Of all the questions I get asked, there is one that is asked FAR more often than the others: “Do you ever eat ?cheat? foods yourself?” Ladies and gents…I proudly admit that yes, I do. Every single day, in fact. BUT (and that is a huge “but”) it is NEVER off-plan. I have custom created my own meal plan that works for me to include my “morning hug.” It helps me stay on track, fight cravings, and eat healthy every other second of the day…just by allowing myself this one little daily reward. Watch the vid to find out what my daily cheat is, and how exactly I work it into my diet in a way that keeps me moving toward my goals…not away from them.
Depriving ourselves of anything, whether it?s that delicious rocky road ice cream calling our name in the freezer, or that perfectly-glazed donut in the donut shop window, will only lead to us wanting it more!!! Oftentimes, this leads to us obsessing over those dang foods. And we should NEVER give food that power over us!
My key to success? Indulgence…in moderation. By creating a plan that allows me the freedom to occasionally enjoy the foods I love has proven to work miracles for me. This has helped my relationship with food turn from one where it controlled me, to one where now I?control it. While this may not?be the key for everybody, it sure has worked for me, and I invite you to give it a shot if you are one of the MANY attempting (and most likely failing at) the “deprivation game.”
Sounds frightening, I get it. Think of it this way (Chris’ and my favorite way to put it): Try living the 90/10 rule. Ninety percent of the time eat perfectly, and I mean perfectly (NOT to be confused with imperfectly). Then the other 10% of the time, eat imperfectly :). It balances out and makes the perfectly imperfect lifestyle (NOT diet) for people like ME!!!
Do you have a “cheat” or “reward” plan that works for you? I?d love to hear about it, so let me know in the comments below!
Xoxo,
Heidi
66 Responses
So is the only reason you say to avoid reward food at the end of the day is fear of binging?
Hi Katie: That’s a major reason!
Is there a place that I can read about your 90/10 diet? I have read and tried both of your books and the restrictions get to me. I’m interested to learn about your 90/10 rule and counting macros? I’m tired of the restrict and then binge lifestyle.
I LOVE this Heidi! I’m a Dietitian and always talk about the importance of BALANCE. Healthy eating shouldn’t be about deprivation. I myself LOVE flourless chocolate cake. B/C this is so decadent, I have it once a month. I make a nice dinner, invite a friend over, have the cake and send them home with the left overs! 😉
I am a flight attendant and as much as you travel, you know how difficult it is to travel and make healthy choices. We are able to carry a ‘food bag’ with us so it makes it more manageable. My biggest concern is also timing. Sometimes we don’t have a minute to sit and eat and end up eating late at night once we are at the hotel. Any suggestions for easy, convenient packable meals. What kind of protein shakes do you use?
You can pack veggies, fruits, nuts, Greek yogurt, low sodium deli meats, etc., as on-the-go foods. There’s an extensive foods list in Chris and Heidi’s book, “Choose More, Lose More for Life,” which will give you lots of other options. For protein powders, Heidi and Chris? Vemma Powell Perfect Protein Shakes are complete high carb meal replacements, and you can get more info by contacting Bob Brenner (one of our amazing season 3 transformations) at [email protected]. In general, Heidi and Chris recommend whey protein powders with 15-20 grams or protein and less than 5 grams of carbs per serving.