For many people, dieting is like a death sentence as it symbolizes the end of their love affair with food. Gone are the weeklong - or even month-long - binges that are replaced by a strict regimen of healthy eating and exercise. Nobody's perfect, especially when it comes to what they eat. If you try to do things exactly by the book and consume every meal on plan, you're setting yourself up for failure. The time will come when you want to enjoy a small piece of cake to celebrate your son's birthday. Maybe you just want to feast on a bowl of lobster bisque at your favorite restaurant that you only go to once a year. Take heart - you can indulge and still stay on a healthy meal plan. A good rule of thumb is to try and stay on track 90% of the time and feel comfortable straying no more than 10% of the time. No weight loss program will succeed if you feel like you're being deprived. Today show nutritionist Joy Bauer is a big proponent of consuming 90 percent of your diet from healthy foods and 10 percent from fun foods.
For 90 percent of your food, follow these guidelines. Consume three servings of whole wheat starches a day. Eat at least two servings of fresh fruit. Eat as many fresh vegetables as you like. Have a lean protein with each meal. Limit the amount of fats at each meal. The other 10 percent of the foods you eat should come from those fun foods. Bauer even has a list that includes one ounce dark chocolate, 1/2 cup low-fat ice cream, 1 ounce pretzels, 1 ounce baked chips, 7 cups light popcorn, 4 licorice sticks and more. By enjoying your favorite treats in moderation, you won't be saddled with feelings of deprivation, which will make it far easier to lose.