Wow, could this really mark 800 raw food blog posts ! ?We must be obsessive orthorexic raw foodies to have achieved that level of focused health editorial journalism! Post #800 deserves to be something really useful (not that the others aren't or do not deserve this), so we'd like to pass along a fun idea. I guess all of that talk of Donald Trump yesterday got me thinking about making deals. We make deals with others, of course, but I think we also sometimes can make them with ourselves.

I'm so glad to be out of the corporate business world these days, but I did pay attention while there, and perhaps even learned a thing or two. Today's post is related to that in a way. You see, I was once at a sales training seminar when the speaker advised following a "this job / next job" strategy with clients. What that means in business is that, when you're in the middle of one job working for someone -- say, for example, you're a printer working on a brochure for a company -- you would make a point of saying something like, "Hey, this brochure is going great. I was wondering what else is coming in the near term so that we can make sure to be ready for it."

See what I mean? It's supposed to line up more work for you and keep the money rolling in. I know, I know... boring stuff, right? But, I got to thinking about that in terms of diet. What might a "this meal / next meal" strategy look like, and how might such a thing be useful for those pursuing a new diet Well, actually, this idea could be applied to raw foods or, really, any diet. The fact is: It's tough for people to change the way they eat. For some, it's nearly impossible!

So, here's what a "this meal / next meal" strategy is: If you're definitely going to veer from your dietary plan, make yourself a "this meal / next meal" deal. Say to yourself, "Look, I'm just going to go ahead and have this [fill in the blank] for lunch. But in exchange I'm going to have a nice, healthy salad for dinner."

Now, sure, this is different from our articles about getting past cravings. This one takes a different approach. It says: If you must give in, then try doing so in such a way so as to ensure successfully returning to your plan later. As a bonus, knowing that you will return for your next meal may well remove any guilt you'll have for your indulgent one -- and, as we've said again and again, having guilt while you eat is never a good thing. So, if you cannot surmount your craving, try a this mean / next meal deal with yourself.

And remember: This is your health at stake here -- so be a tough negotiator! If you're going to cave and have some cake, make sure the deal is well negotiated (perhaps sticking to 100% raw for a whole day or two in exchange).

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Photo Credit: D Sharon Pruitt of Pink Sherbet Photography (Creative Commons)