If you’ve ever felt guilty about tucking into birthday cake or enjoying fish and chips by the seaside, you might be relieved to hear that a new study suggests an occasional treat could actually be the key to staying slim.
Research by nutrition and food tracking app MyFitnessPal, which surveyed 2,000 Brits, found that allowing yourself small indulgences—like a slice of cake on a friend’s birthday or a plate of pasta in Italy—plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy weight.
In fact, 31% of respondents who are at their ideal weight credit their success to letting themselves eat the foods they love now and then.
Meanwhile, 89% of ‘serial dieters’—people who repeatedly try to cut out all “naughty” foods—describe themselves as overweight, compared to just 43% of non-dieters.
Finding the Right Balance
According to MyFitnessPal’s poll, the perfect balance for healthy eating is 69% nutritious food and 31% treats.
And those who are at their ideal weight simply won’t skip classic favourites such as chocolate on Easter Sunday (49%), baguette with rich butter in France (35%), or pizza while on holiday (34%).
Other “must-have” indulgences include:
- Fish and chips at the beach (58%)
- Baguette with butter in France (35%)
- Fries with a steak (31%)
- A hot dog in New York
- A cream tea in Devon or Cornwall (28%)
By letting themselves enjoy these little pleasures, 90% of respondents say they’re more likely to stick to a healthy routine overall, rather than give up at the first sign of temptation.
Why Yo-Yo Dieting Makes It Tougher
An overwhelming 92% of those in the “overweight” group believe years of yo-yo dieting have made it harder to lose extra pounds.
More than three-quarters admit that highly restrictive or “fad” diets led to eventual failure, often causing them to binge on the very foods they tried to cut out.
During the festive season, it’s common to put on weight—57% of Brits admit gaining around 5kg at Christmas. And with the new year comes the desire to shift it all again: 67% of people say they’d like to lose weight in 2025.
Yet for many, going cold turkey on treats in January—also known as “Banuary”—only makes tackling those goals feel bleaker.
‘Progress, Not Perfection’
Melissa Jaeger, Head of Nutrition at MyFitnessPal, says it’s all about swapping the all-or-nothing approach for small, meaningful changes that add up over time:
“The research highlights that making progress should be centred on finding balance within your diet, not the idea of ‘perfection.’
This New Year, we are encouraging people to let go of the all-or-nothing mindset when it comes to setting and achieving health goals.
It’s not about giving up your favourite foods or moments with family and friends, rather it’s about making small, sustainable changes that add up over time.
“Tracking what you eat can help you understand the impact of your dietary choices, encouraging a healthier and more mindful approach to eating.
When you allow room for flexibility, like enjoying a side of fries or having a slice of cake at a birthday party, you’re more likely to stay motivated to keep progressing towards your health goals.”
Ultimately, most people (94%) agree that life is about moderation, not deprivation—proving that a bit of what you fancy can work wonders for both body and soul.
And if this latest research is anything to go by, an occasional tasty indulgence might just be the real key to staying slim.
TREATS TO NEVER SAY NO TO, ACCORDING TO THOSE AT THEIR IDEAL WEIGHT
| Treat | Percentage |
|---|---|
| A slice of cake on your birthday | 65% |
| Fish and chips at the seaside | 58% |
| Chocolate eggs on Easter Sunday | 49% |
| A plate of pasta in Italy | 48% |
| A few chips with a steak | 45% |
| A slice of cake when someone has made one | 45% |
| A Yorkshire pudding with your roast beef | 45% |
| A slice of pizza on holiday | 43% |
| A baguette with butter in France | 40% |
| A mince pie in December | 40% |
| Cornish and Devonshire cream teas | 39% |
| A Cornish pasty in Cornwall | 39% |
| An occasional Saturday night Chinese takeaway | 38% |
| A 99-ice-cream with a flake on a sunny day | 38% |
| A hot dog in New York | 38% |
| A bacon sandwich the morning after a party | 36% |
| Cheese and biscuits on Christmas Day | 33% |
| A slice of takeaway pizza in front of your favourite movie | 32% |
| A piece of Christmas pudding | 32% |
| Popcorn at the cinema | 28% |