At Enlightened Nutrition, we definitely believe in the magic of proper nutrition, however we DO NOT believe in "cheat meals".
"Come on you guys, you're always saying how all foods fit, everything in moderation, no food rules, right?"
Oh 100% yes, but here me out.
What if we ditched the mindset of "this is my cheat meal" and end up throwing all good intentions out the window? What if you have that freaking amazing pizza from your favorite place down the street, but also knew that you can have it absolutely whenever you want. Knowing this, you know that only having a slice or 2 is enough to satisfy you, instead of half of the pizza. It's no longer something you can't stop eating. PLUS, you know having a fresh side salad sounds good too. So in the end, you eat your favorite foods AND keep feeling your best. An amazing concept, I know.
When we take away the "hype" of our favorite "off limit foods", it gives us the ability to think through what we TRULY want. If you know you can have a bagel with cream cheese every single day if you want to, you are much less likely to eat a really really big one with globs of cream cheese every day because I can guarantee you that it won't sit well and leave you feeling sluggish. Knowing this, you have a 1/4 or 1/2 with a little cream cheese, with some eggs or yogurt on the side. In the end you feel super satisfied AND feeling good. You ditch that "cheat meal" mentality.
What I hope we drill into your beautiful brain at some point in your Enlightened Nutrition journey is that it's all about finding your balancing point with your approach to health. Being all or nothing leads to a very extreme approach with foods you absolutely love and it does not, I repeat DOES NOT, have to be this way!
As you enjoy this holiday season, keep this in mind with all the treats at your fingertips. Although they are in abundance right now, they are not off limits during the rest of the year. So don't tune out what your body is trying to tell you because you're in "cheat mode". Enjoy your favorites, but always know you can enjoy them anytime as part of balanced lifestyle!
Questions about this concept? Do you struggle with a "cheat meal" mentality"? Direct message Enlightened Nutrition on facebook or instagram, comment on this post, or email Elle @ ellemerrillrdn@gmail. Oh and please subscribe to the blog and never miss my next nutrition rant :)
Stay nourished,
Elle Merrill