I'VE BEEN EATING POPTARTS

Yes, it's true. For the past three days my diet has not been 100% clean.

But why would I do that? Don't I want to lose some fat and achieve my goals? Aren't I supposed to eat 100% clean to get my results?

You learn a lot when you've been dieting for eighteen months. In my case, I've learned that when I cut out sugar for an extremely long time, the moment I have it again I want to binge. It's just in my nature. I can turn down sugar easily; that's no longer my problem. What I need to work on is enjoying it in moderation. And that's something I think everyone should be striving for! We only get to live one life - I'm sure you, like me, do not want to live without ever having the sweet things in life. (Not to be dramatic, but I've had some life changing experiences with dessert) 

So in order to help me progress into enjoying sugar in moderation, rather in binge cycles, I've been eating a half of a Poptart immediately after my workouts. 

Now, why a Poptart and why immediately after my workout?

Well, I've always had a love for Poptarts. In middle school, I would beg my friends to let me have a piece of theirs during our twenty minute break between classes. (I even got a box for my birthday!) In the early years of high school, I would eat a whole package for lunch....along with my Rice Krispie Treat and Gummy Bears :P They're easily one of my favorite sweet treats!

I eat only a half of one after my workout because that's when the body is most responsive to receive the simple carbs and sugars from the Poptart. After some heavy lifting, my glycogen levels are pretty low, so the sugars are going to go straight to helping replenish those stores instead of being added to my body as fat. It's common to see lifters eat some gummy bears or even Pixie Sticks with their post workout shake!

Now just because I'm eating a smudge of a Poptart doesn't mean my diet is to shambles and I'm not going to lose weight. As you can see below, the rest of my diet is spicking clean and has my body in the perfect fat burning mode.

M1: Vanilla Maple Oatmeal (see recipe in post below)

M2: 1 Quest bar + serving of berries (on workout days)

M3: 3 oz chicken + kale + quinoa or another slow digesting carb

M4: protein shake + poptart (on workout days)

M5: 3 oz chicken + broccoli 

M5: casein + 1 tbsp PB

I measure everything on my food scale so I know that I'm getting exact amounts, and I track all my calories on a spread sheet. 

Eating that Poptart is helping me find balance. I don't feel pressured to binge on sugar because I'm missing out. I know I get to have earn my small treat and enjoy it. And on rest days, I respect my lack of activity and treat my body as such. 

So make it a goal to achieve balance in your health! 

P.S. Wondering why only "1/2" of a poptart?

100 calories, 18 g carb, 1.5 g protein, 2.5 g fat