#86 How to cut back on sugar, why you shouldn’t drink your calories, and how to indulge your cravings in moderation? With Sarah Shelton!
Hey guys! Welcome back to another episode of the Waist Away podcast! This week we have another thin eater interview for you. Our guest is Sarah Shelton. She is the owner of the Beach Boutique. It’s an amazing online boutique, and for our local listeners, she’s got a location in Chesapeake as well. She’s married, has three children, and she has an absolute perfect body! Enjoy the episode!
Sarah’s online store: https://the-beach-boutique-vb.myshopify.com/
Follow her on instagram! @thebeachboutiquevb
Audio Version: https://chantelray.podbean.com/e/wa86/
Video version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgb5tMLhgPY&feature=youtu.be
Chantel: Hey, guys. Welcome to this week’s episode. Today we have Sarah Shelton, and she is the owner of the Beach Boutique. It’s an amazing online boutique, and she’s got a location here in Chesapeake as well. She’s married. She’s got three kids, 12 year old, eight year old, and a seven year old, and she has an absolute perfect body. You’ve got to follow her on Instagram. She’s absolutely drop dead gorgeous. If you’re listening to this podcast, you might want to watch it on YouTube and follow our YouTube channel. But we are so excited to have you. Welcome, Sarah.
Sarah Shelton: Thank you for having me.
Chantel: Yes. So, as you know, I’ve interviewed thousands … I used to say over 1,000, but now it’s probably close to 2,000 women that I’ve interviewed, asking them what they eat, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And so, we’re gonna just kind of find out your secrets of what you do, so I’m gonna ask you a couple questions. If you had to estimate, how clean do you eat? 100% clean, 90%, 80% of the time? How often would you eat clean?
Sarah Shelton: I would say that if I had to estimate how often, it would probably be following the 80/20 rule. So, 80% clean eating, and 20% indulging.
Chantel: Okay. If you had to estimate, what would that look like in a week? Would it be like every other day, once a week? How often would you say that you would indulge in something kind of, a little bit more not clean?
Sarah Shelton: I would say probably one meal or snack every other day.
Chantel: Okay. Talk about what that would look like in a week. What would you say?
Sarah Shelton: The meals that I would choose to indulge on might be like movie night with my family, having a glass or two of wine with some popcorn. Or maybe going out with some girlfriends and getting a sandwich and a latte, versus a salad I might eat at home.
Chantel: Okay, perfect. If you had to say, you know … When you go to, let’s say Chipotle.
Sarah Shelton: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chantel: If you were gonna go to Chipotle, what would you put on your Chipotle bowl?
Sarah Shelton: I would stay away from the tortilla, and I would probably do salad. Stay away from the rice and do lean meats. So chicken, salsa, and maybe do like a sprinkle of cheese or guacamole, but nothing too high fat.
Chantel: Okay. Then, how often would you say … Like, would you say sometimes I have the sour cream and cheese, and how would you make that decision, that you were doing that?
Sarah Shelton: Yeah. If I was going to have the extra toppings that I wouldn’t normally have, I would probably do it on a day where maybe I worked out that day, or maybe I’d already been pretty strict on eating clean the other meals. So maybe I feel like I have some extra calories, or room to splurge a little bit on that one.
Chantel: One of the things I’ve heard people say … When I’m interviewing all these people, they say, “I look at things, and I look at how big is the differential.” Meaning, how badly do I want this versus that? For example, they would say, “If I was gonna eat ice cream, or if I was gonna have frozen yogurt that was less calories, I might say, you know what? The frozen yogurt’s gonna still satisfy that need that I want for ice cream. But if I had something else, I would still feel satisfied.” So, talk about … Do you have any stories kind of explaining that, of when you’re making decisions? Of should I have this, or should I have that?
