Food (ANY FOOD) is not a treat!

To me it’s heartbreaking anytime I hear someone refer to food as a treat or a reward because my personal feeling on it is…it’s just food. Ultimately we decide how much power we give to a person or an innate object and with that decision, our standards with what we tolerate and what we allow to have power over us is forged.

When I hear a client tell me that they had to have a “little treat” in the form of a cookie or ice cream or chips (or whatever) then I have a good idea at that moment that our battle doesn’t lie in figuring out the best training strategy or food measurements, the battle lies in the way they value themselves.

If any of my clients want to eat something off plan my answer is always “GO FOR IT”. We’re adults and it’s an adult decision. Will it hinder progress? There’s a good possibility but I’m not one to put food handcuffs on my clients. I’m more about helping my clients understand what works and also addressing dietary choices that no longer serve purpose in their lives. I’m also about helping my clients take the power away that they give to food and understanding that they are worth a reward far more valuable than a snack.

Almost all of my Success Stories are women that I feature because, not only were they able to follow a set strategy, but they were also able to overcome behaviours that no longer add value to their health or well-being. When all of those elements are in place, a lean and tight body is the aftermath of all the wonderful work we put in place.

So should food ever be looked at as a reward? Only if you’re a pet and you’re being taught some tricks…not if you’re a living, breathing human being. Rewarding yourself with food because you ate your assigned meals isn’t progress. If you really feel the need to eat something particular, do so in a responsible manner then move on and get right back on track. If you want to really treat yourself for being compliant to your diet, then I’m all about rewarding oneself with something worthy of a STRONG GIRL – a Spa Day, some new clothes, jewellery, or (my favourite) a really expensive purse.

If chocolate/cookies/ice cream is more valuable to you than any of the items I mentioned, then there isn’t a diet/training strategy in the known universe that can help you.

Demand more of yourself.