Ok, so I'm sitting here wondering how everyone allows themselves the occasional treat. I've been having a particular food on my mind since the first day I started my changes. I've thought about and thought about it. I'm just so unsure as to how I allow myself to have something without feeling so guilty. I've been dieting since I was 12 years old. The longest diet I was on, I went from ~260 to 225. I was so proud of myself. However, I was in the mind frame of I can never again have something that I really enjoy, so I ate something that I considered bad at the time and gave up. I'm trying to work out of that destructive thinking because in reality, I know a slip up will occur and I don't want to beat myself up over it. However, I would much rather it be something planned for the day rather than the slip up. How do you guys allow yourselves something that you really want. I was thinking of allowing myself something that I really want at least once a week. That way, it's planned and I'm more capable of holding off 7 days for something that I want. Sorry guys, I'm learning to make positive changes and just needed to vent.

I think that you should definitely allow yourself something that you really want, but do it in a smaller portion. And don't beat yourself up over it! Once it's done, it's done. Don't obsess about it. Perhaps you could exchange a small portion of what you're craving for part of what you'd normally eat for lunch. That way you wouldn't pile on the calories and get your fix. I would also look for a healthier version of the food that you're craving.

On a larger scale, (and I'm no expert here - just thinking aloud) maybe you would be more motivated by arranging your daily eating habits to incorporate more foods that you do enjoy so that you can have them on a regular basis and not feel like you're dieting all the time. I know that for me, the mindset of knowing that "I'm on a diet" makes me grumpy and obsess about food even more. If all I do is think of the things that I can't have, then I'm much more apt to throw the towel in. Sounds like you may have experienced the same feelings? If I just decide to eat more reasonably, stop snacking, and eat smaller portions/healthier versions of things I enjoy, I still see progress and I feel better about myself and motivated to continue because I'm not constantly depriving myself. Eventually, I realize that eating that way really isn't so bad and I willingly kick it up a notch by eating even better!

Getting to our goal weight is truly a journey and a lifestyle change - NOT a diet. When we get to our goal weight, we will have to continue to eat healthy and work out to maintain our weight. We can never go back to the habits that got us to where we are now.

I know you can do this! :-) Stay strong and focused, and you'll get there!

Erika

Thank you very much Erika. You're right about me feeling the same way as you. I'm trying to look at this is a lifestyle change, but it is difficult because even though I know I will have to keep these changes even once I make it to goal, I still view it as a diet. I too become grumpy and have cravings. It's only been a week, and I know I have to give it some time. I'm going to continue the way I've been doing, but if I'm still craving this one item, I will allow myself to have it, but I will probably have a smaller version. I'm thinking I will find a healthier alternative like you mentioned. Anyways, thanks again. I just know I have to make these changes for my physical health and emotional health. I can't let another year go by wishing I would have made these changes sooner.

I'm right there with you! I've had many cravings the past week and I know that I'm so much happier knowing that I didn't cave! The feeling I get from that lasts a lot longer than the temporary hgih I get from some of my favorite foods. I'm trying to replace the good feelings I used to get from foods with the sense of accomplighment (as small as it may be) I get from doing something good for my body and making the right steps toward change!

I'm new to this board and I USE IT for support and motivation. It helps! I hope you find this support helpful as well. You can always send me a msg whenever you're feeling like you want to cave in, and I'll jump your case, er, offer you support. We WILL do this! :-)

Erika

One more thing I've noticed about myself -- if I've had a strong craving for a while and I don't get a taste of it, I notice that I somehow replace it with a bunch of other "less offensive" foods to try to satisfy it, but it never works! And I end up doing more harm because I've made more poor choices that ultimately add up to more calories than if I'd have gotten in a fix after it didn't go away for days. Make sure you don't fall into that trap as well!

I've been doing this a year now, and have lost 60lbs, and there have been treats. If you keep your calories controlled during the week, you can still achieve a 1 to 2 pound loss with a treat. I don't portion control my treat, but I do always have it out somewhere, like a scoop or two of Ben and Jerrys or a piece of cake (it's nearly always something sweet) so the portion control is done for me. I wouldn't, for example, buy a tub of Ben and Jerry's and have it at home, that would be asking for trouble.

