Treats while maintaining

Ok, so i am trying to maintain my 15kg weightloss, this is my first week and everything seems to be going great, although eating more is so hard.

I know there are probably posts on this but i just cant seem to find them.

So what do all you maintainers out there do about treats?? because i know dieters have this cheat day/meal thing but what about maintainers? i cant really figure out how to fit them in to my new regime, do you have them daily or a weekly treat meal??

 

How often do all you maintainers "treat" yourself to a meal, and does it affect your weight ?

And what are some of your favourite treat meals?

Definitely treat yourself, but just remember all things in moderation!

• real peanut butter on good-tasting bread
• a couple of old-fashioned good-tasting grilled hamburgers
• a dish of yummy for the tummy favorite ice cream
• some good old mixed nuts
• a chocolate candy bar
• king crab legs
• a rich and creamy chocolate mocha latte
• a banana split or parfait sundae
• two or three slices of the best pizza you can find
• some french fries and onion rings
• an insanity cookie (or two--DON'T ASK)
• some fried chicken

My point is that, yes, most of us do treat ourselves from time to time.  It does not adversely affect our weights, because we don't binge on what the treat is.  There is no way that an occasional treat will make you gain weight again, as long as you don't continue to treat yourself several times a day, for several times in a row.

Hey bananalover...I just started a group for maintainers. Its called healthy maintenance support group and if you go to weight loss or weight gain then maintenance in the group section you could find it. I'd love it If you joined :)

As far as treats go. I treat them like any other food. Okay in moderation. For me moderation means that I can have a treat every single day but I watch the quantity. I realize that there's always tomorrow to have more so when I want something I eat it and I eat enough to satisfy me. If I eat too much of it then I adjust my meals for the rest of the day to make sure that it "fits" nicely into my daily calorie goals. Sometimes I go over a bit but there are days when I'm under as well so it all evens out in the end.

Treats for me include brownies, frpzen yogurt, ice cream, chocolates, crackers with cheese, hummus and pita or veggies, a good cup of cocoa. Anything really.

Hey Chrissy!

Thank you so much, so you have a treat daily? Thats so cool, im struggling with treats because i completely restricted them while dieting and now wish to bring them back, but definitly in moderation. Its just a bit scary lol

Im sorry im new to this site and i cant figure out how to find the maintenance group?

I would love to join! Maintenance is so scary to go into alone lol

I treat myself almost every day.  Either 20g of chocolate, a VitaTop muffin, a beer... Whatever.  Sometimes even more than one a day.

I figure I deserve it.  Plus I had 500 to 1000 calories to make up from my "pre-maintenance" days, so I've got room for some extra calories.  I do struggle sometimes to make up to my maintenance calories some days anyway.  It's more of an issue of getting in enough HEALTHY calories, rather than just enough calories.

As far as a cheat meal/day, I don't plan them.  But I do have meals where I have no idea how many calories I ate, and I don't worry about those, either.

However, I weigh myself every day.  It hasn't been too much of an issue yet, but when I've gotten up to the top of my "allowable weight range", then I cut back on my calories until I'm back down to the low/middle end of my range.  It's usually just been water weight though, from eating out and having high sodium food.

Clint

Original Post by bananalover7:

Hey Chrissy!

Thank you so much, so you have a treat daily? Thats so cool, im struggling with treats because i completely restricted them while dieting and now wish to bring them back, but definitly in moderation. Its just a bit scary lol

Im sorry im new to this site and i cant figure out how to find the maintenance group?

I would love to join! Maintenance is so scary to go into alone lol

I'm not Chrissy but here is the link to the group she mentioned:http://caloriecount.about.com/healthy-mainten ance-support-group-g1852

good luck

Original Post by pilgrimdude:
...

• an insanity cookie (or two--DON'T ASK)

...actually, I'm kind of curious about the definition of an "insanity cookie." :D

A Sweet Freedom Fudge Bar (Ice Cream) is only 45 cals.

