The 30 Most Popular Dessert Recipes of All Time

Nutrisystem makes losing weight easy because you don’t have to give up the kinds of foods you really enjoy, including deliciously sweet treats. You can satisfy your cravings for dessert with lots of options from the Nutrisystem snack menu. When it’s time for something extra special, try one of our easy recipes, each high in satisfaction yet low in calories. We love them all, but these are the most shared and liked.

Here are the top pinned dessert recipes of all time:

1. 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cups >

Make a better version of everybody’s favorite candy in minutes and have a supply on hand for whenever you’re ready. Bonus: the peanut butter provides one PowerFuel.

2. Cinnamon Spice Baked Apples >

It’s no surprise this delicious dish made the list; it’s packed with everyone’s favorite fall flavors and it’s super simple to make.

3. Chocolate Peppermint Cookies >

There’s no better combo than chocolate and mint. And there’s nothing better than being able to enjoy the decadent duo in diet-friendly cookies like these!

4. No-Bake Lemon Coconut Cheesecake Bites >

The picture says it all. This sweet treat is a light and airy option that makes perfect finger food at parties. Just be sure to double the batch: A dessert this delicious won’t last long!

5. Maple Walnut Fudge >

Featuring all the flavor of that utterly indulgent dessert, fudge, this delicious recipe is so sweet and so creamy, you’ll have trouble believing you can enjoy it while losing weight.

6. Cake Batter “Nice Cream” >

Nice cream is basically ice cream that’s nice to your waistline. And this one definitely does not disappoint. Wait till you find out what the delicious and healthy secret ingredient is!

7. 4-Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies >

Featuring just four simple ingredients, this is one dessert you won’t have to work for. Good thing, because we’re confident that once you give it a try, it will become a staple in your post-dinner repertoire.

8. No-Bake Samoa Chocolate Cookies >

Chocolate-lovers go crazy for this delicious dessert that’s jam-packed with flavor… not with guilt.

9. Blueberry Almond “Nice Cream” >

Our readers love this refreshing treat during the hot summer months, when frozen temptations abound, because it’s sweet, cold and totally guilt-free.

10. Decadent Grasshopper Mint Brownie >

Turn your Nutrisystem Fudge Brownie into a super-indulgent dessert with a layer of quick minty frosting. All that flavor for just 179 calories per serving? Somebody, pinch us!

11. Skinny Cannoli Dip >

We bet you never thought you’d see the words “skinny” and “cannoli” in the same sentence, huh? Lucky for you, we’ve found a way to combine the two into sweet, creamy harmony. This one is perfect for parties and gatherings. Just lay out some fruit slices or graham crackers and you’re all set to be the hostess with the mostess!

12. Low-Fat Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge >

You can enjoy sinking your teeth into a thick piece of fudge and stay on track to your weight loss goal. This simple recipe takes just three ingredients—chocolate chips, peanut butter and almond milk.

13. Fruit Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing >

This one isn’t just pretty, it’s super tasty, too! Plus, it’s packed with all kinds of nutrients like antioxidents, vitamin C and fiber.

14. Crust-less Pumpkin Pie >

Celebrate the autumn holidays—or any coffee break—with a slice of this light but flavorful pie. It’s easy to make even if you have no baking skills.

15. Berry-Easy Bread Pudding Mug Cake >

When you’re in the mood for real comfort food, a few spoonfuls of this warm dish will hit the spot. With individual servings in each mug, you’re sure to eat just the right amount.

16. Chocolate Cherry Bliss Balls >

Made with just five ingredients, these sweet and chocolatey bites are rich and satisfying. And they’re so easy to prepare—no cooking necessary.

17. No-Bake Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bites >

Yes, we’re talking about chocolate chip cheesecake, with the creamy texture and rich flavor you love, but only 115 calories per serving. Plus, you get two PowerFuels that keep you feeling full for hours.

18. Vanilla Berry Ricotta Mousse >

Creamy, whipped ricotta combines with fresh produce for a fruity favorite you don’t have to regret.

19. Salted Chocolate Pretzel Bread Pudding >

Just when you thought the Nutrisystem Soft Pretzel couldn’t get any better, this recipe enters the picture. The perfect combo of sweet and salty, this delicious take on a Nutrisystem snack is so decadent, it’s hard to believe it’s diet-friendly.