I also have a maintainance week once every eight weeks. On that week I have two or three treats, on seperate days. My trainer at the gym thought that would be a good idea, the aim is not to gain on this week but to stay the same (it's worked so far) I time the week to coincide with Christmas, Easter, Birthdays etc, and it gives me the confidence to know I can go through one of these times and still maintain my weight.

During maintainance week I still keep the same level of exercise, which for me is about an hour a day 5 days a week (usually more)

I don't believe you should ever deprive yourself completely. It will only leed to resentment and that inevitable binge, and then it is so much harder to get your confidence back. As the quote says in my signature line, it's about changing your relationship with food, but it doesn't have to be carrot sticks and cottage cheese forever!

is there a way to make what u are craving in a healthier way?

like i love pizza .. so i use whole wheat pitas for my crust and ff cheese.. its just as good as the regular stuff

Hey all thanks for the advice. It is difficult to view this as a change and one in which I can allow myself the occasional treat; however, I am correcting this. I decided that if I really want something and I can't find a healthy version that will satisfy my craving first, I will allow myself to have it. The difference this time will be that I won't keep this food around my house for me to look at and think about, and I will try to limit myself to once a week. I weighed myself this morning, and I lost 4.5 pounds. This made me so happy that the craving for this one food has lessened (I doubt it will ever go away but less is better).

I totally treat myself. Last night was my first "high calorie" meal all week, with lots of Indian goodies. I figure that if I have one cheating meal during the week, I won;t get as frustrated, because I know I can have my goodies eventually!

I'm on the Rosemary Conley diet. It's fairly simple - stick to your BMR in calories, and eat nothing over 5% fat unless it's low fat cheese or oily fish. Built into the plan is an allowance of 150 cal a day treat. You can break all the rules for that if you want. Or save up a couple of days' treat and have in one go.

Many of her diets also build in a glass of wine (or two) a day, but on this one you can have the wine as your treat - or something else. I haven't binged ocne in 6 months and I don't feel deprived of anything - I think because of Rosemary factoring in the treat.

PhatP x

I'm going to paraphrase something someone else told me. It'd be pretty good if I could remember who But I can't. So here goes.

What's a treat? If it's bad for you and it helped to get you into the pickle you're in now, why is it a treat? Maybe we just need to rethink what is a treat.

What's a treat? If it's bad for you and it helped to get you into the pickle you're in now, why is it a treat? Maybe we just need to rethink what is a treat.[/QUOTE]


It's a treat because it tastes SO good! I've learned that I can still lose weight and enjoy the true pleasure of eating foods I really like. The key is not over eating the treat or eating something really high calorie that isn't worth it. I had pizza the other night from Pizza Hut - 3 pieces. It tasted unbelievable and it was worth every calorie - and because I allowed for it in my calorie count for the day, I didn't go over. It wasn't a reward for doing something (I don't think we should treat food that way) but it was a treat, and I absolutely enjoyed every bite!

Very good point SusanB. Honestly, before it wasn't a treat. It was an everyday occuring thing. I would go here and there every single day and get what I wanted. It stopped becoming a treat and became my usual diet of foods that I consumed. I want to stop looking at it that way and view it in terms of actually being a treat. A treat is something that you allow yourself every now and then, but not everyday and that's what I want to make it.

This is along the lines of what I do, too. I cook with the leanest ground beef I can find, use fat free salad dressings, etc.

Another thing I am doing is allowing myself 500 calories a day extra one day a week. My normal goal is around 1500, so on Saturday's (usually) I will allow myself a small indulgence and have as many as 2000 calories. Somehow giving myself permission actually helps keep me more in line. Yesterday (Saturday) I had 1625 calories and did not feel like I was deprived at all.

So this is what I do, if it is something that I have completely been thinking about again and again and agian, then at the beginning of the week I write down my food changes goals for the week i.e. - drink at least 8 10 ounce glasses of water a day, stick to the food plan that I set up for the week, exercise at least x amount of times for the week (I add one extra workout here), if I have stuck to it then on Friday, I get that treat if I still want it, but only a single serving, not what I would have normally considered a serving. Sometimes by the end of the week the craving is gone.