Recently at dinner, I heard a girl nearby say to a friend that she wasn't going to eat a cookie even though they looked delicious. Her reasoning was that she had been eating unhealthy lately and decided to take a hiatus from sugar. The scene was all too familiar to me. I have been in that girl's position too many times.

Worried about my figure, I would swear off all desserts and unhealthy foods. I used to freak out at the idea that a cookie had over a hundred calories. Drinking a milkshake would practically be a death sentence. While all my friends would hang out and get a drink and a snack from Starbucks, I would stand to the side. I would say, "I'm really not hungry" or "I ate just before we came", in order to sidestep the obligation to buy something for myself. I spent so much time counting calories and researching dieting tips. Because I had no real time to go the gym, I figured that cutting sweets out of my daily routine would be the best way to shave a few pounds. This was not a good choice on my part.

First of all, not all sugar is bad. For energy purposes alone, sugar is a necessary factor in any person's life. Haphazardly removing its presence in your system does more bad than good. Secondly, when you start avoiding foods, people notice. Your actions have a greater effect than you know. When I began boycotting certain foods that I used to really love, I made my friends and family extremely worried about me. Even worse, because I secretly wanted to eat sugary foods, I was in a bad mood a lot of the time and I was harsh toward people who only wanted what was best for me.

I spent so much time obsessing over my eating habits that I drove myself into a corner and I became depressed. Sometimes I would break my no-sugar streak and would end up hating myself. It all stopped when my mom said that the secret is to do all things in moderation. It's not the end of the world to treat yourself to a brownie from time to time. It's better to keep a balanced diet and to exercise, than to end a lifelong relationship with cookie dough. You only live once and you might as well enjoy the little things while they last. Don't worry about weight and eat the cookie while you take the time to sit back and appreciate life.