Some Intake of Sweets but Calorie Deficit = Weight Loss?

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  • Jenr0819
    Jenr0819 Posts: 8 Member
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    Calorie deficit? How do I know how many calories I burn?

  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    jenr4817 wrote: »
    Calorie deficit? How do I know how many calories I burn?

    You put your stats into MFP's calculator (age, weight, height, activity level, reasonable deficit) and it'll give you a pretty fair estimate. Bear in mind MFP also gives you a deficit so you ideally want to eat to that number, not under it. You could also get something like a fitbit.
  • ItsMeDua
    ItsMeDua Posts: 14 Member
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    Thank you so much everyone. This is very helpful.
  • ChrysalisCove
    ChrysalisCove Posts: 975 Member
    edited February 2019
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    I include sweets almost daily, mostly at the end of my day so that I don’t forego more filling foods if I’m hungrier that day.

    As others have mentioned, mini sizes are excellent for this! They aren’t many calories, can easily be scaled up / down, and since you can add them in routinely it prevents feeling deprived.

    I enjoy stocking up on my favorite “special flavors” after holidays; often I’m able to have them a few times a week for months! I’ve also found I prefer ice cream bars to a bowl of ice cream. Despite it being an equivalent amount, grabbing a bar and enjoying feels more satisfying than weighting out a portion from an ice cream tub!
  • Dilvish
    Dilvish Posts: 398 Member
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    any type of "bad" food in moderation is okay as long as it's not happening on a regular basis. Many people incorporate a "cheat day" into their regimen because it gives them an opportunity to say hey it's okay once in a while...weight loss, that is sustained weight loss, is a journey not a destination. it is a slow process and "falling off the wagon" once in a while is okay as long as you jump right back on the wagon!
  • New_Heavens_Earth
    New_Heavens_Earth Posts: 610 Member
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    Yes I eat sweets. Halo Top and Enlightened usually on weekends. Pizelle sandwiches with PB2 or dessert hummus almost daily. Sometimes just frozen fruit heated in the microwave with cheese cheese, greek yogurt, or whipped cream.

    And if it's a novelty, like recently I found Thai Coconut, Jalapeno, and toffee m&ms, I'll make room for a serving.
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
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    I have sweets when I really want them. I just eat smaller portions than I used to eat - and I log the calories. If you stay in a deficit you will lose weight. Now - as someone posted above - some foods may be "trigger" foods that you have to be careful about. For me it's doughnuts. When I have one I often want a second. I just have to enjoy the one and walk away. I also don't eat them often - it's a treat when I do. Think of your weight loss phase as a dress rehearsal for the rest of your life. Don't make changed now you are unwilling to continue long into the future. For most of us, maintenance is just a few calories (150-350) per day above weight loss so don't forget to live a little...
  • no1elseislikeme
    no1elseislikeme Posts: 69 Member
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    I have ice cream almost every day. And I had ice cream while I was losing the weight. It’s totally possible as long as one measures out one’s portion and one logs it. It’s all about making room in one’s diet for it.
  • Johnd2000
    Johnd2000 Posts: 198 Member
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    I have some chocolate every day. Not much, but there’s always room for some. As a minimum, a few squares of nice 70% Lindt really hits the spot.
  • SeattleBebop1
    SeattleBebop1 Posts: 26 Member
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    Do you like dark, rich chocolate? I have to have some sweet every day, or I feel "cheated" and resentful of my diet. But I find that high-quality chocolate is satiating, more so than the cheaper stuff (sorry Hersey's), and if you get 70% cacao, you start to get health benefits too. Here in Seattle, I often buy Theo's Chocolate, which comes with those little bar sections you can break off - useful for calorie counting. For example, their standard size bar is 420 calories and is divided into 8 square sections total. Therefore I know that one section is 52.5 calories. That's actually a really reasonable dessert that won't break your calorie bank to have one or two sections.

    Now on the weekends, I will sometimes visit one of the local bakeries. That requires a bit more online sleuthing because these are small shops and aren't required to post calorie counts like a chain like Starbucks, but I need to get a reasonable estimate for the food diary. The average pastry is going to run about 350 calories - 600 calories, so I make sure to put in some extra workout to balance out the treat. Yes, you really do want to calorie count as much as possible (my workplace has *lots* of tasty treats and I have to be mindful of my overall intake).

    I have lost about 16 pounds since mid-December.
  • lcdube01
    lcdube01 Posts: 23 Member
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    You can most definitely eat sweets. I've been trying to lose weight for a year unsuccessfully because i used to restrict all sugar and "bad" food so that I would binge after a month of restricting. However the last month i have changed my outlook completely and i have eaten cake and chocolate and whatever my heart desires but I have finally grasped what in moderation means. For example today im going on an afternoon tea with loads of cake so I've just made sure and m6 breakfast and dinner are high in protein and low carbs instead of either banning myself or just giving up and eating whatever all day.

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