How to Indulge

There are so many things that I love about the healthy living blogging community. I’ve learned a lot from other bloggers and am constantly inspired to try new things because of them. However, I do have a major pet peeves that even some of my favorite bloggers are guilty of.

Far too often, I see other women talking about “indulging” in a square of dark chocolate after dinner or “going overboard” with their snacking by eating two instead of one cookie that is made out of ingredients like oats, applesauce, and bananas. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think these super healthy or bite-size snacks are great for curbing a craving or avoiding too much sugar or fat in your diet. And I hold nothing against you if this is what you snack on, because a lot of the time, it’s what I snack on too.

However, my problem is when I see someone describing these treats as a huge indulgence. I believe that this sort of portrayal sends the wrong message to others, especially to young, impressionable adolescents. If one chocolate covered strawberry is an indulgence to my favorite blogger, then what’s one piece of chocolate cake to me? A binge fest?

So please, let me try and set the record straight once and for all on what an indulgence actually is. To help me illustrate my point, I’m going to be making some comparisons between items that I would deem as a healthy treat and those items that I would categorize as being indulgent.

When you’re craving a big ol’ brownie…

If you’re craving a rich, moist, and dense brownie, but don’t want all of the calories, you could treat yourself to a chocolate Vitatop muffin which only rings in at a 100 calories. That even leaves room to add strawberries, a dollop of whip cream, and a drizzle of sugar-free chocolate syrup.

But if you would really like to indulge yourself, just have the dang brownie! And go ahead and top it off with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream for good measure. Life is to short to not experience dessert à la mode.

When you’re craving something with a crunch…

If you’re pining for something crunchy and maybe even a little bit salty, a healthy way to curb your craving would be to munch on some fiber-filled veggie chips and hummus. The pretty colors don’t hurt to look at either.

But if you were really looking to indulge yourself, you’d treat yourself to a fun and flavorful bag of chips. Honey Dijon chips? Don’t mind if I do! Sorry, BBQ-flavored chips, I think we might be through.

But when you’re craving something sweet…

When you’re looking for just a little something to help you tame your sweet tooth, you could reach for that square of dark chocolate or a delicious apple topped with crunchy peanut butter. Or, you could go for one of those healthy cookies we talked about earlier like this Kashi Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie.

However, if you’re feeling a little frisky or are just thinking that you deserve something extra special, I would recommend you indulge in something that you hardly ever treat yourself to – for me, that would be a cupcake. A moist, chocolate cupcake topped with light, fluffy, peanut butter frosting.

And for those moments that you need something cold and fruity…

There’s no guilt associated in having a cold, fruit-tastic smoothie when it’s only made out of oranges, bananas, ice cubes and fresh orange juice.

But I believe that there should also be no guilt in going a little wild with a pint of Blueberry Crumble ice cream if that’s what your heart is really singing for. I mean, it’s Blueberry Crumble ice cream, for goodness’ sake! I think everyone’s quality of life would improve, even if just a little bit, with more ice cream in their lives.

So friends, let’s get real for a second. My belief is that indulgences are a healthy part of any lifestyle. And yes, what’s considered to be an indulgence is going to vary from each person, but I hope that we can all agree that a 100-calorie pack of dark chocolate almonds doesn’t exactly cut it as an indulgence.

Now, I’m not saying you should give up your dark chocolate almonds and start snacking on a piece of chocolate cake every afternoon. And I’m not saying that you should create a rule for yourself where you limit the number of indulgences you can have or when. I don’t believe in that sort of stuff. What I do believe in, is seeking out the happy, balanced place in your diet where you can eat the food that you want without experiencing any shame, guilt, or remorse over it – whether it’s the 100 calorie or 500 calorie version of your snack!

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