A cheat meal gives off an impression of a ruined diet and gained weight. But to your surprise, a cheat meal can do a lot of good to your body and mind. It is important to learn all the benefits of a cheat meal to make a wise decision.
With Eid just around the corner, you all must be eager to enjoy the sawaiyyan and biryani. Some are all set to stuff themselves with everything they see while some are worried about their diet being ruined. No matter if you are on a diet or not you must be craving all the Eid foods and must be finding ways to sneak in some yummy bites. Well, this Eid you don’t have to restrain yourself. I am here to allow you a cheat meal this Eid. If you still are skeptical about it, it’s time to learn the benefits of a cheat meal.
Proper diets require you to stick to a plan for a long, for the best results. There is no denying that sticking to a diet persistently shows the best results. But this should not undermine the importance of change in a diet. It is not humanly possible to eat the same bland food for a year. You will need to give yourself a healthy break.
You will be surprised to know that a scheduled cheat meal can help you lose weight more effectively. Not only this, proper cheat meals can provide benefits exacerbating weight loss. Here all the benefits of a cheat meal that you should know.
Benefits Of A Cheat Meal
Helps Break A Weight Loss Plateau
An effective weight loss diet is marked by efficient calorie restriction. When the body gets fewer calories than it used to, it starts burning its own fat to get the required energy. This is marked by an initial weight loss, but as you stick to the same diet, you will eventually stop losing weight. This happens because your body gets used to the calorie restriction and you enter a weight loss plateau.
This weight loss plateau can be broken by disturbing the calorie consumption again. This can be best done by taking a cheat meal. A meal high in calories and carbohydrates will reset the body and jumpstart your weight loss again.
On study in particular studies three different groups of men. Men that were underfed had lower amounts of leptin- a hormone that regulates your appetite. When the same men were fed enough and entered the group of normally fed, their leptin levels reached normal. This shows that taking enough calories can help in the regulation of hunger-related hormones, which promises weight loss.
Another study suggests that increasing your carbohydrate consumption can increase your leptin levels by 28%. This also improves the 24-hr energy expenditure- an important factor in weight loss.
Learn more about breaking a weight loss plateau.
Will Keep You Sane
No matter how much of a health freak you are and how much you enjoy your green smoothie. Sticking to a single diet and not enjoying the variety, takes a toll on one’s mental health. Seeing others eating their cheesy sliders and coke, and you sitting at the farthest chair having your grilled chicken obviously affects your mind and mood.
Continuous dieting can increase your stress levels and increased stress can single-handedly ruin your diet. So it’s best to give your mind and body a well-deserved break.
Read more about the relationship between food and mood.
Will Keep You Motivated
You can use your cheat meal as a reward for sticking to your diet for a long. Rewards are scientifically proven to increase motivation. This will help you stick to your diet religiously and you can follow a diet for a relatively long time.
The Right Way To Cheat
Now that you have full permission to cheat this Eid, it’s time to tighten your restraints. Cheating does not mean that you can chug down a jug of Coca-Cola. A cheat meal is effective as long as it is well designed, otherwise, it will ruin all the benefits of a cheat meal.
Don’t Turn It Into A Cheat Day
Every morsel of food contains calories and these calories are stored in your body until utilized. The more calories you will consume, more of them will be stored in your body. This will do more harm than good and you will have to say goodbye to your weight loss progress.
A cheat day will it difficult for you to get back on track.
Pick And Choose
A cheat meal does not mean that you should have a burger with an extra-large meal. Simply eat the burger and leave out the fries and coke. This way you can satisfy your cravings and not consume too many calories. Make sure that your cheat meal should pause your diet, not reverse it.
Prefer Quality Over Quantity
Stick to the one thing you have been craving for a long. Don’t compliment the main cheat food with side rubbish. Always prefer quality over quantity. If you have been craving pizza eat the pizza, not the burger just because it is bigger.
Maintain The Balance
Balance is the key to a healthy and successful diet. Balance promises the best results in the long run. The most common rule in this regard is the 80/20 rule. This means that you should stick to your fitness regime 80% of the time and let loose 20% of the time. This might not be a rule of thumb, but shows the importance of balance.
This also shows that even on your cheat meal you maintain a balance. Keep in mind that any sort of cheating might not be a good idea if you on very restrictive diets like Keto or Gm Motor Diet. All the benefits of a cheat meal will fail to do anything good in such situations. This will only reverse your dietary efforts.
HAPPY CHEATING ON A HAPPY EID! 🙂
Book an appointment now, to answer all your queries. You can book an appointment with the top dietitians in Pakistan through Marham by calling at Marham helpline: 0311-1222398 or by online appointment booking facility through the website or Marham mobile app.
Can’t Find The App?
Android Users:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=controllers.marham.marhammed&hl=en
Drop a review for us at Playstore if you’ve had a good experience!
iPhone Users:
https://apps.apple.com/pk/app/marham-find-a-doctor/id1095243102
Stay Home Stay Safe!