I make my 92 cal a slice cheesecake.

But if it's a real treat.... Betty Crocker Fudgy Cookie or Twisted Cookie Dough Frosty or even a handful of Mint Oreos or a cup of either Pralines and Cream Ice Cream or a cup of Sinless Cake Batter Ice Cream.

If I'm just throwing caution to the wind and not counting calories at all, I hit the Golden Corral Buffet.

I am looking forward to a few slices of Stuff Crust Pizza once I can have another treat day. :)

 

xue_mei:

• I took 2 canisters of peanuts and crushed them, putting them in ziploc plastic bag, and crushing them with a dough roller.
• I put a layer at the bottom of my pan
• then I melted a bunch of commercial caramels, adding a bit of water and microwaving to turn into a thick liquid, stirring them in 1 minute intervals
• I put a layer of caramel on the crushed peanuts
• I bought a couple packages of sweet vanilla wafers, separated them in half, and then put a layer of wafers, frosting side up on top of the caramel
• Then I repeated these two layers, making a total of 5 layers thus far.
• Then I made some homemade caramel using dark Carol syrup, dark brown sugar, butter, and a tiny bit of baking soda and put a layer of that on
• I melted 3 large milk chocolate bars, adding some cooking oil to make them easy to turn into a thick liquid and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring each time and I put a layer of chocolate on
• Then I crumbled up the remaining vanilla wafers and added that and some crushed peanuts as a layer, making 8 layers thus far.
• Then I melted a large dark chocolate bar in the microwave, adding a bit of cooking oil and added that as a layer
• then I added a layer of milk chocolate
• then I topped it off with a layer of crushed peanuts--giving somewhere around 11 layers
• I then put the cookie-bars into the refrigerator to harden for a couple of hours
• The "insanity" part is that there really is no set formula for how many layers or what you put on as a layer--just use some combination of crushed nuts--caramel--wafers--chocolate--and whatever you can think of that might taste good.

If I ever make them again, I will melt additional caramels and make additional caramel and add a couple of layers of finely grated coconut.

I've relaxed my "rules" alot since maintenance. I just vaguely keep in mind that I want roughly 85-90% of my food to be healthy. I'm still new to mainenance, so I'm counting cals still. If it fits into my "calorie window", I'll eat it.

Original Post by pilgrimdude:

xue_mei:

• I took 2 canisters of peanuts and crushed them, putting them in ziploc plastic bag, and crushing them with a dough roller.
• I put a layer at the bottom of my pan
• then I melted a bunch of commercial caramels, adding a bit of water and microwaving to turn into a thick liquid, stirring them in 1 minute intervals
• I put a layer of caramel on the crushed peanuts
• I bought a couple packages of sweet vanilla wafers, separated them in half, and then put a layer of wafers, frosting side up on top of the caramel
• Then I repeated these two layers, making a total of 5 layers thus far.
• Then I made some homemade caramel using dark Carol syrup, dark brown sugar, butter, and a tiny bit of baking soda and put a layer of that on
• I melted 3 large milk chocolate bars, adding some cooking oil to make them easy to turn into a thick liquid and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring each time and I put a layer of chocolate on
• Then I crumbled up the remaining vanilla wafers and added that and some crushed peanuts as a layer, making 8 layers thus far.
• Then I melted a large dark chocolate bar in the microwave, adding a bit of cooking oil and added that as a layer
• then I added a layer of milk chocolate
• then I topped it off with a layer of crushed peanuts--giving somewhere around 11 layers
• I then put the cookie-bars into the refrigerator to harden for a couple of hours
• The "insanity" part is that there really is no set formula for how many layers or what you put on as a layer--just use some combination of crushed nuts--caramel--wafers--chocolate--and whatever you can think of that might taste good.

If I ever make them again, I will melt additional caramels and make additional caramel and add a couple of layers of finely grated coconut.

