How to be a Cheater

The idea of eating perfectly for the rest of your life is just unrealistic.  We all have those days.  Cravings. Laziness.  Chocolate. Whatever it is, the longer you restrain yourself, the harder you'll hit those binges when your self control fails.  This is why I say, if you want to cheat, do it, but do it well.  I'm not talking about giving in to your every desire every day.  There needs to be a level of self control set but, when those one or two days a month hit and you really need something to get you through the past 3 weeks of eating perfectly well, then reward yourself.  There's nothing wrong with it.

Need some chocolate? Skip the Snickers or peanut butter cups and buy some plain dark chocolate. Eating a few pieces of this (notice, a few, not the whole bag) will calm that sweet tooth and yet is packed with antioxidants.  Need something more filling? Buy some fresh cherries, melt your dark chocolate and dip them in. Fresh fruit & dark chocolate ought to settle that craving now.

What about that yummy italian pasta dinner? Grab a gluten free/organic pasta or a spinach pasta.  Make your own tomato sauce and enjoy! Make sure to only eat about half of what you normally would have eaten and preface the meal with a big salad. This will help you from overeating.

Pizza night? Pizza is one of the few foods I really crave every now & then.  Warm bread with that stringy cheese topped with oregano. Mmmmm... Don't buy from Domino's or Papa John's.  It's loaded with grease and cheese (dairy cheese, that is).  A healthy alternative? Whole wheat flatbread pizza with homemade sauce topped with vegan cheese.  Now, I rarely eat bread, but like I said, if you're going to cheat, do it in the most healthy way you possibly can.

What you'll need:
Whole wheat/gluten free flatbread
Your homemade tomato sauce OR store bought organic/natural sauce
Veggie Shreds (or any other brand.  Be sure it's meltable though! There are a lot of brands whose cheeses don't melt well.  This one does)
Oregano, basil, garlic, and any other toppings you choose.

I think the directions are pretty obvious.  Put into a 450 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.  Just keep an eye on it.  This recipe is great because each person gets their own pie.

Parmesan, Mozzarella, & Romano Flavor and Monetary Jack & Cheddar Flavor

Before it goes into the oven.

MARVELOUS!

Also, this was my lunch yesterday:

Mixed baby green salad with roasted red pepper hummus, onion, yellow pepper, basil, vegetable herb & roasted red pepper lentil soup and Newman's Own Cabernet Sauvignon.

Here's to being a successful cheater!