This post is sponsored by Netflix #StreamTeam
Have you ever been cheated on? Let me clarify: have you ever been happily binge watching a tv show on Netflix with your significant other — maybe a couple of episodes a night — when one night you have other plans and can’t continue the binge?
I bet you warned your S.O. not to watch another episode without you. But sometimes temptation is too great. The show is just too good. People cave.
Have you been Netflix-cheated-on? I’m pretty sure I have, with Law and Order SVU. And I’m ashamed to say I’ve also been the cheater — I couldn’t resist watching more of How To Get Away With Murder. I just had to know what Annalise did next!
Another kind of cheating I’m guilty of: cheating on my diet. AGAIN AND AGAIN.
You might not know that I was a vegetarian for most of my adult life. I became a vegetarian almost as soon as I arrived at college. I remember walking around the student involvement fair and being handed a PETA animal cruelty pamphlet, reading it when I got back to my dorm room, and immediately deciding to go vegetarian. I’ve never been a big meat-eater and I actually felt relieved to have “permission” not to eat it if I didn’t want to.
I loved being vegetarian. I even spent some time as a vegan and dabbled in raw veganism. I like the idea of a raw or mostly raw vegan lifestyle, but since I was living in a residence hall, I didn’t have ready access to raw foods and couldn’t make it work for me.
Eight years later when I decided that I wanted to pursue bodybuilding, I thought I couldn’t do it as a vegetarian. Vegetarian bodybuilders exist, but they’re in the minority — the standard bodybuilding diet is based around lean meats, complex carbs, and vegetables. It was a tough decision to move away from the vegetarian diet I’d been enjoying for years, but my goal was important to me, so I started eating meat to fuel my training.
I felt guilty. I felt like a cheater.
Being vegetarian was part of my identity for so long and now I was giving it up for something I didn’t even know if I would like long-term. But I didn’t know there was any other way, so I pushed it all to the back of my mind and moved forward.
Luckily, I found success. I won my first competition, I was invited to join the team of a prestigious coach, and then I turned pro, all within just a couple of years. I was distracted by how fun it was to win and be successful so I didn’t often think about how I was “cheating” on my diet of plant-based foods with a diet that included meat.
Fast forward to this year when I decided not to compete so I could focus on improving my mental health. I realized that I felt SO RELIEVED not to have to eat meat if I didn’t want to. I’ve been enjoying lots of fresh fruits and veggies, tofu, and some meat here and there if I feel like it (and mostly, I don’t).
I’ve been thinking about going back to being vegetarian or even vegan, but at this point I don’t think it’s worth it to put a label on things. As a perfectionist, painting myself into a corner like that can be challenging because any time I find myself cheating on my diet, it feels like a major transgression. For now, I think I’ll just try to listen to my body. If I want veggies and fruits, I’ll have those. If on a rare occasion I feel like eating meat, I’ll do that.
No labels = no more feeling like I’m cheating on my diet. (And I’ll try to stop being a Netflix cheater, too. Lol.)
Alissa Apel says
March 6, 2017 at 12:25 pmI’m a cheater too. Just with TV watching and food.
Rach Ferrucci says
March 6, 2017 at 1:36 amI’ve never cheated with our binge watching but I’ve cheated when I tried to eat healthier. I love the no labels!
Crystal says
March 5, 2017 at 10:58 pmYou’re cracking me up…and filling me with relief all at the same time. I’ve totally been guilty of this!
Amy Desrosiers says
March 2, 2017 at 1:58 pmVery smart idea to not label anything. I like the idea of going with the flow so you don’t upset yourself in the long run. P.S., I am also a Netflix cheater!
ROsey says
March 1, 2017 at 5:50 pmHa! I was THIS close to watching episode 5 of Fuller House Season 2 without the kids (gasp). I was a good mom though, and waited. I had to distract myself. I went out of the house to the library! 🙂
Melissa says
March 1, 2017 at 12:02 pmI have to watch when I am working so my husband will never be able o keep up, I am sure you eat very little meat so keep up the good work and protect our four lgged friends.
Seattle Travel Blogger says
March 1, 2017 at 11:47 amThis is a pretty funny premise.
We are constantly looking for new TV shows to binge watch together.
Ann Bacciaglia says
March 1, 2017 at 9:42 amI think it is important to treat yourself once in a while. As long as I do it in moderation I try not to look at it as cheating. It is so hard to wait to watch my favorite Netflix shows. I did watch ahead once and felt guilty.
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
March 1, 2017 at 8:20 amI agree! You don’t have to put a label on everything that you’re doing. Do what you feel doing! Eat veggies and have meat occasionally. Doing what makes you happy is one of the most important things in life.
Annemarie LeBlanc says
March 1, 2017 at 2:44 amMe and my hubby rarely watch TV on weekdays so there is very little chance for us to netflix cheat on each other. Weekends are lazy days for us. We just binge watch and totally unwind to regain back some energy and recharge for the following week’s mad dash to earn a living.
Theresa says
February 28, 2017 at 11:03 pmI did a partial cheat once. I HAD to watch that 8 minute clip that was all over online after the season premier of The Walking Dead. I couldn’t wait until hubby was ready to watch the episode because I really needed to know who got killed off. I didn’t watch the full episode, so I guess that counts for something, right?
Anne Parris says
February 28, 2017 at 10:08 pmI’m lucky that my husband doesn’t care for tv. He’ll watch a few things with me, but just doesn’t care if I watch ahead. He is the perfect man!
Chanelle says
February 28, 2017 at 10:18 pmThat is awesome! Keep him.
Anne Parris says
February 28, 2017 at 11:33 pmTwenty years this summer!
Amanda Love says
February 28, 2017 at 8:13 pmCheating on your diet will definitely make you feel really lousy. I think it’s funny that couples cheat on Netflix but it’s so true. Sometimes you’re too addicted to a show and you want to watch the new episode ASAP.
Pam says
February 28, 2017 at 8:00 pmI have definitely been tempted to do this before. Especially since my husband works a crazy schedule.
Meagan says
February 28, 2017 at 7:13 pmMy husband and I have different schedules. Because of that, I cheat often and watch a few of our favorites. That said, I know a few are off limits.
Vera Sweeney says
February 28, 2017 at 6:24 pmThis is too funny! I’m actually not a cheater. My husband is, but he found out the hard way what happens if he puts our shows on without me. >:(
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
February 28, 2017 at 6:21 pmWe are all cheaters. Vicious, vicious cheaters. It’s in our nature. Oops! Time to go watch the next episode.
robin masshole mommy says
February 28, 2017 at 4:48 pmLOL this is so funny! I admit that I have Netflix cheated on my hubby before, but ONLY when I am really desperate and he’s traveling for work or something.