After the diet....

[battlethebulge]

Tell me, all you lucky maintainers who have already reached your target weight, do you have a 'splurge'??? I just keep fantasising about having a huge plate of chips, followed by a large piece of cake, and rounded off with a drinking chocolate with cream and marshmallows (not forgetting the choccy shakes). I wonder whether it's harder to give up on the 'forbidden fruits' the older you get? Lots of posts on here from people saying they don't miss the naughty stuff after a while. I'm on week 9 of the NHS 12 Week Plan and I'd sell my soul for a visit to the chip shop! (Have resisted so far) Comments please....

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

I think if you continue to think that you're on a "diet", you'll continue to fantasise about "splurging", battlethebulge.

The aim of the 12 week plan, is to educate you about healthy eating for life, which for most of us, means eating all things in moderation, although I don't class myself in that bracket, as a little of some things, will always lead to a lot.

If you're able to control your intake, by portion and calorie control, then there's no point denying yourself small amounts of "treat" foods, such as chips and cake. Many on here eat those things regularly, as I eat cream regularly. The trick is knowing when to stop!

No foods are forbidden, it's just that some have to be moderated

[Hidden]

You do think about it less and less. But I still 'splurge', chips, chocolate etc. You just learn the cost of it after all the work it takes to lose the weight. Also if you use the opportunity as a chance to completely alter certain things about your lifestyle then you'll have fewer temptations to splurge. For example I spent all of yesterday evening at running club, not many temptations there. And now more of my thoughts are taken up with 'healthy', the splurges are quite rare. Also when they come it's easier to identify the triggers. It's all a work in progress even once you're 'at goal'

[Hidden]

Recently I wrote a post about how a bit of a splurge on chocolate at Easter made me feel sick, and over Christmas a treat of a piece of Christmas cake gave me awful heartburn! It helps me not to crave them, knowing that!

[Pineapple27]

I've been losing weight for over 5 years and have to say that my "splurge" would not now be on the same things as when I started. In fact, I find I can't eat fish and chips, however nicely they are cooked, as they just seem too oily and greasy! Same with other takeaway food - not had an Indian takeaway since September 2015 (at my sisters with a group of family).

I do love cooking, which helps and I'd rather have a curry I'd made to be honest!

I could and do still have the occasional binge, but it's probably about quarter of what I once would have binged on, simply because my taste buds have changed and I no longer eat ridiculously sized portions of foods!

[IndigoBlue61]

I still have all my favourite things, if I think I 'mustn't' or 'can't' I want them even more. 😕 It's vital for long term success that I include these foods.

I think of it as making a choice, 300 calories in cake or 300 calories on something else . . .

It's a question of finding what suits you 😊

ps Hubby and I share fish and chips which is plenty really 😊

[Hidden in reply to IndigoBlue61]

I love fish n chips. The portions are always large, perfect for sharing

[Hidden]

Although I'm still on my journey I thought I'd tell you how I tackle it, if I really want chips, cake etc I have a small amount but count the calories, I bulk up on extra veg on these days just so I'm not hungry as I find although I want the treat it's definitely not as filling and to be honest I'm finding I have far less treat days now it's too greasy/sweet.

Kat xx

[battlethebulge Maintainer]

Thanks for your comments about 'splurging' - or not, as the case may be. I am, believe it or not, able to abstain from the naughties like chips, chocolate and cake, but I still miss these foods. I would like to have the odd treat including these goodies but I don't trust myself to stop at a sensible amount, so abstention is safer. But that doesn't stop me dreaming about these lovely , addictive but very unhealthy foods! I still wonder whether age is a factor here; none of the kind people taking the trouble to reply have told me how old they are! I'm 68 and have been lucky in that most of my life I have been able to eat whatever I fancy without it having an adverse effect on my weight - until I got to about 50yrs old, when I started to 'balloon'.

Oh well, bedtime now and the chance to dream of eating lots of naughty foods! Weigh-in day for me tomorrow....

[Hidden in reply to battlethebulge]

I'm 37. My weight loss journey began when I was 35, and originally put the weight on around 33/34

[AnnTandy 1 stone]

An interesting discussion, this one. I've already found that my tastebuds have changed anyway so perhaps it's not so bad for me - when I was younger I'd regularly splurge on the kind of meal you describe wanting, battlethebulge, but now I wouldn't be able to eat that amount to save my life - but I do still "treat" myself in that if I want something I find a way to have it. Chips, for instance. If we have them at home I cook them in the oven (put the cut potatoes into a ziplock bag, squirt with frylite, roll them about until they have a coating then onto a baking tray in the oven until crispy). I do find myself leaning towards healthier choices now, rather than just grabbing a bag of crisps to fill me up, as I used to. I still have a way to go but I hope that this change in attitude will help me to maintain when I get to goal weight.

[elliebath Maintainer]

Don't splurge just yet....not until you can trust yourself to get back on track the next day.

Yes, we all have days when we eat over our usual calorie allowance, and an odd day like that won't do any real harm physically ( unless psychologically it makes you think 'what the hell' and then throw the towel in ) .

Once you reach target and are in maintenance then if you really really fancy a pie or a whole easter egg then for one day you can probably get away with it, ... that's if you REALLY REALLY want it. But from my experience ( after 3 years) I very rarely get a binge urge nowadays and I still have chips and chocolate etc, quite regularly, but just a half portion.