Day 9: Splurge Strategically Part 2 | 30-Day Weight Loss-athon
It’s Day 9 of the 30-Day Weight Loss-athon. Time for part two of our secret splurging weapon.
Read the steps first, then take 10 minutes to think about them and take action. Ready?
What You Need:
- Honesty.
Step 1
First, let’s recap. There are two keys to splurging strategically – knowing what to eat sometimes, which we talked about yesterday, and knowing what to eat pretty much never, which we’ll turn to now.
So here’s the all-important second part of the splurge strategically concept: If you don’t love it, eat it never.
It’s not enough to only eat your beloved treats on the occasions you really want them, as we discussed yesterday. You also have to say sayonara to those calorie-saturated foods you don’t love.
Step 2
This part of the deal is crucial. You now have to be super-honest about the high-calorie foods you don’t care that much about. Sure they might be pretty yummy, but unless they totally tickle your toes, don’t waste your splurge calories on them.
Here are some ways I put this into practice:
- I adore chocolate – but not if it’s too creamy. If I’m offered creamy chocolates, I happily say no thanks, and save myself for the harder stuff.
- I love fries – but only if they’re golden and well cooked. I always ask for my fries to be well done, but any time they’re not, I leave them on the plate.
- To be honest I could take or leave cake. So I always leave it.
- If my dessert is served with ice cream, I have just enough ice cream to go with the dessert, and leave the rest. Ditto fudges and sauces.
- I love burgers but often find the bun too big, so I happily leave half the bun.
- Pizza is a favorite. Garlic bread is expendable, so I always skip it.
- I really enjoy red wine, champagne and the occasional G&T. The rest, including most cocktails, I graciously decline.
- If I’m eating anything high-calorie and not loving it, I abandon it pronto. It’s not worth wasting my precious splurges on anything sub-par.
In some ways this is a psychological chicken-and-egg. You find it hard not to want everything if you’ve never let yourself enjoy the special things. So you have to kind of ease in to allowing yourself occasional treats.
But once you get used to the idea that you can have your most-loved treats, you’ll start to feel okay about saying a haughty no thanks to the other stuff, which you’ll soon come to regard as extremely blah.
Step 3
So now it’s time to take action. Decide on the high-calorie foods you used to eat, but that you don’t truly, madly, deeply love, and let them go. Toss them, give them away, burn them in a ritual.
Save yourself for the good stuff.
Check in!
And you’re done!
Be sure to leave your comment below to check in and stay accountable. If you’re reading this by email or in a reader then please click here to leave your comment.
See you tomorrow!
Chips are usually a filler for me, they just go with a sandwich, but I’m not crazy about them. I think I can say goodbye to those. Pizza has to be delicious, I rarely eat frozen pizza, it’s just blah~ I kind of have a blended coffee habit, but the afternoon girl at our coffee shop makes a terrible blended coffee. Now the only time I allow myself one is *if* I have time to stop in the morning, which 9/10 times I don’t (also good for the pocketbook!)
Chips are usually a filler for me, they just go with a sandwich, but I’m not crazy about them. I think I can say goodbye to those. Pizza has to be delicious, I rarely eat frozen pizza, it’s just blah~ I kind of have a blended coffee habit, but the afternoon girl at our coffee shop makes a terrible blended coffee. Now the only time I allow myself one is *if* I have time to stop in the morning, which 9/10 times I don’t (also good for the pocketbook!)
Chips are usually a filler for me, they just go with a sandwich, but I’m not crazy about them. I think I can say goodbye to those. Pizza has to be delicious, I rarely eat frozen pizza, it’s just blah~ I kind of have a blended coffee habit, but the afternoon girl at our coffee shop makes a terrible blended coffee. Now the only time I allow myself one is *if* I have time to stop in the morning, which 9/10 times I don’t (also good for the pocketbook!)
I can do without most of the things that most of us indulgence in. My issue is eating these things without thinking either from grazing or emotional eating. I can honestly say once in a blue moon I absolutely need something. Now, since I have gotten rid those “bad” things out of my diet, I won’t beat myself up when I am truly craving something and I have it.
