Many people who follow a strict diet to lose weight will give themselves a cheat day here and there, such as once a week. During this cheat day, they allow themselves to consume whatever foods and treats they desire, regardless of how unhealthy they might be. The idea here is to produce a diet strategy that lets you enjoy the benefits of moderation. Rather than completely phasing out your favorite foods, you can still enjoy them on a cheat day, and then the rest of the week, you work hard at sticking to your diet.
But are cheat days for weight loss really a good idea? Do they help or do they hinder your progress towards your target weight? Keep reading to learn more.
The Benefits of a Cheat Day
Experts have tried to research the benefits and drawbacks of diet cheat days, and, unfortunately, the science isn’t definitive. Some experts claim that using cheat days can actually help you reach your weight loss goals because they increase your body’s production of leptin, which is a hormone that is responsible for decreasing your appetite.
When you eat whatever you want during your cheat days for weight loss, your body could also burn additional calories through an increase in metabolism, and you can even enjoy a psychological benefit because you’ll feel more motivated to stick to the diet if you know that you will have a delicious cheat day.
The Drawbacks of a Cheat Day
Even though there are some benefits to having a cheat day, it should also be noted that cheat days for weight loss may not be so great after all.
Some experts claim that having an entire day during which you eat whatever you want is excessive and can actually do more harm than good for your overall weight loss hopes. They recommend that you instead have one cheat meal during which you eat what you normally wouldn’t eat the rest of the week. This is a better way to approach moderation as you attempt to slim down.
Cheat days are also relative to the dieter. One person might just eat a small slice of pizza, while someone else may consume a few slices of cake. This is especially difficult for those who have a poor relationship to food and use it to comfort themselves but then find themselves feeling remorseful.
Ultimately, you can try using cheat days to see if they help you lose weight. If not, you can ditch them, refine your relationship to food, and find healthy options you love. Adding PHENBLUE to your weight management plan is also a good idea. The appetite suppression and energy gained by taking this product will help you to overcome any challenge on your path to successful weight loss.
