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Five Ways to Make Room for Indulgences

Of course your eating plan has room for indulgences. In fact, treats are an essential part of a long-term eating plan to lose and maintain weight. It is unrealistic to give up snacks and desserts for good, and doing so can lead to feelings of deprivation and desperation. So make room for indulgences in your diet:

1. Take care of the basics first
   Make sure that you spend most of your daily calories or POINTS® on foods that are essential to healthful eating. These foods must be eaten every day to ensure that you get all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that your body needs:
   
   
   • At least five daily servings of fruits and vegetables – Mix it up and include all the major colors: green (light and dark), orange, red, yellow, purple, and white. The natural compounds that give broccoli its dark green shade and watermelon its red hue each have different health benefits in the body.
   • Two or three servings of milk, yogurt or cheese – Your bones will thank you. You have precious few years to build bone in your youth and early 20s and the many years that follow to keep your bones strong with a daily dose of calcium.
   • High protein foods at least once a day – Meats, chicken and turkey, fish, beans, nuts, and eggs supply protein for your organs and muscles, plus iron, B vitamins, and other important nutrients.
   • A few servings of foods made from whole grains – Whole grain breads and cereals, along with brown rice, bulgur wheat, and others have a plentiful supply of minerals, provide fiber, and are more filling than processed grain foods.
   • Use a little bit of oil – Sure oils are high in calories, but a drizzle of olive oil on your salad or a splash of canola oil when you sauté vegetables supplies vitamin E.
2. Know your budget
   Be completely familiar with the number of calories or POINTS® that you can have each day in order to lose weight at a healthy rate or maintain your hard-earned weight loss.
3. Spend wisely
   When choosing your basic foods, pick those that are lower in calories or POINTS® in order to make space for an indulgence. You can get the same nutrition and far fewer calories from skim milk rather than whole, a lean steak rather than a fatty burger, a baked potato rather than fries.
4. Keep on moving
   Physical activity is like free money. The more active you are, the more calories your burn and calories you can eat. If you’re inactive, you might have enough wiggle room for a favorite snack or dessert maybe once a week. Become more active and you can indulge more often, maybe even daily.
5. Indulge wisely
   Pick desserts and snacks that give you a lot of flavor and satisfaction in a sensible portion. It doesn’t take a lot of bites to enjoy a treat.