That, good sir, is the most awesomely insane recipe I've seen in a very long while.

I think I'm going to tuck that away for a rainy day. :D

I'd like the 92 cal cheesecake recipe :)

xue_mei:  To borrow from the song "The 3:10 To Yuma": 

• "Though you’ve got no reason to go there
• And there ain’t a soul that you know there
• Listen, as the 3:10 to Yuma issues it’s sad refrain

----------------------

• "Though I've got no reason to make them
• And there ain't a soul that will take them
• Waiting, as the cookies do beckon oh so sweet and insane"

I plan on making them again come October or November.

Chrissy- it is the most simple thing ever. LOL.

1 - 8oz Fat Free Cream Cheese

1 tub of Fat Free Whipped Topping

1/2 cup Splenda

And about 2 Low Fat Honey Graham Crackers.

Crush up the crackers and mix with No-Calorie butter Spray. Spread into a pie pan to make a light crust. Place in frezzer for about 30 min. Mix the Splenda, Whipped Topping, and Cream Cheese together. Spread into pie pan over hardened crust and refrigerate for 3 hours. Then slice and enjoy.

I'll be mixing in some Strawberry Extract with mine this weekend to see how that turns out. It's a simple recipe and my kids love it.

Libby Pumpkin Pie has a crustless Pumpkin Pie recipe that is pretty good and if you use the Splenda Brown Sugar and Low Fat Evap Milk, it comes out to about 56 cals a slice.

SULLY: thank you so so much...definitely trying this. how many servings is it for the 96 cals? do you have the pumpkin pie recipe?

1/8 of a pie.

Nonstick cooking spray

2 tablespoons water

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

2 1/4 cups NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk, divided

1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar or low calorie sweetener equivalent

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

COAT 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.

PLACE water in medium bowl; sprinkle gelatin over water. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes or until softened. Mixture may be firm. Bring 1 cup evaporated milk just to a boil in small saucepan. Slowly stir hot evaporated milk into gelatin. Stir in remaining evaporated milk, pumpkin, sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract.

POUR mixture into prepared pie plate. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set.

56 cals if split between 2 pie pans (it's still a good size) 1/8 of pie. Use Splenda Brown Sugar instead of Brown Sugar. Lower cals and you use 1/2 the amount.

My kids like it if I warm it up slightly so it's like a custard. :)

I am working on getting more treats into my daily diet. Today I had a piece of chocolate cake and a bagel with fruit cream cheese. I am not counting calories (make a big effort not to!) but learning to eat intuitively. I would highly recommend Intuitive Eating for anyone who wants to maintain their weight without counting calories.

Well i treat my self all the time now.


I get to eat 1950 calories a day to maintain so ive been eating chocolate and everything and have been maintaining great.


I eat good food to but its defently nice to have treats every day.

1950??? Oh man I'm so jealous!!!! I wish I could get away with eating 1950 calories. Hell, I'd be thrilled with 1500 calories.

Sullysbunny: if you're maintaining you should be able to eat well over 1500 considering 1200 is the minimum for loss, unless your metabolism is severely blunted and you were losing on sub 1200 cals.

good snack for me is sugar free popsicles.  15 calories each.  I don't even feel guilty when I have 5 in a row. 

I would like to respond to Chrissy1988.  I'm 5'-3" and small built, 48 years old.  I've been keeping track of my calories for over a decade.  In order for me to maintain 125 pounds (and that is not thin for me, I don't feel ok in a swim suit at this weight) I can only eat 1100 calories.  I also bought a heart rate monitor 2 years ago to keep track of my calories burned while exercising.  Forget what the machines say and the books say.  If I'm working out hard I burn about 300 to 400 calories an hour.

So, in order for me to maintain 125 pounds I eat 1400 calories a day and exercise for an 45min a day.

If I wanted to loose weight I would have to go down to 1200 calories or less a day.  Not everyone is so lucky to be able to eat over 1500 calories a day.