Look forward to dessert
I will be the first person to admit that the main reason I became interested in fitness was because I was so interested in chocolate.
Some people get cravings to drink or go fishing. I get cravings to bake.
Brownies, cupcakes, chocolate-covered marshmallows; I make at least one batch of something every week. I often try to pawn off these creations at school presentations or as gifts to my friends, but sometimes these treats never make it out of my kitchen before they make it into my stomach.
I have eaten an entire batch of gluten-free chocolate-chip cookies in one night. By myself.
Recently.
I am not exactly proud of this, but I also do not harbor any intense feelings of guilt about those sweet, sticky nights. This is an integral aspect of my approach to life, love and health: I don’t regret doing things that make me happy. Instead, I strive to be dedicated enough to counteract them in other areas of my life.
Moderation and making up for a lack thereof
One of my mottoes is “save it for dessert.” Most of my meals are healthy and I attempt to stay consistently active throughout the day. However, dessert is a daily occurrence for me. Sometimes an obscene amount of dessert. This indulgence keeps me sane and satisfied, and makes eating my vegetables and taking the stairs worthwhile.
My chocolate might be your spaghetti and meatballs or Cuban cigar. We all have our individual vices, and with certain restrictions I would argue that we should allow ourselves those vices (attempting to do so in moderation, of course).
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All veggies and no chocolate makes Karina a grumpy girl!
It seems counter-intuitive to me to live a healthy life if you are not happy enough to enjoy it. So I implore others to spend time pondering what parts of their lives they really look forward to. Is it positive behaviors, like watching the sunset with your daughter? Or negative behaviors, like a few too many drinks after a long day?
In most cases, it’s unnecessary to deprive yourself completely.
Moderation in all things is essential.
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