20. Kiwi Strawberry Slushie >

Naturally sweet and ridiculously refreshing, this fruity favorite will take your taste buds on a tropical get-away… without all the guilt of traditional frozen drinks.

21. Gingerbread Freezer Fudge >

Nothing says fall like the distinct flavor of gingerbread. And now, you can enjoy the seasonal staple all year round, thanks to this delicious fudge recipe that combines a few simple ingredients to create an unbelievably tasty treat.

22. Snickerdoodle Energy Balls >

Our readers absolutely adore these tasty little energy snacks because they’re jam-packed with flavor and they’re super simple to eat on the go.

23. Gluten-Free Chewy Ginger Cookies >

You can choose from lots of cookie options on the Nutrisystem menu, but when you’re hankering for the aroma and taste of fresh-baked, try putting a batch of these in your oven. The blend of ginger, cinnamon, molasses and vanilla bring maximum flavor to these soft and chewy cookies.

24. Red White and Blue Pudding Cup >

With three layers of flavor to dig into, each bite is juicy, smooth and creamy, and so sweet. Better make extra—the whole family is sure to want their own.

25. Peachy Honey Whipped Ricotta >

Sweet, creamy and packed with nutrition, one bite of this fabulously fruity, and you’ll be feeling peachy keen. And don’t worry: If you’re not a fan of peaches, you can easily swap them for any of your favorite fruits.

26. Chocolate Coconut Mug Cake >

Who knew such decadence could be made in a mug? Featuring a few simple ingredients, this decadent dessert is perfect for chocolate-lovers who don’t want to sabotage their slim-down. The sweetest part? No oven, necessary. Just pop your mug in the microwave and you’re good to go!

27. Pumpkin Spice Freezer Fudge >

The quintessential fall flavor, pumpkin spice tastes good in everything from coffee  to cake. And now, pumpkin spice tastes twice as nice in fudge! Creamy and sweet, this fudge is rich and decadent but totally guilt-free.

28. Salted Caramel “Nice” Cream >

Here’s the perfect blend of flavors: Gooey, sweet caramel with a spark of salt mixed in and on top frosty sweet banana-vanilla “nice” cream. It’s a sundae you can enjoy just about any day.

29. Pecan Pie Fudge >

This fudge isn’t just adorable… it’s totally tasty, too. Whip up a big batch over the weekend and have fabulous fudge at your fingertips whenever sweet treat cravings strike.

30. Easy Thumbprint Cookies >

Our readers love these crunchy little cookies because they’re easy to make and packed with fruity flavor. Bring these sweet treats to any party or gathering and we promise you they will be a huge hit.

The post The 30 Most Popular Dessert Recipes of All Time appeared first on The Leaf.

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7 Not-So-Sweet Halloween Candies to Avoid

Starting with Halloween, the end of the year is loaded with temptations and plates and plates of food. But that doesn’t mean your weight loss goals have to go on hold until January—and it doesn’t mean you have to eschew candy all together.

To avoid eating too much candy, try buying varieties for trick-or-treaters that you don’t particularly like: If you’re not a Good and Plenty person, you’ll have an easier time passing on what’s left over the morning of November 1. Even if it’s not your favorite stuff, put the bowl out of sight after the doorbell-ringing is over: Scientists who studied candy dishes found that subjects ate 1.8 more pieces of candy per day when the bowl was on their desks versus two meters away. Get that candy out of sight and keep it out of your mind.

If you do grab a piece at work, keep the wrappers on your desk instead of throwing them away. In a 2011 study, participants who were offered bowls of pistachios in their shells ate 41 percent fewer calories during a period than those given pre-shelled nuts. Scientists theorized that the nut-shellers saw the pile of shells, realized how much they were eating, and felt full—both groups reported feeling just as full and satisfied.

And, if you absolutely can’t go without a piece of the sweet stuff, eat the one you’re craving. Just do it in moderation so you’re not left pining for something else. And try to stay away from these seven candies—they’re all hiding something… and it’s a trick, not a treat.

