One more thing ..... I don't feel guilty           about ANYTHING I eat

From time to time, I come across recipes with a lure, "eat this without guilt," or something similar to that.

I don't feel guilty about anything I eat...not even if I go over my daily calorie allowance. That doesn't happen often, but it does occasionally. First of all, when that happens, I know when and how much I'm over. Daily tracking keeps me on track. At the end of the day, I know how many calories I'm over or under and that the adjustment will come from the days I'm under my daily allowance.

I don't feel guilty over my indulgences, because I've learned to plan for them. Usually, I know when I'm going to eat out, and I will "save up" for the calories. If I plan to have dessert with the meal, I will abstain from added sugar at home that day. When it comes to sweets, I watch the "added sugar" even more closely than the calories. If I eat out and order dessert, I enjoy it without any guilt. And if I go over the recommended daily amount of added sugar on a particular day, I don't get upset over it. It's still much, much better than it was before I started tracking.

It's the same for sodium. Most days, my sodium intake is well within the guidelines. But the days I eat out, it does go over. In fact, one meal eaten out may contain more than the day's allowance for sodium, Since my sodium intake is no longer unbridled on a daily basis, the few days it goes over are not a great concern.

Although I don't eat white bread as much now and have cut back on using white flour, I still make biscuits and breads a few times a month and enjoy them very much. I do eat whole wheat or whole grain bread every day.

For me, consistent tracking on a daily basis just takes care of the "off days" and eliminates any guilt.

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