Erin's Lounge

I have to admit, I am guilty just like everyone else when it comes to over-snacking while lounging around.¬† Snack time has turned into snack day! I mean…one of the best parts of lounging is eating crap you shouldn’t.¬† The other¬† night, my plan was to go to yoga.¬† Work out hard after eating my healthy salad.¬† Then, I would come home, put the computer down and relax, read, and watch some Ugly Betty.

All throughout my yoga class, all I could think about was Haagan Dazs chocolate ice cream.¬† I knew it was on special at my neighborhood Gelsons and I couldn’t get it out of my mind.¬† So, when I was on my way home from yoga, I stopped by that Gelsons to get some of that Haagan Dazs chocolate.¬† I told myself that even if I got a pint, I would only eat half.¬† But, I was a pig and polished it off.¬† That sooooo was not a part of my plan, but I can’t give my weakness too much energy and beat myself up too much.¬† I am human, plus…I’m not the first one and I certainly won’t be the last one to eat an entire pint of Haagan Dazs in one sitting.

So here are my suggestions to not turning a good lounge session into a monster caloriefest.¬† This is what I USUALLY do when I don’t fall victim to my weakness for sweets!

1. Just say no in the grocery store.
   If I don’t have it in the house, it’s just better.¬† It’s pointless for me to believe that I’m going to practice self control with good junk food in my pantry.¬† If it’s not there, there’s less of a chance that I’m going to get myself up to drive and get something from the store.
2. Keep some emergency snack food on hand.
   My friend Elisabeth is always telling me how she keeps dark chocolate squares around to kill that sweet tooth craving.¬† I need to buy some.¬† When I want something salty, I’ve started popping real popcorn on the stove and adding just a little salt.¬† I do use a little canola oil, but it’s better than potato chips.¬† It’s so good when you want to satisfy that salty craving.
3. Learn to cook some healthy dishes.
   I definitely know how to cook some things that aren’t so healthy.¬† But over the years, I’ve been working on making some healthier dishes.¬† This prevents me from calling out for pizza or making a run to In-N-Out Burger. If I make super healthy tacos or a great piece of grilled salmon, I don’t want trash food. Even a great salad will kill the craving.

I know that sometimes I don’t even care and just WANT some good junk food.¬† But over the past couple of years, I’ve let it get the best of me. So whether I stick to my healthy, lounge food options or not, I thought I’d share what is working for me at the moment. Let us know what is working for you!

eb