When Calorie conscious eating is the goal, often a 'fitting it in your macros' approach with some form of tracking is needed to avoid over-consuming Calories. However, this tracking approach probably isn't feasible in the long term, neither is completely avoiding treat foods if a non-tracking approach preferred.
So can you have indulgences without tracking?
Provided your relationship with food is sound, you have an informed understanding of how different foods affect daily Calorie intake, and your internal connection with hunger and food obsession is 'okay' you'll probably be fine eating some treat foods without 'having' to track it.
'Making room' (within healthful reason) by reducing carbohydrate and/or fat dense foods here and there can allow for logical amounts of treat foods. Another way of framing this could be a 'logical non-tracking food swap'.
For example if Gelato Messina was on your mind and you wanted to eat some with a friend later in the evening. Perhaps taking the peanut butter out of your oats that morning and having only a half serving of your usual pasta portion for lunch can create the 'Calorie room' for that logical amount of Messina (max 2 scoops... not a whole litre tub). Allowing you to enjoy the social occasion, enjoy the Messina you crave and not really 'need' to Calorie track it.
If you're going to test this sort of approach, it's important to acknowledge it can be a 'slippery slope'. The nutrient density of your diet and the poor ability of palatable, processed foods high in both fats and carbohydrates to suppress hunger should be considered.
If you approach logical portions of carbs & fats in a mindset of 'units of foods' you can make food swaps, or 'units of food swaps' that align with your 'cravings' and preferences at a given time.
At FNC we understand the importance of enjoying 'the finer things in life' (Gelato) without the anxiety of 'having to track it'. An FNC coach can help you along the road towards fat loss results maintenance, and logical enjoyment of 'life'.
To learn more about how we can improve not only your knowledge and understanding of nutrition, but also help you develop a greater relationship with food, contact us today.