The cheat day concept is starting to gain popularity in the dieting world; or at least I hope it is. For the thousands of overweight and obese individuals desperately searching for the perfect fat loss diet, cheating may actually be your lean body secret weapon.
The hurdle I have as a fat loss coach and lean body expert is overcoming the misguided belief that to lose weight successfully, one must avoid all ‘unhealthy’ foods and never allow themselves so much as a brief period of overindulgence.
This fat loss diet myth sounds truthful, but fails to take into consideration just how smart the human body is. After just a few days of clean, low-calorie intake, a series of events take place in effort to protect the body from what appears to be a starvation scenario.
Needless to say, all dieting efforts are sabotaged and the typical dieter will begin facing an uphill battle in the fight against fat loss.
This is precisely why the cheat day must be utilized. By strategically using a carbohydrate, fat and therefore calorie-rich cheat day, this counterproductive chain of reactions can be minimized. The result is a metabolism that remains high-revving and a brain that senses food intake is adequate, despite the dieter operating at a negative caloric balance.
After many posts, articles, presentations and consulting, I’ve managed to open many minds to the cheat day concept. However, my concern is that these lean body enthusiasts who’re looking to lose maximum amounts of fat through strategic dieting are only hearing part of the message.
Many individuals are falsely assuming that if a cheat “day” is so beneficial, perhaps they’ll one-up this tactic and use a cheat “meal.” Theoretically, wouldn’t it make sense that by restricting the high calorie period to one single meal, one could accomplish the previously mentioned benefits and minimize the chance of storing extra fat from the cheat?
Sure it does and I’m assuming this is why many dieters are now implementing a once weekly cheat “meal.” However, a cheat meal simply won’t get the job done. This type of cheating is not adequate when it comes to losing fat consistently and creating a lean body.
Research shows that it takes at least 8 hours of cheating to achieve the primary benefit of boosting a critical anti-starvation hormone. A thirty minute binge therefore fails to meet this duration requirement and thus, dieters opting for a weekly cheat meal will eventually experience a weight loss plateau.
Although the exact diet plan will vary slightly depending on the individual at hand, a rough guideline would be to treat yourself to one cheat day each week, where 8 to 12 hours of this taste bud-friendly day is spent consuming high calorie foods.
Remember, for quick, consistent and substantial fat loss, a cheat day isn’t an option – it’s a requirement. Don’t make the mistake of cutting your enjoyment and your lean body efforts short by inadequate cheating. For more detailed information on how the cheat day produces better fat loss results, please visit my lean body blog using the links below.
Dr. Brad Campbell PharmD, CFT, is an International Fat Loss Coach who’s helped thousands of people around the world to sculpt a lean, toned, and attractive body. He recommends the following:—> Ultimate Diet: Cheat Day Diet to boost fat loss and build a lean body.—> Finding a Balance: Lean Body – TopFatLossTrainer credo
