Researchers from a recent study found that when participants ate small portions of foods they were craving, while also eating balanced meals, they lost nearly 8% of their body weight.
Regularly eating preferred treats lowered both the frequency and intensity of cravings over a full year.
As long as weight loss was maintained, cravings stayed low, challenging the idea that fat cells drive hunger.
Struggling to resist sweets and snacks is a major roadblock for many people trying to lose weight.
However, a recent study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign flips that script.
Instead of cutting out all treats, researchers explored what would happen if people included small amounts of the foods they crave in their daily meals. The result? Less constant hunger pangs, more weight loss, and easier long-term maintenance.
“If you are eating and snacking randomly, it’s very hard to control,” researcher Manabu T. Nakamura said in a news release.
“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.”
The study
This clinical trial followed 30 adults aged 18 to 75 who were obese and had health concerns like hypertension or diabetes. Over two years, participants went through a 12-month weight-loss phase and a 12-month maintenance phase using an online program called EMPOWER, adapted from a well‑established in‑person plan.
They received 22 nutrition education sessions that taught them to balance protein, fiber, and calories using a visual tool. Crucially, the plan encouraged an “inclusion strategy” — adding small portions of beloved foods, like desserts or fries, into otherwise nutritious meals.
Details of the study setup included:
Craving surveys every six months covering sweets, high-fat foods, fast food, and carbs. Researchers rated frequency and intensity using a 1–6 scale across 15 statements.
Daily Wi‑Fi scale weigh-ins to track every bit of progress.
About 24 participants completed the first year and 20 finished the full two years.
The Results
In year one, the 24 participants who stayed in the program lost an average of 7.9% of their body weight. During year two, 20 of them maintained most of that loss, winning a total average reduction of 6.7%.
Participants who lost more than 5% of their body weight saw big drops in both how often and how strongly they craved foods like sweets and carbs. These reduced cravings continued throughout the maintenance year — so long as weight didn't bounce back.
This shows that cravings are more tied to having less body fat — not just limiting calories — undermining the idea that “hungry fat cells” drive constant cravings.
More than half of the participants used the inclusion approach — some even one to three times daily. Those who did, tended to lose more weight and saw sharper drops in cravings for sweets and high-fat items.
What This Means for You
If you’re tired of feeling deprived, this study suggests there’s another way: enjoy the foods you love, but in tiny portions and within overall healthy meals. The consistent routine — not sheer willpower — helped participants curb cravings and stay on track.
While this study was relatively small and involved online coaching, its findings are promising. Including treats, rather than banning them, could offer a more sustainable — and satisfaction-filled — route to lasting weight loss.
So next time you're craving dessert, maybe go ahead and have a bite — with the right balance, you might just be one step closer to your goals!
“The popular myth is you have to have a very strong will to fend off temptation, but that is not the case,” Nakamura said. “Fluctuations in eating patterns, meal times, and amounts trigger cravings, too. You have to be consistent.”