Linda you are so right
I would read on the sugar free items packages because a lot of sugar Free items you could just get the regular version instead

I have 1 day a week that I call my cheat day. It's usually Saturday when my grandkids are here. We eat hot wings, popcorn & they drink juice n I drink Ice Water. Then back to my diet for the rest of the week.

I don't ever feel like I am a failure for eating anything. I don't cheat, so no reason to beat myself up or feel guilty. People seem to think that one has to completely give up foods they enjoy in order to lose weight. NOT ! So, they try to restrict all the sweets, higher carb foods, etc. Going "cold turkey" on these. And if lucky may last a week or two. Before they "cheat". Very few if any of us have that kind of willpower to go months on a strict diet and not give into temptation. That is why diets never work long term. And people give up too soon, because the diet plan is not realistic, reasonable and sustainable. And then beating themselves up thinking they are failures. When that is not true. We all know that in order to lose weight one has to remain in a calorie deficit. Eating healthier is always the key, but portion control and in moderation is the way to long term success. Eat as healthy as you can with getting plenty of lean protein and lots of vegetables as your regular way of eating. I call my lifestyle eating kind of a check and balance system. I mostly plan my meals ahead of time and often do meal preps. But I don't totally deprive myself totally of foods I enjoy. If I have pizza, I try to not "pig out" and then I balance the calories out with the next few meals by cutting down more. That piece of cake, works the same way, just count it in with your calories and make a cut lower on next meal or two. Getting more exercise after eating your higher calories food items, also helps burn the excess calories. Check and balance. Realize you are not cheating; you are enjoying a normal life. You are being realistic because you are human. Eating like this is normal and therefore you are not cheating...no need for guilt. Just realize one can't live healthy just on junk food and sweets. I should add that there are lots of substitutes now for many of the higher sugar, higher calorie foods. And lots of recipes that include the sub foods.

Everyone slips every now and then but don’t beat up over it but get up and dust yourself off and go again, remember the progress that u have made and you will feel better!