The 'issue' with those daily sweet treats, according to dietitian Susie Burrell

What is your idea of a treat?

A piece or two of dark chocolate before bed? A glass of wine with dinner? Or maybe a fast food meal once a week?

Each and every one of us will have a different idea of what a 'treat' is and, while most if not all foods can be included as part of a healthy eating plan in some way, the reality is that with Aussies consuming an average of more than three discretionary foods daily, it appears that many of us are 'treating' ourselves a little to frequently.

What is a treat?

A 'treat' is generally a food that does not offer any strong nutritional properties that would make it a 'core' food like fruit or vegetables or lean protein with which we should base our diet.

Treats are generally high calorie, high sugar and/or high fat foods that may offer much taste and pleasure but few, if any, essential nutrients such as protein, good fats, dietary fibre or vitamins and minerals.

IN PICTURES: Staggering detail in Bella Hadid's Victoria's Secret look

READ MORE: Aldi launches bargain version of iconic range from just $5.99

READ MORE: 'I'm sorry': Shock message on restaurant receipt after late arrival

As such, treats can add plenty of extra calories into our diet for not a lot of nutrition. Alcohol too falls into this category as an 'extra' we do not need for basic physiological functioning.

How many treats do we really enjoy?

Chances are you are enjoying a few more treats than you realise – a pastry with your morning coffee, a piece of cake for a colleague's birthday, a glass or two of wine after work or some fries with a lunch meal are all 'treats' – and ultimately high-calorie treats that are easy to overeat and which are adding extra fat, sugars and calories to the diet.

The issue with treats

While some treats slip into the diet innocently, there is also the common scenario in which we find ourselves frequently rewarding ourselves with treats.

Whether it is a tub of ice cream or a block of chocolate after a bad day, a daily sweet treat for making it through the long work day, or a couple of glasses of wine after an especially taxing day, ultimately all these treats add up and often explain slow, but consistent weight gain over time.

Time to take control

The first step is to consider how many treats you are really enjoying.

Is it really a square or two of chocolate, or more like two to three rows?

Is it a glass of wine or closer to three? Like all things in life, if your treat intake is moderate and equates to just 100 to 200 calories each day, there is no cause for concern.

On the other hand, if it is closer to 500 to 600 calories each day, it might be a good idea to rethink your treat habits.

Getting your treat balance right

Some of us may prefer to have a small treat daily, others a more substantial treat once or twice each week.

There are no rules, rather it is what suits you and your lifestyle best.

Many people find that enjoying a sweet treat or glass or two of wine daily is a way to indulge a little each day, while others prefer to indulge over the weekend.

The key is to be aware of the extra foods that may be slipping into your diet daily and make sure that if there are extra treats you are actually enjoying them.

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.