In all other areas of life besides eating, cheating is a bad thing...cheating on a test, you get a zero or worse...cheating on your taxes, jail...cheating in a race, disqualified. Cheating, however, in many areas of dieting is an official day or meal.
I'm pretty sure this started with body builders getting ready for shows or along those lines. After watching my husband prep for his show, I think it could be used as torture in some cultures!
There are noted benefits of incorporating a cheat meal into your diet plan especially for people with very specific goals in mind like cutting and other ways to shock your body. This I can see and understand as it is often times monitored by a coach.
I started thinking the other day about cheat meals for everyday people that aren't doing shows. I'm not so sure it has the same effect. For me a cheat meal opens the door...Pandora's Box if you will to a world of junk food. Most times I can shut it...other times it takes a bit longer to tighten the lid on my cheat "meal". This often times follows a long run or race when I feel like I've "earned" it!
When you are striving for a healthy lifestyle, is "cheating" ok? Moreover, when you are on that road to a balanced, healthy body, would anything be off limits as long as it is in moderation?
I know personally when someone says NOT to eat something, that is in fact the ONLY thing I can think about! Don't eat sugar....I think about it constantly! Don't eat carbs...you find me dreaming about a bagel!
There is the allure of being "bad"...of cheating and getting away with it! For me, I think that having a healthy, balanced diet most of the time and finding ways to be healthy around all food, is the most important and the best way for me to reach my goals. So while a "cheat" meal sounds fun...it's the feelings that happen after for me...or when I can't stop cheating...that I need to stay away from. Am I saying that I ALWAYS eat healthy and perfectly? My husband can attest that I do not...but do I try my best to fuel my body the best way I can...yes. I'm working towards having a healthy balance and healthy mindset around all foods! I'm not saying cheat meals are bad...I'm not saying you shouldn't do them...I'm saying for me...I have to put a lid on that box!!
Do you have a cheat meal?
How do you keep it from becoming a cheat day...week?
I definitely did the CHEAT MEAL thing when I first started out.
ReplyDeleteand for me it didnt work as it definitely DID spiral to a cheat day then week then Id lose my way altogether.