What do your splurge meals look like?

I try not to use a 'splurge' mentality - like "I've been so good I deserve something' and also connotes an above and beyond mentality ie. overeating. Overeating esp. on carbs can be a slippery slope to being off the rails.

Realizing I am at goal now, I will on special occasions, weddings, vacations...etc. allow myself foods I don't normally eat. Not overeat, but I see it as choices.  I am also learning on this journey- through trial and error there are some foods I can  on special occasions and I will be OK and their are other foods I can't touch no matter what. There are also 'public foods' that I can eat in moderation when I am with others but those foods will not come into my house....

I also remember everyday is not a reason to celebrate....

You are early out and thinking of all the foods you will be missing. I live in NY and pizza, bagels and pasta are king. I occasionally eat a 1/2 of bagel, have had pizza maybe 5 or 6 times since surgery, and had my first full-pasta is the main course- meal last month. I realize I don't really miss them, and after the pasta meal, I said never again...I ate it and didn't feel satisfied at all-- still hungry. Live and learn.

You're right, not all of us the same. BUT, not all of us are ultimately successful either, and I think there's probably a high correlation there.

Splurge was the wrong term. Most are using it for over indulging and that wasn't what I intended! I meant something they enjoy that isn't exactly on diet but I didnt mean over eating. I suppose I am just anxious to eat real food and that is where the question came from. 

My honest response to this might not be super helpful -- might be detrimental to some.

Realistically what you can do for 'splurge' depends on the person and where you are in your journey.  

For my first 6 months, I really didn't splurge at all.  Then at 6 months I kind of opened that door and it was really hard to close.  

Now 3.5 years out, I 'splurge' once or twice a week.  I work out like a crazy lady so it's ok - I can lose weight while having splurges.  3 months ago I splurged everyday which resulted in weight gain.  

So I guess -- be careful.  Some doors are better left unopened.  

I don't splurge on junk - that would be a really slippery slope for me - one that I'm not willing to go down.  I've worked way too hard at getting to my goal and am way too afraid of regain.  That said, there are occasionally times (maybe a couple times a month) when for one reason or another, it's hard to stick to my plan.  So my usual response is to eat a Greek yogurt (it's sort of a substitute for ice cream, I guess...), or a few times I've made a vanilla protein shake, tossed in 5 or 6 frozen strawberries, and whirled it around in the blender for a strawberry "milkshake".

P.S.  I should add that "off plan" for me is eating something when I'm not hungry, having an unplanned snack, or going over my calorie allotment for the day.  The actual food I eat is fine - it's the cir****tances that make it "off plan" for me.

Sorry for so many responses to this point -- I just have many thoughts on it.  

So this board has a lot of people who are super strict on their plan and I do believe that is a great way to be successful.  But for many people I think that wont work for them and I believe they don't come here / stay here.  

My husband had VSG on 12/22 and is going about his diet completely opposite the way I did.  It is working for him -- I hope it continues to work for him.  He got depressed tracking his food daily and has stopped doing that.  He had a bite of cheesecake last night -- and before hand told me I wasn't allowed to give him a hard time about it.  He does not have the same issues with food as me -- that isn't saying he doesn't have food issues, he does or he wouldn't need to surgery, but they are different than mine.  

There are many different ways to go about this.  I think the majority who find a place here, do it one way.  I think sometimes people can pounce hard here on people who go about it another way.  

If you do end up going off plan for small indulgences, just keep an eye on it and be aware that it can be much harder to put things off limits once you have "allowed" them.  I do believe moderation can work, but I think it is slippery and can be hard (although its all hard...)

Because moderation worked SO well for us pre-op?

I didn't practice moderation pre surgery.  

I thought I was.. in retrospect, my idea of moderation pre-op was very, very damaged.  The moderation I practice now is 100% different.  Thank goodness!

People are different. I was a fairly moderate eater before surgery but my issues were emotional. The worse I felt the more I would eat. I am in therapy now and have been for almost a year working on ptsd and depression and my value on food has significantly lowered.