The search for effective weight loss strategies has increased as people become more aware of the benefits of a healthy body. But the biggest challenge is sticking to new habits which support your weight loss goals without missing out on your favourite foods.
This is where “cheat meals” come to the rescue. As the name suggests, a cheat meal allows you to consume your favourite food for one meal.
Normally, your diet plan will include foods that offer better nutrition while keeping the calories in check. On the other hand, a cheat meal gives you the opportunity to have foods that you crave, and these are generally high in calories. A cheat meal within your diet plan involves allowing yourself to take a calculated break from the otherwise strict diet rules.
So, can you have cheat meals and yet lose weight?
Yes, you most definitely can have cheat meals and lose weight when planned well. A cheat meal means giving yourself a break to enjoy your favourite food, but in moderation. Addidtinally, you must ensure to consume reasonable amounts of water and follow the diet and exercise regimen well to see results. Take a pre-workout with creatine to maximise your workout session.
Three reasons why cheat meal helps:
Below are the three main reasons why cheat meals can be helpful.
Motivates you to be on track
Cheat meals are a form of motivation because you allow yourself to indulge in foods that are usually not permitted in your diet. Treating yourself once a week gives you that feeling of satisfaction and motivation to stick to the diet and resist cravings on other days. But to see long term weight loss results, it is crucial that you consume your favourite foods in moderation.
A three-month study showed that people who associated chocolate cake with a treat while being disciplined throughout the week had better weight loss outcomes than those who linked it to a feeling of guilt, which proves that your mind is very powerful. And this is how the cheat meals can work as motication.
Satiety hormones are produced
Serotonin:
Psychologists and nutritionists often believe that cheat meals work well for those on a highly restrictive or low-calorie diet. How? Consuming your favourite food makes you happy. Since they are generally high in carbohydrates, it boosts the serotonin levels – the “happy hormone”, in the brain, thus reducing the adverse effects of dieting.
Serotonin is essential for weight loss because it is nature’s appetite suppressant. It curbs your appetite, decreases food cravings, and makes you feel satisfied. However, if your serotonin levels are imbalanced, you may have difficulty controlling what you eat to lose weight.
Leptin:
Another hormone which works to help with weight loss is Leptin. After eating a high-carbohydrate meal, your body increases leptin production by as much as 30% for up to 24 hours. These increased levels are responsible for maintaining energy balance in the body and help to increase metabolism, making you burn more calories.
Also, production of more Leptin, prevents overeating by suppressing feelings of hunger. With lower levels of circulating Leptin, you’re likely to overeat as you miss the signals of feeling full, leading to weight gain.
Help you eat mindful
Mindful eating is about paying attention to your body’s hunger signals, which menas you eat when hungry and stop when you’re full. It also involves eating slowly to enjoy and savour each bite.
Cheat meals is about enjoying foods you love. Since you can eat whatever you like without restriction, they help with mindful eating. And honestly, mindful eating a very important tool to sustain long-term weight loss. Additionally, research indicates that mindful and intuitive eating may help reduce emotional and binge-eating tendencies.
How and when to consume a cheat meal?
There’s no pressure to add a cheat meal to your diet. Many don’t feel the need to have one. But when the enthusiasm and excitment of the new diet wears off, the motivation starts to drop. In such a scenario, adding a cheat meal will help.
You can plan 1 cheat meal in your week if you are looking for a serious fat-loss results. But if you are ok with slower results, include 2. Having 2 cheat meals might reduce the rate of fat loss but will increase your adherence to the diet, which is the most important thing.
Additionally, ensure that you get in a good workout on that day. You can increase your total calorie expenditure by going a fast-paced cardio session on your under bed treadmill or under desk treadmill.
Also, make sure to focus on just one cheat-worthy food option instead of trying to fit them all in and making it a binge session. The cheat foods you consume should not outweigh the discipline you maintain throughout the week.
Conclusion
The diet and lifestyle changes you adopt will help you to guide your cheat meal while keeping you from going overboard. But what helps is planning your meal and consuming it is moderation. If you happen to go consume more than you had decided to, focus on getting back on track. Reflect on what went wrong and rewire your mind to make better choices on your next cheat meal.