Published By: Nirtika Pandita

Ways to balance your cheat meal days

There is no need to be afraid of pre or post cheat day meals

Being on a diet is hard in itself, especially if you are a person who lives and breathes food. But to be mindful of what we eat in a day and how we go about our lives is of utmost importance. So while you are going about maintaining the eating habits in check, one can always allow self a cheat day. However, at times the cheat day goes out of control, and we tend to lose track of how much we should be eating. So to keep a check on the cheat day meals, there are a few things that you can follow to align your cheat day to your whole diet.

Detoxing post cheat meal: Fasting is one of the effective ways of breaking down the calories accumulated from the cheat meal. For many people, 16 hours of fasting post the cheat meal is helpful in breaking down the cravings and the fat.

Always plan it out: If you are of the determination to achieve a healthy body and mind, then diet is of utmost importance. So when you have solid cravings, then plan it out well. If you have a wedding to attend or a birthday party, plan your cheat day around that day. This way, you burn more calories through the week before the cheat day.

Eat-in moderation: Cheat day also doesn’t mean you stack your stomach till the next week. Even on cheat days, it is always best to fill the plate and stomach mindfully. Out of the three meals a day, make two cheat meals or one, as per your cravings.

More protein and veggies: Post the cheat day, it is very important that you include a good amount of protein and veggies in the diet as it helps in detoxing the body out of calories accumulated. It will also help in keeping the insulin levels from rising.

Less processed or high saturated fat foods: Let it be a habit that on a diet or not, whether a cheat day or not, it is for good to cut out on processed and high saturated fat foods. While you would avoid them on a diet, it is advised to not consume them even on cheat days.

Keep the body hydrated: Drinking water is one of the best ways one can control eating too much junk on cheat days. Also, cheat meals are high in sodium, and there are also high quantities of sugary foods that can make you dehydrated. So it is always best to keep yourself hydrated.