Healthy Dessert Ideas – 5 MOST Magnificent

Enough With the Guilt Already!

Desserts just sitting there glistening and waiting for you to reach out and take a bite…we have this incredible inherent inability to shut them out right?  Don’t you wish you had the brain power to have healthy dessert ideas waiting to satisfy those urges?

Well we all get cravings, and there is so many ads/fast food joints, coffee shops and even grocery stores tempting us every day and the guilt that comes with it is enough to give you enough stress to have to go through a rehab center!

But maybe the way we approach it is that it’s not necessary to reach for extremes. At the end of the day, a combination of regular exercise and healthy, balanced eating is without a doubt the best sustainable approach to looking and feeling your best.  Keep reading and you’ll see some awesome healthy dessert ideas!

Healthy Eating 

One of the most extreme approaches to dieting is calorie restriction. While it’s true that a calorie deficit (burning more calories than you consume) is often necessary to get in shape, reducing calories is not the only way to go about it – and it’s definitely not the healthiest.

When you restrict your body of calories by simply eating less, your body goes into a survival mode where your metabolism slows down. This is exactly the opposite of what you want to be happening. Instead, you want to take measures to enhance your metabolism. And you can do this by exercising, lifting weights (which has a longer impact on your metabolism), and eating the right kinds of foods.

What you want to do is think about your metabolism in every meal. There are a number of things to look for in foods that will actually boost your metabolism and get you burning more fat, regardless of their calorie content. For example, foods higher in protein and fiber are great metabolism enhancers.

For more on this topic, take a look at my recommendations for Best Ways to Boost Metabolism.

Although you may think that supplements can’t help you with healthy eating, you might be surprised.  If you don’t have the right amount of sleep, recovery time or essentials vitamins/minerals your body will have cravings 10X! Check out these awesome nutritional supplements:

Healthy Dessert Ideas

Taking the perspective that it’s not necessary to starve yourself to get fit, I believe it’s totally possible to continue eating food that tastes good! More to this point, I also believe it’s possible to enjoy dessert that’s healthy, satisfying, and in line with your weight loss goals. Here are my top 5 healthy dessert ideas…

Healthy Dessert Idea #1 – Yogurt Parfait

You’ve got to watch the pre-made ones from the grocery store, but if you make your own, you can keep the fat to a minimum. For best metabolism-boosting results, I like to use a vanilla-flavored fat-free Greek yogurt as a base – it’s rich and super high in protein! Instead of adding granola, I like to top it with a tablespoon of dry quick oats, fresh blueberries, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Healthy Dessert Idea #2 – Apple & Cheese

This is one of my favorites, as a snack or a dessert. Slice up your favorite apple and top the slices with a bit of low-fat cheddar or Swiss cheese. If you’re not a fan of apples and cheese, a sweeter topping that also works is all-natural peanut butter.

Healthy Dessert Idea #3 – Broiled Mango Slices

Broiling is a great way to turn many fruits into desserts, and mango is my favorite for this. Slice up a mango into ¼ inch wedges and place on a broiler pan lined with foil. Broil for 8-10 minutes, and drizzle with fresh lime juice. For the occasional extra treat, you can enjoy this with a scoop of fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt.

Healthy Dessert Idea #4 – Chocolate Banana Nut “Pudding”

If you’re looking for an extra dose of protein, this healthy dessert is ideal. Start with about a 1/2 cup of fat-free plain yogurt (Greek yogurt works here too). Separately, dissolve a scoop of Gaspari Nutrition Myofusion milk chocolate flavor protein powder in a bit of water and mix into the yogurt. Top with a diced up banana and some crushed peanuts and enjoy!

Healthy Dessert Idea #5 – Fruit Salad

Homemade fruit salads are delicious, and they’re easy to prepare ahead of time and have on hand. My favorite combination is pineapple, cantaloupe, and raspberries, but this one’s up to you! And this is also a good one to enjoy with a scoop of fat-free frozen yogurt.

Looking for high-protein, metabolism-boosting foods to satisfy your sweet tooth? Check out my Protein Pancakes Recipe and my Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies Recipe.

Have any questions or feedback about these Healthy Dessert Ideas? Please leave a comment below…