Never Feel Bad for Eating
Who doesn't like chocolate chip cookies?! Actually, me, about 15 years ago. When I was little I remember chocolate being my least favorite candy on Halloween...I know crazy. I would choose a sugar cookie over a chocolate chip cookie any day of the week.
Were any of you like this? Probably not...I mean who wouldn't completely devour this chocolate covered waffle?!
My sugar cravings took a complete 180° and my love for chocolate is so deep and yes, I devoured this waffle.
I usually have chocolate at least once a day or every other day. Not a lot, just a little square usually to satisfy my sweet tooth. Despite some people's belief, I actually think its good for you to have a little bit every day! Yes, there's all those scientific articles backing why chocolate is beneficial. But I'm not talking about those. I'm talking about the mental aspect of being able to have chocolate every day. That is something I consider a luxury. To be able to eat a bite of chocolate every day and actually feel HAPPIER after. Yes, I said happier. And yes, that is how I feel.
Eating chocolate makes me happy because I allow myself to eat it without any guilt. Without exhausting myself trying to convince myself, and those around me, that 'eating chocolate right now is OK because I'm going to go on a run later'. NO. That is NOT ok. That's not ok because eating chocolate and running are two completely different things. Both are things that make me happy, but they don't need to be done consecutively to feel happiness. And I want to help you feel that as well.
So please, look at eating chocolate, or anything else that you may feel 'guilty' eating, as a luxury. If it's something you enjoy than be thankful that you have access to it and thankful that you are strong enough to be able to enjoy it. There are some people who don't have that luxury. And by allowing yourself to eat a little bit at a time can help you enjoy it. Whereas if you begin to restrain yourself, you will start to think about that item more, craving it more, resulting in you eating more of it in one sitting than if you just ate a little bit at a time.
Now I understand it's not that easy. Society makes us think that anything 'bad' we eat, we need to work extra hard to burn that off. Believe me, I've been in that trap. In that trap of eating one bad meal so you replace another with a shake. Or eating double dessert so you do a little extra at the gym. But start to just think about changing your perspective on it. Shift your perspective to eat what you want, when you want. Eat intuitively. And look as food as a luxury, especially the ones that you love the most. Whether that be chocolate cake or a salad. Cherish every food and respect your wants. There is nothing to feel bad about when eating something that you enjoy.
Food is there to fuel us, but also to make us happy.