Sometimes you can: what is cheat meal and what is it for

Cheat meal – what does it mean

Cheat meal in translation from English means “to cheat with food”, “to cheat food”. In other words, this is a kind of reward in the form of a favorite, albeit high-calorie dish for strict adherence to the diet. However, unlike a breakdown, when we empty the refrigerator uncontrollably, a cheat meal is a planned violation of the diet, which not only gives pleasure, but also helps to lose weight.

What is cheat meal for?

The first reason for cheat meal is psychology. If you stick to a strict diet and deny yourself everything, you are more likely to break down and get the opposite effect. Conversely, with periodic indulgences, it is easier to restrict yourself on a regular basis. Plus, it’s a good motivation – a week of diet, after which you get a reward.

However, cheat meals are not suitable for all diets. For example, the ketogenic diet (a low-carb diet high in fat and protein) is not cheating.

Another benefit of a weekly cheat meal is to speed up your metabolism. Australian researchers found that people who were on a diet, but made some indulgences, lost 50% more weight than those who strictly adhered to the diet. 

To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories. However, over time, the body gets used to a low-calorie diet, the body adapts to new conditions, metabolism slows down, a plateau sets in – weight does not decrease anymore.

Cheat meal can speed up metabolism by increasing levels of leptin, the satiety hormone. It is leptin that sends a signal to the brain that you are full. However, when you are in a calorie deficit, its levels drop. Conversely, levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin begin to rise.

Therefore, a periodic cheat meal high in calories and carbohydrates can bring these hormones back to normal, and at the same time improve metabolism. By relaxing your diet, you are encouraging your body to burn calories. The body will receive a signal: there is a lot of food, it needs to be processed.

How to do cheat meal correctly

Studies have shown that if you diet 90% of the time, you can cheat once a week. However, some fitness instructors believe that a sporty lifestyle allows you to eat according to the 80/20 principle, where 80% of the diet is wholesome food, 20% is treats.

Keep in mind that the frequency of cheat meals depends on the goals you are pursuing: whether you need to lose weight or just maintain your weight at the current level.

However, when cheating on food, self-control is important. Without slowing down in time, you run the risk of nullifying all past achievements.

16 principles of a good cheat meal.

Don’t turn a cheat meal into a cheat day

Cheat meal is one meal. Do not stretch it for the whole day, and even more so do not overeat all weekend, even if during the work week you ate only broccoli and breast. This will make your whole diet useless. Plus, it’s much harder to get back on track after a day of binge eating.

Violating the diet, “deceiving” it, we feel guilty for what we have done. Guilt, in turn, can lead to feelings of hopelessness and loss of control. And here we are again reaching for a chocolate bar in order to somehow console ourselves. And under the influence of emotions and stress, it is very difficult to monitor your diet.

By the way, one American study showed that people who associated cake with the holiday lost weight more successfully than those who associated this dessert with guilt.

Take your time, listen to yourself

Eat slowly to enjoy every bite of your favorite food and enjoy the cheat meal. In addition, this way you will feel full in time. Listen to the signals of your body and be able to stop in time if you feel that you are already full.

Don’t try to fit all your favorite treats into one cheat meal. For example, if you go to fast food, take one item from the menu. Don’t order a calorie bomb burger with a milkshake and dessert to boot. Focus on one thing, and then your cheat meal won’t hurt your diet.

Plan a cheat meal

Try to combine cheat meals with holidays, going to a restaurant and friendly get-togethers. Then you do not have to devour the contents of other people’s plates with hungry eyes. Plus, scheduling your diet to relax at a specific time can help you cut calories early in the day.

When ordering food in a restaurant, keep in mind that the average lunch contains 1200 calories. Such figures are given by the magazine American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics… If possible, order a half serving or share with a friend.

Don’t starve before the cheat meal

Some people think that by going on a hunger strike, they will later be able to afford more of their favorite foods. But in the end, it all ends with overeating. To keep from getting ripped off, be sure to eat high protein foods and vegetables rich in fiber and vitamins before your cheat meal. Grilled chicken breast and lemon-drizzled green salad are the perfect pre-cheat meal to satisfy your hunger with minimal calories.

Our favorite foods tend to be high in salt. This can make you feel thirsty, which can easily be confused with hunger. In addition, salty foods cause bloating. Therefore, drink more water during the cheat meal, and also the day after.

Do not be distructed

Research shows that people who eat while watching TV eat an average of 10% more. Do not be distracted by entertainment, devote all your attention to your favorite dish.

Use fasting

Fasting, or intermittent fasting, can help you deal with the effects of a cheat meal. For example, if you are relaxing over dinner, reschedule your next meal from breakfast to lunch. This will give the body more time to burn those extra calories.

Remove the scales

Don’t run to weigh yourself after a cheat meal. Wait at least a couple of days for the swelling to subside and the body to get rid of excess fluid. Otherwise, possible changes on the scales will only upset and cause guilt. Well, we already wrote about how harmful it is to blame yourself.

Choose a more useful cheat meal

When choosing a cheat meal, focus on high carbohydrates to raise leptin levels, and moderate protein for quick satiety. But it is better to refuse fatty foods. Fats do not particularly affect leptin, and they are deposited in subcutaneous fat much faster than carbohydrates and proteins.

For a healthy cheat meal, steak with potatoes, rolls, pasta with meatballs, and a tortilla with meat are suitable. But you should refrain from deep-fried dishes with a lot of oil.

Add more delicious foods to your diet

Why eat healthy foods that you don’t like? It’s much easier to break off that way. Make a diet with foods that you like. If you cannot do this on your own, seek help from a dietitian.

Have a workout before the cheat meal

During strenuous exercise, our stores of glycogen (a complex carbohydrate made up of residual glucose molecules) are depleted. The body burns it off to get more energy. So the first time after training, carbohydrates replenish reserves without being deposited in fats. High-rep workouts are best at getting rid of glycogen. And a pre-workout cup of black coffee has been shown to help boost fat metabolism.