1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkin:
The trouble with this pumpkin is that it’s oversized: You’d probably figure that the pumpkin shape is just that—a shape that is still the same as a regular Reese’s. But the trick is that it’s bigger: Each pumpkin weighs in at 170 calories, with 10 grams of fat and 16 grams of sugar. A regular Reese’s has just 105 calories, meaning the pumpkin is more than 50 percent bigger. If you must indulge, stick with just one of the classic shape.

2. Skittles, Nerds and other candies that have no relation to real food:
At least peanut butter cups have peanut butter and chocolate—real, actual foods. But these “fruit-flavored” concoctions are the Frankensteins of trick or treat: Amalgams of sugar, chemicals like “tapioca dextrin” and “titanium dioxide,” they don’t come close to resembling real food.

Most of the ingredients on that chemical list are sugar: In the case of original Skittles, there’s sugar, then corn syrup (read: sugar), and later, modified corn starch (read: modified sugar). No wonder a bag contains 46 grams of sugar—almost twice as much as the American Heart Association recommends for women in a whole day.

3. “Health halo” treats like Raisinets:
Come on, they’re raisins! And right there on the package it says that they have 30 percent less fat!

When food companies label things with terms like “low-fat” and “good source of protein,” they do so without regulation—and the consumer suffers. These “healthy” labels create an effect scientists call the “health halo”: When you think a food is “good for you,” you don’t feel guilty about eating more of it. In a 2007 study from Cornell University, dieters eating at a “healthy” fast food restaurant underestimated their intake by 151 calories.

Raisinets fit the “health halo” bill: They’re made of fruit, and are labeled as having “less fat.” But that “less fat” includes 18 percent of your recommended daily intake of saturated fat in a single “snack size.” That also comes with 150 calories—more than in most “fun size” candy bars.

5 Healthy-Sounding Foods to Beware

Read More

4. “Handful” treats like candy corn:
Americans are not great at estimating serving sizes: In one study published in Nature, men and women both guessed the proper portion of a food item only about half the time. So when a portion isn’t controlled—like when you’re grabbing a handful of something instead of eating a discreet, pre-measured size—there’s a 50 percent chance you’re grabbing the wrong amount… and it’s probably more than you’d like.

That’s the trouble with treats like Skittles, Raisents and the Halloween classic, candy corn: You’re more likely to eat more than you plan… and if it’s not your favorite candy, it’s wasted, mindless eating that can really add up. Even though candy corn is made with “real honey,” that’s still sugar: Just 19 pieces has 28 grams of sugar—almost three times as much as a bowl of Lucky Charms.

5. 3 Musketeers:
It may taste lighter and be marketed as lighter, but this swashbuckling bar has a secret: The full-size bar has 240 calories—the same as a full-size Milky Way, and just 10 fewer calories than a Snickers. And 3 Musketeers has more sugar than either of the others: 36 grams in a full-size bar, as much as you’d get in three glazed donuts from Dunkin’.

No Tricks! Just 13 Healthy Halloween Treats

Read More

6. Take5:
When it comes to candy, a trip to conjunction junction—filled with “and” and “with”—usually serves one function: to add fat and calories. When a candy has five features, like Take5—which has chocolate AND peanuts AND caramel AND pretzels AND peanut butter—it’s going to compound the calories. One “snack size” bar has 105 calories—more than 25 percent more than Snickers. And a full-size Take5 has 27 percent of your daily saturated fat and 18 grams of sugar. So don’t even take one!

7. Dove Dark Chocolate Miniatures:
While the kids are eating kids’ stuff, you’ll enjoy these heart-healthy “adult” chocolates that are silky, smooth… and have more calories than comparable “kids” brands.

Dark chocolate may have health benefits, but these minis are manufactured by Mars (one of the “M”s in M&Ms), and they aren’t an 80 percent cacao chunk. At 42 calories per piece, one Dove dark chocolate miniature has more calories than a Milky Way miniature, and a five-piece serving has 40 percent of your daily recommended saturated fat.

*All nutritional information taken from respective company sites and USDA nutritional database on 9/21.

The post 7 Not-So-Sweet Halloween Candies to Avoid appeared first on The Leaf.

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SV - My first time being 16 stone (224 lbs) since high school!

