The CHEAT Meal Guide to Weight Loss

 By Fitness Expert, Tonya Tittle

Are you allowing a spontaneous, unplanned "cheat meal" to set off a chain of events that sabotage your newly adopted healthy eating plan?

Strategically planning cheat meals eliminates the guilt and self sabotage of rewarding your hard efforts with food. By looking forward to splurging on your favorite foods, you will have an easier time sticking with your nutrition plan the rest of the time. It can also kick start your metabolism and provide you with extra energy.

By reducing unplanned calories, your body will eventually become quite efficient and will burn fewer calories.  When you shock your system by eating foods that are higher in calories, or are not normally in our food plan, you will increase our metabolism since your body is forced to work harder at burning the extra calories ingested. The next day, when you return to your supportive nutrition plan, your body will burn calories at a faster rate now that your metabolism is working harder.

Here's a rule you can live by. We call it "The 10% Rule"

• No more than 4 meals should be missed or cheats. (Based on 6 meals a day, 7 days a week, or 42 meals per week)
• If you can achieve 90% adherence you can get the results you want.
•  Plan your cheat meals instead of the following: "Well, that pizza does look good, but I should stick to the plan and eat the chicken salad . . . oh what the hell, gimme the pizza! I'll just consider it a cheat meal."
• Plan them around a social event
• Don't turn a cheat meal into an entire "cheat weekend," it will almost certainly slow your progress during your results attaining phase.

5 "Cheat Meal" Tips

1. Set a "cheat day" once a week, or eat healthy all week and let yourself relax a little when dining out.

2. Don't be too hard on yourself! One splurge will not ruin your progress. In fact a supportive nutrition plan can include all food in moderation.

3. Get moving the next day. Do 5 minutes of cardio intervals broken into 25 seconds fast and 25 seconds rest or add a couple extra exercises to your weight training routine.

4. Think long term. You will be eating for many years to come, so follow your supportive eating plan and get back on track, even though you may be tempted to skip dinner to make up for you indulgence.

5. Learn from your experience. Why did you cheat? Did you not have your food prepared? Were you bored? Over hungry? Depressed or Anxious? Find out what made those sweets so tempting and be armed and ready for next time!

A little note: DISCLAIMER: The physical advantage of the cheat meal is only experienced by those individuals who have made noticeable progress towards their fitness goals. (This will not work if you are not able to follow the 90/10 rule with some type of consistency. The extra calories will only end up adding to your weight).

For more information, articles, podcasts, or radio programs, visit: http://www.energymemphis.com/ or call Tonya Tittle and team at: 901-523-2348 for an appointment or personal consultation.