Is it OK to have 3 cheat days?
Research shows just three cheat days a week is as bad for your gut health as a consistently unhealthy diet. Gaining a small amount of weight, like a pound or two, is not a big deal.
How do you stop cheat days?
Six ways to stop weekend overeating
- Just say no to cheat meals. No cheat meals?
- Practice mindful eating. Mindful eating means not scarfing your food as fast as possible but, rather, slowing down and enjoying the good vibes that your food gives you.
- Be consistent.
- Start a food journal.
- Adopt healthy habits.
- Slow down.
What to do after cheating on diet?
What to do after a cheat day
- Be kind to yourself.
- Remind yourself of other healthy behaviors your practicing.
- Don’t turn a cheat day into a cheat week or month.
- Eat foods you crave most days.
- Stay consistent with exercise.
- Have a balanced meal.
- Practice tuning into your hunger and fullness.
How often should you have a cheat meal or day?
There is no specific guideline for when or how frequently your cheat meal or day should occur. Often people will include one cheat per week, but this can change depending on what the person’s health or weight loss goals are. In this way, the cheat strategy is adaptable and can be implemented alongside many different diet patterns.
Should you limit cheat days?
If, however, you have plateaued or are not reaching your goal, then the cheat days may need to be restricted. The results will vary person to person, so you need to judge for yourself how well things work.
Do cheat days help you lose weight?
Otherwise, you’ll start associating cheat days with “treating yourself” or “being bad.” Using food as a “tool” at either extreme won’t sustain long-term weight loss.
Do cheat days help or hurt your metabolism?
There’s also a common misconception that cheat days can help boost your metabolism. The general concept: When you eat less, your metabolism slows down to “conserve” energy. When you eat more, it speeds up to digest and use that fuel. This, in theory, should allow you to stick to your strict diet for the remainder of your week.