Treats!

[Heartmum56]

In this world of lentils and salads many of us now inhabit we have to break free sometimes! Red meat once a week and a square of dark chocolate everyday for me. Does that sound ok? What are your go to treats and how often?

[baly_2023]

As my doctor said what's the point of living if you don't have the nicer things .

Saturday night I will have a dessert, a generous scoop or three of Ben and Jerry's Belgium chocolate brownie ice cream sprinkled with hazelnuts.

Friday and Saturday I also will enjoy immensely a bottle ( 330ml) of a imperial barrel aged stout.

The rest of the week I eat healthy as possible but don't beat myself up if a have something naughty

[BigMel]

Hi,

Perhaps this should be on the Social Check-in and not the main board.

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

Good luck

[baly_2023 in reply to BigMel]

actually I find these posts very useful as I'm thinking should I have a treat, is it bad , am I being bad, to see others in our position discussing this and then seeing what others think makes me have a good think about my eating habits.

[BigMel in reply to baly_2023]

I have no problem with people posting about stuff like this, just post it on the Social Check-in as I suggested.

Isn't that what it's there for?

[HHH2017 in reply to BigMel]

Sorry BigMel I disagree, I think this is a good heart health related discussion, not a social one.

[BigMel in reply to HHH2017]

No need to apologise, I would rather have a discussion about this than just asking people what treat do they eat.

I disagree regarding the heart health related point, most of us know what is or isn't good for us , we would have been told that at the hospital, GP surgery or at rehab.

If it was a question about how to eat healthily then yes I would agree with you but it isn't, it's a social question asking people what do they eat when they wish to indulge themselves. As the replies confirm, chocolate, ice cream, alcohol, cream eclairs etc.

Don't get me wrong, I consume all of the above myself but to disguise it as a question about healthy eating when it clearly isn't is somewhat wide of the mark. If it was on the Social Check-in I would have contributed to the discussion differently.

Just my opinion.

Good luck

[fishonabike in reply to BigMel]

"stuff like this" is very relevant to our health - if more of us had been able to eat a good variety of fresh foods and eat meals prepared from good, simple ingredients all our lives we might have fewer of the health issues which bring us here and cause us other problems

[BigMel in reply to fishonabike]

It's not about eating healthily though, it's about having a treat and that means chocolate, ice cream etc.

Good luck

[Heartmum56 in reply to BigMel]

Sorry this didn't sit well with you. I may not have expressed it well but I think my point was to find tips on how to keep going long term on this healthy eating journey and what little treats along the way can help us stick with it. The goal is definitely still healthy eating!

[BigMel in reply to Heartmum56]

You can always edit a post to clear up any ambiguity, but the question was and still is, What are your go to treats and how often?

Good luck.

[fishonabike in reply to BigMel]

treats are part of a healthy diet - and being good to yourself is beneficial for your general wellbeing

[BigMel in reply to fishonabike]

Some treats are, fruit for example but there is a difference between a healthy diet and a balanced one. Only BeKind28- has mentioned a balanced diet in this thread and she goes on to say quite rightly, 'but treats or going of that diet just for a day or two just my opinion will not hurt'.

The links below are from the BHF website.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

Point 5 is relevant to your statement about being good to yourself and beneficial to your general wellbeing.

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

The last one is from the pro-healthy living website.

pro-healthyliving.com/diffe....

Let me know if you still think a healthy and balanced diet are the same after reading the information.

Good luck

[fishonabike in reply to BigMel]

i've said all i have to say and feel this response is argumentative

[BigMel in reply to fishonabike]

Not a debate?

[BeKind28-]

Hello

I think this is a very interesting subject as so many of us blame our lifestyle or did we do something wrong to cause us to have heart events and then after our heart events can struggle with what we should eat are we eating right should we have any treats , can we eat red meat , should we eat eggs the list can go on and on til even some have got themselves in such a state over eating which it is important to keep a balanced diet but treats or going of that diet just for a day or two just my opinion will not hurt

My Dad ate what he wanted red meat more than once a week at times he did like the finer foods in life not sure he ever had a takeaway once during his life but he had a quadruple Bypass walked every single day and 27 years later his Bypasses were still going strong

I however am still struggling with the eating side if I do have a treat I feel guilty after and if now and again I don't have a treat then it can be boring

I watch what I eat the best I can I certainly look at what foods contain and avoid the bad ones but something I miss is I have not had anything like fish and chips from the chip shop which I never had a lot of only now and again but some days I really do fancy something like that but would feel to guilty if I did which I wonder if anyone else feels that way ?

