Top 7 Reasons You Need for a Cheat Meal
All work and no play is not fun. It is already difficult to stick to a Healthy Diet, and the sight of your favorite pizza or chocolate is assured to break you off completely from your diet.
From fitness freaks to celebrities all look forward to their cheat meals to keep themselves motivated through the rest of the week.
Cheat Meals or not Diet Disasters. If you still don’t believe it, then continue reading. We also have some interesting cheat meal ideas for you to stay driven during your fitness routine.
Cheat Meals Benefit More Than You Know!
First, stop thinking of it as ‘Cheating’. Focus more on your body, food, and let cheat meals help make your diet interesting.
1. Let’s start with the Science of Hormones
The frequency of our hunger pangs is often due to the hormones called leptin and ghrelin. During a restricted body witnesses a fall of leptin and the rise in ghrelin levels. A study proved that both the hormones can be regulated through a cheat meal taken once a week.
Don’t believe us? Take a look at The Rock, he has a stunning physique that requires heavy workout, but even he looks forward to having his cheat meal.
2. Cheat Meals Helps Attain Mental Peace
Give your mind a break, you are only human. Resisting your cravings is exhausting. It is important to indulge in your favorite meal once in a while. It’s the time when you finally get to relax and enjoy your food.
Does it concern you that you will end up eating too much? If yes, it’s normal. Just indulge and focus on working out with the same motivation for the rest of the week.
3. Worried about Gaining More? Read This!
Cheat Meal has a tendency to increase insulin in your body. Keep note that it also improves digestion. When you have a cheat meal your body extracts that in the form of energy. Ultimately, no fat gets stored in your body.
So, devour your favorite bowl of ice-cream without any guilt.
4. Take it as an Enjoyable Form of Reward
A job is done more strategically and effectively when there is an incentive or reward associated with it. Even when you have spent an entire week to complete a task, you reward yourself with a spa or shopping. Take this same psychology and put it into practice for your heavy workout regimes.
5. A Guilt-Free Way to Indulge in Cheat Meal
Here are a few ideas that won’t leave you feeling guilty after each cheat meal.
• Pizza- Have an overloaded pizza, but avoid the cheese. Order a thin crust pizza and load it with healthy toppings.
• Eat your dessert, but be careful about the portion sizes.
• Try South-Indian food.
• Prepare a burger at home- You can customize the ingredients and add nutritional value to your happy meal at home.
• Sushi- It’s been full of healthy carbs and amino acids. There is also plenty of vegetarian sushi available these days. Along with it, you can also add in your favorite sauce to enjoy.
6. A Dietary Variation is Important
It’s a struggle to have the same diet every day. You tend to easily get bored of it and crave other food items to please your taste buds. If this leads to frustration, then you will surely get out of your diet and never return. This is why it is so important to have food items that you actually like.
While doing so make sure not to pig out. Here is a list of food of the worst cheat meal that you need to avoid.
– Creamy pasta dishes
– Greasy pizza
– Any type of battered or tempura food
– Fizzy drinks
– Beer if you are trying to lose weight
– French fries and other potato chips
– White Bread
The key here is just to remain fit and find a balance that allows you to reach your goals.
7. It Serves your Metabolism
Did you know that your metabolism elevates due to the change in your calorie intake during a cheat meal? It increases the levels of leptins also commonly known as the ‘anti-starvation’ hormone. Throwing in a cheat meal gets your body to think that it’s full.
The food we eat has a major impact on your body. So, yes, it is important to stay careful about what we are consuming. But, at the same time do remember not to stress yourself out with limitations and endless cravings.
About Author: Paramjit Singh is a well known online personal fitness coach and Sports Nutrition Specialist who has helped transformed hundreds of clients by scientific training and nutrition programs and also a blogger.
