Our culture's idea of dieting involves starvation and deprivation. We think we can't achieve our ideal body without giving up everything we love. However, it's that thinking that sets everyone up for failure.
A real "diet" doesn't involve starvation or deprivation. In order to be successful and reach your health and fitness goals, you need to change your eating lifestyle. Make better food choices, incorporate more "real" food and less processed, control your portions, and most importantly, don't deprive yourself of treats.
When we deprive ourselves of the foods that we love, we tend to binge when they are finally reintroduced back into our diet, thus throwing our calorie consumption over the edge and causing feelings of guilt, which may in turn lead to more indulgence. If we allow ourselves to sample small tastes of otherwise forbidden foods, we will eat less, keep our caloric intake on track and make our tastebuds happy.
So, next time you are handed a piece of birthday cake, take a bite - heck, take two. Then throw it away. If you have a craving for ice cream, have some. Put a scoop in a small cup instead of a bowl. You will be less likely to consume a double or triple serving. Those chocolate candies you got for Valentine's Day? Have a piece. But rather than chewing it down and taking another, savor it. Allow it to melt in your mouth. Then put the box away.
Deprivation leads to disappointment, indulgence leads to satisfaction and met goals. So go on, have your cake and eat it too!
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