Every meal and snack is a balance for me. I often battle between making healthy decisions vs. giving in to random food cravings – most of which are unhealthy. I’ve done Weight Watchers and various other food/diet plans over the years and I have a good grasp on healthy eating; however, that doesn’t mean I don’t care for fried foods and desserts! The issue for me is making sure I balance these choices.

For instance the other day, I started with a great balance of fruit, nuts and plain Greek yogurt. I’ve cut back on the flavored yogurt varieties because most of them are filled with so much sugar. Now, I go with plain, Greek yogurt and I add a drizzle of local honey to cut the sour taste. My meal was filling and held me for quite a bit!

But then on another recent occasion I indulged in this lovely banana split. I had the opportunity to support a local branch of a chain ice cream store. I was delighted to custom make my treat! I chose some of my favorite ice creams: piña colada, chocolate and butter pecan. Chocolate and caramel were drizzled along with a dollop of whipped cream, peanuts, pineapples and a cherry on top.

I add these points to say, some days I feel like the top treat and other days it’s the bottom treat. I try my best to monitor the amount of time that I indulge in treats like the second one so that my body doesn’t get used to the unhealthy ones. But most importantly, I don’t restrict myself.

Life is about balance and this balance has to extend to our food choices! Make healthier choices most of the time, but don’t be unkind to yourself if you indulge in an occasional treat!

Stassi