We’ve all been there. Temptation sets in, it’s late, or we are out with friends celebrating. We’re tired. We’ve had a really bad day. We haven’t planned and BAM: we cheat on our normally healthy diet.What’s the big deal? Life is short. You want to enjoy your time out with your friends, your late-night Netflix show with your boyfriend, your life! After all, they are cheating. Why can’t you?!The answer lies in how you view your wellness and if it includes a well-defined stress resilience practice. That is: is your wellness plan sustainable for the rest of your life?Cheating is a sign that you’re stressed. Hey, just thinking about it raises your cortisol, the stress hormone. Then, stressing about the cheat increases your cortisol even more! Double whammy…Cheating can also mean you view food as a reward or that your wellness plan doesn’t include a reward system -- one that isn't food-based -- that is satisfying to you. Some questions I invite you to explore are:

What is your relationship with food?

Is it fuel for your beautiful body?

Is it your enemy?

 Or somewhere in between?

The answer also lies in what you really want from your diet, and whether or not you have built in regular splurges. Mine is a glass of champagne, but I build it in to my plan for the week. Building in simple yet really effective practices that add to your wellness and don’t detract from it will make a huge difference not only in your waistline but in your ability to manage your stress.You’ve heard me before: building healthy habits into your daily life will be the basis for an incredibly successful wellness, fitness, and food plan. Take stock of those plans – or build them – define what they are, assess if they are working, and work to replace those that detract from your wellness with those that will embellish it.I’m asking you, readers, to get curious about your wellness. How high on the priority list is it? Is it something that frequently falls by the wayside or is it something that is part of you…and defines you? Is it sustainable…forever? Or only until that next “event” like a reunion, a wedding, a big celebration year? 

Do you get 7-7.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night? Just there, you’ll be prepared to stave off the “hangries.” (Stay tuned for part 2 to find out about the “hangries.”)

Do you exercise every day? This too will ward off the temptation. You’ve worked so hard today -- why ruin all you’ve already done for your body? If the goal is weight loss, the research says you’ll need to exercise every day for at least 30 minutes. Every. Day.

Do you practice meditation, mindfulness, and have you mastered effective breathing practices to help you navigate your most stressful days?

Is your “to do” list under control and really filled with important tasks or, well, “fillers?"

Do you have a healthy relationship with food?

 Next week, you’ll learn my five most trusted -- and researched -- practices that will help you stay away from your cheat…forever!