Thrive Forward: I Cheated!

I have a confession to make. Remember that "amazing self-control" that I bragged about in last night's post after I loaded a grocery cart with snack foods that I can't eat for another week? Well, there are two things that can bring my "amazing self-control" to its knees: vegan donuts and vegan cinnamon rolls.

And tonight, when I went to Imagine Vegan Cafe for my usual Wednesday night dinner with friends, I was greeted with gooey, fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon rolls made by my dear friend Stephanie of Swell Baked Goods. Stephanie delivers fresh baked goods to Imagine every Wednesday, but she typically brings cakes, cookies, or brownies. She hasn't made cinnamon rolls for Imagine since September, and that was the last time I had one.

By my logic, if I didn't eat a cinnamon roll tonight, it could be four more months before I'd get another chance. Of course, since she's my friend, I could probably twist her arm into making some before then. But let's just pretend that's not a possibility. Could anyone resist these ooey, gooey, vanilla icing-covered rolls?

Yea, I didn't think so. So I ate one. But I followed it with a big bowl of Imagine's homemade Vegetable Soup. I figured all those veggies would somehow balance out the fact that I'd just eaten sugar and white flour for the first time in 22 days.

I also had the Cosmic Coconut (pineapple, banana, coconut meat, coconut milk), the signature smoothie at the all-vegan Cosmic Coconut juice and smoothie bar earlier in the day.

And I've eaten really healthily all day (except for my cinnamon roll splurge) — another New Caesar Salad, Garlic Thyme Yam Oven Fries, Health(ier) Popcorn, honeydew, and a Mango Coconut Energy Bar.

So I didn't even feel the slightest bit guilty for my sugar splurge. In cleanses past, I've learned that when I completely deny myself the occasional treat, I'll mega-retox after the cleanse is over. A few years ago, I did a variation of the Crazy Sexy Diet that ended in FIVE cupcakes, a loaf of bread, and many, many glasses of red wine – all in one night. I retoxed big-time then.

But my goal with Thrive Forward is to adopt healthier eating habits for the long haul. When it's all said and done, I'm not giving up Daiya cheese or Tofurky or Gardein. I'll still eat those things a few times each week, but I'll try harder to balance them with more alkaline foods (more salads, more smoothies, etc.). Anyway, an occasional sugary treat now will help me to understand that it's not about deprivation. It's about adding in healthier foods.

Or maybe I'm justifying ... whatevs. That was a damn fine cinnamon roll. Worth every bite.