How often do you let yourself eat what you really want?

2

Replies

  • slimmerandslim
    slimmerandslim Posts: 8
    I fit it into my calorie count.

    And this:

    So much of this is CHANGING what I "want."

    I can say, "I want a cheese burger and fries." Or I can say, "I want salmon with a salad."

    I know over years of advertising and shared experience I've conditioned myself to "want" the burger and fries. But the truth is, they're going to make me feel terrible, really, unless they're built into my meal plan. And I know I've been conditioned over the years to see "eating well" as DENYING myself what I want.

    On the other hand, I know that if I have the salmon and salad, I'll feel better. So which one do I want. It's a bit of a trick, but it is possible to recondition yourself to think, "Hmmmm big plate of greasy food is awful..." and "Lean servings of low fat fish and salad are great."

    I really recommend examining what you mean by "want" and what you really want in your life.
  • Jessamine
    Jessamine Posts: 226 Member
    I almost always eat exactly what I want. I "save" for the extra calories and I don't eat as much by sharing with my husband.
  • chergarr73
    chergarr73 Posts: 59 Member
    I eat whatever I want every Saturday...anything I crave throughout the week has to wait. If I still want it Saturday (which I usually don't) then I eat it.
  • V3ggieL0vinGinger
    V3ggieL0vinGinger Posts: 235
    I always let myself eat what I want, and what I want is usually super healthy. I've been eating a vegan diet with very little sugar and no chemicals for over 4 months now, and I've noticed that I no longer WANT that piece of cake or that sugary doughnut. I would much rather have some coconut yogurt with berries or a big bowl of oats with peanut butter.


    I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THIS! GINGER IS MY SISTER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER!
    <3

    <3 you vegan sistah! :)
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
    I try and always chose "better" than I have in the past! But, I do not deny myself an occasional burger, etc.

    However, when I load this into MFP. I feel guilty and then charge my self a penance by bumping up my exercise to work off the extra calories and remind myself that there is a cost to everything!
  • j77r68
    j77r68 Posts: 271 Member
    if you start restricting your faves you are more likely to fall off the 'get healthy' wagon. if you have cravings look for close alternatives. i.e. chocolate- in Canada they have 8 packs of different chocolates my faves are york patties at 70cals and coffee crisp at 100cals.
    you have xxxx amount of cals per day work them in or exercise extra to compensate. there can be room for your macdonald burger and fries you just need to find room or find a better for you version. maybe smaller burger- chicken burger salad or fruit instead of fries
    etc....
  • Natty0506
    Natty0506 Posts: 103 Member
    I can't eat many carbs, so I've resigned myself to lots of protein and veggies. *shrug* That's just how my body operates. Bread is the devil, so are potatoes and anything that's super carb-y. I can have chocolate or wine or pretty much anything else as long as it fits within my calories, but I choose to eat things that will benefit my body and assist in my weight loss.
  • olee67
    olee67 Posts: 208 Member
    If I'm going out to eat, I'm pretty much chalking it up as a cheat day (you never really know how they are cooking your food, so, I assume everything towards the bad). Even if it isn't my rest day, I still count it as my cheat day for the week. I'll eat my normal balanced diet on my rest day, but, I usually pair my rest days with my cheat days. However, once a month, I'll have one meal 3-4 days out of the week, usually lunch, where I'll have whatever I want. Within reason of course. But, one day I'll stop at taco bell for a steak taco supreme and an extra taco (no soft drinks of any kind though). When you break down what you get out of that meal, the only thing that really gets maxed out is the sodium. Drinking plenty of water through the day can offset much of the effect of a high sodium day though. For the most part, per week, you should only allow yourself 3-4 "anything you want" meals.

    Over time, my "anything" meals have evolved. It used to be anything fast food on cheat meals... Now, I can't remember the last time I had anything but taco bell (last sunday). Now, my go to cheat meal is a huge steak, a loaded bake potato, some steamed broccoli (with butter), and a side salad/caesar salad, or, a giant bowl of pasta with a lot of think fatty sauce. I will, however, show up to my favorite wings place every once and a while still, but, it's rare... I often don't feel too good after one of those meals, but, it keeps the binge sessions away.
  • Hadassk
    Hadassk Posts: 63
    Has your cheat meal ever turned out to be a cheat day?
  • imbanter
    imbanter Posts: 72 Member
    I think of my calories like money. Once I've spent them then I'm done until the next day (although on very rare occasions I overspend) and I use those calories on things I really want sometimes. I don't think you can totally deprive yourself and stick with that for life. Whatever we do it needs to be something that we can do long-term or otherwise this is a waste of our time (IMO).
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I enjoy my healthy food and don't keep much bad stuff around the house to tempt me, but have formed good habits to eat the good stuff most of the time. If I indulge in a treat, I just fit it into my cals for the day (most of the time). If I go a little over, I don't sweat it.

    And I never say no to In-N-Out Burger. :bigsmile:
  • toysbigkid
    toysbigkid Posts: 545 Member
    I can't eat sweets because that sends me over the edge of where I'll lose control but everything else I'll eat when I want it, I just make allowances for it.
  • Dawners98
    Dawners98 Posts: 120 Member
    I will absolutely indulge occasionally, but since that's not an option all of the time, I've begun finding alternatives to my favorite meals. For example, I've made cauliflower rice, and even cauliflower fried rice, which I find quite yummy! Naturally, it's not the same, but I find it to be a great alternative and it has far less calories. Not to mention it's a veggie, so it's great for you! I've been wanting lasagna lately, too, so I'm about to give eggplant lasagna a try!
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    funniest thing just happened...literally as I was reading this thread, hubby texted and wants pizza for dinner tonight. I have over 1000 calories left for the day. So we are ordering a large and a medium pizza ( we have 2 kids, including a 16 year old boy) AND a grilled chicken salad. I will eat mostly salad, but darn it, I am planning on having a couple of slices of pizza too. I know the place cuts their pies party-cut so my slices will be like 3x2 inches.

