Today’s guest post comes from one amazing blonde beauty… Gabriela of Une Vie Saine.
I had the pleasure of meeting Gabriela in January when she came to Orlando on vacation and loved how she is the exact same on her blog and in person. She’s so down-to-earth, friendly and just an all-around good time!
Even though she’s only in her early twenties, I feel like Gabriela is like a blonde buddah or something because so many of her posts are so introspective and self-aware. Basically her blog rocks!
I hope you enjoy her guest post and be sure to stop by her blog and give her a little love!
Guest Post: Une Vie Saine
Hi everyone! I’m Gabriela from Une Vie Saine, where I blog about living a healthy lifestyle while still having fun and enjoying life!
I’m a strong believer that there’s room for even the “unhealthiest” of treats in any diet and exercise plan. I can’t go through a day without having something sweet, whether it’s just some dark chocolate or a decadent hunk of cake with gobs of buttercream frosting. Sometimes, though, it takes a little compromise and planning to enjoy my daily desserts without the sugar rush- so here are my five tips for having your cake and eating it too!
1. Pick what’s “worth it” to you.
Prepackaged foods taste good. There may be a few “junk foods” you abhor, but for the most part we all enjoy the taste of M&Ms and potato chips. Depriving yourself of these things completely is not only unrealistic, it’s just plain silly! The key is figuring out which foods you really love, and which you just like. For instance, I love me some cupcakes or candy, but I find it easier to pass up the salty snacks and dips. So, whenever I’m in a situation in which both these food groups are available, I’ll choose something healthier in place of the chips- like crudités and hummus or mixed nuts- and go all out on dessert.
2. Learn to make your favorite foods at home.
If you love cookies or nachos, why not try making them in your own kitchen? Making your own treats not only saves money, but it also allows you to control exactly what goes into them. Search the internet for some recipes, try a few out, and determine which measures up to your expectations. Try using some healthy substitutes, like whole grains instead of refined flours or natural sweeteners instead of white sugar. It’s a great way to get creative, improve your cooking skills and satisfy your cravings!
3. Listen to your body.
I still struggle with this personally sometimes, but I do strive to listen to my body and what it’s telling me whenever I sit down to a meal or snack. Sometimes it’s hard not to eat an entire slice of cake if it’s sitting in front of you (I’ve definitely done it!), but remember that there are no prizes awarded for joining the clean plate club- unless you count a stomachache as a prize. Conversely, if you’re genuinely hungry for something, don’t feel guilty finishing it. Deprivation only leads to overeating in the long run. Which brings me to my next point…
4. Have something small every day
One of my biggest secrets to maintaining a healthy diet is to make sure it’s not too healthy. By allowing myself a treat or two per day, I know I can always have the things I’m craving. Personally, I always go for a serving of dark chocolate alongside some fruit for dessert! A healthy lifestyle isn’t all or nothing- it’s about balance. We’ve all heard that a thousand times, but it’s true: integrating little indulgences into every day life reminds us that there are no inherently “good” or “bad” foods. It’s the big picture that counts!
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I love all of these tips and think it is important for people to hear! Deprivation doesn’t work and the sooner we all realize that, the better! 🙂
I love your tips Gabriela! And I love your blog :).
I love these tips and of course your blog! Thanks for sharing – great guest post!
I know lots of people that associate wisdom with being old but I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one who totally disagrees with that concept 🙂 And Gabriela, I’m about to go check out your blog!!
Great post Gabriela — I too like the “have something small each day” when it comes to treats. It keeps me sane!
Good tips Gabriela! love your blog too 🙂
Ah, loved this post!! When people who know that I live a healthier lifestyle ask me stuff like, Oh well are you even going to come to the potluck since there will probably not be healthy treats there? They’re always so surprised when I say “Of course!” as if I don’t ever indulge.
It’s all about balance, and without treats, how would we reward ourselves?
I love this! I’m definitely guilty of attempting to be a gung ho health nut by cutting out anything and everything that might be considered a dessert or “junk food.” then I realized that i just can’t do it! I love chocolate way too much! Though it’s taken some time and is still in the works, I’m slowly learning to reward myself with small indulgences so I dont go rogue and inhale a tub of ice cream with a side of fries.. Again, love the post, Gabriela!
Gabriela, you seem so sweet and have an open view on things! I love all of your tips!!!!
I loved these tidbits of advice!! I am now going to creep your blog for the first time haha 😉
This is a wonderful guest post ! I was so excited to see Gabriela’s face on PBF.. two of my favorite blogs rolled into one. 🙂
Thank you so much for posting this, Julie! Hope you had an amazing time at the wedding 🙂
Great tips!!
I like #1 about making sure it’s worth it. I like having a treat a day, but I’d rather save it for something I really enjoy, rather than eating something unhealthy just because it’s there!
I love this, Gab! I agree, Julie, she is the blonde buddah 🙂 So insightful and just a wonderful person.
I love her blog! thanks for the guest post.
Great guest post! I totally agree with all of these things
I love this!!! This is my exact philosophy as well and it has been working out pretty great 🙂
Great tips girl! You were definitely a big influence on helping me reintroduce healthy indulging into my life! 🙂
Great post! I always use the “is it worth is” test when deciding whether or not to indulge. Typically store-bought treats don’t make the cut, but homemade goodies are almost always worth it!
That is completely true about listening to your body! When you become in tune with it, you can easily decide what you want to eat, when, and how much.
I’m still working on listening to my body. There’s nothing worse than eating what you “think” you should be eating… only to eat what you actually wanted 10 minutes later.
Love your tips, blog, and especially ur crazy obession with dark choclate sea salt! 🙂
yes! listening to your body is such a big one.. and sometimes so hard to do.. especially when you LOVE desserts like i do!
I thought there were 5 tips? Great though!
Good tips! So true, listen up and that body will tell ya!
Great post and tips! A new blog that I can discover!
fun tips, thanks! was there suppose to be a 5th one too?
These are really great tips! It really is about “looking at the bigger picture”. I need to remind myself of that!
Love these tips! Thanks so much for sharing. I am a strong believer that deprivation is a bad bad idea and sometimes, ya just need a little something sweet! 🙂
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