[Bethedee]

I woke up late and had to rush to class, so it was my first meal of the day. I had some carrots (3 oz) and a low (about 2 oz) calorie serving of turkey slices. All in all it was about 100 calories. I've been losing weight pretty rapidly since I started counting calories, like a pound or two a week, but lately my decrease in hunger has led to me coming out short for calories at the end of the day, especially with exams. So I saw a little cup of starbucks java chip ice cream, 210 calories, and since I really love that stuff I figured it was okay to have one, if for nothing else than just to help me meet my calorie goal.

Now I'm second guessing myself - I don't know if I've made a mistake by eating it. I don't want to stop losing at the rate that I am. Is it okay to have an occasional treat like that or will it pause my physiological change?

[willbeayummymummy]

Dont stop yourself from having the things you love every now and then or you will drive yourself mad Dont worry about it and dont feel bad. xx

[noelle8310]

I agree. I let myself indulge in my cravings every once in awhile, otherwise I would get so desperate for them I would binge eat. As long as you keep eating healthy as you have been, there is nothing wrong with a treat every now and then.

[jayohwhy]

don't feel bad. you didn't do anything wrong. a calorie is a calorie regardless of what the food is. yes, healthy food is less calories per cup and will fill you up longer, but lets be realistic, treats are yummy and for a diet to be successful it has to be something that can sustain the long run-- which means that you can allow for treats.

[free1]

This is the good part of calorie counting. Simply flex out the calories through out the rest of the day. I agree that a calorie is a calorie.

[Luvmyhorse]

Don't beat yourself up. I myself need a little treat everyday to stay on track and not binge.

[Esofia]

It's absolutely fine, hon, and it also helps you learn how to deal with situations like this. One of the hallmarks of successful weight loss is the ability to go off-plan occasionally without it turning into a binge or ending up feeling horribly guilty about it.

And to be honest, I don't even think you messed up. For starters, you had a controlled portion because you were eating out, rather than buying a whole tub, diving in with a spoon, and not even daring to count the calories. What you were accidentally doing is better known as calorie cycling, where you eat fewer calories on some days and more on others, all planned to average out to whatever calorie level you need for weight loss. It works well for a lot of people, especially if they want to factor in treats like this. You seem to be fairly new at this and still getting into a routine, but once you've settled down into a pattern, you could probably do this once a week if you like and still lose weight right on schedule.

[LandonsBaby]

Terrible mistakes result in death, losing your house, damaging your kids psyche, etc. A container of 200 calorie of ice cream is a treat. You even had room for it so it's not a mistake of any sort! It's okay to enjoy treats every once in a while. Heck, some people make room for one every day and do just fine.

[DezziePS]

I think that sounds like a not so un-balanced breakfast, actually! Maybe a little high on the sugar, but you got in veggies, lean protein, and dairy for around 300 cal! I mean, are you really willing to live in a world where you can NEVER have a reasonable amount of ice cream? Congratulations on a job well done with portion control, by the way!

If it makes you feel any better, I usually eat a yogurt with my breakfast, and sometimes, when I'm really feeling cranky, I eat a pudding cup instead and convince myself that it's also a dairy product! Same calories, fat free...probably not quite so nutritious as yogurt, but you know what? Sometimes it's just an ice cream or pudding kind of morning.