Don't Cheat Yourself....

We are thirteen days into the New Year and the same goes for the resolutions we have made. From what I hear many people started on January 4 therefore they're only ten days in. Either way, I must ask how your progress is going?

No matter when you started I'm certain at some point over the last ten to thirteen days the idea of a "cheat day" has crossed your mind (go ahead, admit it). For some people, every day has been a cheat day or at least had a cheat meal in it. You know who you are! It's natural for us to want to reward ourselves when we have accomplished something therefore having a "cheat meal" is one way of congratulating our minds (and taste buds) for all the hard work.

However, I'm a bit perplexed with this way of thinking. Before I sat down to write this I went back to check the definition of cheat. I found this meaning - to deceive and defraud; to impose upon; to trick; to swindle. This was my favorite from Merriam Webster - to deprive of something valuable by the use of deceit or fraud.

Hmm...I'm not so sure I want to deprive my health or body of what I consider valuable. I don't know about you but I value my health. It is important for me to be healthy to play with my boys and to prevent illnesses caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. On top of that, I want to look great and feel great.

So that I don't get off subject here, let's go back to this "cheat meal." There is no such reward in depriving yourself of what you value (this would be the reason you're on your diet or decided to workout). I understand through knowledge and experience that your eating habits will not be changed overnight. It is a lot of effort to go days, weeks, and months of eating healthier. This is why you should start off with small steps.

Don't take an entire day to begin eating healthier. By doing this you place pressure upon yourself to compete with the previous day in a negative fashion. Generally what happens is you go one day of eating good then you challenge yourself for another day. Two days become three, then four (if we make it that far) and once we have reached our own personal milestone it's celebration time - hence "cheat day."

To avoid this failure that is masked with the thought of accomplishment, I would suggest you take each day to incorporate a healthier meal or snack. Do this each day with at least one of your meals. For some people it may be adding a healthy breakfast or a snack between lunch and dinner. From there set the bar a little higher and not only continue with the change you made but now swap an unhealthy meal for a clean one (clean means healthy).

Do this with dedication and consistency and you will soon find yourself not having to or wanting to cheat yourself. And if successful, you can then "treat yourself!"