Committing to a meal plan can take a lot of dedication and a lot of work. It also involves resisting temptation! When you wrap up a full week of staying committed and on track, you absolutely deserve to treat yourself. Being able to add in a cheat meal not only makes your life more enjoyable, but easing up on the restrictions will make it a bit easier to stay on your plan. Here is the best way to plan and eat accordingly:
Why eat a cheat meal? Read here to see what Dr. Goglia has to say.
Choose Your Day Wisely
The worst thing that can happen is that you eat a cheat meal and remember you also have a birthday dinner at your favorite (not-so-healthy) restaurant the next day. This is why planning your cheat meal is key. Check in with friends or family and double check your calendar. If the coast is clear, plan your cheat meal arount your biggest craving of the week. This will help you settle your temptation as well as give you a little boost to keep steady on your plan –while looking forward to your next cheat meal.
Don’t Get Carried Away
A big mistake that people might do is stretch their cheat meal a little too far. Before they know it, it’s a cheat day. Remembering that your cheat meal is in fact only one meal is important. Make sure you eat the other meals and snacks on your plan and especially make sure your water intake is up to par that day. And whatever you do, do not skip meals or snacks to “save” calories. This will help prevent slowing down your metabolism as well as any possible overeating.
Enjoy It!
It’s easy to feel guilty after an indulgence. You might feel like you just took a few steps back on your weight loss journey. Try to shake off those feelings. You earned it and deserve to treat yourself. However, just make sure you actually “enjoy it.” Eating a meal too quickly can make you less likely to fully enjoy it. Sit down, put away any distractions, and enjoy your meal. This can also help with overeating.
Whether you decide to eat pizza, cake, or donuts for your cheat meal, just make sure you are able to make the best of it. And most importantly, be sure that you pick up right where you left off with your current meal plan. Reaching a weight loss goal can be difficult, but easing up a bit and indulging once in a while can keep you on track and motivated.