Many of us do this. We label foods as good and bad. Things like white bread, fries and chocolate find their way onto the bad team. Quinoa, lean protein and vegetables find their way onto your good team. And with these self inflicted rules you try to live each day eating only things from the good team. But this is life, and with each birthday party, holiday celebration,  get-together and trip to the food court you are going to inevitable eat something that you claim to be “bad”.  This is precisely how making foods off  limits can instigate a self-rebellion. For many people, when they have one thing that’s on the bad team,  maybe two it’s like a free ticket to ruin the rest of the day and then – off to the races! The thought goes a little something like this:

“Hey I screwed up my day already, might as well take full advantage and get it all in while I can. Tomorrow I will be soooo good. I’ll never look at a cookie again- so I better eat 3 of them now! You know that sweet chocolate was really good! Maybe I should have something salty too! Because tomorrow I won’t be able to have it! You know that salty treat was delicious. Kinda carby. I won’t eat ANY bread tomorrow so I better get my fill in while I’ve ruined my day!” …. and so on and so on.

Let me ask you this ?  If you had a flat tire would pull over to the side of the road and slash all your other tires or would you simply call for help?

Staying on track and keeping yourself from overeating is a mind game. You have to stay conscious and talk yourself out of it. The hardest part is saying no and listening to yourself. But you have to. Because the truth is, one piece of bread from the basket or the one serving of ice-cream was not going to make you gain a pound! It’s the  thirds and fourths when the damage gets done. You have to ALLOW yourself a portioned size treat when you want it or you will go crazy and overeat all the things you don’t allow yourself to have. If you can have everything, suddenly you actually don’t want it all!

Remember 3500 calories is approximately equal to one pound. If you do go a little over board and consume a 400 calorie piece of cake, if your a healthy eater and don’t do this everyday- your cake is not going to affect you at all. But if you have the cake and then everything else you can think of because you think the cake did you in- well then, that’s when you’ll start seeing the numbers on your scale change and not for the better.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, have the treat if you want it. Have the bread if you really really want it. But have one and stop and that.

And remember, if you do over indulge… this is life. We are all human. Just make sure to stop yourself when you get your brain back and make the next thing that goes into your mouth healthy and size appropriate. Don’t wait till the next day or Monday to do it.