If eating/cafes is your only treat, what do you replace it with?

[FanjoKazooie]

Sorry, bit of a crap title.

I desperately need to lose 2 - 3 stone simply to get to a 'sensible' weight, let alone a skinny one!

The main trouble is my lifestyle. I have 3DC under 6 and don't really have any hobbies or anything.

My main 'treat' where I feel that I am looking after myself, rather than simply attending to the children or housework is to go to a cafe with DC or friends or to have a chocolatey treat in the evening.

If I try and go on a diet I will also be losing the one thing that I equate with 'treating myself'.

God I sound like a loser. Anyway, what can my 'me time' type thing be instead of carb/choc based?

Help!!!!

I don't see why you can't still have a treat once a week? I also need to lose 2 stone and wouldn't deny myself otherwise I'd end up giving up.

Or are you saying you do it everyday?

Have you seen cook yourself thin? It was on tv and you can get a book of recipes. There's a really good muffin or cake recipe that's chocolate but low fat and apparently tastes nice?

If you can get a babysitter what about having a beauty treat? A pedicure or manicure isn't expensive. I'm having reflexology tomorrow for a treat and also because I have sore feet (losing weight will help with that no doubt?)

I'd suggest some make up, new nail varnish, a good book or magazine and the time to read it. A treat that isn't food based, although I also agree that banning all treats isn't good either - just reduce them.

Yes Curiousmama it is daily . I can't really do the beautician thing as I have 2 young DC with me.

It's really an activity in the day that I need to do instead of a cafe, but am totally stumped as to what it could be.

Your right Beamur, it really needs to be a non food based treat. Hmmm.

It's Gizzi Erskine and if you google there's loads of cakes she does.

Do you have time on an evening without dcs? You could maybe have a candlelit hot bath with expensive bath oils?

sorry but to me it is the relationship with food - as a "treat" or a naughty food
you need ot stop that and not equate food as a right at the end of a hard day.

hot bath with candles, a trip to the gym, a walk on your own reading a book

but stop the relationship with food - use it to make your body function well and eat good food to make your body run well - it doesn't thank you for anything else

Bubble bath and trashy mag is my treat, though it's evening-based. I like trying out new bubble baths and finding the best ones - not always expensive (and anyway not much compared to going to cafes).

In the daytime I sometimes go to cafes and have an espresso. But I do like a cake and I agree you can't cut them out entirely.

you can still go out for lunch or a drink surely? or treat yourself to some new books or films or clothes or boots or shoes or get your nails done or something?

some nail bars only charge £6 - £10 for a colour, must be cheaper than coffee and cake?

Do you enjoy cooking? Maybe you could make something rather than go to a cafe, at least that way you would have control over what you were having and it is something you could do with your kids too.

Thanks everyone for advice. You are absolutely right Ivy that I equate a foody treat as my 'right' in the evening, and I need to rethink.

Cooking is a good idea Beamur, as normally when I do some cooking I actually feel less hungry. My DC2 would love that too and the littlest could bash some spoons in her chair! Will google Gizzie Erskine, thanks CuriousMama

The gym is a problem due to recovering from a back injury, not really sure what I can do other than a very slow walk on the treadmill!

Cheap bubble bath and a book sounds good too.

FanjoK have you read any of the paul Mckenna threads on here? On his diet you can eat ANYTHING you change the WAY you eat! Google I Can Make You Thin.

I've lost 6 kilos and still loosing on P.M.There are books and C.Ds. Also look at the exercise on the 'vacuslim' thread here.

I have a look at those ppeatfruit, thanks.