Dearest girls of Notre Dame,
A little bit about me. My name is Mary Howard, I live in Badin Hall, I like to workout, and if there was a major in chocolate I would do it.
There’s two types of people in this world: those who eat to live and those who live to eat. I fall squarely into the second category.
It’s impossible for me to turn down food, especially sweets. I will literally eat cake until I am sick. And I know I can’t be the only one (please, don’t let me the only one). When I made the transition from home to college, my eating habits had to make a drastic change as well. No longer was I at the mercy of my mom’s cooking. I like to eat healthy because it makes me feel better. However, like most college girls, eating different food in college was an adjustment.
That’s why I want to write this blog. I like reading all the new healthy trick articles and finding out about the latest and greatest information in nutrition, so I hope to save you some time by writing about it here and helping you out along they way so that you can feel good and be happy with how you look.
So, that’s why I’m writing my first blog about treating yourself.
I have read many articles about eating what you want. Never have I read anything that has said to never eat a chocolate chip cookie. If you deprive your body of the things it wants you will run into problems, because no one can resist things forever, we’re human, we are designed to like fats and sweet things (you can blame that one on evolution).
I have had experience with this particular issue. I ate “super healthy,” smaller portions, no dessert for a week and a half or so and the next week eating things in moderation was a thing of the past. I sweets like I had never seen them before because my body craved it. But, if I had a piece of dining hall M&M cake just once during my diet, I might not have gone so overboard later on.
On WebMD, in an article entitled “How to Cheat on Your Diet and Still Lose Weight,” Carolyn O’Neil, RD, co-author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous states, “I think sensible splurging is really the key to being able to achieve a healthy lifestyle.” The article goes on to say that the people who deny themselves of the foods they are craving end up breaking down and overindulging (Exhibit A: me).
So please get warm cookies in the dining hall whenever you feel like it.
I’m not writing to tell you that eating cheesecake everyday is a good idea, but satisfy your sugar craving.
There have been multiple studies conducted that show that females have a greater sweets craving than males. While females will reach for chocolate and other candies, men will more often go for hamburgers or pizza. Therefore do not feel bad when your dining hall date does not want to head back in to get dessert, it is actually in your physiology. If you’re interested in learning more about why women like sweets more check out this article, though note that not all of the data has been proven.
What I’m saying is be good to yourself. Do not starve yourself of cookies, brownies, cake, ice cream, Frappuccinos–whatever your sweet guilty pleasure is–when you want it because it will only come back to bite you. Be nice to your body, yes this means eating healthy, but it also means treating yourself every once in a while.
To assist you in satisfying your sweet craving, I have attached a brownie recipe that has been a big hit among my friends and family and is made of ingredients that can all be found in the Huddle. Enjoy!
Fabulous Brownies
Ingredients
1 package brownie mix (plus ingredients listed on box)
1 can of frosting
1 bag of chocolate chips
1 stick of butter
Directions
1) Follow the instructions on the brownie package
2) Let the brownies cool in the pan
3) Frost the brownies and then put in the fridge until the frosting has hardened
4) Put 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 stick of butter in a small bowl and microwave for 30 secs
5) Mix the chocolate and butter and then re-microwave on short intervals, mixing each time, until the butter and chocolate are combined and smooth
6) Pour the chocolate topping on top of the frosting and smooth out into an even layer (if you’re feeling adventurous feel free to add sprinkles, M&Ms, or any topping of your choice on top of the chocolate layer)
7) Put the pan back in the refrigerator until the chocolate top as hardened
8) Cut, serve, and enjoy! They are messy, but delicious!
“Don’t forget to love yourself” -Soren Kierkegaard
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