I went to brunch last week and discovered the term Saturday Faturday to go along with Sunday Funday because I consumed everything edible in this picture and yes, that is french toast encrusted with Fruity Pebbles. I love big breakfast!

You can call it gluttonous, but I prefer delicious. My taste buds know what they want and that’s why I believe that “diet” is a four letter word.

I strongly dislike being told what to do. When I was younger, I could wake up in the morning and decide that I was going to clean my room that day, but then I’d go downstairs for breakfast and while I’m eating my frosted mini-wheats my mom would tell me to clean my room and simply because she said that, guess what I wasn’t doing that day? …even though I woke up with the intention of doing exactly what she asked of me.

Two decades later, I am still like this. I am the epitome of plant the seed that something needs to be done and I’ll probably do it, but tell me to do it and I probably won’t. Now that I’m aware of my stubbornness, I’m working on overcoming it, but dang it if it ain’t hard!

This is why structured or limiting diets don’t really work for me long-term. If you tell me I have to cut cookies out of my life, I will think about how yummy they are every minute of every day until I can’t take it anymore and eat a dozen in one sitting. It’s just the way I’m wired.

I like having options and flexibility and fully believe that weight management is simple math. While some calories are better for you and help you feel fuller longer and have more nutritional value, when it comes to the number on the scale, it doesn’t matter where your calories come from as long as it’s fewer than the calories you burn throughout the day whether you exercise or not.

I use this calculator to determine how many calories I should eat in a day whether I’m trying to lose, maintain or gain weight. (But remember, it’s only as accurate as you are truthful with the information you provide!) Once I have my magic number, I log my food intake in My Fitness Pal – an app everyone should have on their phone even if you only use it for reference to see just how calories that chocolate fudge sundae is going to set you back. Their food diary not only does the math for you, but it helps you recognize trends, see exactly what you’re fueling your body with and highlights how you could be doing a better job.

Maybe you’re not getting enough protein (The rule of thumb is to have .5 gram of protein for every pound of your body weight each day. Note: That’s nearly impossible without protein shakes) or maybe you didn’t realize 70% of your calories come from starchy carbohydrates nearly every day thanks in large part to your morning bagel habit or that your addiction to cheese means the fat content in your calories is through the roof. Or maybe you are following a plan like Atkins or Keto or Carb Cycling and you need to know what your macros are. Whatever the case may be, just like anything else in life…if you aren’t aware of your poor behavior, you can’t do anything to correct it.

Of course, exercise is a big part of this equation, but My Fitness Pal has helped me get my act together nutritionally and stay on track with my goals, especially when I go to a restaurant with Fruity Pebble French Toast on the menu that is screaming my name because life is so much more fun when you can say, “Yes, please…I’ll take that!” instead of watching other people spoil their taste buds while you’re snacking on cottage cheese and pears simply because that’s the only thing on the menu that’s allowed on your diet.

Eat the French toast.