Posted by Stephanie Clarke on Thu, Jul 09, 2009
The other night, I couldn't stop thinking about carrot cake. So I called up a friend (one I knew shared my love of carrot cake) to see if she wanted to walk to our favorite NYC spot to split a piece. She was up for it and I was excited!
Shortly before I was about to leave, my friend called up to cancel. I was pretty disappointed but still determined to forge ahead with my carrot cake mission solo. As I was walking, I started thinking about why I really wanted this cake to begin with. Surprisingly, my craving slowly started to fade. I thought about how I didn't want a whole piece of carrot cake myself—nor did I want the other half laying around my apartment. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was the whole experience of getting outside for a walk and enjoying my friend's company that had the real appeal.
So instead of heading to the cake shop, I took a another route and stopped into my local supermarket. As I got to the freezer section, I wasn't sure what I was looking for, but when I saw the Skinny Cow fudge bars, I knew I found the perfect item. They're only 100 calories (a bit less then my half piece of carrot cake would have cost me) and cold and creamy—perfect for a humid summer night. I was happy with my decision!
This is a good example of why it's important to think about what you put into your mouth before you do it. Often times, cravings are present not because of the food itself, but the activity or feelings surrounding it. So the next time you have a craving for something indulgent, first try thinking about what it is you really want. Then if you do decide to indulge in a treat or dessert, make sure you're not too hungry before diving in. And splurge wisely: Look for individually packaged or portion-controlled foods (think Skinny Cow fudge bars versus a pint of ice cream). Can't find a single-serving splurge? Split it with a pal!
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