Are you aware that “Mardi Gras” is a French-based festival that’s also called “Fat Tuesday” in English? The name comes from the tradition of indulgence that happens just before Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent. It’s a sort of “last hurrah,” if you will. During Lent, people of many faiths choose to abstain from eating meat and other “luxury” foods and drinks until Easter, which comes out to forty days of fasting.
While this particular cycle of food indulgence and fasting has religious and spiritual ties, it’s not an uncommon occurrence. Many people choose to indulge in or give up their favorite foods and drinks for any number of reasons. There’s nothing wrong with this behavior so long as it’s done mindfully and healthfully.
It’s okay to splurge, but not in excess. People can develop very unhealthy relationships with their food, from relying on it as a psychological crutch to denying it to themselves as a type of punishment or bad dieting technique. Food shouldn’t make you feel guilty. So long as you make smart choices and do so in moderation, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with eating fatty or sugary foods or big meals once in a while. Not every fat or sweet is bad for you in small portions! What’s life without a little chocolate and cheese, after all?
Likewise, fasting or abstaining from certain foods can also improve your health when done smartly and with the guidance of a nutritional expert. This is something that’s generally done for spiritual, health, or allergy reasons, not weight loss. Fasting for weight loss can very easily lead to an unhealthy view of food and dieting. If you decide to try a cleanse or fast, it’s important to do so with the input of an expert.
If weight loss is your goal, it’s best to find a healthy balance between quality, whole foods and regular activity and exercise. For help burning fat naturally and suppressing excessive appetite, consider an all-natural wheatgrass treatment like Zeal O2, which will boost your energy level while aiding in your weight loss.
In the meantime, give yourself a treat on this particular Fat Tuesday… maybe a slice of King Cake! Happy Mardi Gras!
