Do you have a sweet tooth? I know I do! Some of us crave sweet, and some of us crave salty. (I’ve been known to crave both, but sweets and I have a special bond!) In my former fatter days, I could tear through a big bag of Skittles with out a second thought. It’s been almost twelve years since I put myself through the 6 steps to lose weight and find myself. Before that time, I came from a predominantly all-junk food diet for most of my life. I’ve had to break many bad habits, and the constant consumption of refined sugar and candy was just one of those habits. As much as I’ve changed, I’ve also stayed the same. Obviously I no longer eat this way, but I still have the cravings. I thought it best to share with you just one of the ways that I am able to satisfy my craving, while maintaining my weight. (Isn’t that the magic combination we all seek for long term success?)
Is it ok to give into your sweet tooth, and how do we avoid taking two steps forward and one step back when it comes to giving in? The answer: through portion control and will power. If we look at dieting strictly from a calorie standpoint, it’s ok to allow for 150 -200 calories of gummy bears, candy corn, or twizzlers once or twice a week. (I pulled 150-200 calories as a reference because it provides a nice handful of a sweet treat to satisfy your craving.) Keep in mind this doesn’t have to be a refined sugar snack, it could be fresh / organic fruit which is obviously a much smarter choice, but again we are trying to break old habits and sometimes an apple just doesn’t do the trick, let’s be real! Managing cravings is essential to maintaining sanity and success while on the journey to achieve and maintain your weight loss goal.
On paper it all sounds so simple, but is it really?
It’s taken me over ten years of getting to know myself in order to be able to eat just one handful of a sugary snack and move along with my life because I no longer live to eat, I eat to live. My life no longer revolves around food, but it used to! For you it may not be so easy. It took a lot of soul searching and a lot of self-discovery to get to this point. Dealing with your issues will free you from your fat, and dealing with your fat will free you from your issues; no matter what those issues may be.
Here’s the thing, I can’t snatch that bag of candy from your hands or lock it away in the cabinet, not even for my most valued health-coaching clients. This is a process, a sometimes extremely challenging one at that. I am a recovering food addict, and many of us out there haven’t fully recovered yet, hell I’m not sure I’m fully recovered yet! Just remember that YOU are in control of your life, and your weight. The cravings you experience are NOT in control. I deny myself certain foods that I desire on a daily basis because I know they are not good for me and they will put weight on. It’s only on occasion that I indulge in few bites here and there, or that handful of candy. I desire a hot body and a healthy life more than I desire the sugar.
My bottom line advice: allow yourself the sweet treat in moderation and only up to two times a week, separated by at least three days. Enjoy yourself, eat it slow, and be strict about your portion. You have to want it to get it!
I have so much more to share with you in my upcoming book “Lose Weight, Find Yourself!: 6 Steps to Having a Healthy Relationship with Food…Bite by Bite and Pound by Pound.” I can’t wait for you to have this added resource at your fingertips!
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Lose Weight, Find Yourself™