I think your treats sound fine though and I wonder what everyone else does it will be interesting to read the replies

Food plays a big part in our health so a good subject to post about and for others to read x

[fantasyfanuk]

I think occasional treats are great. I love food but it helps me to eat the right things almost all the time if I know I can sometimes have a little of the less healthy options, be it chocolate or beer. For example, my partner and I share a bottle of beer around once a week The more strict a diet, the more I want to break it! I do think this is a suitable topic for the main forum, as strategies for staying on track are very important in our lives. It is not a merely social topic.

[Aztec632]

I have 4 squares of bourneville every day and lamb chops occasionally. 2 plain digestive biscuits every day.I have ectopics and tachycardia episodes and chocolate probably doesn't help but I am good with my diet in general and I have given up so much over the years through illness, I dont want to give up my little treats. ...oh and the occasional cream eclair 😊

[HHH2017 in reply to Aztec632]

Bournville is my choc treat too ❤️

[Aztec632 in reply to HHH2017]

Yummy 😋

[Happyrosie]

many nutritionists say “80% of the time eat healthily”. I translate this as “two or three times a week I will have EITHER fish and chips, OR third of a bottle of wine (that’s 3 units), OR 2 squares of dark chocolate OR a slice of cake/biscuit”

Other than that I follow the “Eatwell” plate - shown on NHS website.

However those of us with cardiovascular issues should, I think, make this ninety percent not eighty!

[Heartmum56]

Thank you everyone. Yes this was intended to be a proper discussion about how we engage with our new diets. I find the whole thing very stressful and was hoping a few comments would help me chill out a bit. Grateful to know how some of you approach it and all further comments on treats policies gratefully received!

[BeKind28- in reply to Heartmum56]

Hello

As I said it is a good subject as before we have heart events maybe quite a few of us did not pay attention to much as to what we were eating after for some it can become very stressful and worrying are we eating the right thing etc

Meal times now in our house can become a battlefield knowing what to have as you said there are only so many salads and stir frys you can have before you start to get fed up and then when I do eat something that is not on the list that you should eat I feel so guilty so you are not on your own in having a discussion about this would be helpful x

[baly_2023 in reply to Heartmum56]

and it was a nice discussion , glad you posted it

[WeeHoolet]

I agree that's it's a good discussion to have. My cupboards and 'fridge' look like a health food shop, and whatever is in either doesn't always cut the mustard! Moderation is probably key, though, and I'm more careful of salt and processed foods than anything else dietary 🍏😋🍪

[yellow731]

Fish chips and peas every few weeks , i have a oat nature valley bar (well they is 2 in a packet ) or a packet if belvita brekky biscuits for my mid morning dunk in a brew , and a double decker now and then , a treat is good i just follow bhf meal circle crap things in moderation had a pizza saturday veggie one but oh that cheese

[HHH2017]

Great question. I stopped drinking alcohol which was very easy for me and luckily prefer dark choc so have some on a fri & sat as a treat.

But Im happy following a healthy diet with occasional treats be it a cooked brekkie in a hotel or like today sharing a choc dipping box with hubby for Valentines. Occasional treat is the key for me.

Personally I don't think this is 'Social check in' as I don't tend to read that much, I think it is directly heart related.

[baly_2023]

It was my daughters 9th birthday and we went our for a meal.

I had 8 chicken wings and dirty fries followed by chocolate cake.

I am now apologising to my statin tablets and my body for being bad.

I think I'm going mad lol

[DWizza]

It’s way more than eating healthy , it’s a bout a mental state of mind too. I wouldn’t have found this type of thread as I wouldn’t be in the social posting. I’m glad it’s here 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻.

I have been “food police” according to my wife 🤦🏼🤣🤣 ever since I came from 4xCABG following Nstemi 7 months ago . 41 years in law enforcement 🤦🏼🤦🏼🤣🤣.

My treat , I add table spoon of custard every now and then to my daily snack of oat , fresh fruit , toasted nuts (done in actifry) and greek yoghurt. I occasionally have a a beer or 2 if I’m not driving at a social . I do almost all of the cooking at home. My wife loves it . Make our own breads , curries , dals , it feels like we have treats every day . My wife has a glass of Sherry and wine most nights , I don’t 👍🏻. I find I don't crave things like burgers or fish and chip takeaway, got it covered in my fortnightly menu . Salmon chips and homemade mushy peas , homemade burger very occasionally, either with chicken/turkey and seasoned , red meat 5% beef once a month in a chilli , usually make it with turkey mince. Love my nuts /oat /fruit/Greek yoghurt dessert .

Pure Peanut butter is my go to afternoon snack on homemade bread , squally after working outside, with a cuppa.

Usually cook a Sunday roast dinner ,potatoes, parsnips , veg .. home made gravy , fat sifted , and homemade yorkies if family are coming. No skin and breast for me 👍🏻. Love it .

[Dadtoalad23]

I appreciate these threads. I’ve just eaten some chocolate and felt guilty so popped on here for some heart gang information !