Sarah Shelton: Yeah. If I’m trying to decide if I’m going to just go with my craving, or go with a healthier option, I would definitely say go with the craving in moderation. Like you said, frozen yogurt versus ice cream. If you had a whole cup of frozen yogurt, versus a half of a cup or a third of a cup of ice cream, it’s gonna even out to the same calories, but you’re gonna feel more satisfied. One time I was in the store, and I was really wanting these Valentine’s Day chocolate covered marshmallows. I’m like, “No, I’m gonna be good. I’m gonna be good.” And I went home, not having that chocolate craving satisfied, and I ended up baking a whole batch of chocolate chip cookies, and ate way more than I would have, had I just gotten that little chocolate covered marshmallow. So, I think as long as you’re not giving in every day or every meal, and just kind of balancing those cravings, I would say just going with what your body wants, but just in moderation.
Chantel: So if you had to put a time amount on it, you said once every other day. You’d make that decision. Like you’d say, “You know what? I already had something sweet. I don’t need something sweet again.” Or, “I already had something indulgent before. I’m kind of gonna do it once every other day.” Is that about what you would say?
Sarah Shelton: Yeah. Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chantel: And then, if you were gonna decide how often … Let’s say you were craving a chocolate cake, okay? How many bites of that chocolate cake would you eat?
Sarah Shelton: I would say I would try to portion it out to smaller … You know, maybe a few bites. But still, getting that little bit of it would probably make me feel a lot better than foregoing it altogether.
Chantel: In our interview with Miss Virginia, Catherine Muldoon, she talks about some little tricks that she does. I know she talked about with her ice cream, she says she just literally took a tiny little bit, and then made it like railroad tracks in the ice cream, and she ended up only eating an inch of it, because she savored it so much.
Sarah Shelton: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chantel: What kind of tips can you tell people that you do, something like that? Of how you savor your food, or how you can really make a lot last?
Sarah Shelton: Mm-hmm (affirmative). I might do, like when it comes to ice cream, I might get some Halo Top, which is more natural based and lower calorie and fat content, and I might put a few Lily’s dark chocolate chips on it. So it kind of feels a little bit like a sundae, but it has a lot less sugar, a lot less calories. And to me, that is still gonna satisfy the craving. So, I would say maybe finding a few different alternatives that will still satisfy, but could literally cut the calories in half.
Chantel: Good. Give some more examples of that, of things that you’d say, “This is something I kind of indulge in, but I’ve found an option that has less sugar, or less calories, that it does satisfy me.”
Sarah Shelton: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Yeah. Well, I think also what some people don’t realize is when your body’s so used to such a high sugar intake, that’s what you’re craving, and that’s what’s gonna satisfy you. But over time, if you start slowly cutting that out, your body’s gonna respond to that, and the things that you used to think were normal sweet level, now they’re gonna feel way over-sweet. So, I think even just focusing on kind of cutting back a little bit to begin with, and then afterwards, things will taste sweeter.
Sarah Shelton: I mean, a banana has … I forget, but it’s like 27 grams of sugar. Which, people wouldn’t think that, because it’s fruit. It’s healthy. But sugar content really has a lot to do with gaining weight, so that’s one thing that I do try to focus on. So, maybe taking a few banana slices or strawberry slices, and putting it over nonfat yogurt. Like I said, it might not sound like an ice cream sundae right away, but once you really start cutting out some of that sugar, it’s gonna really satisfy that sugar craving.
Chantel: Awesome. As far as, let’s talk about when you eat, and when you stop eating. Let’s just talk about a hunger scale. Let’s just say a one, you’d be ravenously hungry … Or actually, zero is ravenously hungry. But one would be like, I’m really hungry. And then we’ll say five is stuffed, and four is satisfied. On that hunger scale, where would you start eating, and where would you stop eating at?
Sarah Shelton: I generally try to start eating when I’m kind of just starting to get hungry, but definitely having a busy schedule, sometimes it does go past that. Which I find is a lot easier to make poor choices, because by that point, now I’m just craving anything and everything.
Chantel: If you get to ravenously hungry, then you’re like, “I don’t care. I’m gonna eat.”
