Day Eight: Cheating

Chocolate, wine, cheese, coffee...four of the reasons I like Europe. Who doesn't like the rich, sweet taste of good chocolate, wine is so fine, there's nothing like a perky cup of coffee, and where do we even begin with cheese? When I first started eating healthy, I looked forward to my cheat meals all week.

Today is day eight, which means that we are probably yearning for a cheat meal.

Losing weight is a process. Some are able to switch a flip and all of the sudden abandon old habits, never looking back. But, here in the real world...it tends to look a little different. It's more common that one loses weight, gains some of it back, loses more, gains back even more, diets heavily, then abandons all hope and goes berserk.

Not good.

Sugar is addictive. Many people are unable to balance sugar into their daily intake without going overboard. If you tend to lack self-control like me, you may have a sugar addiction. I will go into the addictive properties of the substance next week, but for now we must learn how to cheat so that we gradually reduce our cravings, feel human, and don't all of the sudden abandon our healthy habits because we feel deprived.

Jackie Warner advises that one beginning their healthy lifestyle should eat clean, healthy meals excluding alcohol and processed sugar for 5 days straight. This gets rid of all refined sugar the system & levels out the blood sugar. Doing this curbs sugar cravings substantially. Then, she recommends having two cheat meals (i.e. Fri/Sat dinners adjusting for holidays & special occasions). This could be a movie with popcorn, soda, & candy. This could be a date night at a steak house with a baked potato, wine, & dessert....you choose, mix it up. Keep portion sizes under control.

In time, you will find that you need to cheat less to feel human, and your body will naturally reduce the number of cheat meals to once weekly, then to none without feelings of deprivation. This happens naturally and gradually, and usually follows understanding how cheat meals make your body feel. It comes with the preference to feel clean and refined versus sluggish and bloated.

So, what do you do when you get asked out on an impromptu pizza & beer date? You have a choice. You can choose to forego one of your cheat meals and indulge. However, if you choose to do this you MUST forego a cheat meal. It's about choices, not about deprivation. But, give yourself only two cheat meals weekly.

I challenge you to plan your two cheat meals and enjoy them. Make note in your food journal the difference in the way your body feels after eating cheat meals versus how you feel when you eat clean. Pay special attention to any headaches, sluggishness, sleeplessness, acid reflux, or any sugar rushes you might get.