Do you have cheat days or cheat meals? I’m not talking about those days when you get to cheat on your partner without them getting upset (ummm…I don’t think that is actually a thing anyway).
No, I am talking about that day of the week when you get to eat whatever you want and not feel guilty (I don’t think that is much of a thing either. Eating without guilt? HA, when does that happen? Well, that’s a whole other topic).
It has become a part of many diets where you get to have one CHEAT day or single meal from eating healthy. Now, I am all for eating foods which are not necessarily healthy as a single meal once in a while but I wonder if calling it a cheat day is the best thing.
What mental state does this put you in? Do you constantly think about your cheat day/meal and what you are going to eat? Do you obsess over the food you ended up eating on your cheat day and wonder why you haven’t lost any weight? Or even gained some back?
Overall, weight loss can be tricky. If you have eaten an unhealthy diet for many, many years then more than likely you will take a little while to undo bad habits. Especially changing your thinking. If you are so used to calorie counting and seeing a particular number on the scale, when those numbers don’t add up it creates a whole myriad of negative thinking. Your self doubt issues flare up, you wonder what you did wrong, you question your every mouthful and you feel disgusted in yourself because you have failed the scale once again.
It really is a roller-coaster ride this losing weight business. ARRGGGGHHHHHHH!!!
Aren’t you tired of feeling this way? Don’t you want to live your life without worrying what the scale says, how many calories you have eaten and whether your cheat day is making you fat?
Here’s what I propose to you…
- You stop weighing yourself
- You stop calorie counting all of your food
- You forget about cheat days
How does that sound? Scary? Impossible? Do you wonder how you would even cope?
What if I told you you could be FREE from all of that? That it is possible to avoid the scale, you don’t have to ever count a single calorie ever again and cheat days… “FORGET ABOUT IT”.
Would you think I was a little bit nuts?
Probably. But I can tell you I have done it and I am still doing it!
No more cheating on your diet because you are only cheating on yourself. And you end up eating foods which are so much higher in sugar, fat and salt than you would normally eat because you feel you may as well go the whole hog! Instead, give yourself permission to eat whatever you want as long as it is going to nourish your body AT LEAST 80% of the time. If you want to lose weight this may need to be a little higher but I’m telling you once you nourish your body with nutritious foods, your desire to CHEAT will go away and you will actually WANT to eat healthier meals.
So, here are my top 5 tips to weight loss and to STOP cheating
- Listen to your body. This is extremely important and something we have stopped doing. Your body is perfectly in tune with itself and we need to be attentive to the beautiful harmony it plays for us. We each have our own unique tune. Trying to pick up on someone else’s tune will drown yours out. You more than likely can’t eat the way your partner does or your best friend and vice versa. Listen to what your body required and only eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied (not stuffed).
- Eat with your body not your mind. Eating with emotion can, and does, influence what you put in your mouth. Your body really doesn’t want to eat a whole bag of chips and a bucket of fried chicken. YOU do because your thoughts and emotions are driving your choices. Understanding WHY you are thinking in such a negative way gives you back some power and helps you to eat with your body instead of your mind.
- Choose nourishing foods. There isn’t a whole lot of nourishment in processed foods. But in vegetables, fruit, good quality protein and fat there most certainly is. These beautiful foods which Mother Nature has so lovingly provided for us contain amazing energy elevators, immune supporters, brain boosters and overall body fantastic enhancers. Why wouldn’t you want to eat them? That doesn’t mean I don’t have fun, exciting and delicious foods. I make them that way. I cook burgers, fries, schnitzel and many other things but I make them myself so I know what is in them and I can control the fat, sugar and salt content. You don’t need to miss out. You need to COOK!
- Change your thoughts. negative thoughts can be so destructive. I lived for YEARS hating myself and my body which created a negative world for myself where I didn’t care what I ate as long as it made me feel good for all of 3 minutes, then I hated myself some more because I ate too much ice cream, or stuffed my face with chocolate and lollies. It was a vicious circle I couldn’t control. I have now gotten rid of the guilt and eat only to serve my body. I thoroughly enjoy my food and I LOVE eating but it is done with positivity and love. No more self hatred and loathing.
- No cheat days/meals. Make them I love my food (and myself) days/meals. If you are encompassing all of the above into your eating attitude then you won’t need to cheat on your diet. Give yourself permission to eat something you don’t normally eat once in a while. It won’t hurt. It’s when those meals are ALL THE TIME when the weight begins to creep back on. Enjoy how those nourishing foods make you feel and notice how those foods, which aren’t quite so nourishing, leave you feeling BLAH!
You are strong. You are capable. You are amazing. You are beautiful.
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