Sarah Shelton: Then I’m not making good choices.
Chantel: But you’re just waiting until you’re really hungry, that you’re eating?
Sarah Shelton: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chantel: Okay. And then, where would you say you’re stopping eating at?
Sarah Shelton: I would say I definitely have to make myself stop when I feel just satisfied. Because I mean, I know me, personally, I can definitely … I love food, so I could keep eating much further, but then afterwards, I’m gonna feel overstuffed. I’m gonna feel like I probably ate too much, where I’m not gonna be maintaining.
Chantel: On a scale, would you say it would be like 3.7, 3.8, 4.0, 4.2? Where would you stop eating? When would you say, “I’m gonna stop eating now”?
Sarah Shelton: I would say probably 3.8.
Chantel: So like 3.8 you’d stop eating, even though you’re not quite satisfied?
Sarah Shelton: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chantel: You’re waiting until you’re just below satisfied, because you know, “In 20 minutes, I am gonna be a lot more full.”
Sarah Shelton: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chantel: “It just hasn’t hit me yet.”
Sarah Shelton: Well, I think too, that goes back to the portion control. Because when you put a certain amount of food on your plate, you just kind of have the idea that you need to finish it. So, I think it goes back to just putting those smaller portions originally. Because there will be times where I’m eating, I’m satisfied, but there’s still a few bites left, where, can I eat those? Yeah, of course, but then I’m gonna feel stuffed.
Chantel: That’s awesome. So, you would say that … Do you try to leave a few bites there, so you know, like, “Hey, I’m already at a 3.8 right now. Even though there’s a couple plates, I don’t need to clean my plate. Because I know if I eat those couple bites, I’m gonna be too stuffed”?
Sarah Shelton: Mm-hmm (affirmative). Well, when it comes to eating at home, I would say I’m pretty good about just getting the appropriate portion to begin with, so I don’t get stuck in that problem. But when I go out to eat, if it’s a huge salad or a huge bowl of pasta, or whatever it is, sometimes I’ll actually have the waiter bring me a to-go box right in the beginning. I’ll package half of it up. I mean, I’m excited because I have a whole meal for lunch tomorrow or something, and then also, I just know what I’m gonna eat on my plate.
Chantel: Gotcha. Any other tips that you would say to people, that you would say, “These are some things mentally that I say to myself, that help me say, ‘You know what? I’m not gonna overeat'”? What does that self-talk look like for you?
Sarah Shelton: For me, it’s definitely a balance. I want to enjoy my life, and just being somebody who’s social and likes food, I want to be able to go out and do those things, and enjoy the food and the drinks that I want to have. So, I try to give myself grace when I do screw up, but I just try to stay focused of what my goals are. I know for me, especially owning my boutique, and being the model for all my clothes, I want to look and feel a certain way. It doesn’t have to be to society’s standards. It’s my own standard of what I feel my best at, and I’m gonna perform, I’m gonna socialize, everything, at my best, when I’m feeling where I want to be physically. So I try to keep my goals in mind, but like I said, also giving myself grace, because-
Chantel: That’s where that 80/20 comes in.
Sarah Shelton: Yes.
Chantel: Because you say, “You know what? 20% of the time, I’m gonna eat whatever my body’s craving, and whatever I want, but 80% I’m gonna kind of stick to things that are gonna fuel my body, and I’m gonna feel my best.”
Sarah Shelton: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chantel: What are some of the things that are like the staples in your diet, that you’d say, “These are things that I eat on a regular basis”? What does a typical lunch for you look like? Like, “I eat a lot of this for lunch.” What does that look like for you?
Sarah Shelton: Mm-hmm (affirmative). I would say salads. I try to stay away from the heavy dressings, but I’ll load it up with vegetables. I feel like for me, my body responds better to a higher fat diet than a higher carb, and that’s just something that you have to figure out on your own. But if I do more carbs, it’s gonna make me gain weight. So I can go have a salad and put some bacon and avocado on there, and that’s gonna be that little extra treat that’s gonna make my salad just that much better.
