The Miracle of a Cheat Meal

One of the greatest tricks that I use to stick to my diet is to allow myself a cheat meal once a week. For that one glorious meal I can have whatever my heart desires. I can eat pizza, cake, and ice cream, anything I want for that one meal. I believe that anyone who plans to diet for long periods of time should follow this principle. There are several reasons why I feel cheat meals are the key to dieting success.

First of all, we are all human. No matter who you are, you are going to have cravings for foods that you are not suppose to eat. The longer and stricter the diet, the more temptations you will have. It is human nature to want something that we are not aloud to have. Dieting is no exception to this.

The cheat meal approach to dieting allows us to break down and control our temptations. If we are craving pizza on Wednesday and our cheat meal is on Sunday, we know that within four days we will be able to satisfy our craving. We tackle our temptations with the approach that we can hold off the additional four days before we eat what we have been craving four. Under the traditional diet programs, we would not be aloud to cheat at all. From my experience with dieting over the years, the temptations for foods we want do not go away. In my case they become stronger over time. Having a cheat meal once a week allows me to stick to my diet by controlling the beastly temptations before me.

Another advantage to a cheat meal is that it is an award for us. Dieting is not an easy task and we should never expect people who are changing their eating habits to all of a sudden loose the desire to eat unhealthy food again. Dieting is a goal that should be rewarded not only physically, by the way your appearance will change, or mentally, the increase in self-esteem, but also should be a reward for the taste buds as well. Each week should be like a little goal to try and make it to the next cheat meal without breaking your diet. If you succeed, you eat whatever you want without any feelings of guilt whatsoever. You earned the right to that sixteen-ounce bowl of ice cream and you should not be ashamed to eat it either.

There is another benefit to the cheat meal approach in dieting. After time, you body will adjust to the current caloric intake that you are on. If you eat the same thing everyday, or the same amount of fats, proteins, etc., your bodies metabolism will eventually slow down to adjust to the current caloric intake levels. Cheat meals along with some other changes I make to my diet in the week allow me to shock my system. I keep my body guessing throughout the dieting process. I constantly adjust my carbohydrate, protein, and fat levels to keep my metabolism from slowing down. The cheat meal, if done once a week, is another way to effectively shock your body into maintaining a high metabolism.

In conclusion, if a cheat meal is to work effectively it has to be done once a week not once a day. The main objective of the cheat meal is to allow an individual a process or tool to use to defeat temptations that may arise during a diet. The second advantage to a cheat meal is that it is a weekly reward for all the hard work you put into your diet. The final advantage is the cheat meal is another way to shock your body. You keep your body guessing as to what your daily caloric intake is, therefore allowing yourself to maintain a higher metabolism.

Gerald Gore is the owner of the online fitness review site One4Fitness. For more health and fitness related tips and reviews on workout equipment visit Gerald's site at http://www.one4fitness.com. One4Fitness also offers a FREE Health and Fitness newsletter at http://www.one4fitness .com/modules/evennews/index.php?action=subscribe

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


The Secret Key To Permanent Weight Loss!

With this key, I GUARANTEE YOU WILL LOSE ALL THE... Read More

Struggling with Weight? ? Get a Dog

Just about every one of us struggles with our weight... Read More

Gastric Bypass Patients Should Include Tomatoes in Their Diet

After weight loss surgery it is important to include as... Read More

Health Care Costs ? Can Your Diet Control Them?

One of the most talked about topics in any political... Read More

Dieting? Want and Desire are Dangerous

This is a very important topic that needs to be... Read More

Staying Toned After Weight Loss

Staying Toned After Weight Loss Following significant weight loss,... Read More

Have You Given Up on Weight Loss?

Have You Given Up on Weight Loss? by Greg Landry,... Read More

Good Food/Bad Food Whats Left to Eat?

We've entered the Twilight Zone when it comes to the... Read More

Gastric Bypass Patients Succeed Eating High Protein Diet

The first rule for successful weight loss and weight maintenance... Read More

How to Burn Fat: Doctors Proven Weight Loss Secret #1

Let me ask you a personal question. As you read... Read More

Eating Sensibly, Working Out and Still Not Achieving Your Goals?

Are you working hard in the gym 3 times a... Read More

Gastric Bypass Surgery - Just The Facts

Gastric Bypass surgery is becoming increasingly more popular for the... Read More

Im Not Fat, Im Fluffy

A distorted body image is one of the symptoms that... Read More

Six Steps to Weight Loss Success

What does it take to lose weight?When it comes to... Read More

Weight Loss and Disease ? It?s Not the Food that?s Killing Us!

Whether coming from a close friend, the nightly news or... Read More

Two Words That Guarantee Success (or failure) When Planning To Lose Weight

Did you know that being successful with losing weight starts... Read More

Fake Weight Loss Claims: Identify Them

Its crowded..really crowded..every other site offers Weight Loss Programs and... Read More

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #9

WAHOO!!! for YOU!! You are the most AWESOME person alive!!... Read More

Weight Loss Woes

Weight loss is an issue that affects men and women... Read More

A Diet Made For You Will Make All The Difference

To achieve your goals you need a diet that takes... Read More

Three Sure-Fire Ways To Lose Weight Get Healthier & Feel Great Without Dieting

--ONE--Learn how to reduce the fat, sugar and salt content... Read More

How To Lose Weight Quickly and Safely

"I eat like a bird, why do I gain weight?"... Read More

Weight Loss Tips, Tricks, and Tactics - Part 1

I personal lost 60 pounds in 2003. Here are some... Read More

How To Improve Your Health In 14 Days: Small Changes For Maximum Health & Weight Loss

Many Americans include health improvement in their New Year's Resolutions.... Read More

Mediterranean Diet - What is It?

Well, to begin with, there isn't really any one Mediterranean... Read More

The History of Tumescent Liposuction

Liposuction is also referred to as lipoplasty, suction-assisted lipectomy and... Read More

Weight Loss Success with the South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet was not created by your typical... Read More

Dieting Will Never Be the Same! A Review of How to Make Your Diet Work

According to the American Obesity Association, an astounding 64.5 percent... Read More

Winter Weight Loss Magic

If winter hibernation tends to pack on the pounds, take... Read More

Making Diets Work -- How to Finally Lose Weight and Keep it Off

Name a diet...any diet. It doesn't work. Try to name... Read More

Weight Loss Pills: Miracle Drugs or Money Wasters?

Losing weight is a lifelong commitment. It takes patience and... Read More

How To Measure Body Fat

When it all comes down to losing or gaining weight,... Read More

Low Gi Diet or Low Carb Diet ? Which One Is Best?

These days, most everyone has heard of low carb diets... Read More