Slipping Up

Source: http://www.superstock.com/stock-photography/sad+cake

Lets admit it, we all slip up at one point or another. When our diets go astray many people often look for the quick fix to undo their flounder or worse, they give up. Truth is neither of these are going to get you any closer to your goals in the long run. While it may seem patching up your unhealthy meal with a day of hard core workouts or obsessive dieting is the bast way to get back on track, this is not the case. Whats more, trying to cover up your mistake may only lead to an unhealthy pattern of binging and extreme dieting which, in the long run, can only bring you farther from a healthy lifestyle.

So what should we do when we stray from healthy eating? The answer is surprisingly simple and even a bit cliché; stay calm and move on! The most important thing to remember is that one meal doesn't make or break your dietary goals. The trouble many people run in to (myself included) is that once they have one serving of an indulgent food they say to themselves: "Welp, my diet is shot for today! Might as well go all out!" and end up filling up on all sorts of non-nutritious foods. Instead of shunning these foods as a forbidden fruit, it is important to realize that they can be enjoyed in moderation. That is, having a piece of chocolate cake doesn't completely derail your mission to eat well, rather it's just a small pit stop on your way to reaching your goals. Many athletes and other healthy individuals recognize the importance of eating even the worst foods (nutritionally speaking) on occasion. Some even plan "cheat meals" in to their regular diet so that they have a time to try that homemade pie or anything else they may not eat regularly.             It is best, however, to enjoy these foods in good company as part of a social gathering rather than a private feast. When eating with others you will be less likely to take the "all out" approach and be more enabled to enjoy the food's flavor as a complement to the experience worrying less about eating a larger quantity in order to feel satisfied.*

The overall focus should never be on these exceptions though, because fixating on what you "can't eat" will only bolster cravings. Instead, concentrate on great tasting, healthy food. Finally, put your effort in to creating good habits based in wholesome food and when the time comes, enjoy that pice of birthday cake without any regrets because you know your on the right track and just making a small, yet needed pit stop.



*There are two main reasons we eat. The first in because we are truly hungry and our bodies literally needs energy in order to keep going. The second is attributed to our appetite, or our psychological yearning for a certain food or flavor. It is easy to get these two confused when we eat because even when we are hungry and in need of calories, our appetite often influences what we are "hungry for". Eating the right foods regardless of our mental cravings is therefore one of the biggest challenges to overcome when eating nutritiously. Whats more, our appetite is also effected by our emotional state because some foods and nutrients actually influence how we feel. Such emotional effects of sugar are explained by AskDrSears.com in noting the nutrient's ability to "trigger an increase in the hormone serotonin- a mood-elevating hormone." Accordingly, it is extremely important for one to learn to distinguish between these two factors that drive consumption. Developing the discipline necessary to overcome the temptations of one's appetite is then an essential skill to eating a healthier diet.



Sources:
Pivko, Debra. "Sugar Addiction Detox 101." Team Beachbody. 20 Jan. 2012. Web. 28 Feb. 2012. <http://www.teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/253>.