figuring in "treats" to cal alottment vs calling the whole day a bust

I wish I could find a balance! Example: if I allow myself a treat, instead of figuring into my cal allottment for the day, I ususally end up eating more crap bc somewhere in my mind I have the attitude "well I already messed up...might as well..." Same thing goes when I go out to dinner...I feel like the whole day is shot (food-wise). Wrong mentality! How do I change it?

Wed. Mar 21, 8:33am

recognizing the sabotoging behavior is the first step!! now you will have to act on the knowledge. there is no trick, just determination. that's why people feel such a sense of accomplishment after they change their eating habits and lose weight. you know the slogan, "just do it." ? well, that's what your next step should be. you CAN do it!!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 8:55 AM

Instead of looking at it as "tommorrow is a new day" Try "my next meal is a new meal." There's no magic reset button that happens overnight so make the time to reset your eating right now. Try not too look too far ahead and focus on the meal at hand. In the same way as soon as you mess up, forget about it. Don't look back. You can't take that mistake back, but you can make better decisions now.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 10:05 AM

figuring treats

I'll bet you have some things that you could identify as "TREATS" that are on your plan. For me it's ww fudgciles..and they are big. I also like skim milk with 1/2 a banana with cinnamon and ice cubes in the blender like a smoothie..that reminds me I have to get some bananas....Take care of your "treat" craving sometimes..cuz that's you..just plan.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 10:44 AM

becky?

becky...did you post this one?! i think you did!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 11:31 AM

You can also figure the treats into your calorie allotment for the day by pre-planning what the treats might be. I know that every Friday, someone in my office brings in pastries. I know I'm going to want one. So, Friday morning, I don't eat breakfast at home (also kind of a luxury b/c I get to sleep a little later!), and then I have one pastry here. Maybe it's a hundred or two hundred calories more than my normal breakfast (sometimes not - a donut is only about 250 cals, and my normal breakfast is 300), but, it's way better for me to plan on having that treat and skipping the cals beforehand, than coming in feeling unsatisfied and having an "extra" breakfast. Also, if I don't plan, I may end up having 2 or 3 pastries, instead of just my one, which is my breakfast.

Also, when I go out to dinner, for example, I have a hard time ordering "salad w/ dressing on the side," when we go somewhere. So, I try to make whatever I do order more healthy than it could be. For example, removing the bun from a burger will reduce the calories in it by about 200. Substituting veggies for fries is another few hundred. Or, if I'm feeling starchy, a baked potato with salsa (no butter) is also way less than fries, but still tastes like a treat to me.

Finally, at home, I find meals that I think are fantastic, that are really healthy, so I have room to splurge a little when I go out. For example, the other night, we made fondue. Not cheese or chocolate, but meat fondue. The base was beef broth with some red wine and soy sauce and garlic, and we cut up some chicken breast, a small filet (very lean), some portabellas, and broccoli, and cooked it in the boiling broth (we have an electric fondue pot). Super low-cal, and it feels like a fancy activity!! Grilling also feels like a "treat" to me, and there are tons of healthy things you can grill! Fish (wrapped in foil), shrimp and veggies on a skewer, chicken and veggies on a skewer, even a hot dog or two (no bun) can be low cal for a dinner, if you check the calories on the package.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 12:26 PM

If you've given yourself a daily allowance of calories, do yourself a BIG favor and add them up as you go through the day. Don't wait until the end of the day to write it all down. Because there's always time to adjust your caloric intake BEFORE it's too late. For instance, yesterday I was feeling very snacky. I really wanted to stay on track, but the snacks were calling to me. So? I ate the snacks! But each time I ate something, I logged it. I was able to get control of the numbers before it was too late. So, for dinner, I chose something very low cal and still ended up within my daily allowance.
Ideally, all my calories would come from the healthiest food - - but on days when I just need to munch, at least I know I'm not completely derailing my efforts.

oh - something else - stock up on treats that are not outrageously calorie-filled. Then you can indulge in a few and KNOW that the calories are manageable. Examples: 100-cal pudding, 60-cal fudgcicles, 100-cal popcorn, 18 teddy grahams (100 cals!), etc...

Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 12:33 PM

Calculate your calories by the week. Therefore, there is no blowing it. Only running out of calories!!!

Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 12:35 PM

Think of it this way, there are very few foods that by themselves are going to ruin your diet. For example, let's say you have a piece of chocolate cake w/icing - that's 600-700 calories. I don't know what kind of diet you're on but let's say you normally eat 1700 per day - that only puts you at 2400 calories for the day. Not the end of the world, considering non-dieters are supposed to eat 2000. It's all a matter of perspective.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 12:48 PM

Eating a treat is not "messing up" it's just eating another food. For the most part, a calorie is a calorie. If you at a cookie (75 calories) or you ate a medium apple (75 calories), what's the difference? Well, the cookie has no nutritional value, and probably isn't very filling, but in terms of logging your calorie intake, it's the same thing.

Another alternative is to add a bit more exercise to your day. So you ate a cookie... go for a 20 minute walk after dinner, and you're even.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 5:49 PM

to the 8:55 thread
you have no idea how much that slogan has helped me!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was just telling my groups that it has helped me get through so many struggles in life (exercise and other) . The saying "just do it" is my personal slogan. When I am facing lack of motivation I always tell myself "just do it" buck up and get out there

Friday, March 23, 2007, 5:42 AM

OP here

Thanks for your suggestions!! I just wiish it was EASIER. But if it were, food wouldn't be an issue for so many! It's all easier said than done, but I HAVE TO JUST DO IT :)

Friday, March 23, 2007, 5:17 PM

Related Content: How To Lose Weight- The Basics Weight Watchers Points System The Fat Smash Diet The Eat To Live Diet The Beck Diet Solution How To Get The Motivation To Lose Weight		How To Be Successful Using PEERtrainer How To Burn Fat Online Weight Loss Support- How It Works Does Green Tea Help You Lose Weight? Tips On Using PEERtrainer Visit The PEERtrainer Community Diet and Fitness Resources
Fitness Weight Watchers Meetings Learning To Inspire Others: You Already Are Writing Down Your Daily Workouts Spending Money On A Personal Trainer? How I Became A Marathon Runner		Preventive Health How To Prevent Injuries During Your Workout Flu Season: Should You Take The Flu Shot? Are You Really Ready To Start PEERtrainer? Super Foods That Can Boost Your Energy Reversing Disease Through Nutrition
New Diet and Fitness Articles: Weight Watchers Points Plus How To Adjust Your Body To Exercise New: Weight Watchers Momentum Program New: PEERtrainer Blog Archive Review Of The New Weight Watchers Momentum Program		Weight Loss Motivation by Joshua Wayne: Why Simple Goal Setting Is Not Enough How To Delay Short Term Gratification How To Stay Motivated How To Exercise With A Busy Schedule
Real World Nutrition and Fitness Questions Can Weight Lifting Help You Lose Weight? Are Protein Drinks Safe? Nutrition As Medicine?		Everyday Weight Loss Tips How To Eat Healthy At A Party How To Eat Out And Still Lose Weight The Three Bite Rule Tips On How To Stop A Binge