[b2babe123]

I have been talking with some chics on here about calorie counting.
The question was,"Can you count calories an still eat junk?"

I ate 1 piece of sausage, bean and cheese burrito and 3 slices of cheese pizza. I felt hungry most of the day and after the pizza at the end of the day, i felt like i needed to eat more.

In my opinion,,NOW,lol, eating healthy is a must for me, but if I really want that snickers I won't deprive myself as long as it's within my calories.

thank you ladies,,,tomar is day 8 and i will be eating healthier!!!!!! after my candy bar,,,lol!!

[RN BSN 2009]

What is your target calorie range? Mine is 1600-1800 and I find myself just able to make the minimum recommended daily allowances for vitamins and minerals with that. You could lack vitamins when you eat empty calories. Good luck.

[OneStepAtATime]

For me, it's all about thinking about how the food will affect me, and if it's an appropriate time to eat that food.

My example- I love poptarts. I know they're junk, and I know I could be eating something homemade, etc etc. But I looove them. And so does my husband, which means we have to have them around the house.

I found that if I get up and go to work at 7, and eat a poptart, I will be so hungry that I'm shaking by the time 10AM rolls around. Then I'm more likely to eat a ton of stuff I should.

So I usually have a poptart, or a half of one, at the end of the day for dessert. That way I still get my treat, but I don't need to keep myself full, since I know a poptart won't do that.

So...if you have a snickers because you need a snack, keep in mind that it may not keep you full the way you need it to (that may have been your problem the day you ate the burrito and pizza? I know if would have happened to me), but if you have some extra calories and want a treat, it's up to you

[dayoneagain]

If you really like a treat like that everyday, how about buying a snickers bar and cutting it into about six pieces then freezing them? Because the bitesize bits are frozen they last waaaay longer than just swallowing chocolate without realising you're doing it.

It also means you're also more likely to just have one or two bites than eating a bar that will blow your calories!

[soulnik]

I couldn't agree more! Eating junk just never takes me as far as eating whole foods. And eating junk makes me feel yucky. Even Lean Cuisine meals (which I love) often trigger my GERD so it's better for me to just eat whole foods - filling meals that I cook myself. Mind you, I hate to cook so there's that.

[luckymommy]

I agree with what DayOneAgain said....either cut it up and freeze the parts or you could buy the bite sized ones (if you can handle having it in the house and not eat them all....I could never).

Another suggestion: how about finding a "health bar" that has a similar taste as a snickers but which offers some extra protein and vitamins as well? I'm not sure which ones are good, but you could probably do a little research online to see what people might recommend.

However, at the end of the day, if you're within your calories and it's not causing you problems (you feel good and not shaky, etc.) then you will probably be fine.

[Lizzie2010]

Everyone on here is right... You don't want to deprive yourself of vitamins/minerals because sometimes not getting those can trigger cravings that will lead to overeating/binges. It's OK to have what you want sometimes - I've often heard the 80/20 rule. Make 80% of your calories come from foods that you like and should eat, and the other 20% from foods you want to eat. If you are sure to make your 80% come from really nutrient dense foods like whole, fresh (or frozen) produce, whole grains, etc. then your 20% could probably be dedicated to snickers.

Good luck!

[JJCaraker]

You can have "junk" food but you will need to modify it. When I want pizza, I get the Kashi Spinach Mushroom Trio. Sometimes I will add olives and/or Canadian Bacon to it. You can eat HALF the pizza and still be eating reasonably! When I want Mexican, I will used Boca crumbles or very lean ground beef/turkey/chicken and drain the grease off with HOT water. I go very easy on the tortilla chips (and only used baked ones) and low fat or fat free cheese. A nice heaping amount of salsa has very low calories. It can be healthier, lower calorie and still taste good!

[happytobeamomof2]

Just my two cents worth here - my therapist has strictly forbidden me from eating less than 1800 calories per day. I exercise every single day for an hour (buring 500-750 cal depending on the activity) so it is imperative I eat at least 1800. I usually run closer 2000-2100 calories a day.

I also have a new trick from my therapist: One piece of toast right before bed - it has helped me avoid my after-dinner-binging because I know I am not going to bed hungry, it gives me something to look forward too...

keep up the awesome work!