Lean and Hard

Photo credit: The Holy Grail

The answer is a definite YES!

As long as you are on a weight reduction plan, you are going to face the temptation to cheat. The reason is simple: To lose weight you have to burn more calories than you're taking in, and this means you will sometimes feel deprived.

I've lost 115 pounds so far, and I've been losing weight since about September of last year, so you can believe that I've strayed from the strictures of my regime a few times along the way. Once in a while I've faces temptations that, for me, at the time, were irresistible. Here's how I've managed these diversions from the path...

1. I've tried to limit the damage. OK, so I simply have to have pizza. Nothing I can do about it when the desire is so strong and so persistent. I go ahead and have some, but I eat it slowly and stop when I'm satisfied (which, since my stomach has shrunk from eating less food, happens much sooner than it used to!). Then I throw away the rest and my splurge is over.

2. I've gotten right back on the horse. Guilt and discouragement are the enemy when you've broken faith with your plan. Put your straying behind you and come right back to the righteous path. Here's how WebMD puts in in this article:

Don't let a little slip become a backslide.  It is almost impossible to be an "A" student when it comes to dieting. "Everyone slips up, and that is fine as long as you don't let one slip turn into a backslide," says Wansink. Whenever you slip up, take note of it, try to learn from it so you can anticipate it in the future, and get right back into your diet plan to avoid the temptation to throw in the towel.

If you have a lot of weight to lose, it's going to take some time, and you are going to cheat. But cheating cannot stop you if you limit the damage and stick with your plan.

Please comment below if you found this helpful or have additional tips to share!

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