Cheating

Once you've decided to lose weight, you need to stick with the program you chose.  When you've lost 10% of your body weight, you can think about cheating.  

If you deprive yourself constantly, there's going to come a time where you'll snap and eat everything in sight.  Trust me on this...it happens.  When you've lost 10% of your body weight, treat yourself to something you really want.  Have that hot fudge sundae or slice of cheesecake.  Cheating doesn't mean that you should eat the whole cheesecake, but a slice won't do much in the way of damage.  

Set a cheating schedule.  After the first 10% loss, decide on another goal.  After another 5 pound loss, have another cheat.  When you get closer to your goal weight, you can then set aside one day a week to have your cheat meal (preferably breakfast or lunch so you have time to work some of the calories off).  Once your body gets used to eating healthy, eating something "bad" for you gives your metabolism a little boost.

The think you need to remember is not to overdo it.  Don't pick a day and eat everything you've been missing.  A day of pizza, burgers, ice cream and cake will only make you feel guilty and can really screw up the good you've done.  At this point, even my cheating is healthier than my old eating habits were.  Instead of ice cream, I find myself wanting low fat yogurt (raspberry chocolate chip is my weakness).  Instead of fries, I'll get a salad.  Instead of white rice, I'll have brown rice.  I've made the switch to whole grain breads and pasta.  

The purpose of cheating isn't to sabotage all your hard work; it's to help you stick to the plan.  Once you hit you're goal weight, you could experiment with food.  Only you know how much you can eat while maintaining your weight.  Just don't forget that hitting your goal doesn't mean that you stop exercising.  By the time you hit your goal weight, exercise should be second nature.  

Keep up the good work!!!