Why I’m Banning Cheat Meals Out Of My Life Forever & You Should Too
By admin
For what seems like forever, Friday has meant more to me than just the end of the week. It’s been my cheat day.
A day to justify letting up on my nutrition and enjoying, perhaps, a muffin with my coffee at Muddy Waters Cafe, a treat at the grocery store, but more commonly a few glasses of wine at dinner, followed by some sort of dessert.
If I wanted something out of the ordinary, I would eat it because it was, after all, my cheat day.
But here’s the thing… that’s not cheating, it’s called living!
It’s called balanced eating and it’s called moderation. So why give it a title like “cheating” where you’re left feeling as if you’re doing something wrong and sneaky?
We All Want What We Can’t Have
Tell a child to keep her fingers out of the cookie jar and what’s going to happen?
No, they don’t stick their tongue out at you and dance around crazy (well, maybe they do)…
The minute you turn your back, those adorable little fingers will be flying into the jar to get not one, but as many cookies as possible.
The same is true with an adult.
I’ve learned that by allowing myself a cheat meal, overindulgence is likely to happen. It’s as if I haven’t been allowed to do something all week and suddenly, I have free reign to go to town in the cookie jar.
And that’s crap.
What To Know About Cheat Days
If you’re a cheat meal enjoyer, what got you started?
For me, it was hearing that a cheat meal helps boost the metabolism. I learned years ago from body builders that a week of strict nutrition followed by a day of junk eating was a way to tell my body that I wasn’t starving and therefore my metabolism would stay revved up and burning fat.
Did you hear that?
But the thing is, I’ve scoped the internet for facts, and there is no evidence that this is indeed true. At least not for long term results.
For about 24 hours you may experience a heightened metabolism but this is because you ate more food. The more food you eat, the more energy that has to go into breaking it down. Which is why this metabolic boost is short lived.
Sad.
One of the pros of cheat days is that it helps keep perspective when trying to eat healthier. It allows people to eat really well all week long knowing that on the last day of the week, they’ll be able to enjoy a little bit of their old diet.
That’s cool and one of the reasons I actually do love cheat days… except for this:
A cheat day doesn’t really mean cheat all day.
And that’s where the diet helper can mess us up. You work hard all week to eat clean and some people go all out on their one cheat day, consuming far more calories than they would even if on their old diet.
A cheat day… it’s really a cheat meal or treat. Not from breakfast until bed.
I don’t know about you but when I know I’ll be having something special and out of the ordinary, I obsess about. Dream about it. And focus far too much attention.
Food is fuel. It’s not something that should take up our thoughts, life is busy enough. I have enough to think about without obsessing over the cheat meal I’ll have Friday.
Simply by taking away the idea of a cheat, the obsession is removed and building a healthy relationship with food can occur.
Know what I mean?
The Reality Of Nutrition
Going back to an above question…
Why is it crap to feel like you can’t put your hand in the cookie jar every day? Because you’re allowed to eat whatever you want, whenever you want.
During the week, I’m not perfect with my diet and I am going to bet you’re not either.
True?
The truth is, I allow myself little cheats throughout the week, as we should. But I don’t call these cheats, I call them day to day eating.
So then, why don’t I look at Friday exactly the same?
If I want a muffin, I can have it without justifying it as a cheat or something I deserve because I worked out extra hard this week.
Food isn’t a prize or a punishment… it’s a free choice.
I can’t recall ever having a diet police run into my home while I’m eating a dessert and ask for an explanation or wanting to see a “Cheat Day Card”.
That would be insane, and hilarious. But mostly insane.
So, I’m retiring the words “cheat day” from my vocabulary as I continue to nourish my relationship with my body and with food. And I hope you’ll join me.
Things are no longer a cheat but simply a food choice.
90-10 Food Principle
Have you heard of the 90/10 Rule? Perhaps the 80/20 Rule?
90% of the time, you choose the foods are know are best for your body and goals. The other 10% of the time, go crazy. Eat what you want without remorse or digging into your psyche for an explanation.
Some even follow an 80% clean, 10% whatever plan. Heck, it could be a 60-40, just do what works for you.
Nutrition is not concrete.
There are weeks where you may feel like you haven’t had a vegetable in days. Then there are the weeks where you can’t remember the last time you had a piece of chocolate.
It balances out. Even more so when you stop stressing and simply live the fit life that works for you and your tastebuds.
We put a lot of pressure on our selves to eat the right foods, the look the right way, we stress over things that shouldn’t be stressed over. Food being one of them. Let’s stop looking at food as “good food” and “bad food” and instead choose each meal or snack on what will make you and your body FEEL the best at the moment.
Ask yourself that before each meal and chances are you’ll automatically choose the healthier options more times than not.
Give me a piece of grilled fish or fried chicken and ask which will make me feel better… of course I’ll choose the fish.
Then there will be those rare days when the pizza is presented and I’ll say, “You know what? Right now, this pizza is exactly what I need!” And that’s okay too.