When people follow a strict diet, their bodies are put under stress, making them feel uncomfortable. Since you consume less sugar, saturated fats, and other components that make you satisfied, your body forces you to cheat and eat cheat occasionally. That's why people consider incorporating cheat days into their diets. During these days, people allow themselves to eat everything they want, including fast food, pizza, pancakes, and other meals. Still, does cheating help you achieve your health goals, and what food choices can you have during cheat days? Let's find out!
The Science Behind Cheat Days
The main idea of having cheat days is to reduce psychological pressure. When we are on a strict diet, we limit ourselves to the types of food we consume. Some go with a low-carb diet, eating carbohydrates one or two times per day; others just quit sugar for a month or two and then satisfy themselves with tasty sugar-reach food.
Another advantage of having cheat days is increasing your metabolism. Scientists confirm that during cheat days, people receive a solid amount of leptin - a hormone that tells us when we are full. If you follow a restrictive diet and then suddenly get a cheat day, it helps you reduce the level of hunger. You won't struggle between the meals, knowing nothing bad will happen to you.
The impact of cheat days may differ for each person. Some may want to keep cheating the next day, while others will return to a normal diet to reduce the amount of carbs. Moreover, if you work out after having a cheat day, you'll have a better pump, and you will feel stronger during the workout.
The most popular food for cheat meals
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Cheat Meals or Cheat Days?
It's a complicated discussion about the amount of meals you can afford for cheating. First time, people have one meal per week (usually during the weekend or when they don't have workouts to let their body recover). Later, when the body adapts, individuals add one or two more cheat meals to their schedule, which means they may have a complete cheat day in their diet.
Bodybuilders often use cheat days during the off-season or after the show. They let their bodies rest from the regular diet and get more energy for more effective workouts. Still, it's essential to understand that you have to control the amount of food you eat during the cheat day. Even refeeding should be mindful as you know where to stop.
Build Your Diet First
The most important thing to remember is that cheating must be implemented when you already have a diet plan that fits your goals. If you focus on staying in shape and maintaining your weight, it makes sense to develop a weight-maintenance meal plan. With it, you will have no problems getting the needed calories, having enough carbohydrates for energy, and receiving all the important components from your meals. If doing it yourself may seem complicated, don't hesitate to order a complex weight maintenance plan. Crafted by our chefs, it contains everything you need for proper weight maintenance. Moreover, it contains various meals every day, so your diet won't become boring after two or three days. You can either have a trial per day or two or purchase a monthly plan.
Implement Planned Indulgence in Your Schedule
If you want to use cheat days and cheat meals, you should make them a part of your global healthy eating plan. You follow the strict diet for a week or two without psychological pressure, knowing your cheat day will come soon. Still, you have to stay focused and don't go out of control, adding one or two more cheat days to the schedule. Cheat days should appear rarely and give you additional motivation to keep going with your regular diet.
Still, having cheat days may be tough when you have to lose a solid amount of weight (for example, 20 kilos or more). In such cases, you may need a well-balanced weight loss meal plan. With it, you'll have all the needed components of the diet, including carbs, protein, fats, fiber, and vitamins. At the same time, your overall calorie count will be lower than usual, so you will lose body fat and keep the muscle mass. Our chefs offer various options for weight loss, so your meals will never be repeated, and the diet will be unique.
Could Cheat Days Damage Your Diet?
Cheating may become disadvantageous to your diet once you don't control yourself. In some cases, people lose control and move beyond one cheat. They even come back to their usual diet but start eating cookies, burgers, and other foods that are not allowed on a strict diet. It ruins all weight loss goals and prevents individuals from reaching comfortable weight. How to avoid that?
Start a food diary. Notice everything you eat during the month. This will give you a clear picture of your schedule, making it much easier to eliminate unneeded products and keep up with clean eating.
Know your goals. When people lose control over their diets, they move away from their initial goals, which makes it more complicated to get back on track. Make yourself a daily reminder about your goals and stay focused.
Cook food beforehand. If you prepare all the meals yourself, make them at the weekend to start a new week without spending several hours in the kitchen. Getting food from the delivery service makes the process even easier.
Analyze Your Body and Experiment to Achieve Your Goals
When people start following a strict diet and set goals, they think that copying someone's schedule will be enough. Every case is unique. If the goals are similar, the approach and the way your body reacts to diet changes may differ. You should implement mindful eating and slowly incorporate cheat meals into your schedule. Only periodic cheating will give you the desired result and increase your metabolism. Otherwise, it makes no sense, as you won't achieve the set goals.
FAQ
How often should you have a cheat day?
It's usually OK to have a cheat day once a week. Still, it may be more effective to have a cheat snack several times a week.
How many calories can you take during the cheat day?
During your cheat day, you can have twice more calories than you have during the regular diet. For example, if your regular meal plan has 2,500 calories, you can get 4,000-5,000 during the cheat day.
Do cheat days have a positive impact on metabolism?
Wise implementation of cheat meals can boost your metabolism, allowing you to work out more effectively, burn fat, and get in shape faster.
