You stare into the boiling diet desert. As far as the eye can see there is nothing but sand, scorching winds and vultures.

On the other side of this desert, there is a better you. A thinner, lighter version of you. A version of you that can buy and wear anything. A version of you that doesn’t get tired all the time. A happier you.

But you dare not step into the desert. The journey is terrifying. You could not possibly endure the months of suffering (and almost certain death).

And just as you are about to lose hope, your eyes pick up an irregularity in the desert terrain. Specks of gold and brown mark a path across the desert.

You dust off your binoculars and bring it to your eyes…

photo credit: gin soak via photopin cc

You see a view so wonderful, so intoxicating, that you can’t reconcile it with the brutal reality of the desert.

But it is true… a week’s worth of travel from here, in the middle of the desert, there is a haven, filled with chocolate, coffee and powdered sugar. And there’s a second one another week down the road, and a third and a forth and so on, as far as the horizon and beyond.

Those are the ‘weekly indulgence’ havens and they will make your months (or years) of diet possible and even pleasurable.

Here is how you do it

1. Find your indulgence – Think of your favorite food. It could be anything.

2. Eat one portion of it every week – Each week eat one dish of this food. It could be a piece of cake, a plate of spaghetti or dozen sushi roles.

3. Enjoy it to the Max – Make an effort to make an outing out of it. Go to your favorite coffee shop or restaurant and take the time to really enjoy your indulgence.

4. Share it with NO ONE – You will not share your weekly indulgence with anyone. Not your wife or your husband. Not even your kids. This is what keeps you sane. Never ever share it (I use my fork to hit the hands of those that try to rob me of my weekly piece of chocolate bliss – it’s mine and no one will take it from me!).

5. Don’t skip meals – Not before and not after your weekly indulgence. If you stick to your diet during the week and exercise moderately, this one dish will not prevent you from losing weight. On the other hand… being hungry will.

The (BIG) benefits of the weekly indulgence

1.  It keeps you sane – There’s a reason we need to diet – we love to eat yummy fattening foods. Totally denying yourself of your favorite foods will cause you to lose your freaking mind. But when you know you have the weekly indulgence you can stay reasonably sane.

2. It prevents you from snacking throughout the week – You do deserve a sugary pick me up once in a while, but when you know you will indulge royally in the near future, you can avoid snacking here and there (the #1 reason for not losing weight).

To conclude… this is my favorite diet habit, and I imagine you’ll like it too.

To a thinner, happier you,

Yoav