Eating Dessert May Help Dieters Lose Weight and Curb Cravings

In a finding that contradicts conventional dieting wisdom, new research suggests that strategically incorporating foods you crave into balanced meals might be key to successful weight loss.

The 24-month study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that dieters who included small portions of craved foods as part of their meals lost more weight and experienced fewer cravings than those who didn’t use this approach.

For years, dieters have been told to resist temptation and eliminate favorite foods. But what if that advice is exactly what sets many up for failure?

The Inclusion Strategy: A New Approach to Managing Cravings

The research, published in the journal Physiology and Behavior, followed participants for two years—one year of active weight loss followed by a year of weight maintenance. Researchers found that treating cravings as manageable components of meals rather than forbidden temptations led to better outcomes.

“If you are eating and snacking randomly, it’s very hard to control,” said nutrition professor Manabu T. Nakamura, who co-authored the study. “Some dietary programs exclude certain foods. Our plan used an ‘inclusion strategy,’ in which people incorporated small portions of craved foods within a well-balanced meal.”

This approach appears to break the cycle of craving, giving in, and guilt that sabotages many diets.

Key Findings: Cravings Decrease With Weight Loss

The study tracked 30 adults with obesity through a dietary weight loss program. Of the 24 participants who completed the first year, they lost an average of 7.9% of their starting weight. Among those who completed the full two years, the average weight loss was 6.7%.

The results revealed several important patterns:

• Participants who lost more than 5% of their body weight experienced consistent reductions in both the frequency and intensity of their cravings
• Those who included craved foods in balanced meals lost significantly more weight
• Cravings remained low during the maintenance phase as long as participants maintained their weight loss
• Early reductions in cravings for sweets and carbohydrates predicted successful weight loss over the full two years

The Hungry Fat Cell Theory Debunked

The findings challenge a long-held belief about why dieters struggle to maintain weight loss. Many experts have suggested that “hungry fat cells” trigger intense cravings, making long-term weight maintenance nearly impossible for most people.

“This basically debunks the hungry fat cell theory, a longstanding hypothesis that fat cells become starved for energy and trigger cravings, causing dieters to eat and ultimately regain what they lost,” Nakamura explained. “But that is not the case. As long as you stay at a healthy weight, your cravings will remain low.”

How the Strategy Works in Practice

The dietary program used in the study educated participants about key nutrients and helped them make informed food choices. Dieters utilized a visualization tool that plots foods’ protein, fiber, and calories to enhance nutrition while minimizing calorie intake.

Participants who employed the inclusion strategy reported several benefits:

• 56.3% said it helped them stay focused on weight loss goals
• 50% reported it helped maintain consistent meal patterns
• 43.8% found it helped them resist eating craved foods outside of regular meals

The frequency of strategy use varied among participants. About 37.5% incorporated small portions of craved foods into balanced meals once to 2-3 times daily, while others used the approach less frequently.

Consistency Is Key

“The popular myth is you have to have a very strong will to fend off temptation, but that is not the case,” said Nakamura. “Fluctuations in eating patterns, meal times and amounts trigger cravings, too. You have to be consistent.”

Implications for Future Weight Loss Approaches

This research suggests that the typical all-or-nothing approach to dieting may be counterproductive. Instead of battling willpower, dieters might find more success by planning for cravings and incorporating them strategically.

The findings also indicate a potential virtuous cycle: weight loss appears to reduce cravings, and better-controlled cravings, in turn, may accelerate weight loss. This pattern could help explain why some people maintain weight loss successfully while others struggle.

As obesity rates continue to rise globally, with 41.9% of U.S. adults affected as of 2020, these insights could inform more effective and sustainable weight management approaches that don’t rely on unrealistic expectations of perfect willpower.

For the millions who feel trapped in cycles of dieting, craving, and regaining, the message is clear: planning for dessert might be the secret to success.