We are all guilty of cheating on our diets from time to time and can also feel guilty about doing it. So why do we cheat anyways? This article is going to address this question. You will also learn how often you should cheat on your diet and supplements that should be taken before and after a big cheat meal.
Strict dieting can cause many psychological problems such as headaches, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and wanting to be unsocial. Marta Meana Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas states, "When you cut back on sugar, you`re experiencing a decrease in brain chemicals, such as serotonin and endorphins, that make you feel good. If you`re feeling a severe drop in mood, you`re probably restricting too much, too fast." You may also be out with a couple of friends one night and they say, "Hey, do you want a beer," or the best one yet, "How about a piece of pizza." On special occasions like these or when you feel that you need a treat from the past few weeks of dieting, then cheating is okay. Just don`t make a habit out of it.
From a health perspective, using a cheat day as an excuse to gorge yourself is horrendous. It`s fine to have cookies, cakes, soda, pizza, etc., but the key is to not gorge yourself to the point of sickness. You should use your cheat meal as an opportunity to eat anything you want, but not everything you want. Eat enough to enjoy the food, but don`t over do it. Speaking personally, I cheat once a week to satisfy my cravings. Some people don`t cheat at all while others can get away with a cheat meal two or three times a week. You will have to find which method works best for you.
So how do I go about preparing for my cheat meal? You better be guessing that I am prepared supplement wise to keep myself from feeling guilty afterwards. I also need to decide if I really need a cheat meal or if it`s just a craving that I normally get from time to time. The first thing I do is take a thermogenic, such as Hot Rox or Xenadrine, and a healthy fat source such as fish or flax seed oil. I`ll then wait twenty minutes to decide if I am still hungry and if I am, then I will get something such as cookies, cakes, or pies. Then i`ll go eat some pizza, lasagna, or spaghetti, topped off with something healthy to aid with digestion. I won`t train after a cheat meal because I feel my body needs the excess calories to replace damaged muscle tissue. Again, different people have their own methods of going about cheating, and there is no right or wrong way of doing it.
Cheating is fun and sometimes it is the only thing that can turn a bad day into something good. I know of no one who can go their entire life without eating something that`s bad for them, and if someone ever tells me that they don`t cheat, I know they are lying! Another reason people can`t stick to their diet long-term is because they think that they have to be perfect all of the time. Live a little and go have a cheat meal!
*http://www.johnberardi.com/articles/qa/afc/afc_jan032003.htm
*http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi14.htm
*http://www.naturalphysiques.com/faq/273.html
*http://chetday.com/cheatdays.htm
*http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0846/is_9_24/ai_n13661416
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