When you think of what it means to be on a diet, you likely think of cutting out all the yummy foods you enjoy. No more sweets, no more desserts, no more junk food. But if you think dieting means completely eliminating all the foods you crave, get ready for failure. Setting unrealistic restrictions and making rules too hard to follow will only cause you crave those forbidden foods even more. Eventually, your diet may become too difficult and you’ll be tempted to give in completely. One bite may lead you to overindulge, putting an end to your best dieting efforts.
Avoiding sweets altogether is too difficult a task for many people. Thankfully, sweets in moderation can be part of a healthy diet. This doesn’t mean a candy bar every afternoon and ice cream every night. But there are perfectly acceptable sweet options to satisfy the dieter’s cravings. The Chicago boot camp says that it’s all about portion size and healthy choices.
Natural Sweets
Those times you just want to eat something sweet, but don’t want to ruin your diet, grab a piece of fruit. Naturally sweet and good for you, fruits are a great dessert option. Make a fruit salad and top it with a dollop of dairy topping or melted dark chocolate. Try grilling bananas or pineapples for a yummy treat. Top a small piece of angel food cake or a scoop of frozen yogurt with peaches or strawberries. Whip up a smoothie with fruit and low-fat yogurt. Eat a handful of dried fruit mixed with nuts.
Can’t stop thinking about cake? Add fruit to it, and you’ll make the portion size seem larger. That way, you’ll fill up on vitamins and minerals while satisfying your sweet craving.
Change Your Recipes
If you enjoy baking, there are simple ways to reduce the amount of calories, sugar, and fat in your baked goods. Replace shortening or butter with applesauce or yogurt, use whole wheat flour, and make cookies or cakes healthier by adding dried fruit or nuts. There are many delicious desserts that use zucchini or carrots as the main ingredient. So do an online search for low-calorie, nutritious dessert recipes and find some of them that suit your taste buds!
Frozen Indulgences
If ice cream is your biggest diet downfall, it’s time to switch to frozen yogurt. Often hard to tell the difference these days, low-fat frozen yogurt is lower in calories and much better for you.
Another option is sherbet or sorbet. Low in calories, fat-free, and often made with fruit, sherbet and sorbet are great dessert options for serious dieters. When you’re craving something cold and sweet, reach for a small serving of frozen yogurt or sorbet and you won’t feel a tinge of guilt.
Dark Chocolate
Eliminating chocolate from your diet may be asking the impossible. (What is it about chocolate that makes it addicting?) The good news is that it’s possible to still enjoy small amounts while sticking to your diet plan. Just be sure to choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate. Full of antioxidants, a nugget of dark chocolate is a much safer option for those on a diet. Eat it slowly to savor each bite.
Health Bars
Staring you in the face as you wait in line at the grocery store, candy bars are a real temptation for many people. That sweet rush of energy can be hard to resist. The boot camp in Chicago recommends that when you’ve got a hankering for a sugar-filled, calorie-dense candy bar, reach for a sweet granola bar or energy bar. Options may contain dark or white chocolate, nuts, and small amounts of sugar to give you the sweet taste you desire without ruining your diet.
