OH NO!!! I cheated!

This past weekend was pretty cool. My ladies of Success Weight showed up for a wonderful meeting on Sunday. I enjoyed time with my beautiful niece, and I hung out with one of my cousins. My cousin and I went to dinner, but had salads (healthy!!!) I did have one frozen margarita - hey, I cannot go to this place, and not have one of their drinks. She had two, but I am not judging her lol.

So, I went to drop her off - she lives in Coney Island, Brooklyn. Yes, the home of the Cyclone! To my surprise, when I went to drop her off, I found parking; this is a big deal! We decided to walk on the Broadwalk and just enjoy the breeze. One thing I love about Coney Island in the summertime is you get to walk by the water. So, I had no intentions of getting anything until I saw the sign. "FUNNEL CAKE $6" I literally screamed and ran to the booth. I have not had a funnel cake in YEARS - I am very serious.

So, yes I had funnel cake, and it was DELICIOUS! But, I also knew my limits. Many times when people cheat, they cheat BIG. Cheating just means allowing your body to experience something that you would normally have everyday or frequently, and just satisfying the craving. Cheating should not be looked down upon nor should you feel like you cannot treat yourself to something. We need to allow artificial sugar into our system occasionally, but you do not need it often.

So how do you cheat?

1. Plan for your cheat meal - cheating should not be too random.Yes, sometimes you will see something on sale that you used to love, and just find the craving to have it. Otherwise, try to just plan that girls' night out or the trip to the amusement park with the kids. This way, you should eat clean before and after this cheat meal (as I call it).

2. Know your limits - Overindulging into your cheat could sabotage your entire calorie intake for the day. Sometimes, our bodies just need to know the bad foods exist, and you can just taste or nibble on a piece of whatever it is you are craving or want. Eat slowly not only to savor the moment, but to listen to your body - your stomach will indicate when enough is enough. Remember, you may experience some side effects if you have not had any "bad foods" in a while.

3. Share with somebody - The best way to avoid over-indulging is to share. I shared my funnel cake with my cousin. I literally ate about 7 pieces of the cake, and she ate the rest. This was best for me because I did not waste my $6, and I did not eat the entire cake by myself. Sharing desserts is the best way to get your mouth wet, but to also save money.

4. Know you deserve a treat - Being healthy has nothing to do with being clean 100%. It means you want to eat clean and exercise, but you want to enjoy and love the life you live. When you go months without the processed foods and drinks, sometimes you need to say to yourself, "Hey, I deserve a little treat." Being healthy means you have a full understanding of how to relate to food, but do it in a way that you do not feel restricted like diets want you to feel. Food is food, but the point is to get the mentality of a healthy person everyday.

So are you planning your next cheat meal? Make it a good one!!!