Cupcake or gut?

Are you fighting the battle of food for fuel vs. food for your soul?

Can they be one in the same or will the two never cross paths?

With the gluten-free craze sparking the idea of eating “good for you” treats, I thought I had come to an eureka moment. Getting my cupcake and eating it too. I was bitterly disappointed to learn the “new” flour used in these goodies also turn into glucose (sugar), just like the gluten filled stuff. Our bodies don’t care if it is gluten-free, unless you have a gluten allergy or intolerance. Both party (w00t, w00t!) with your body, whether it’s a regular cupcake or a gluten-free cupcake, giving you pretty much the same result.

It reminds me of the fat-free 90’s. Which, in hind sight, has been found to be one of the worst diet fads to hit the processed food market. Cutting the fat had nothing to do with fat loss.

I wonder if we will look back on the 10’s as the “gluten-free decade”. Over time, will gluten be part of a healthier diet again, just like certain types of fat are now?

Back to my original question! I don’t think there is any way around a treat being a treat. Clean eating does include some really yummy food. It takes some planning, but you get used to it. Once your palate is cleaned up, your sensitivity to treats is off-the-charts. A little goes a long way!

But don’t be fooled. They are easy to over-eat, because they taste soooo good. The over-all nutritional value is still supplemental, just not as harmful.

Now, I eat a “healthy” version of cupcake, but I still can go off the deep end and have way more than one serving. It is easier to eat more, because they aren’t “bad” for me. Did I mention the word treat.

The enjoyment triggered by a yummy treat is addictive, especially when life is throwing you lemons. That momentary feeling of well-being can make it all better, until the guilt sets in. You just have to brush yourself off, and try again. I am getting better at brushing the lemons away, instead of cupcake crumbs. But it is a process that takes time.

It has been 8 years, and some change, since my household started down the path of clean eating. I eat clean, but my habit of indulgence in yummy treats is still a struggle. I don’t bake often, even though I really enjoy it. With two of us it is too easy to go overboard. I don’t eat desserts from restaurants or bakeries since I do not know what goes in them. I am left with a longing.

A hole in my soul that is shaped like a cupcake. [Tweet this]

I would like to come across a way of eating that includes the cupcake as part of the plan. Not because of the number of calories it holds, calories don’t tell you what your body uses for fuel, but because it adds nutritional value. A nice piece of meat (or other source of protein), green veggie and a cupcake, for example. Since I do not eat grains maybe that could work!?! There are a lot of grain-free cupcake recipes that are amazing. Just hope you don’t get a nut allergy any time soon…

Hey you know, I will sacrifice my body, satisfy my soul and give this plan a go. So in the coming weeks, I will update you with a cupcake of the week, cupcake photos and data (measurements, workouts, start and finish photos and mood logs). I will do this for one month, starting on Valentines Day. Gimme that cupcake!

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