(GUEST) How to Enjoy the Occasional Indulgence Without Ruining Your Diet

written by Marlena Stoddard

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It is possible to lose weight and remain healthy despite an occasional indulgence such as a tasty dessert, snack or beverage. Restricting your diet too much can lead to feelings of deprivation, and rather than consuming a tiny portion of a high-calorie treat, you might eat a large amount.

1: Make Your Own Delicious Milk Shake

Instead of buying a restaurant milk shake, make your own with low-fat milk, churned ice cream and fresh fruit. Avoid making a huge container of milk shake, but opt to drink a small glass of this homemade beverage.

2: Bake a Healthy Cake for Celebrations

To bake a healthier cake, make some recipe modifications, including using applesauce instead of oil, margarine or butter. Replace white flour with whole-wheat flour to increase your daily fiber consumption. Separate the eggs for your cake recipe, and use only the egg whites. Rather than using traditional frosting on a cake, slice strawberries to sprinkle on the top.

3: Eat Sorbet Instead of Ice Cream

Regular ice cream is high in saturated fat and sugar, leading to a dessert that has a lot of calories, but you can eat sorbet instead. The healthiest sorbet is made of delicious frozen fruit juice, flavorings and sugar.

4: Tasty Homemade Sweet or Spicy Tortilla Chips

Store-bought tortilla chips are full of salt and fat, but you can make your own in only a few minutes. Cut a tortilla into eight wedges before placing the items on a cookie sheet. For sweet tortilla chips, mix a small amount of sugar and cinnamon to sprinkle on the wedges, and for spicy tortilla chips, use a combination of chili powder and cumin. Bake the chips for a few minutes at an oven’s lowest temperature setting.

5: Eat a Small Portion of Dark Chocolate

Buy high-quality dark chocolate for a healthy snack that researchers believe can help prevent heart disease. Dark chocolate, like the chocolate available from the Trans Mar Group, that has a high percentage of cocoa provides valuable antioxidants that can improve your body’s immunity levels. Remember to eat only a tiny square of dark chocolate rather than an entire bar of milk chocolate.

When creating your weekly meal plans, make sure to include the occasional treat, especially for celebrations such as birthdays or anniversaries. By knowing how to shop for the ingredients to make your own snacks, beverages and desserts, you are less likely to buy packaged foods that are poor nutritional choices.

Marlena Stoddard