Livin' Lean Topic Tuesday: Sanity Splurge

I was raised on Jimmy Buffett. His lyrics have spoken to quite a few moments in my life. Even my senior quote in the John Handley High School yearbook was taken from the lyrical genius himself; “There’s just too much to see waiting in front of me and I know that I just can’t go wrong.” That will always be one of my favorites. But another one that has always rung clear in my ears comes from his song, “Changes in Latitudes”, where he sings, “If we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane.” Well, isn’t that the truth? Taking anything too seriously is just a recipe for insanity. The same goes for our diets. Yes, it is important to stick to a regularly healthy eating plan. But let’s get real! If we couldn’t splurge, we would all go insane!

Here’s my personal example. I was craving chocolate chip cookies last night, BIGTIME! I workout most days each week, maintain a busy schedule and eat well most of the time. So guess what, I deserved those cookies! So I picked up my daughter from the sitters, stopped by the store to pick up some Ghirardelli chocolate morsels and the two of us baked the best tasting batch of chocolate chip cookies I have ever made! We had fun making them and it felt wonderful to eat them. I found my splurge and now I don’t have to spend any time obsessing over the thought of those delicious sweet treats. Insanity has been averted with a couple cookies.


Find your splurge and allow yourself a treat. It is part of maintaining a healthy body and mind. I would recommend a "splurge" meal or treat (some people use the word "cheat", but to me, that means you are doing something wrong...and this is not wrong!)  at least 1-2 times per week; within reason. Enjoy your splurge and get right back on track. What may even happen is that by allowing yourself to indulge in certain foods, you may lose the craving altogether.


Enjoy a little splurge today!