Do You Really Have to Give Up Sweets to Lose Weight?

I have a tremendous sweet tooth! Like all kids who blame their parents, I’m sure that I can say that I inherited this trait from my father.

He loved sweets and would frequent our neighborhood local bakery bringing home chocolate cakes, danish rings and mocha cakes at least three times a week. We’d have a midnight party with those yummy cakes!

Rather than tell you my whole life story of how many times I lost weight and then gained it back, let me just say that 13 years ago I finally figured it out.

My last diet, was REALLY my last diet because I decided that I had enough. Every single diet that I had been on had one thing in common – in order to lose weight, you had to give up certain foods. And if you’ve ever dieted, you know it’s the foods that you really like that you’re told not to eat! I tried a new tactic where I didn’t deprive myself and learned strategies on balancing my healthy eating and indulgences. It didn’t happen over night, but by not depriving myself, I not only lost the weight, but have maintained it for over 12 years now.

Those yummy cupcakes were iced with my secret recipe and I baked them for a good friend of mines daughter’s baby shower that I was invited to. My plan was to choose healthy options for lunch because I knew I wanted a cupcake for dessert! Instead of having ‘sweets’ every single day, I usually have them twice a week, not always on the same days, and I balance it with healthier choices during meal time and for my other snacks. Do you need some new ideas for night time snacking?

I could talk about this for hours. All or nothing way of eating may work initially, but it doesn’t always work for long term results since foods have a way of finding their way back to you. My advice is whatever type of plan you choose, make sure that it’s sustainable for your lifestyle and is a good fit for you!

As always I’d love to hear from you!
How do you find balance in your food choices?