Treats are necessary. Treats are part of the happiness. Without treats our diet would suck.
The whole purpose of eating treats is pleasure; so they should be pleasurable enough to be worth taking a small step back from weight loss.
Here are the rules!
- It has to be really enjoyable and you should savour every bite with your full attention.
- Ideally share the experience with someone else (in social gatherings there will be treats and you will be more exposed to them).
- You shouldn't feel guilty about it.
WHAT DO I MEAN BY TREATS?
High calorie but low nutrient foods:
- Desserts, added sugars, chocolate
- Refined bread products, crisps
- Candy, muffins, ice-cream
- Fried food
- And we will also include alcohol here
Unfortunately, treats in excess can damage our health and get in the way of our goals. They can make us feel bloated, uncomfortable, guilty and they end up becoming a way of numbing ourselves from our daily worries.
Most of the time there is an emotional connection behind it: stress, sadness, boredom (as it gives us something to do), the sudden smell of food, or visual stimulation like watching a cooking programme on TV.
Other times it is all about your environment: the person in the office that sits next to you brings doughnuts to work every day, the kids like sweets and your cupboards are full of them, the family wants to hit McDonalds every single weekend...
We are exposed to them 24/7, temptations are everywhere, let's face it... IT IS HARD TO BE AN ANGEL THESE DAYS!
So here is my advice: CUT THEM BACK, DON'T CUT THEM OUT!
Yes, I am taking MODERATION WITHOUT DEPRIVATION so you don't feel restricted, end up craving them more and binging miserably.
A great tool to take control of this is to realise when a treat is worth it and when it isn't.
EXAMPLES OF WHEN A TREAT IS WORTH IT:
- Ice cream in the park with the kids on a sunny afternoon
- A couple of glasses of a good wine
- A slice of cake that your mother made with all her love (sensible portion)
- Going for dinner with your loved one to a nice restaurant
- Plan ahead to have twice a week your favorite chocolate and have the right amount
EXAMPLE OF WHEN A TREAT IS NOT WORTH IT:
- I get frustrated in front of my computer so I go to the vending machine, buy whatever bar of chocolate is available and demolish it without even savoring it (my head is in this work issue). Suddenly the chocolate bar is over, I go back to my desk and I am still stressed. On top of that I feel guilty for having that angry chocolate bar that wasn't even that great. One hour later I want more chocolate...
EXAMPLE OF WHEN YOU OVERINDULGE IN ONE AFTERNOON:
- I am at home on a Sunday afternoon and I know my cupboards are full of naughty treats. I am not doing anything really, I am relaxing. I decide to have 2 toasts with lots of peanut butter on top as I fancied it, I am a bit bored and gives me something to do. I surf the internet, I read a magazine. I watch television. The cupboards keep calling me so I grab a big bag of popcorn and demolish it without paying much attention as I am distracted watching TV. (My advice here - keep yourself busy, go for a walk, be productive and try to get out of the house for few hours) I finish the evening ordering KFC as on Sunday we always get takeaway... All that together was probably worth more than 2000 calories on top of your breakfast and lunch. You cannot have them all if you have body composition goals sadly!
HOW TO CUT THEM BACK WITHOUT CUTTING THEM OUT?
- Keep track of how many treats you eat in a typical week. No judgement is involved, simply observe.
- You might feel resistant and a little angry. This comes from judgment, please let go of it! This information is only for you, it doesn't make you a bad person, it is just food!
- Keep track of your treats again on the following week and try to lower that number. Even if it is only one less treat. To be honest just by recording them you will have less than usual, trust me!
REMEMBER TO NOT BEAT YOURSELF UP ABOUT IT
The key is not to demonise them, so if you are craving it madly just do it, enjoy it and move on! Sometimes we end up having a food debate it in our heads and makes the situation worse.
You know when you are being moderate and you know when you are overindulging, be honest with yourself!
Stick to the guidelines as much as you can:
- Make sure it is worth it
- Pay attention and enjoy it
- Share the experience
- Avoid angry food with an emotional connection behind
- Avoid having treats if you are sad to make you feel better
- Shape your environment so you are less exposed (e.g. find another route when walking on the office floor that doesn't involve passing in front of the vending machine)
- Keep track of your treats
