I’ve had numerous people say they could never be as “strict” with their diet as I am because they couldn’t sacrifice so much.

Maybe this is why people assume that eating healthily means sacrifice...

My question back is always, “What am I really sacrificing?”

Here are two of the most common responses I get when I ask what I’m sacrificing….

“You can’t have pizza and such any day when you just “feel like it?” 

For one, I do occasionally have pizza if I want it. I just don’t give into temptation very often.

And I don’t think it is a sacrifice to not eat bad food whenever I feel like it! But then again I’m also super happy eating butter, steak, bacon and the bazillion other fatty foods that I can eat every single day that other people avoid as “bad” for them.

I also realize the bigger picture. By avoiding eating the vegetable oils and gluten that comes with a lot of those “cheat” meals on a regular basis, I’m avoiding things that are seriously detrimental to my health. Also, why would I eat those cheats on a regular basis when I can indulge in healthier Primal cheats like dark chocolate, macadamia nuts, bacon and full-fat cheese?

So really who is sacrificing? Me with my delicious healthy foods and occasional cheats? Or you with your blander diet that makes you avoid fatty foods, but gives you the ability to eat bad whenever you want?

“You sometimes don’t go out or over-indulge in alcohol because you are sticking to your diet.”

I won’t argue with this statement, but I also don’t think of staying in occasionally or not “overindulging” as a sacrifice. For one, I’ve never been a HUGE party-er or a huge drinker so that didn’t really change with my “strict” diet.

I don’t go out any less…I just don’t always indulge in the carb-loaded appetizers you order…or the desserts. But unlike many diets I’ve tried, I don’t need to be a recluse on Primal. Very rarely can I not find at least one Primal dish to eat!

So I can still go out and party as much as I’ve always done. So…again, I don’t think my DIET is making me sacrifice.

“What do you mean you can’t try the food I brought in?”

I hate that when food is brought into work everyone always tries to force you to eat it. They try to make you feel like you are missing out because you aren’t trying it.

My theory though is that they envy the fact that you have enough self-control to refrain from eating something that honestly isn’t something you (or even they) really wanted to eat.

Is it really sacrificing to not eat something you weren’t planning to eat? Is it really sacrificing to skip that piece of pizza or brownie that you don’t know is good when you have a delicious meal that you brought with you?

Seriously, why eat something someone brought in when you don’t want it!?!

Now let me ask you, am I really sacrificing? Is being healthier while eating foods that are still satisfying even if they aren’t what I used to consider “cheats” worth not getting to indulge in some of the great “bad” foods I used to love as often?

I think so….