Can I Eat More Treats If I Cut Back On Calories?I lost 28 pounds over the summer, and I’d love to drop 12 more. But with the holidays here, it’s getting harder to deny my cookie cravings. Still, a calorie is a calorie, right? So if I want dessert, can’t I just cancel it out by eating fewer calories during one of my meals? Or will I still put on weight?
It is possible to indulge a bit if you budget “splurge” calories into your daily caloric intake. However, if you eat more calories from carbs and fewer from protein, you could end up hungry and tired. So rather than fussing over calories, consume at least 4oz. of protein (meat, fish or poultry the size of a deck of cards, one egg white or a handful of nuts) twice daily. Protein’s amino acids stimulate muscle-tissue growth to deliver a 25 percent jump in calorie-burning, energy-revving metabolic rate. That will allow you to savor a treat once or twice a week without worry.
