I have a secret to admit. I still eat dessert. Cookies, Strawberry Shortcake, Birthday Cake, Ice Cream- I’ve eaten them all in the last five months. Gasp!

The key is that I don’t have dessert after every meal, or every day, or every other day. I eat it occasionally. When I have a cookie, I try to eat just one, not four or five like I used to. I don’t take seconds on my desserts.

I don’t feel the obligation to accept it. I don’t have to say no to it either. I look at the cake sitting on the plate and weigh whether this cake is worth having to do extra exercise. A lot of times I say no, because usually it takes more exercise to get those 300+ calories off than I want to do. I like having the option to say yes, but being aware of all that yes means. I also keep in mind that I don’t have to eat the whole thing.

If you know you may lose control, don’t even tempt yourself. It’s not worth it.

If you want to make cookies for the family, just bake one dozen and freeze the rest of the dough for later. That way your not tempted to eat more than you should. If the dough tempts you, just make half a batch.

Don’t keep your favorite sweets on hand. Make them hard to get to, so you have the extra time to think about whether it’s really worth it. It’s better to fill your kitchen with healthy snacks to grab when your hunger hits.

So, yes, dessert is okay, as long as you don’t make it a regular occurrence. Be ready to do the work to keep those calories from staying on.

Weight last week: 162 pounds

Weight this week: 160 pounds

Total weight loss this year: 24 pounds