I love burgers and fries just as much as the next person – maybe more. I would like to tell you about a recent experience I had in order to demonstrate how much food impacts us.
I gave up red meat quite some time ago but have been told that I should introduce it into my diet. I was actually told this by an herbologist recently. I also adore sweet potato fries. I tend to eat very well and healthy 6 days out of the week. I choose one day – and that is usually Saturday – to eat tons of ice cream (natural, of course), granola, perhaps sweet potato fries.. you’re getting the picture. On this one day per week, although I keep it natural, I consume far more calories than the rest of the week.
I’m not sure what possessed me to do it, but recently, I decided that my cheat day would be a weekday. For lunch, I went to a restaurant (I will not mention which one since I happen to think it’s a great place and do not want to attach any negativity to it) and I ordered a burger. They did not have wheat rolls, so I had to eat a white roll with sweet potato fries. Well, I ate every last bit of it – it was so yummy and tasty. But boy – did I pay for it! I felt completely useless and unproductive for the rest of the day. I was – and I am not exaggerating – completely lethargic. Not only did I have red meat which my body is not used to, I decided to pair that with a white roll and a enormous amount of sweet potato fries. I’m not sure which part of this did the most damage – maybe it was a combination of all three. Thankfully, I don’t ever take a chance with ketchup in restaurants, since I am not sure if they purchase it without high fructose corn syrup. That probably would have done me under.
What’s my point with this blog? Pick your cheat day! Pick your cheat times! Test yourself if you don’t believe me. Decide for one week that at lunch, you will only have lean protein, some veggies, maybe choose to have some sweet potatoes – not in the form of fries, of course and see how you feel. Then, eat something ghastly. Check yourself. Are you as productive and as full of energy as you were the day before? I would venture to say definitely not.
So, what have I decided to do besides tell you about my experience? I will not be so adventurous as to change my cheat day from Saturday to a weekday. In fact, if I need to be productive on a Saturday or Sunday, I will wait to get my work done before diving into a bucket of Häagen-Dazs.
