Cheat meal for weight loss: what is it and how to use it when cutting

What is a cheat meal for weight loss?

A cheat meal is a deviation of one meal from the diet plan; it is allowed to use a maximum of once a week, consuming any food, such as sweets or fatty foods. That is, all your favorite dishes of any calorie content and in any quantity, but no more than once a week . A cheat meal just once a week does not mean a complete nutritional breakdown.

When your diet is disrupted all day, this is a deviation from the diet, which shakes up the body at the hormonal level and speeds up the metabolism.

A big advantage for bodybuilders when preparing for competitions is that this method helps to move the weight loss process from a dead point. Such a shake helps to move the weight from its place, triggering the acceleration of metabolic reactions.

How to properly conduct a cheat meal?

The advantage of this method of nutrition is that you will not recover from one “failure” in the diet, although carbohydrate swelling is a completely normal process, and at first you will retain fluid in your body . But this is not fat, the water will go away after two days or after training. is still better to do the “loading” before 16.00 , since unspent energy can go into fat reserves. Therefore, take such a meal before strength training, or immediately after , all food will be fully absorbed for muscle recovery.

What else is a cheat meal for?

Also, a cheat meal is a psychological relief for those who are morally oppressed by the same type of bland diet food. People feel deprived and generally annoyed because they are missing out on the foods they really enjoy. And what will happen next? They break off their diet and start eating everything, so losing weight fails. But it’s cheat days—which involve a planned one-time “breakdown”—that help you achieve guilt-free weight loss success . Instead of torturing yourself until you reach the limit of your diet, you allow yourself to occasionally give in to your cravings for treats and therefore prevent the breaking point.

Thus, cheat meals: small planned breaks in your regular diet that will help you achieve success without moral and physical difficulties, and withstand months of restrictions.
By allowing yourself foods you love, your chances of long-term adherence to your diet increase significantly . And this makes sense to “cheat” the diet.

How to properly conduct cheat meals and cheat days?

Content

How to properly conduct cheat meals and cheat days? Although cheat meals and cheat days were invented to break the diet, such planned “breakdowns” should not be carried out thoughtlessly. What needs to be done to easily return to your usual routine, explains World Class nutritionist Galina Anisenya.

How to properly conduct cheat meals and cheat days?

How to conduct a cheat meal and cheat day correctly
Let's first understand the terminology.

Cheat meal

This is a one-time planned violation of the diet during weight loss or in the weight maintenance system.

Cheat day

This is a day set aside for poor nutrition. As a rule, for weight stabilization or for athletes during preparation for competitions.

Such planned “breakdowns” allow you not to lose heart and continue the path of self-improvement with renewed vigor.

In relation to excesses, all people are divided into two groups:

First group . They know how to limit themselves. They are capable of having a whole chocolate bar “at hand”, break off two squares from it and stop there. Thus, one chocolate bar will last them 7-10 days.

Second group. They can't control themselves. If even a small part of a chocolate bar gets into their mouth, they will not stop until they finish it all.

You can arrange such planned “disruptions” if you consider yourself to be in the first group.

It’s better not to arrange such days if you consider yourself to be in the second group

returning to proper nutrition will become more and more difficult each time. Especially if you need to lose weight.

After all, the shortest road to the goal is a straight line. And if we constantly deviate from the path, we,

let's lengthen the road
We risk losing motivation.

Cheat meal

If you still decide to have a cheat meal, then it is recommended to do so

no more than once a week,
in the first half of the day,
on the day you have a workout.

If you are getting slimmer, then “violate”

better after training. Especially if the reward is some kind of light carbohydrate (sweets or baked goods). In this case, glycogen reserves, which decreased during training, are simply replenished with glucose, which comes with food. This way you will not increase the amount of fat.

If you eat the same sweetness more than an hour before training, there is a danger

that glucose will have time to be converted into fat. Here, of course, the amount of food eaten and the glycemic index of the product play a role.

Chitday

The frequency of cheat days is selected individually

1 time per week, 1-2 times per month.

