Thank god to the most beautiful and perfect thing made for fitness lovers- CHEAT DAY! This day help us to stay on track, motivates us and make us feel good. The same piece of hot, melted dark chocolate pastry which you have been having for ages tastes like heaven in your cheat meal. You stick to a strict diet for the whole week except for one day when you let yourself eat whatever your heart and body desire. Burgers, pizza, ice cream, brownies, chocolate, soft drinks, alcohol…you’re allowed to eat anything on this one day. Do you think these days help in your healthy eating plan if you are trying to lose weight?
The theory is that since cheat days increase the production of leptin, they boost your metabolism. This causes your body to burn more calories after overeating. Overeating boosts your body’s metabolism by 3-10% (over a maximum of 24 hours).
EFFECT OF CHEAT DAYS ON BODY
If you have been following a strict diet for a long time, there are chances that the glycogen stores in your muscles are depleting. This can lead to fatigue and impact your workout performance. A cheat meal or a cheat day replenish your glycogen stores by increasing the number of calories and carbs you are consuming. This provides you with the energy you need to work out, but going overboard with your cheat meals can hamper your goals.
EFFECT OF CHEAT DAYS ON MIND
Cheat days or refeed days have both positive and negative effects on the human mind. Many people feel that regular cheat days help them stick to a rigid diet and It makes easier to stop food cravings on the other days.
However, for other people, overeating can cause more loss than good. They eat abundance in their cheat days that they feel guilty afterward Or the only thing they can think about is their next cheat day instead of focusing on their healthy eating plan. This is definitely an unhealthy behavior and can ultimately lead to an eating disorder.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU CHEAT?
It’s okay if you lose up once in a while and treat yourself to something you’ve been dying to eat. There should be room in your diet for the occasional indulgence even when you are trying to lose weight. We are not big fans of strict diets anyway, and we definitely do not recommend making regular days your cheat days because what happens at the end of the day? You have consumed a thousand calories, you are feeling bloated, and maybe even a little sick to your stomach. Doesn’t sound like much fun, does it? Therefore, plan your cheat meals according to your healthy diet plan.
Every healthy eating plan should leave some room in your routine for your favorite food. The plans that we curate for you are so balanced and fulfilling, you won’t even feel like having a cheat meal and obviously who can think about cheat meals if they are having foods like pasta, burgers, butter chicken in their diet. Still, if you feel like having a cheat meal, we plan those days for you as well. So leave your health upon us!
And Let’s Get Fit Together