I can do without most of the things that most of us indulgence in. My issue is eating these things without thinking either from grazing or emotional eating. I can honestly say once in a blue moon I absolutely need something. Now, since I have gotten rid those “bad” things out of my diet, I won’t beat myself up when I am truly craving something and I have it.
I am a few days behind! It seems like I would have thought of this idea before. It makes so much sense. I eat somethings just because my kids want it or it is easy. I really like the idea of saving for just the stuff you love. I can do without the dessert since they are not my temptation. I can have good options around for when my kids want things I don’t love. I can do without chips, extra bread, etc…
I am a few days behind! It seems like I would have thought of this idea before. It makes so much sense. I eat somethings just because my kids want it or it is easy. I really like the idea of saving for just the stuff you love. I can do without the dessert since they are not my temptation. I can have good options around for when my kids want things I don’t love. I can do without chips, extra bread, etc…
My go-to treat that I love is peanut butter cups. I’m hypoglycemic so I always have to make sure I have something with protein when I indulge in something sweet. On the occation that I do have something else like cake, I usually have it right after my meal and I end up having less because I’m already almost full. I will be more mindful though of stopping eating something if it’s not truly enjoyable! I am improving on my salty snacks by eating popcorn instead of potato chips!
My go-to treat that I love is peanut butter cups. I’m hypoglycemic so I always have to make sure I have something with protein when I indulge in something sweet. On the occation that I do have something else like cake, I usually have it right after my meal and I end up having less because I’m already almost full. I will be more mindful though of stopping eating something if it’s not truly enjoyable! I am improving on my salty snacks by eating popcorn instead of potato chips!
My go-to treat that I love is peanut butter cups. I’m hypoglycemic so I always have to make sure I have something with protein when I indulge in something sweet. On the occation that I do have something else like cake, I usually have it right after my meal and I end up having less because I’m already almost full. I will be more mindful though of stopping eating something if it’s not truly enjoyable! I am improving on my salty snacks by eating popcorn instead of potato chips!
…”If I’m eating anything high-calorie and not loving it, I abandon it pronto. It’s not worth wasting my precious splurges on anything sub-par”… I think I have been doing this all along, LOL! That is way my poor husband keeps gaining weight! Bless his heart, he may be fixin to gain even more, now that I know what I am doing! <3 : ).
…”If I’m eating anything high-calorie and not loving it, I abandon it pronto. It’s not worth wasting my precious splurges on anything sub-par”… I think I have been doing this all along, LOL! That is way my poor husband keeps gaining weight! Bless his heart, he may be fixin to gain even more, now that I know what I am doing! <3 : ).
Michelle these tips are so simple yet soooo practical, was able to leave whole serve of chips ate the salad and lamb skewers instead and enjoyed a glass of wine instead of chips. went to Easter show really wanted a pluto pup, and only ate fruit for lunch to make room for it, what a disappointment, it was revolting, not going to crave those at the show again, corn on the cob looks good for next year PS still haven’t touched chocolate yet this easter.
Michelle these tips are so simple yet soooo practical, was able to leave whole serve of chips ate the salad and lamb skewers instead and enjoyed a glass of wine instead of chips. went to Easter show really wanted a pluto pup, and only ate fruit for lunch to make room for it, what a disappointment, it was revolting, not going to crave those at the show again, corn on the cob looks good for next year PS still haven’t touched chocolate yet this easter.
I happily give up cake if it means I can have a scotch!
I happily give up cake if it means I can have a scotch!
Well I certainly splurged and indulged today with the Easter goodies but I never felt like I usually do which is like my gut is going to split so that is an accomplishment I feel better than I have in a few years after a holiday. No dessert yahoo
Well I certainly splurged and indulged today with the Easter goodies but I never felt like I usually do which is like my gut is going to split so that is an accomplishment I feel better than I have in a few years after a holiday. No dessert yahoo
Well I certainly splurged and indulged today with the Easter goodies but I never felt like I usually do which is like my gut is going to split so that is an accomplishment I feel better than I have in a few years after a holiday. No dessert yahoo
I am not buying many snacks to keep at the house because no one t home needs them. That will help me to not snack on them when I m not really hungry and on’t really love them.