Here is my weight loss story so far…

(TL;DR at the bottom)

A bit of background info to start - I’m 28, male and somewhere between 5’9 and ’10. I have the classic case of a long history of comfort eating/mindless eating and secret eating (grabbing chocolate and snacks and taking them to my room).

My first ‘trigger point’ came when I stood on my bathroom scales in July 2014 and it read 19st 6 (272 lbs). I also did the classic ‘fat guy’ thing of wearing XXL shirts with a t-shirt underneath; this is the only way I could present myself and be less conscious of my body. I joined myfitnesspal the same day in an attempt to keep a track of what and how much I was eating. At this point, I was unemployed and still recovering from a bout of depression that started back in 2010. I tried to lose weight several times before this but I had the old story of not being able to stick to it, hating P.E at school (partly due to being bullied/teased for being fat), leading a very sedentary life and kidding myself that I was not as big as I thought.

Between July 2014 and January 2015, I had some progress with weight loss, coming down to 18st 1 (253 lbs). I found work abroad (usually 4 or 5 month contracts) just after this, bringing the challenge of resisting temptation with all the new food on offer. Late in 2015, I stopped weighing myself, fell off the wagon and my weight slowly began to creep up again. I didn’t actually weigh myself again until early 2017 when I’d gained 7lbs of weight back and my weight didn’t really change for the next year for various reasons. Over this period, I tried going to the gym a few times, maybe once a week but after a few weeks, I would become disinterested and stop going.

In April this year, I had a proper reality check which I see as a mix of being fed up of seeing photos of myself I was ashamed of, fed up of always being the fat single guy and fed up of being unable to play with my nephew and niece for long because I would be knackered. I began following loseit and progresspics for inspiration, I got back to the gym two or three times per week, really pushing myself towards goals and I took the literal first step of couch to 5k. I started working on some of my personal issues (especially regarding my relationship with food) and along the way, I found a new lifestyle change to try - Paleo.

My first week on Paleo was pretty much pure hell to me. I went cold turkey, switching out most of my drinks for water and occasionally green tea, cutting out alcohol, refined sugar, caffeine, potatoes, rice etc leading to a double whammy of headaches and ‘hunger’ (adapting to smaller portion sizes and different food intake) that lasted for at least the whole week, maybe more.

But after that, I could not believe the change that happened! A combination of my new lifestyle and gym work meant I began to have a lot more energy, focus and motivation. I give myself a ‘cheat day’ every week or so where I eat bread and/or more unhealthy stuff. At the start, it was a struggle to resist against my old self wanting everything bad and wanting to start again another day, or next week, or next month. As time went on, sugar cravings and constant urges to eat became less and less as I learned more about the effect that different foods have on my body.

Since May, I have weighed myself at regular intervals (mostly weekly) and after working through occasional obstacles of seeing little progress and becoming disheartened, I stepped on the scales this morning to see 16st (224 lbs), the lightest I have been for at least the last decade.

There is still work to do and progress to be made because I have plans to lose quite a bit more, but it gives me a sense of accomplishment and pride hitting a first goal that I never imagined I would reach. To add to this, I need to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe which for once, I am actually excited about because I know more things will fit me and look good. I even bought a new pair of gym joggers the other day that were fitted!

I thought I would share my story so far in the hope that I might inspire other people in the same way I’ve been inspired by everyone brave enough to post here. Much love!

P.S. I’m planning to run my first 5k sometime next year and hopefully I’ll feel comfortable enough to post a progress pic sometime soon!

TL;DR Lost just shy of 50 lbs in the last 4 years or so (36 lbs of that in the last 6 months through Paleo and gym work/couch to 5k) after years of bad food choices and giving up on attempts to lose weight. Planning to run a 5k next year. Still more to lose but it feels great!

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Thank God I’m a man (for weight loss)

I want to express all my sympathies to the ladies out there who don’t have the natural advantage that men have in developing tone, burning calories, generally being taller, and storing less fat. You lot are champions.

To lose comparable weight to me, my girlfriend needs to eat 30% less. My 3 meals can be 500 calories total, and I’ll lose tons of weight. Hers can be 350 (she goes for 400 to hit 1200 a day) and I’ll still lose faster due to my resting calorie burn.

Muscle gain is also significantly slower than my own (although, different body types could surely be the reason behind mine being more visible currently).

