Eat Sweets Weight Loss. Written by: Sandra Gultry, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Weight Loss and Health Coach who resides in Orlando, Florida.
The Skinny on How to Include Sweets into your Weight Loss Plan
Dessert and weight loss: The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive! In fact, if you love sweets, cutting them out altogether could hurt, not help, when it comes to losing weight. Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too (and still lose weight). The key is to make healthier choices when it comes to eating dessert, whether it’s what you’re eating, how often you’re eating or how much.
Continue reading to avoid making these 3 common mistakes when we eat sweets, which can derail your weight-loss progress.
Theme Highlights
This month we are digging a little deeper into managing a Social Life Without Gaining Weight – while also managing the summer madness A part of that social life/summer madness is eating out and a part of that is DESSERT!
Dessert is often the first thing to go when trying to lose weight.
But according to recent research, people who ate dessert (and chose what they would have at the beginning of the meal) consumed healthier foods and fewer calories overall than those who selected their main course first and then decided on dessert.
Fruit for thought…
Self-Assessment Question
Do you enjoy sweet delights either at home or restaurant?
Here’s another twist, how will enjoying dessert help you lose weight? 3 simple points:
- You’ll feel less deprived
- You’re less likely to binge
- You’re more likely to stay on track in the long run\
The key is to Avoid Making These (3) Common Mistakes that hinders weight loss when we eat sweets.
#1 “Overdoing It.” (how to eat sweets and still reach weight loss goals)
The frequency with which you indulge may also keep you from your goals. If you’re eating that same chocolate ice cream cone a couple times a week, it will likely stall your weight-loss efforts. The key is to keep portions in mind (being overstuffed doesn’t feel good anyway) as well as how frequently you’re eating these types of desserts. If you feel you need something sweet every day, this is totally doable — again, it just comes down to portion size. A square of dark chocolate, a mini ice cream sandwich or a small cookie are all prime examples of a daily dessert that most likely will not sabotage your weight-loss efforts.
This is where those 100 to 150 calorie pre-packaged desserts come in handy to take the edge off. The key is limiting to ONE package!
#2 “Feeling Guilt or Shame After Eating Dessert.” (how to eat sweets and still reach weight loss goals)
Giving yourself permission to enjoy dessert only to feel guilty about it afterward is counterproductive. If you feel this way, it means you still view dessert as a “bad food” and haven’t fully accepted it as something that can be a healthy part of your eating plan. When we deem foods as “good” or “bad” we’re implying mutual exclusivity, and this just isn’t how food works. This mentality associates foods with morality, and this line of thinking can backfire. Studies show this mindset hinder weight loss success! Working to fully embrace and enjoy dessert — before, during and afterward — will help you have a healthier mindset and approach to your weight-loss goals.
When working with my clients (1:1 or within a group), I pay close attention to how clients view food. If I learn that a client labels foods as “good” or “bad,” I focus on reframing their thoughts and language around food. Emphasizing that “food is fuel” rather than the enemy. A key aspect of my work is to help clients build a healthier relationship with food.
#3 “Feeling Compelled to ‘Burn It Off.” (how to eat sweets and still reach weight loss goals)
This is in line with feeling guilty or ashamed about eating dessert. You view dessert as “bad” and therefore you need to rid your body of it. This mentality means you haven’t fully given yourself permission to enjoy dessert while trying to lose weight, and you feel the need to correct the misstep by burning off the calories and/or “punishing” yourself through exercise.
YOU CAN’T OUT WORKOUT A BAD DIET – in this case a food deemed as “BAD”!
Exercise and calories just don’t work like that!!!! Try reframing how you view food and/or exercise independently If you find yourself struggling with this, reach out to me personally and we can talk about strategies to help you reframe how you view food and exercise.
Take Away Message
Savor every bite and eat mindfully.
While some may think fruit-based desserts tend to be healthier than a slice of chocolate cake, all desserts are fair game, and I recommend listening to your hunger signals. If you always choose the lower-calorie, lower-sugar version of what you’re craving, it will likely backfire, and cause you to overeat because you aren’t satisfied. Instead, choose your desserts in advance when possible (or be honest with yourself that you’ll end up having dessert) and pay attention to food selection and portion size. Most importantly, make sure you savor every bite and eat mindfully. This way you may eat sweets and still stay on track with your weight loss goals.
Sandra Recommends
If you’ve been tweaking your intermittent fasting window, trying every new version of Keto, or thinking you need to shop exclusively at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods to eat healthy… it’s time for a change! Especially if you’ve been trying for 3 months or longer without results.
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