

    TLDR: as often as it fits and I want it.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,692 Member
    I am also one who has something that resembles dessert every day.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    I have a handful of M&Ms every day
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    Any day you want it! Dessert always sounds good to me.
  • JamestheLiar
    JamestheLiar Posts: 148 Member
    If you're asking whether ice cream is bad for you, that kind of discussion is probably not going to happen. As far as MFP users are concerned (in general), you can eat crushed glass and it's okay as long as it fits in your calorie goal and you measure it first. On a scale. In grams.





    P. S. don't eat crushed glass
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Every day, sometimes twice. Really, if it fits in your calories, it's ok for weight loss purposes. And if you're trying to lose weight, the important thing is the long term, next month and next year not next week. So if having dessert regularly makes this whole thing feel less restrictive then it's a good thing.

    Check out Halo Top iced cream. It's expensive, and tastes a little different (but not too much) from normal iced cream. A pint is 240 calories. The whole pint. And it's something crazy like 25 grams of protein. Made with stevia instead of sugar.
    If you're asking whether ice cream is bad for you, that kind of discussion is probably not going to happen. As far as MFP users are concerned (in general), you can eat crushed glass and it's okay as long as it fits in your calorie goal and you measure it first. On a scale. In grams.

    lol there's a lot of truth to what James says.
This discussion has been closed.