Now, i probably have the disadvantage of needing more food to feel full, but I think that doesn’t outweigh the benefits

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First goal is to go to bed a little bit hungry tonight

I'm fat because I love to eat food and feel full. Every time I say "Today is the day to lose weight!" I'll spend the day trying my hardest to keep my portions normal, but usually by the end of the day I'll make up some bullshit about why it'd be ok to go get 2 bacon cheeseburgers or 4 tacos.

I've always thought I had a good reason for weight loss, you know, get healthier, stop feeling so bad, save money on due to not eating as much fast food! Now though... I've got a real reason.

I became an uncle last week, and I'd like at least one person in my family to never be able to recall a time where I wasn't trying to live a healthy life. So I told myself it was time to put my foot down, and start to change my life for the better.

My first goal is to just control my portions today, try to keep myself from just binging at the end of the day.

I've still got a lot to learn about nutrition, working out etc. Gotta start somewhere though :)

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[Day 1] Well, really Day 3..

Hello /r/loseit

I'm a 26 year old guy, just starting out on my weight loss journey (again). I'm 5'11" and for some reason my body loves to hang out at around 230 lbs. I'm sure it's not a novel story, but as a kid I was skinny and gangly, I couldn't gain wait to save my life. My mom used to actively try to fatten me up because I was underweight. Some switch got flipped when I started high school, though, I started freshman year at 145 lbs and graduated at 190 lbs. I managed to avoid the college freshman 15 thanks to a large, hilly campus, but moved back home for my sophomore year and gained 30+ lbs.

Now as an "adult" I've been hanging steady at 230. I'll decide that I'm unhappy with my weight and start tracking and manage to lose ~10 lbs, then I get complacent / bored / what have you and stop and gain it right back pretty quickly, but I don't gain any more than that. I've been sleeping really poorly lately. My partner believes that I might have sleep apnea (both of my parents and various aunts/uncles have it and I do snore a lot) and I've decided to finally talk to my doctor about it. But, I know that being overweight is a big risk factor for sleep apnea so I've decided to take the first step and start dieting again (and hopefully keep on track this time).

Since I'm just awful about cooking healthy (if I'm being honest, really just cooking in general) I've decided to order nutrisystem. And that's why I'm reaching out to this community. This morning is the start of day 3 of their "turbo week" and I'm dying. The caloric intake for this first week is super low to jump start the weight loss and I'm finding it a bit difficult to stay motivated. Last night my partner needed to make bacon for his dinner and I snapped at him because he wanted to cook the entire package instead of just what was needed for the recipe. I keep trying to remind myself that it's only this one short week (and I've already lost 2 lbs!) but I'm a little worried that if it's already this difficult after two days I need to find some real motivation or I will just up and quit again.

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[math alert] A concept I'm working on, input appreciated

So, this may or may not exist, even if it does I'm going to work on it to keep skills sharp. The attached is a concept for a spreadsheet I'm working on.

Here's the concept. I want to apply manufacturing statistical process control (SPC) to the weight loss process for those who like data. I know there's a debate over weekly/daily weigh ins, this would be for the daily crowd, and it's designed with a smoothing factor.

You would enter starting weight, goal weight, TDEE, then select from 3 plans, gentle (-250cal/day), normal (-500), or aggressive (-1000). From that the spreadsheet will calculate your expected daily loss. It would then average out 3 days and compare that to your target, plotting where you are vs. where your plan should be. This would be the red line and right axis. This flattens out the trend line and from here you can see trends (with a link to control chart tendencies) and make adjustments.

This flattens out the process, but since we all want to see the downward tending line, I included actual weight (3 day average) as the blue line, left axis.

In the example shown, I sort of randomized someone at the start of the process. You can see that early on they aren't meeting the plan chosen (aggressive), but adjustments are made and the red line starts moving down. Furthermore, even though the plan isn't being met, the weight is tending down. The target for the red line is zero, i.e. following plan perfectly.

The SPC nature of the process not only protects from losing control and not losing, it protects from losing too much too quickly.

Any input would be appreciated, but know that I'm keenly aware of scope creep. There are things I can add, but I want to get a basic spreadsheet worked out first. Most interested in input for conceptual stuff, all ideas are welcome.

Thanks.

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