How Often You Should Have a Cheat Meal

I hate the concept of a cheat meal or cheat days. Yup, despise. OK, I know that sounds a little aggressive, but I’ve seen them (meals labeled cheat meals or days labeled cheat days) do so much more harm than good.  The whole premise of a cheat meal or cheat day is just so … negative. So does this mean we should all stick to kale, salmon and blueberries and never indulge? Absolutely not. Do I like indulging? You betcha. I never met a chocolate chip cookie I didn’t like. And, I do feel that indulging is part of living a Nutritious Life. Why I Don’t Believe in the ‘Cheat Meal’ Concept First, the term alone makes it seem as if you’re doing something wrong. It’s all negative energy. We eat well to feel well, not to be made to feel bad. Next, it kinda makes you want to, well, CHEAT! If you’re always feeling like  you’re waiting for your next cheat meal, then guess what, you’ll want that decadent French toast or curly fries with truffle oil a whole lot more. Chia seeds don’t walk themselves into your pantry. Kale doesn’t get chopped up by itself. You make lots of great choices and those choices shouldn’t feel like they need to be cheated on. The cheat meal concept completely diminishes the empowering good vibes you get from all the hard work and excellent choices you make most of the time. Finally, what if Sunday is your “cheat day” and you wake up motivated to run a 10K and eat a three-veggie frittata with sprouted grain bread and a green juice? Should you cheat? I think not. I’ve had clients say, “I was actually in the mood for an egg veggie scramble but it was my ‘off’ day and I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat pancakes for another week.” What?!?! When and How You Should Indulge So should you indulge, ever? Absolutely! I love my cookies and cake as much as anyone, I promise. Instead of viewing them as cheat meals, I prefer to call eating them a “conscious indulgence.” A conscious indulgence should be a few things: Portion controlled, the most nutrient-dense option of what you’re truly craving, and, finally, eaten from an empowered place. In other words, not hiding in your cubicle or grabbing the remaining candy bar from the trash. Dying for those Reese’s Pieces?? Well then perhaps an ounce of 70% dark chocolate with a teaspoon of natural peanut butter and a cup of green tea is even better. Fries? Try a baked sweet potato with sea salt instead. And, what if you just want the actual Reese’s Pieces or you don’t have the dark chocolate around? Eat a portion slowly (I’m not a calorie counter, but in this case, aiming for approximately 100-150 calories is a good way to control portion) with a cup of tea and move on. The idea of cheating is negative. I like to be positive. A conscious indulgence is positive. It comes from a place of empowered eating, not a place of giving in or falling off the wagon. How to Ditch the Cheat Meal Concept Altogether When you look at every eating situation as an individual opportunity to eat well, there’s room for indulging a craving and getting right back to that salmon and kale at the next meal. You don’t feel like you’ve given in, you don’t feel like you’ve failed and you certainly don’t indulge just because it’s the day or time to do so . You indulge when you have a true food craving and want to indulge from a place of positive energy. You can indulge because you can drink a green juice, eat avocado toast and still make room for a cookie, or the frosting off the cupcake. How often those indulgences occur is personal. It all depends on your health goals, your overall diet and your cravings. Generally, I recommend one to three a week depending upon all of the above.

3 Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss

Today I’m talking about one of my absolute fave topics. Drumroll please… snacking! Lunch was at noon. It’s now 3pm and you’re starving, and dinner isn’t until 6pm. But you promised yourself you’d avoid the vending machine today and you don’t want to blow it. Well, you can check those “guilty” feelings around having an afternoon snack at the door, because when done right, snacking can be healthy for you and even be a weight loss tool. Snacking on the wrong types of foods — 90% of what’s in that vending machine – as well as not snacking at all can actually cause you to gain weight and simply be unhealthy. Nut there are healthy snacks for weight loss that can help you stay satisfied, reduce how many calories you eat at your next meal, lower your cholesterol, improve your energy and make you feel happier! The key is to make sure your snacks work for you, not against you. Yes, I’m talking to you pretzels and baked chips. 3 Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss Crudites with guacamole: Choose bright colored veggies like carrots and red peppers instead of those fluorescent orange snacks and satisfy your crunchy craving. Pair them with guacamole for healthy fat that can actually help you burn fat. Try two tablespoons of guacamole with 1 cup sliced veggies. Get creative and mix it up with grape tomatoes, celery, green beans, endive, radishes…in season produce is best! Mixed berries, ricotta and flax: Need to satisfy your sweet tooth? Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries have high water volume, are packed with fiber and are loaded with cell repairing antioxidants. Ricotta is satisfying and creamy, but also provides you with protein and calcium. Ground flaxseed adds healthy fat and more fiber. Try 1 cup mixed berries, ⅔ cup ricotta and 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed for a perfect snack trifecta. Apple, peanut butter and cinnamon: Sweet, tart, and crunchy, green apples will satisfy almost any craving while also being the highest in antioxidants of any apples. Sorry, Gala. Peanut butter is the perfect combo of protein, fat and fiber, all which help to keep you satisfied. Just make sure you’re opting for a natural peanut butter with no added sugars. A sprinkle of cinnamon not only adds a boost of flavor, but it’s also been shown to help control blood sugar and even to help you relax. Ahhhh….Try one small sliced apple with one tablespoon pb and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon. So give these healthy snacks for weight loss a try next time you’re feeling ravenous in between meals. Snacking the right way can actually help you consume less calories throughout the day, help you avoid that habitual pull to the vending machine for the not-so-great snack options, and lead you to be happier and healthier overall!