Why You Should Have a "Cheat on Diet" Day

If you were to ask dieticians if a "cheat on diet" day is a good approach to weight loss, the responses would certainly be varied. One thing they would all agree on, however, is that anyone watching their weight should stay on a healthy diet plan that can be maintained for the course of their lives. For most people, in order to keep it on course requires some flexibility. If you are not allowed to deviate at all from your diet, when the inevitable happens and you do cheat, the guilt caused may lead to an excuse to dump the diet reasoning that it's a lost cause.

1. Make it into an event. Rather than just mindlessly chomping it down in front of the television set, savor that moment of indulgence.
2. Use portion control. This takes discipline, but pre-portion what your treat for the day is going to be, then put the rest in a location not easy to get to.
3. Avoid pig-out foods. These are the ones you can't stop eating once you start, and everyone knows what they are to them. For me, it's potato chips, so they are never in the house. Therefore, I never have to be tempted eating the first one. An alternative is to find a healthier and lower-calorie option that you fall in love with. In my case it became peanuts, which if eaten in moderation are good for you, but not in mass quantities. But peanuts make me thirsty, causing me to drink water, which in turn has a filling affect making me put down the peanuts. And at all costs, avoid as your indulgence foods anything that has Tran's fats. They are definitely not good for you.
4. Quickly return to basics. It is important to get back to basics immediately. The more sugar and fat you consume, the more you will crave, so it is important not to beat yourself up about it and move on. I think a key thing to remember is the body is designed to take care of small emergencies, but has difficulty coping with long-term stress. When exposed day-after-day of too many unhealthy foods, it will become overloaded and eventually begin to break down.
5. Treat yourself to a small calorie indulgence. Rather than indiscriminately treating yourself to a candy bar or some junk food you crave, predetermine your fun food to less than 10% of total calorie intake. Set aside a 100 calorie chocolate bar, for instance, as your indulgence food for that day.
6. Eliminate erratic eating. Many dieticians recommend eating many smaller meals throughout the day. This will keep blood sugar levels more constant, whereas eating larger quantities can cause spikes in blood sugar, leading to food cravings.

When embarking on a weight loss program, the key is finding a diet you can live with. We recommend diets that consist of good natural foods that can be prepared in great ways, but most will work for you if you are able to stay consistent with it over the long run. This we think means building in those "cheat on diet" days that are inevitable, but if you keep them within firm guidelines they will actually help toward your weight loss goals.

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