By Jen Fullhart
George Bernard Shaw said “there is no sincere love than the love of food.” This couldn’t be more true if you love the foods you eat. Here’s the thing though – you are what you eat.
I was recently asked what my favorite “cheat meal” is and my mind immediately went to all the foods I enjoy. I couldn’t name a “cheat meal” because they don’t exist. I enjoy food. I eat what I enjoy.
The dictionary definition of cheat is to act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, especially in a game or examination. So, a cheat meal? How do you cheat food? Food is our fuel and our body needs it to survive. The quality of food we put into our body is important to our overall wellness and health, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy everything in moderation.
If you eat a burger and fries with a beer on Saturday night, a short stack of pancakes with butter and syrup for breakfast on Sunday, followed by wings, pizza and beer at a football party, are you acting dishonestly or unfairly to gain an advantage? Absolutely not. What you are doing is putting food in your body that you may enjoy, which will cause a delay in your progress and all the hard work you’ve been putting in.
So, let’s end the idea of a “cheat meal.” You can’t cheat a lifestyle. You CAN enjoy these foods in moderation without delaying progress though. It is ABSOLUTELY possible to have your cake and eat it, too. It’s just not a cheat meal. It’s living a lifestyle of not restricting yourself, but knowing what triggers you. It’s living a healthy lifestyle knowing that 80% of the time, you’re “on track.”
So, next time you’re asked what your favorite cheat meal is, will you rattle off a lot of “not good for you foods” or are you able to control your mind and understand that you aren’t acting dishonestly or unfairly to gain an advantage by eating food?
