Most of us have been through this and it continues to be a daily struggle. Sometimes, it is just too hard not to give in to temptation. You know how they say ‘nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’? Just one bite right? It was only diet soda, packing no calories at all. White lies. Did you know you can get addicted to diet soda? Yeah. Let that sink in. In our constant battle against fatty food, this is something we can all relate to.

This is what happens after you cheat on your diet.

1. Denial

Pictures or it didn’t happen. All the lies you tell to somehow convince yourself that you didn’t do it. How can you admit it to anyone else when you can’t even admit it to yourself? A few bites of that deep fried goodness never hurt anyone. That walk of shame you made after midnight-snacking from the fridge back to your room is nobody’s business.

Raat gayi, baat gayi…

2. Anger

Then comes anger. Anger at yourself and others. In your defense, they did ask you how your diet was going the same day you cheated on it. The nerve! How could you do that to yourself? You had been so strong for so long, surviving on greens. You were so close to your dream body. How could you fuck it up? Have you got no restraint when it comes to those Nutella filled cupcakes or that rich cheesy pizza? It takes a long, long time to get over the intense self-loathing you feel after consuming calories.

3. Bargaining

If only I hadn’t gone out to lunch with my coworkers, I wouldn’t have given in to dessert.
If only I hadn’t skipped breakfast, I wouldn’t have ravaged that pizza.
If only I hadn’t watched MasterChef tonight, I would have had a little more control.

If I have had dessert, I can do 100 squats to balance it all out.

You find yourself going through those brutal what-if scenarios in your head. It’s a vicious cycle. If only you could go back in time and stop yourself…

4. Depression

This is when the reality of the situation sinks in. You start witnessing the effects of cheating on your diet on your body. You realize how you’ve ignored it. That flabby layer of fat on your stomach. How the jeans get stuck on your butt now. You feel empty inside. You mourn the loss of your former hot bod. It’s a downhill journey from there. But against all odds, deep down in your heart, you continue to hope.

5. Acceptance

Finally, you reach the last stage; acceptance. Not all of us are lucky to get there. For those of us who are, you just tell yourself that it’s going to be fine. The worst has passed. You cheating on your diet will be our little secret and you will not fall off the wagon again. You just won’t. Until tomorrow.