Have Your Cake
That’s right, you can have your cake and eat it too, and not worry about throwing your diet and exercise achievements away. How many of us have worked out all week, just to hit the weekend and want to unwind a bit and have some cheat foods, but then felt guilty? I have the perfect solution for you. Enjoy foods in moderation!
I absolutely love eating fruits, I like just about every type of fruit I’ve ever tried, and with that being said, I also love a good bowl of fresh mixed veggies (zucchini, squash, carrots, avocado, and tomatoes are some of my favorites). You know what else I have? A massive sweet tooth, which means I like to indulge in brownies, cookies, and you got it, cake too. Now, I generally try to live a healthy lifestyle, I work out on a daily basis, I eat fruits and veggies, but I also don’t restrict myself when I want to have pizza or a piece of cake.
Here’s the thing I’ve learned. The minute you restrict yourself from having something, the more you want it. So, in order to ensure I enjoy all of my meals, I don’t place these restrictions on myself. I don’t stick to any kind of diet, I don’t believe in cutting food out of my diet, that’s just not my style. I’ve also learned that while it could be tempting to eat pizza and ice cream each day, our bodies were designed to enjoy healthy foods too. Have you ever craved a salad? When I was younger I would have said that sounded crazy, but as someone who has now craved a salad, trust me, it’s real.
Our bodies want to eat a balanced diet, but sometimes our bodies crave something sweeter and unhealthier and that’s ok too. While I do put a focus on eating healthy meals, I also have found ways to balance and find a good mixture of healthy and unhealthy foods. For instance, if you pile pasta with vegetables, you get a good mix of carbs, which are necessary for energy, and those healthy vegetables full of vitamins and minerals. Once you focus on making sure you have a balanced diet, you’ll find that you don’t even want those unhealthy foods as much. Again, those cravings still come on every now and then, and I definitely enjoy a good pizza and beer night with friends, but I also then enjoy a green smoothie the next morning.
I guess what I’m saying is that you can enjoy everything in moderation. Don’t sit down and eat a whole cheesecake, though if you just got dumped, that’s an exception, and don’t focus on just eating carrots and celery to help you lose weight. Enjoy your fruit and vegetables, and enjoy your slice of cake too. Having the occasional sweets or pizza night isn’t going to wreck your diet or your fitness goals. In fact, it’ll make it easier on you, you won’t have any guilt or anything like that related to enjoying yourself. We all get one life, and one body, and yes, we should definitely take care of them. But don’t miss out on a delicious dessert or enjoying freshly baked bread in the name of health. Find a balance.