Let's Talk About ‘Treat' Meals

Is perfection what we should be aiming for? Or does an ‘all or nothing’ approach set us up for failure? Scientists are increasingly pointing out that the best diet plan is the one you can stick to in the long term: the one that becomes a lifestyle!

- Nicky Perks

Anyone who has tried to lose weight knows dieting is difficult: it involves sacrifice and huge amounts of willpower. You have to say ‘no thanks’ to foods you enjoy in favour of foods you know will help you achieve your weightloss goals – and, because weight loss doesn’t happen overnight, it could be weeks, months or years of foregoing your favourite meals, which can feel absolutely overwhelming.

While an LCHF way of eating is fairly easy to stick to because of its appetite suppressing effect (as well as all the delicious foods you can eat!), there will come a time when having a pizza, a plate of pasta or that slice of birthday cake will be hard to resist.

There is a school of thought that believes treat meals have a place in any good and effective weight-loss plan – mainly for their psychological and motivational advantages. Some even go so far as to say that treat meals have hormonal benefits key to successfully losing excess weight. Although many advocates disagree. What they all do agree on, though, is that it’s essential to ensure that treat meals don’t derail you or negate your efforts, and that all comes down to the planning and execution.

HORMONAL BENEFITS OF TREAT MEALS