Weight loss tip #216: Cheat meal once a week Vs cheat nibbles every day

Does your craving for junk make you reach for a packet of chips once a day?

When you are trying to eat healthy meals, which you think are boring and have not made nutritious food a part of your lifestyle by figuring healthy recipes that are tasty, then the craving for junk food and sugary desserts hits you every day. It is tempting and easy to take a bite of cake at the office party or a grab a slice of pizza or take a sip of milkshake. Often your friends and family members tell you to go ahead and take a bit because What harm can a little bit do after all?

I used to think the same and took a couple of glucose biscuits with my morning cuppa. I thought that it was ok because I didn t indulge my sweet tooth otherwise. But, Khyati Rupani, Founder Balance Nutrition told me to calculate the number of biscuits in a month and then think whether it was worth it. She says, If you eat a slice of pizza every day, then it is 30 slices at the end of a month. However, even if you eat a slice of pizza during a cheat meal once a week, it is only 4 slices a month.

So the cumulative effect of those little extra nibbles during the day is what affects your weight loss goals. It is best to stick to a healthy meal plan and exercise every day to reduce your craving for processed food and sweets. But, if for some reason you are not able to make the switch, then you can indulge in a cheat meal. Remember, it is not a cheat day! If you are a carbs junkie and your one craving is a burger, then don't eat other processed food that day like chips or fries. The same goes for beverages and desserts. Just stick to one cheat meal a week/month and you should be fine. Find out why you crave junk food or desserts or spicy treats and how to fix it!

You can t go overboard with your cheat meal by binging on all things sugary or processed or deep fried. Give your body time to get used to healthy meals and over time, the constant pangs will be a thing of the past. The trick is to follow some form of exercise such as yoga, which can help you live a healthy lifestyle and not look at a weight loss diet as a short-term goal.

Weight loss tip #215