Why You Should Eat DessertIf you’re under the mindset that dessert and sweets are “bad” for you and should be avoided, you’re not alone. You might also possibly be in the camp that can’t seem to stop eating them. Sound familiar? It’s a common cycle for many, and the good news is, you can break it. Here’s why you should go ahead and eat dessert! 1.You’ll Actually Stop BingingPart of why folks struggle to stop eating desserts and sweets (or whatever else your trigger food may be) is because restriction actually breeds binging. When you tell yourself you can’t have something, your body and brain feel deprived. This releases the stress hormone cortisol, which actually increases your appetite. Then, when you finally allow yourself the food, your brain is convinced this is the last time it will get it, so it goes overboard. However, if you allow yourself dessert, your body and brain learn it’s not a limited commodity, so you’re more likely to eat less. Please note, this does not apply to folks who have disordered eating habits. If you suspect you may have these habits, please contact a professional for help. 2.You’ll Eat Less of ItTaking #1 a step further, not only will you be less likely to binge on dessert when you finally have it, you’ll learn to be satisfied with smaller portions. Because restricting leads the body/brain to think it’s never going to have this food again, once your brain realizes it can have this food whenever it wants, it starts demanding less in each sitting. Gone will be the days when you eat cookie after cookie. In come the days when you can listen to your body to figure out how much it actually wants. 3.You’ll Ditch the Guilt CycleHow do you usually feel after you eat too much dessert? Probably guilty with a dash of self-loathing. But really, why do you feel that way? Because you told yourself this food was “bad” and so you feel bad for eating it. Spoiler alert: there are no “good” or “bad” foods. There are foods you should probably consume in moderation and there are foods that can make you feel physically bad, but no food is inherently good or bad. When you accept that dessert is just another food group to balance into your nutrition, you no longer have to feel guilty for eating it. So break out of the cycle and break out the ice cream!
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