Friday night is Chocolate night!

I am ticking off a positive week, ok so there are two more days to go before the week is over but tonight is chocolate night so I feel I have achieved something! Having said that I am hoping it is chocolate night I as forgot to place my order with my darling husband (hopefully he knows me too well!)

What is my point? I recently came across a forum on 'non dieting'. I believe the typical meaning of a diet is something that you 'do' for a certain period of time to lose some weight, say four weeks, maybe five if you are disciplined enough, two if it didn't go so well, you then go back to eating as you previously did and the weight lost creeps back on. "No wonder" I hear most of you say, but many people get stuck in this cycle, trying every new 'diet' in the hope that something will eventually work. How can these things work if ultimately old habits re-emerge.

Now the women in the 'non-dieting' forum had varying versions of a similar concept - they all embarked upon a lifestyle change. They have no intention of doing something for a little while then going back. Not all of their theories were the same, there was some discussion about what worked for each person but everyone agreed the way to go was to change for good and to do it in a manageable way, not one that requires HUGE amounts of discipline leaving you feeling you like you have failed if you 'fall off the wagon'.

For me, I try to eat as clean as I can - eating foods that are as close to their natural state as possible, fresh fruits and veggies, protein and grains. As much non processed food as possible. I am vegetarian so yes I do add the odd protein shake or bar to supplement but no more than 1/3 of my diet would come from these sources. I then indulge in my Friday night chocolate night and a takeaway from time to time - yep, even a good Indian takeaway with all the extras - but in moderation. And you should too, do what you need to do to make your lifestyle change just that, for life, not just a quick fix. And when you do enjoy your little treats, enjoy them, don't feel guilty! I'm off to check the fridge!