It depends on the

intensity of the training regime,
general household activity
goals.

It would be very correct to “link” the planned disruption

for some celebration.

This way you can “kill two birds with one stone”

don’t break away from the team,
psychologically take a break from restrictions.

People tend to associate diet relaxation with taking

sweets,
baking
fatty foods.

Almost no one dreams of a cucumber cheat meal.

Here we can slightly reduce the harmfulness of the “breakdown”. Choose the “right” sweets:

healthy candies
dark chocolate (cocoa content - more than 75%),
dried fruits,
natural honey

Prepare your own baked goods. This way you will be sure that there is no

trans fats,
dyes,
flavorings
etc.

And choose fats according to their usefulness. Enjoy

fatty fish,
caviar,
nuts,
sunflower seeds
seeds.

It is imperative to take into account your health status. You can't use too much

simple carbohydrates, especially at the same time, for diabetes (diabetes mellitus)
fat for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract).

Do not exceed the usual amount of food in a cheat meal

In terms of calorie content, you will still “go overboard”, but you will not stretch your stomach.

And then it will be easier to return to proper nutrition. Be sure to use

slowly,
consciously
enjoying.

Conducting a cheat meal consists of:

psychological and emotional relief!

If you are on a cheat day, you can leave the calorie content

the same as was calculated (we only change the “filling” of the dishes),
or exceed it by 10% of the calculated value, depending on the goals set.

You need to get out of the cheat meal

quickly and without looking back. We stepped over this step and returned to the PP. Not having a day after chi.

Who is cheat meal harmful to?

If a person after relaxation

it is very difficult to return to the right rhythm,
It’s difficult to limit yourself to one day, which leads to disruption of the entire system

It's better before reaching the goal

do not practice even planned violations.

Keep in mind that even after achieving the goal there will be learning to do

maintain the achieved result.

By eating sweets you only

shake up fluctuations in glucose levels
provoke emergency hunger.

This situation can be compared to the swing of a swing.

The harder you push, the more it will “fly”.

Imagine that you have to push your inner child on a swing while you have to stand right in front of it. If you swing with a small amplitude, then the swing will not hit you. The child rocks and everything is fine. But you pushed the swing hard away from you... the child, of course, was delighted, but when you returned, it hit you painfully. What to do? Reduce the swing amplitude!

Prevention

If

competently,
balanced
varied

organize your nutrition, then the need for “violations” will not arise.

Unfortunately, due to the fast pace of life, not everyone can devote a lot of time to cooking and choosing a variety of products. Not to mention sprouting seeds and grains, adding them to the diet

wild plants,
superfoods
seasonings with spices.

Compare, for example, two dishes from PP

oatmeal with water

oatmeal with water

oatmeal with soy milk, blueberries, banana and nuts

soy milk oatmeal with blueberries, banana and nuts

It is very important to provide the body not only with energy, but also

micro- and macroelements during the diet. To prevent hunger for a certain element.

Please note that previously people did not have the opportunity to enjoy themselves every day. There were goodies only on holidays, of which there were not so many!

In fact, people were forced to practice PP all their lives, and there were much fewer obese people.

During the celebration, people not only sat at the table, they

danced
held competitions,
sang

That is, they immediately spent what they received in excess of the norm. But then they invariably returned to simple, healthy food.

Now “holiday” food is available daily in unlimited quantities. And this provokes overeating.

Conclusion:

When losing weight, cheat meals can be practiced

those who can stop in time.

And on weight maintenance

everyone. But given the proportional increase in energy consumption.

Tags: cheat day. consumercheatmeal

Benefit or harm to the body?

A cheat meal done correctly will not directly disrupt your diet, your body, or your progress. And this means that eating junk, calorie-dense foods every now and then that you love won't directly harm your ability to lose fat, build muscle, or achieve any similar goal in any significant way, as long as it's done correctly .

Of course, this power system is not suitable for everyone . If you have a high percentage of body fat and are on a strict diet, this technique is not recommended for you. Each “carbohydrate boost” will slow down the weight loss process, since the body will not have to give energy from fat, since you are already pampering it with additional calories, not allowing it to starve. But this also applies to those who have a slow metabolism .

