For most people it is unrealistic to swear off all treat and snack foods for the rest of their lives. This is where the secret of the small indulgence comes in. By allowing yourself one or two small indulgences per day, you won’t feel deprived of having some cheat foods in your diet and you’ll provide your brain with small rise in blood sugar (glucose) availability to make better decisions, especially about finding the energy to exercise.

So, here is what many wellness conscious individuals due:

They treat themselves each day to one or two small indulgence treats. One small treat usually is used about 15-30 mins prior to their scheduled exercise session for the day. A small indulgence is something small, containing a limited amount of fat and sugar calories, but provides just enough satiety (stomach satisfaction) to satisfy the craving for a treat and raise you blood sugar just a tad to improve decision-making and conquer the mental fatigue of the day

Here are some examples:

• One small square of dark chocolate (like Lindt Chocolate – a famous one).
• One Donut Hole – In Canada we  call them Tim Bits or Country Bit are good examples (using the plain old fashion tim bit as an example) – not ones that super coated with sugar.
• A small pack of Sesame Snacks.
• A piece of licorice.
• A small biscotti.
• A small bag of low fat popcorn.
• 12 Crispy Minis (baked rice cracker treat).
• Top of a low fat muffin.
• 5-6 jujubes etc.

Of course, virtually none of these foods are considered healthy foods, but using these snacks and treats in small amounts can help prevent you from overindulging in super fatty and sugary “ooey-gooey” pastries, high fat chippy-dippy snacks, chocolate bars or ice cream products. These are the ones that really sabatoge peoples’ wellness goals.So, my advice is to included one or two small indulgences each day, while you go about the business of eating healthy in every other way, and staying compliant with your exercise goals.

The secret of the small indulgence. What does it do for you? It keeps you away from more fattening and damaging snacks and treats and it increases your brain’s ability to make the decision to exercise if you have a small snack 15-30 minutes prior to your scheduled exercise time, so t actually helps with exercise compliance (and that’s a biggy).

Eat Smart, Live Well, Look Great

Dr. James Meschino
DC,MS, ROHP