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Sane Meals Part I – A meaning for the madness.

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Many people use free meals, reward meals or cheat meals (or days) as a way to indulge in fun foods or enjoy Aunt Sally’s apple pie a la mode without guilt.  I use this strategy too but I don’t like to refer to them as free, rewards, or cheats.  The opposite  of free is imprisoned or enslaved.  Personally, I don’t want to look at my choice to eat healthy whole foods the rest of the week as a prison.  Something I am forced to do without choice.  It’s a choice and I do my best enjoy it.   On a more literal note,  free meals are rarely free most of the time I have to pay but that’s besides the point.  Reward meals don’t work for me.  I don’t think it’s a good idea to “reward” yourself for eating healthy with unhealthy. In my opinion, that doesn’t help create a positive association with healthy food.  It’s better to make the choice to just eat and enjoy an unhealthy meal simply because it tastes good not to reward yourself.  Cheat meals.  This is even worse.   It makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong and I struggle with guilt enough already.

So I call them Sane Meals.

Why?  Because knowing I can have a few sane meals in week keeps me from going crazy fighting temptations day in and day out.  I can’t eat perfect 100% of the time.  Actually maybe I could, given my choice to give up sugar, but even if I could I don’t want to because I enjoy pizza, fries and ranch, and chile relleno burritos too much to take them out of my life forever. Sugar was another matter because it controlled me.  While I loooove nachos they don’t control me in the same way although I might go crazy if I thought I was never going to get a bite of processed food again.  I might find the nearest McDonald’s and eat enough Filet-O-Fishes until I had a heart attack right there in the store.

Sane meals are great for keeping the insanity at bay.  Sane meals are great for throwing a curve ball at your  metabolism.  Sane meals are great as long as you control them and they don’t control you.

I think this issue is so important and so many people sabotage their hard work with unhealthy or unrealistic views of sane meals that I’m going to devote a few more posts to it this week.  So stayed tuned for  Sane Meals Part II – When and how much?  &  Sane Meals Part III – Silencing the Siren

Speaking of sane meals I took two this weekend, Taco Bell (Which honestly I don’t like all that much but my son really wanted it) on Friday night and McDonald’s on Saturday night.  I really do like their  Filet-O-“Fish”.  How embarrassing.

xoxo
jenn

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Tags: binging, cheat meals, free days, free meals, reward meals, sane meals

About jennincat

I'm so happy you stopped by my little corner of the web where I write about fitness, food, and amazing women I "meet". I live in California with my wonderful husband and two rambunctious boys. I'm a personal trainer and dreamer. I enjoy most things but some of my favorites are reading, acting, camping, cooking, music, writing, traveling, and being in the moment with my favorite people! You can read more about me here! I hope you stop by often!
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14 Responses to “Sane Meals Part I – A meaning for the madness.”

  1. On July 27, 2009 at 10:49 am Christine responded with... #

    I love Filet O’ Fishes too!! You aren’t alone. Can’t remember the last time I had one though.

    Reply
  2. On July 27, 2009 at 11:14 am Tracey responded with... #

    Great topic! I too hate the word “Cheat Meal”…”Sane Meal” sounds much better! Looking forward to part 2.

    Reply
  3. On July 27, 2009 at 11:42 am Marthab responded with... #

    Good post. Now if I see you at McDonalds I won’t gasp and tell everyone that you don’t really eat healthy. 😉 xoxo

    Reply
  4. On July 27, 2009 at 1:20 pm Michelle in CA responded with... #

    Love filet-o-fish too!

    Reply
  5. On July 27, 2009 at 7:13 pm Donna Nitchun responded with... #

    Just came back from eating out & found your post. Now I don’t feel guilty for have a “sane meal”. Thanks!

    Reply
  6. On July 27, 2009 at 7:18 pm Wanda responded with... #

    Great post and yes I too like McFish !

    Reply
  7. On July 31, 2009 at 10:46 pm jennincat responded with... #

    So glad to hear I’m not the only one who admits to liking the filet-o-fish!!! Ha!!!!

    Reply
  8. On July 31, 2009 at 10:50 pm jennincat responded with... #

    Donna – Just wanted to say thanks for reading and commenting. Alyssa mentioned you had read my blog and that made me happy!!! I’ve been praying for you and your health. xoxo jenn

    Reply
  9. On August 4, 2009 at 6:56 pm Eb responded with... #

    Count me in on the filets

    Reply
  10. On November 9, 2010 at 12:19 pm Tamara responded with... #

    Me five (or six, or seven) on the Filet-O-Fish!

    Love calling them “sane meals.” I have used “treat” meal, as in “having a treat,” but I can see that is somewhat similar to “reward.” Hmm, food for thought! no pun intended. 😉

    Reply

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Thank You, My Girl-Heroes. | Girl Heroes - November 26, 2009

    […] 4000 calories then sitting down at my laptop to pontificate on and on about the importance of sane meals.    Seriously, I was thinking about all I have to be thankful for and near the top of my list is […]

  2. GH 101- Food | Girl Heroes - February 10, 2010

    […] crummy food . In other words, to maintain my sanity and keep binging at bay, I take what most call one free day or a few free meals a week which I call sane days. On sane days crummy food becomes fun food or sometimes it’s just LARGER than normal […]

  3. GH 101 – Rest | Girl Heroes - February 17, 2010

    […] my ZZZZZs I am MUCH more likely to cave in and eat the entire bag of chips I’m saving for my sane day.  I’m a almost annoyingly very emotional person and almost everynight I get really cranky if […]

  4. Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin | Girl Heroes - September 19, 2010

    […] will get us to our goals.  Lift some weights, do some cardio, resist those Krispy Kream cravings (unless it’s a sane day) and you will feel great and get your best […]

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About this article

  • Posted on July 27, 2009
  • Archived in Health and Food
  • There are 14 responses.
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