I love sweet treats. You may call it a desire for the finer things in life, but the bottom line is that I appreciate a treat that tastes and looks good. The question becomes “how do I enjoy what I love while maintaining a healthy waistline?” I’ll offer my perspective, but please be sure to raise this question with your doctor, health coach or nutritionist.
Here are my tips:
- Understand Why You’re Consuming that Cupcake. Years ago, I had an epiphany that I tended to shop when life felt out of control. My way of numbing out when I was hurting was to head to the nearest mall and buy an outfit. Shopping was a distraction that helped me avoid confronting challenges. This didn’t end well for me. I racked up a lot of debt, which in turn created problems. I learned that I needed to be clear on why I was engaging in certain behaviors versus being on autopilot. If you want to enjoy desserts without gaining a lot of weight, you will need to understand why you indulge in said treats. You’ll want to understand whether you are seeking to avoid pain. If this is the case, you will want to find support and courage to face the pain, versus running from it by running to sugar.
- Limit Your Intake. Another way to monitor your waistline is to limit your intake. This may be easier than one thinks because in the U.S. portion sizes can be huge. I’ve seen cupcakes larger than my fist. I’ve also seen cookies that were exceptionally large. Rather than denying ourselves completely, we can limit our intake of sweet treats by enjoying smaller portion sizes. We do not need to eat a triple-decker sized cake to have the pleasure of knowing what it tastes like. We do not need to eat an entire donut to have the satisfaction of having one. I am a huge proponent of getting what I want to satisfy the need, but then not enjoying all of it or at least not enjoying all of it at one time. Rather than having two cupcakes, I’ll have one or half of one. Another option is to enjoy the entire cupcake (if it’s not too large) while eliminating the icing, which is loaded with sugar.
- Enjoy Treats in Moderation. I am a big fan of eating what I want in moderation. This means I may satisfy food cravings by occasionally enjoying what I want. I am teaching myself that I do not have to act on the urge for a cookie every time the urge arises. Additionally, I can schedule when I’ll have a treat — maybe twice per month, or once per week. I get to decide based on my fitness goals, my exercise regime, and my overall health. You do too. You can determine the interval that works for you and your goals. Does this take discipline? Yes, it does. But you can do hard things.
- Be Careful About Denying Yourself. At this point in life, I know myself. I know what I like and dislike. I know what makes me happy, and two of those things are cupcakes and cookies. I am not a fan of denying myself completely. When I focus on denying myself, I spend more energy on that, and it always backfires. I end up consuming more sweets than I would have if I had allowed myself an occasional treat.
- Don’t Keep Sweet Treats in the House. If you know you absolutely love sweet things, and want to limit how much you consume them, consider not keeping sweet treats in your house. Don’t buy cookies, don’t buy snacks, and don’t buy soda. Make it difficult to access sweet things.
- Commit to Moving. I notice that when I am physically active, my desire to eat healthier goes up. When I am sedentary, I am less concerned about what I eat. As you think about how much you can indulge or whether you should at all, be mindful of your lifestyle. If you run or walk 5 days per week, maybe you have more flexibility to enjoy sweet treats than others. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, maybe you will need to make different choices about how much, how often, and what you consume. Because I enjoy cookies every now and then, I commit to walking at least 4 days per week. I am also clear that if my vice is cookies, I can’t have other high caloric items. As a result, I no longer drink alcohol, have limited my snacking, and have tried to indulge mindfully.
The main point is that many of us can enjoy sweet treats every now and then without compromising our overall health. Now certainly, if you’re diabetic, you need to consult your doctor. And if you have a diet that is high in carbohydrates, you’ll want to consider what you really want, and what you’ll need to give up to obtain your goals.