Chantel: Delicious. Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Sarah Shelton: But like I said, then I’ll stay away from the heavy dressings that can just triple the calories. And then-
Chantel: So, let’s say you have a salad. Would you put any dressing on it? Would you put a little bit of dressing? Would you say, “Look, there’s already bacon on here. There’s avocado on here.” What would you say? Would you say, “I’ll put maybe a half a teaspoon of dressing,” or you’d say, “You know what? The avocado and the bacon has enough flavor. I don’t need to add that.”
Sarah Shelton: Yeah. I would definitely put dressing. If I go to a restaurant, I’m gonna look at the calorie content on the dressing packets. There are a few at the grocery store that I like, that are pretty all-natural, clean dressings, but they’re also super low in calorie. I think they’re a little more vinegar based. So, I try to keep that in mind. Or I’ll make my own, with like citrus and olive oil that I can put on, but I don’t douse it in dressing. Just enough where it’s satisfying, but you’re not getting that overload.
Chantel: Gotcha. I’ve heard people that kind of take their fork and dip it in the dressing, and then they put it in there. Do you do that, or do you just drizzle it on there?
Sarah Shelton: No. Like I said, I would be more inclined to go for a lower calorie option, and be able to kind of dress it the way that I want. Versus doing something much higher in calorie and fat, and then having to really restrict myself on the amount.
Chantel: Okay. Just talk about some of the indulgences a little bit more, that you go, “These are weekly indulgences that I have that I like,” and talk about the amount that you have. Different people have come on, and they say … I know one girl said chocolate covered raisins, that’s her thing. Or chocolate covered almonds, that’s their thing. But they have eight chocolate covered raisins, or eight chocolate covered almonds, and they kind of portion that out, and they know that amount is gonna satisfy them.
Sarah Shelton: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Chantel: What would that look like for you? If you were gonna indulge in something, what is it, what are some of the ones that are big indulgences, that really you crave, and how much of that do you have?
Sarah Shelton: Mine would be either, like I said, going out with friends … Which might be going to a brunch, where I might get eggs benedict and hash browns, but that’s gonna just be my meal, and I’m gonna enjoy it, and I’m not gonna be hard on myself. There might be other indulgences, that are kind of like more grazing snacks during the week, where … I have three kids, so I always have Cheez Its and Goldfish and potato chips on hand for them, for school and stuff. So I might find myself in there, grabbing a handful of Cheez Its, but it might just be that. Just a few, versus taking the box to my office and-
Chantel: Would you say that’s like four Cheez Its, or …
Sarah Shelton: Maybe 10.
Chantel: Okay. Then, anything else that you can think of, that you like to indulge on, and how much of it do you have?
Sarah Shelton: Definitely a few cocktails during the week. I try to minimize that where it’s not every night. It might just be two glasses of wine a couple nights a week. So, probably that. But I also try … One of my tips is, as much as I can, I try not to drink my calories. So, I don’t really do orange juice. I don’t do milk. I don’t do iced tea. I feel like I could save a lot of calories throughout the day by just doing that. So, as long as I drink water instead of all those other options, I feel like you can really cut back calories. Then drinking enough water is also gonna make you feel full, so that’s definitely one of my little tips.
Chantel: Mm-hmm (affirmative). I love that. I’m the same way. I do not like to drink my calories. I would much rather eat them. Well, Sarah, thanks so much for coming, and if you want to find out, she’s got some amazing clothes, amazing jewelry. If you look in the show notes, you can find her website and shop online. You can buy it wherever you’re listening. Also, follow Sarah on Instagram. You can see her modeling all of her clothes, and she’s got amazing stuff on there. Well, thank you Sarah, for sharing your tips, and we’ll see you guys next time. If you have a question that you want answered, go to questions@chantelrayway.com. Bye bye.