Dessert and weight loss: The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive! In fact, if you love sweets, cutting them out altogether could hurt, not help, when it comes to losing weight. Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too (and still lose weight). The key is to make healthier choices when it comes to eating dessert, whether it’s what you’re eating, how often you’re eating or how much.
Continue reading to avoid making these 3 common mistakes when it comes to desserts, which can derail your weight-loss progress.
#1 “Overdoing It.”
For some, mismanaging portion size can get in the way of your weight-loss efforts. Enjoying a chocolate ice cream cone is a delicious treat (about 400 calories), but sitting down with an entire pint of Ben and Jerry’s is another story (about 1,200 calories).
The frequency with which you indulge may also keep you from your goals. If you’re eating that same chocolate ice cream cone a couple times a week, it will likely stall your weight-loss efforts.
The key is to keep portions in mind (being overstuffed doesn’t feel good anyway) as well as how frequently you’re eating these types of desserts.
#2 “Feeling Guilt or Shame After Eating Dessert.”
Giving yourself permission to enjoy dessert only to feel guilty about it afterward is counterproductive. If you feel this way, it means you still view dessert as a “bad food” and haven’t fully accepted it as something that can be a healthy part of your eating plan. When we deem foods as “good” or “bad” we’re implying mutual exclusivity, and this just isn’t how food works. This mentality associates foods with morality, and this line of thinking can backfire.
Working to fully embrace and enjoy dessert — before, during and afterward — will help you have a healthier mindset and approach to your weight-loss goals. A key aspect of my work is to help clients build a healthier relationship with food.
#3 “Feeling Compelled to ‘Burn It Off.”
This is in line with feeling guilty or ashamed about eating dessert. You view dessert as “bad” and therefore you need to rid your body of it. This mentality means you haven’t fully given yourself permission to enjoy dessert while trying to lose weight, and you feel the need to correct the misstep by burning off the calories and/or “punishing” yourself through exercise.
Simply said: YOU CAN’T OUT WORKOUT A BAD DIET – in this case a food deemed as “BAD”!
Exercise and calories just don’t work like that!!!! Try reframing how you view food and/or exercise independently
“Summary”
While some may think fruit-based desserts tend to be healthier than a slice of chocolate cake, all desserts are fair game and I recommend listening to your hunger signals. If you always choose the lower-calorie, lower-sugar version of what you’re craving, it will likely backfire, and cause you to overeat because you aren’t satisfied. Instead, choose your desserts in advance when possible (or be honest with yourself that you’ll end up having dessert) and pay attention to food selection and portion size.
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