Cheating On Your Clean Diet?
CHEATING.
That word brings all kinds of negative thoughts to mind - cheating on a spouse, cheating on a test, etc. However, these are a few questions I am asked all the time: "Do you ever cheat?" "How often do you cheat?" "What do you eat when you cheat?" etc...
These are hard questions to answer because everyones version of "cheating" is different. Everyone has a different view on what exactly constitutes "clean eating"...same goes for "cheating".
So, I will say I don't "cheat". I use the word "treat" instead of cheat anyway. I eat clean meals daily. I drink water and BCAA's. I workout 5-6 days per week. I do allow myself a few "treats" but normally save those for special events or vacations. Notice that I said "few". I don't let my treats turn into a week of fried chicken, cheeseburgers, french fries, and milkshakes. I just feel better when I eat clean food. My body functions better. My skin looks better.
I eat clean because it is good for my body. I also love the way I feel because of clean eating (along with weight lifting).
I don't keep "treats" (candy, chips, etc.) in our house. However, I also do not deprive myself, if I want a treat I eat one. Sometimes I eat the real thing (ice cream, pizza, etc) but still try to find the better alternative such as pizza from Whole Foods or Z Pizza and ice cream made with real ingredients. Sometimes I even try to make the treat on my own (which is where many of my dessert/treat recipes came from). I have come up with some amazing clean(er) recipes that I actually prefer over the original! When I make clean treats I do not even consider those cheats but some people would.
If I am on vacation or out to dinner and want something special I normally split whatever it is (cake, brownie, etc.) because restaurant dessert portions are huge (plus you save money)! I do not just eat a donut, ice cream, chips, etc. every time they are placed in front of me. I choose my treats wisely. It's easy to feel pressured into eating a treat just because co-workers or family members are giving you a hard time. If you want the treat that is fine but don't eat something just because someone else is pressuring you. I want to make sure that when I do treat myself that it's worth it! I'm not going to eat a piece of Pecan Pie (which I don't even like) just because my great aunt made it or because it's sitting in front of me. I choose my treats and when I eat them.
I don't always post pictures of my treat meals because I don't want people to think I eat that way all the time. There's a lot of "fitness accounts" out there that only post pictures of ice cream, pizza, and then their abs. I don't think that is realistic. I also don't want to trigger anyone who is just starting out. I still believe that it is important to refrain from too many treats when first starting just so that you can re-train your tastebuds and build up your willpower. How often I treat myself just depends on what is going on in my life. Every single person will be different because of how our bodies react, our goals, etc. There is no right or wrong answer, you will just have to take time to find out what works for you!
This is my lifestyle. This is how I choose to live. This is how I choose to eat. I am not a fitness model or a fitness competitor. I do have a life. I do know balance. I hope you find it too. XOXO,
Christy
