March 14, or 3/14, is Pi Day because those three digits begin the mathematical constant. One of the many uses of pi in math is to calculate the circumference of a circle. In honor of this, restaurant chain Kneaders Bakery and Cafe, offered pie slices at a discounted rate on that day. The company, which has its headquarters in Orem, Utah, is one of many pie stores to offer discounts and giveaways on that day.
While this is delicious news to pie (and pi) aficionados, what about those who are on a diet? Dessert “disappears” when you’re trying to lose a few extra pounds. However, MD Diet, an Orem-based weight loss service, finds that it’s OK to eat desserts even during a diet.
If you follow these tips, you can have the sweet satisfaction of a well-earned dessert and put your spoon down with no guilt and few calories.
Stick to Food Your Diet Allows
Keep in mind which food your diet allows and which ones are out of the question. If you’re going no or low carb, then certain cakes and sweet pastries are not on the table. Don’t despair, because a lot of diets have recipes to sate your dessert cravings. You have dessert options for regimens as restrictive as paleolithic and ketogenic diets. Take, for instance, this ketogenic recipe for chocolate cupcakes.
Smaller Bites
Even if it’s your cheat day, you can reward yourself responsibly by asking for smaller portions. Instead of asking for three scoops of ice cream, why not just one? Consider the effort it took you to lose those last three pounds before putting your plate out for a second slice of cake. A smaller helping allows you to savor the dessert instead of gorging on it.
Switch to Healthy Alternatives
You can eat more desserts if you switch to food with more health benefits. Instead of ice cream, have a yogurt topped with fruit and nuts, which is healthier and has less sugar. Fresh fruits make excellent dessert choices. Cold watermelon can be just as satisfying, and less fattening, than popsicles. Watermelon also has the added bonus of hydrating you instead of making you thirsty, a wonderful boon in summer heat. If it’s a sweet beverage you want, have a fresh fruit smoothie rather than a milkshake.
Make Your Own Desserts
A good way to make sure your dessert isn’t fattening than necessary is to make it in your kitchen. You can also use healthy substitutes when whipping up your sweet treat. A big way to make a dessert diet-friendly is to use less sugar. You can use alternative sweeteners, like honey and agave nectar, in fewer quantities than sugar. Almond milk has fewer calories than regular milk and can achieve the same results in baking. Dark chocolate has less sugar than milk chocolate but has a richer flavor that can make your dessert tastier.
A diet is not a sentence of misery, but rather a commitment to make your body healthier. Being on a diet doesn’t have to make you miss out on the sweeter things in life. You can still enjoy the comfort of a nice dessert, provided that you’re always on the lookout for the healthier way to satisfy your sweet tooth.
