It takes less effort, time and energy to eat less and enjoy something mindfully than to over eat and obsess over how many calories you have consumed.

You eat a slice of cake. You estimate 300 calories need to be burnt. You decide 40 minutes of running is what it takes to burn it.

You buy one slice for 3 people. Take three to four small bites. You take your time with each bite and enjoy the flavours. It’s just 100 calories. You spend the 40 mins instead on push ups, pulling work and squats.

Net result:

You had your cake and worked towards some muscle too.

Takeaway

What you spend your daily quota of activity working towards matters.

Being able to enjoy something mindfully and in moderation trumps obsessing over sub-par tasting lower-calorie alternatives or worse yet throwing it out for months only to have it re-enter your life with a vengeance.