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!
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See you tomorrow!
I find that I’m already giving some things up — just because. I’m not a huge fan of cake, so it’s easy for me to skip it. What I need to do more, is snacking just because I can or because I’m bored and it’s something to do. If I do decide to snack, I need to pick up a few carrots, etc, instead of a scoop of ice cream, chips, etc. Baby steps, baby steps…
I find that I’m already giving some things up — just because. I’m not a huge fan of cake, so it’s easy for me to skip it. What I need to do more, is snacking just because I can or because I’m bored and it’s something to do. If I do decide to snack, I need to pick up a few carrots, etc, instead of a scoop of ice cream, chips, etc. Baby steps, baby steps…
All is great.. but yesterday I was given a bunch of chocolates I love! and as I was stressed of work, I ate A LOT 🙁 Sadly excusing my self with work and the energy I’ll get from it! Later as I thought of it, I think it’s better to skip such gifts and give them away IMMEDIATELY! And stick to the buy-it-when-you-REALLY-need-it strategy I mentioned yesterday! I will not this allow me to feel down! I’m happy with my already made progress ^^.
Doughnuts are delicious but un-necessary….Large bars of chocolate can make way for small ones…..don’t have a starter if I’m going to have a dessert and vice versa…wine and sparkling water instead of lager, ale, cider….low cal fruit juices instead of J2O…small piece of cake, only 1 scone or hot cross bun…..
Doughnuts are delicious but un-necessary….Large bars of chocolate can make way for small ones…..don’t have a starter if I’m going to have a dessert and vice versa…wine and sparkling water instead of lager, ale, cider….low cal fruit juices instead of J2O…small piece of cake, only 1 scone or hot cross bun…..
Doughnuts are delicious but un-necessary….Large bars of chocolate can make way for small ones…..don’t have a starter if I’m going to have a dessert and vice versa…wine and sparkling water instead of lager, ale, cider….low cal fruit juices instead of J2O…small piece of cake, only 1 scone or hot cross bun…..
I have been going quality over quantity with chocolate for a while now so I have learnt to let go of cheap chocolate but it is time to start looking at others things, like Michelle I only like crispy chips (fries) so if I know they are not going to be to my liking, I will not order them or just leave them on the plate.
I have been going quality over quantity with chocolate for a while now so I have learnt to let go of cheap chocolate but it is time to start looking at others things, like Michelle I only like crispy chips (fries) so if I know they are not going to be to my liking, I will not order them or just leave them on the plate.
I have been going quality over quantity with chocolate for a while now so I have learnt to let go of cheap chocolate but it is time to start looking at others things, like Michelle I only like crispy chips (fries) so if I know they are not going to be to my liking, I will not order them or just leave them on the plate.
I can do without cake, donuts and candy. My favorite chocolate is dark, the darker and more cocoa…the better. I love me some chips, I actually prefer the cheaper ones (thinner and saltier) and I have a hard time turning down a creme egg or a home made cookie. I really do like a light beer or a white wine, you can keep the rest.
I can do without cake, donuts and candy. My favorite chocolate is dark, the darker and more cocoa…the better. I love me some chips, I actually prefer the cheaper ones (thinner and saltier) and I have a hard time turning down a creme egg or a home made cookie. I really do like a light beer or a white wine, you can keep the rest.
I can do without cake, donuts and candy. My favorite chocolate is dark, the darker and more cocoa…the better. I love me some chips, I actually prefer the cheaper ones (thinner and saltier) and I have a hard time turning down a creme egg or a home made cookie. I really do like a light beer or a white wine, you can keep the rest.
Knowing you can eat something when you really want it does make it easier to say no. I made my family’s favorite French Silk Pie for dessert for Easter. However, I only made one and I didn’t make any other dessert treats. Usually I make a couple of pies and have choices for everyone. This way we didn’t have as much leftover and the temptation is gone.
There are so many things on the list of good byes already and a few more I’m choosing to add today. I don’t buy chips (mainly b/c the kids would eat an entire bag in one day), most junk food snacks are gone as well. I loved today’s post. I’ve been very upset about how much we spend on fast food and how crappy it’s been lately so bye bye! Will save those calories for the frozen Digiorno pizzas ;).
There are so many things on the list of good byes already and a few more I’m choosing to add today. I don’t buy chips (mainly b/c the kids would eat an entire bag in one day), most junk food snacks are gone as well. I loved today’s post. I’ve been very upset about how much we spend on fast food and how crappy it’s been lately so bye bye! Will save those calories for the frozen Digiorno pizzas ;).
There are so many things on the list of good byes already and a few more I’m choosing to add today. I don’t buy chips (mainly b/c the kids would eat an entire bag in one day), most junk food snacks are gone as well. I loved today’s post. I’ve been very upset about how much we spend on fast food and how crappy it’s been lately so bye bye! Will save those calories for the frozen Digiorno pizzas ;).
I like the “love it or leave it” way of approaching the splurge. I would also like to add, serving size matters. L love cake but I can be satisfied with a smaller piece. I love pizza but I can eat 1 slice instead of 2. I am not a chocolate lover but I do indulge in 1 cube of 72% dark choc per day. It helps to reduce the craving to splurge more frequently.
I like the “love it or leave it” way of approaching the splurge. I would also like to add, serving size matters. L love cake but I can be satisfied with a smaller piece. I love pizza but I can eat 1 slice instead of 2. I am not a chocolate lover but I do indulge in 1 cube of 72% dark choc per day. It helps to reduce the craving to splurge more frequently.
So, I can definitely go without chips. I usually decline whipped cream on specialty coffee (when I occasionally get them), I like the idea of eating only enough whipped cream, sauce, ice cream to go with the dessert. Love these tips and new goals. Making it easier to make all of this a way to live!!!
So, I can definitely go without chips. I usually decline whipped cream on specialty coffee (when I occasionally get them), I like the idea of eating only enough whipped cream, sauce, ice cream to go with the dessert. Love these tips and new goals. Making it easier to make all of this a way to live!!!