In a recent thread, Denise wrote something about how she wouldn't waste 100 calories on a glass of wine. That made me curious, so here's my question:

What are YOUR favorite or non-negotiable splurges?

In my case, I like to drink wine with dinner on weekends. I also like to have a latte on weekends, and if there's a piece of cake that seems worth it, then I'll have that too. The rest of the week I can go without these things. Technically I could go without them any day of the week without suffering major physical damage, but I choose not to.

How about you?

I don't consider wine a splurge. It's something I enjoy and incorporate into my weekly food plan.

My real splurges are once/month at a great restaurants. The types of meals that I just can't incorporate more than that because of weight gain.

Annything less than 200 calories I can figure out a way into my food plan and thus I don't consider a "splurge".

once a month, i get a hankering for french fries. once a week, i enjoy my TCBY cone with some hot fudge. (altho i was enjoying that several times a week for the last month or so but cutting back on other things) i am not a wine/beer drinker but i do have a sf hot coco each morning with a little soy milk. i make these frozen yogurt smoothies several times a week which satisfy my ice cream cravings--i may crush some almonds on top for a little crunch.

when it gets super cold outside, i get a warmed brownie or piece of gingerbread or pumpkin spice cake instead of the frozen yogurt cone.

as far as bigger splurges, i enjoy my birthday dinner, and thanksgiving. even when friends have birthdays, i pass on the cake (it is usually not my favorite cake anyway).I may enjoy some dim sum for chinese new year if i am in the mood.

quote:

Originally posted by Sandy:
There is one restaurant in town that I love. I eat 1000-1500 calories at a meal there.

3-4 times a year at most. And now I know they'll handle special requests as elegantly as they handle everything else, like putting less cheese on the French onion soup.

Otherwise, I'm in the "wine on weekends" camp, and I have light ice cream, sorbet, or a frozen juice bar every night. I suppose I could stop that, but I'm willing to cut back in other areas to support my light dessert habit.

i love soy sauce and eat some every day. i never even thought about the bloat as being caused by it. hmmm...i will have to re-think that. (having a "DUH!" moment here...)

There is one restaurant in town that I love. I eat 1000-15000 calories at a meal there.

I don't splurge much on sweets. I'm more of a savory lover.

And...I am learning that I can't have splurges every week--- more like 1-2 times per month.

Soy sauce. No calories, but the salt levels ALWAYS create scale issues the next day. But darn it, I LOVE soy sauce over rice with smart balance (replacing my beloved butter).

Other than that, I've been splurging on running clothes, not food. (Food would certainly be cheaper...)

I have splurges and then there are SPLURGES!

I will spend my extra points on 2 good refrigerator cookies and a latte....but a SPLURGES would be a "Death by Chocolate" dessert at one of the restaurants in town. It's horrible as far as healthy is concerned...but very good. I will use a week's amount of extra points for it, but it has to be a very good reason.

Otherwise, my splurges are on fruit and yogurt, aren't I terrible! Those are the things that I crave even more so than the bigger splurges. I think that's progress.

Funny you ask this....

My DH is "big" on "big" breakfasts on the weekends. I'm not. I enjoy breakfast and NEED a good, healthy breakfast to keep me going but I will eat something like oatmeal (which I had this morning) or 1 egg/small corn tortilla/shredded 2% cheddar cheese/salsa or veggie omlet or bowl of good but high fiber cereal w/skim milk....you get the idea. Also, I eat a mid-morning snack, protein & carb combo. I have low blood sugar issues and need to eat this way.

ALSO....I eat normal servings and don't "gorge" myself at one meal.

On the weekends, DH thinks we should eat these HUGE breakfasts and skip lunch. What he considers a big breakfast is biscuits, sometimes gravy, meats...bacon, sausage, whatever, eggs, jams & jellies.

I might eat 1/2 a biscuit and some egg & bacon. I eat a normal portion and I am hungry by the time for the next meal. I've talked to DH about this, told him it isn't healthy to stuff at one meal & skip another meal and that "I" can't do that because of my blood sugar.

This morning he wanted to go eat out for breakfast. I've had a very clean week and am proud of myself. I wasn't willing to blow tons of calories on a big, unhealthy breakfast that I wouldn't enjoy any better than what I usually have. Soooooo, DH & DS went out to eat this morning...they had some other places they were going anyway and I stayed home and ate a bowl of oatmeal and decaf coffee w/skim milk. I'm full and happy.

Keeping a food diary (I use Fitday) really is an "eye opener" to make you think of what your are really willing to splurge on. For example, after recording an order of fast food french fries, you might have a "DUH!!!" moment and realize, "WOW!! I could have had an entire well-balanced meal for those calories!!!".

I am willing to splurge for a glass of wine on the weekends. I enjoy wine with my meals at times and I do "save" the calories for it.

Other than what I've posted, I don't think I really have any more "favorite splurges". I might have a craving for something I don't normally allow myself to eat every now & then and have it but usually I've been taking into consideration my average calories for an entire week so it all works out.....One day may be more calories but a clean day the next....WHICH I am finding that I'm usually not as hungry the day after my splurge.

You can make it all work out if you don't stress about it.

Hot Apple Pie (or a peach cobbler) with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Chocolate Cheesecake. I can have this and it not make me hurt because it is made with cocoa powder instead of solid chocolate.

Strawberry shortcake.

Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies. (rarely, and only after a full meal--because of the solid chocolate)

I don't have any of these on a regular basis but if I splurge, they are my favorites.

Years ago I would buy several cases of the cookies & keep them in the freezer so that I could have one when I wanted it. I made them last the whole year, until the next cookie sale. One time a girl in my office made the comment that she could think of lots of "better" things to do with that money than buy Girl Scout cookies. She said it with that snotty, nose in the air attitude and I told her that I was sure she could think of a lot of different things to spend it on but that did not necessarily mean they were better. I think the same applies to our splurges. We all have different ideas about what is "worth it".