Mostly, cheat days are arranged by athletes during the period of muscle drying before bodybuilding competitions. At a certain point, the athlete reaches a minimum level of subcutaneous fat, and to maintain weight, he includes a planned “load” once a week. This prevents muscle breakdown and maintains optimal energy levels, which are greatly reduced on a low-carb diet.

A real cheat meal takes place two days immediately before the competition, so the muscles are filled with water and look fuller without losing definition.

We all want to look good, be slim and fit. It is known that for this it is necessary to adhere to a fairly strict diet for a long time. But what should those who can’t do without such harmful goodies do??? When you're on a cutting or low-calorie diet and you're already going crazy from a lack of fatty-carbohydrate treats, Cheat meal .

What is Cheat meal?

Literally translated, Cheat meal is a deceptive meal. It is a planned diet violation. That is, on a pre-planned day, you can treat yourself to all those goodies that are so lacking during drying . It is worth noting that the cheat meal is intended only for people on a low-carb/no-carb diet. This technique is often used by professional athletes during the pre-competition drying period. If you simply follow a balanced diet with enough calories, a cheat meal is not for you.

How often can you cheat?

If your fat percentage is quite high, and you are still far from achieving your desired abs, then you should not use this system more than once every 2-3 weeks. People with a low percentage of body fat can use a cheat meal once a week.

Despite the large number of contradictions regarding this system, it also has its undeniable advantages:

Psychological relief - on this day you can eat all your favorite foods and dishes in unlimited quantities (but only during this one pre-planned day), thereby you can stick to the diet much longer
Acceleration of metabolism , acceleration of thyroid function. This carbohydrate loading can increase thermogenesis for several days.
Unloading the gastrointestinal tract from the exorbitant amount of protein that must be consumed on a low-carb/low-fat diet

Basic rules of Cheat meal:

It's better to eat in silence. You should get maximum pleasure from what you eat, so you shouldn’t turn on the TV, computer, etc.
Try to eat everything that is not healthy in the first half of the day. This way, you will leave your body time to process fast carbohydrates and fats before going to bed and reduce the likelihood of gaining excess fat.
Avoid alcohol. Cheat meal does not include alcoholic beverages
Don’t forget Cheat meal is primarily a psychological release, so don’t scold yourself for the extra food you ate that day.

You shouldn't start cheating if you feel like you can't stop. A cheat meal should not go from one unlimited meal to a whole day, or even a week of uncontrolled gluttony. This can undo all the results that you have achieved with such hard work.

Recommendations

is one cheat meal rule for everyone – unlimited calories and food choice, but no more than once a week.

For those who have a lot of extra pounds and you feel that sooner or later you will fall off your diet, it is better to do a cheat day once every two to three weeks.
Men have a naturally low percentage of fat and also have a high level of testosterone, so to overcome a weight loss plateau, they can do a cheat meal without fear of gaining excess fat.

The main thing is not to get carried away and not turn one meal into a daily stomach celebration. For girls, this method of losing weight is controversial. The female body is designed differently. It’s better to stick to a diet that isn’t so strict that you might fail, but to calmly and systematically follow the diet plan, without psychological stress.

Cheat meal, or belly feast on schedule

CHEAT MEAL is a planned dietary disorder. To make chill mil, you must have a diet (either balanced, but with a slight calorie deficit, or carbohydrate-free, also with a slight deficit), which you will actually break according to PLAN.

If you eat everything in a row, and on some day you eat everything in a row + a tasty treat on top - this is not a cheat meal, but absolute food permissiveness.

Who needs a cheat meal?

Anyone who has a specially created calorie deficit. That is, your diet differs from “I eat whatever I want” and “I eat healthy and proper foods, but unlimited.” Cheat mil makes sense ONLY IF YOU ARE IN A CALORIE DEFICIT.

Anyone on a low- or no-carb diet. Here, a calorie deficit is not so important, but very desirable. The point will be to change the proportions of macronutrients (BZHU).