    How often do I do it? 1-2 times a week, maybe. My tastes have changed after 5 weeks of low carb.
  • _Tara_R
    _Tara_R Posts: 688 Member
    As long as it fits in my calorie goal I eat it!!
  • jen7eleven
    jen7eleven Posts: 83 Member
    in my experience so far, cravings can be like an annoying younger brother or sister. the more you try to ignore them, the more they bug the *kitten* out of you until you cave.

    i'm trying to learn moderation as well. i find that working out harder and eating better makes me think more about what i crave and how much i can have without derailing myself [again].
  • strawberry1969
    strawberry1969 Posts: 1,476 Member
    i have takeaway every friday and have done since i started my weight loss journey and ive lost in total 5 stone so as long as you balance it out theres no harm done!!!
  • trybabytry
    trybabytry Posts: 181
    Generally, if it fits into my calories, I eat whatever I want, because I usually eat pretty healthily and getting veggies etc. isn't a problem for me. Portion control is tough but I ask for a box at the same time I order my food, and when it comes I just immediately box off half of it and put it away.

    However, I also often "tweak" what I want -- like, if I want a burger, I'll get it without a bun and without cheese, and a salad on the side instead of fries. If I want pizza, I eat a slice heavily covered in vegetables.
  • triciab79
    triciab79 Posts: 1,713 Member
    Almost never. I know that sounds hard but when you are losing the weight you need to commit to losing the weight. Once you are in maintenance mode you can splurge and then work it off but there is such a great risk of falling off the wagon when you first start out. Try to find and alternative to the items you crave. I wanted burgers soo bad so I created a wrap that contains 1/8 lb 93% lean patty lots of veggies and all the usual condiments (really light on mayo). The calorie count is less than 200 but it satisfies that burger craving and its filling. There is a low cal version of just about anything so don't splurge when you eat out. Careful about salads too though they are often some of the highest calorie items on the menu sadly. If you know you are going out do your research and find the items you can safely eat before you go.
  • SCVSarah
    SCVSarah Posts: 231 Member
    Every day...that's why I gained 40lbs in a year. I'm going to stop letting myself, it's bad news for me.
  • kyle4jem
    kyle4jem Posts: 1,400 Member
    I eat what I want all the time. I just don't et it get out of hand like I used to.

    And if I'm going out for a meal, I certainly don't hold back. I have and savour every last delicious mouthful. But then again, I don't frequent burger bars or fast-food outlets - I love my nosh way too much!!! :tongue:
  • LottieLou13
    LottieLou13 Posts: 574 Member
    I have a treat every single day. My treats are different to what they used to be though, and much fewer in number. I don't crave the same treats as what I used to either.
  • Aoi715
    Aoi715 Posts: 11 Member
    Once a month or every three weeks. You gotta "shock" your body every once in a while so it doesn't get tired of the same routine and to keep your healthy diet working well.:smile:

    But when it comes to sweets like cookies and stuff like that, I bake my own thanks to "The Biggest Loser Desserts" book that gives me plenty of ideas. :wink: So I have a sweet treat once a day or every couple of days.
  • simonphilpin
    simonphilpin Posts: 3
    agreed - 1 cheat meal a week on a Saturday night and I feel fine until the following week. Happy Days!
  • bulbadoof
    bulbadoof Posts: 1,058 Member
    Not often. It's very habit-forming for me.
  • Ingadinga
    Ingadinga Posts: 28 Member
    I just thought of this post the other day and neglected to mention that I mainly eat unprocessed foods. I can't remember the last time I had fast food, I do eat a higher fat diet but from avocado, fish, olive oil, meat, eggs, dark chocolate, etc. When I crave something it's usually gelato or those damn gummies. I could never eat those everyday so in the end probably once or twice a month I indulge.
  • Puddles0308
    Puddles0308 Posts: 74
    If I crave something. I write it down on a piece of paper. On Saturday, if I still want it. I'll fit it into my calories.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    I am also learning to want different things and break away from a culture that tells me that I want burgers, fries, chips, donuts and other things that aren't good for me. What I want is to live a long time. I'm learning to look forward to those baked apple slices with nutmeg and cinnamon. My homemade sweet potato fries are pretty tasty too.

    I have found that making good substitutions help prevent the cravings. And I never let myself get hungry.
  • ZyheeMoongazer
    ZyheeMoongazer Posts: 343 Member
    Everyday I eat what I want. I just eat smaller portions then what I used to. I have also found that my cravings for "bad" food are less often. For instance, a burger doesn't sound good at all right now. Where as the salmon fillet I plan to make for dinner sounds very yummy.
  • hunter624
    hunter624 Posts: 252
    Eat what you want when you want it. Just remember pay-back can be hard.

    Structure your day around what you want to what you can have.

    No need to cheat, hide or fiddle.
    It's only yourself you'll be fooling.

    I tend to have light breakfast except sundays,
    have a medium lunch,
    and whats left is the evening meal.

    simple, well it works for me.:laugh:

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