What is the purpose of a cheat meal?

Acceleration of metabolism due to the activity of the thyroid gland

For those on a low- and no-carbohydrate diet, relief from the gastrointestinal tract from a huge amount of protein and MAINTENANCE OF MUSCLE MASS!

Psychological relief

What can you eat for a cheat meal?

Choose what you like. I usually recommend choosing something low-fat but carbohydrate-heavy:

Sushi
Pizza
Bakery products
Low-fat desserts
Ice cream

Choose good quality products. You didn’t cleanse your body for so long only to clutter it later.

ps Attention!

Many, after switching to proper nutrition, experience severe discomfort from cheat meals (bloating, abdominal pain, gas and constipation) when they start eating all sorts of junk. My advice is to load with QUALITY products. No need to rely on cheap candies or cookies - buy yourself a bar of good chocolate and eat it for pleasure! If you doubt the quality of the products6, it is better to cook it yourself, for example, homemade pizza and apple pie.

And in what quantity?

Surprisingly, many manage not to add calories to their cheat meal, but to cut them. Most often this happens due to the fact that girls are too suspicious: “I ate candy, which means I have to fast all day so as not to gain weight,” is approximately the same logic. If you're loading up, don't be afraid to UP YOUR CALORIES! This is just a one-time promotion!

In general, I offer you 2 download options:

If you are afraid that you won’t get enough of the cheat meal, or, conversely, that you will ruin all your results, but you really want sweets, then first have a normal meal, and then drink tea and cake on top.

If you choose any meal and eat as much as you want, what you have been wanting for a long time. For example, pizza, and you can “polish” it with ice cream on top.

Understand that the download must be planned, so NO FEELING OF GUILT! You eat goodies for your own benefit! Don’t blame yourself for the fact that after doing a lot of work during the week, you allowed yourself to relax!

*I had a load on Saturday. I bought myself 1 liter of ice cream. Ate 200g. The rest of the jar is in the refrigerator. I don't want to finish it. Why? Because I love chicken breast and broccoli with rice. Sweets are a treat for me as a reward for working in the gym. No more, no less.

What time?

Many people think that cheat meals should not be done at night. In fact, YOU CAN! The task is to increase calorie content for 1 day and raise the level of carbohydrates in the diet. When exactly you eat matters, but not as important as many people think. If you are not a professional athlete, then you can make ice cream in bed.

Moreover, a cheat meal is still a one-time meal, and not a whole day of gorging. What is the probability that, having eaten a sandwich in the morning, you will not eat a kilo of ice cream in the afternoon, and a dozen of your mother’s pies in the evening? And then there’s the last meal and then the banquet. And from the new day - proper nutrition and exercise. I always make a cheat meal at night.

Should you exercise on a cheat day?

Depends on what result you want:

If you need energy for heavy strength training, then cheat meals should be done the day before.

If you want to look as ripped as possible, then you should have a few days of a low- or no-carb diet, then an intense workout (for example, interval running or circuit), and then a light cheat meal (not binge-eating). The next morning boom! - super shape*.

*not suitable for those with a subcutaneous fat percentage above 15%.

How many times can you do a cheat meal?

If the percentage of subcutaneous fat is higher than 25% - once every 2 weeks (I’m sure that if you want a beautiful body, then you can last 13 days without a tasty treat).

If the percentage of subcutaneous fat is less than 25% - 1 time per week (unless otherwise specified by the trainer).

What happens in the body during a cheat meal? (for those who love theory)

When you fast or don't eat enough, your body secretes less leptin.

This hormone is involved in the regulation of the body's energy metabolism. Leptin is often called the satiety hormone. It is thought to act on the hypothalamus to block the synthesis and release of neuropeptides that cause hunger.

If leptin levels are low, appetite increases. If you reduce the caloric content of your diet for a long time, the secretion of leptin is disrupted, and roughly speaking, you eat, your stomach is full, but there is no feeling of satiety.

Since a cheat meal is a high-calorie meal, you can avoid your body adapting to a low-calorie diet.