Had One Too Many Cheat Meals? Here’s What to Do…

To get the weight loss results you want, most people need to do two things:

1. Reduce their caloric intake (diet)
2. Increase their caloric burn (exercise)

There are loads of diet plans that provide a structure for reducing caloric intake. Many of them are very restrictive, which may make sticking to the diet hard for practical and emotional reasons. The solution is the “cheat meal,” a break from dietary restrictions. But once you break form, it’s easy to keep doing. So, here’s how to get “back on the wagon” after one cheat meal has led to many successive cheat meals.

Understand the Purpose and Benefit of a Cheat Meal

Before you decide to combat taking too many cheat meals with taking no cheat meals, you need to understand that “cheats” are actually a way to make your diet more effective.

On a practical/emotional level, “cheats” allow you to prevent your diet from diminishing your enjoyment of life. Food is a big part of our social rituals, no matter what culture or ethnicity you come from. So, a diet that forbids you to take part in festivities that solidify your bonds with others or form your sense of self is defeating. Having a “cheat meal” gives you the freedom to enjoy foods and/or higher caloric intakes without guilt but not without parameters so that you return to your healthier way of eating.

On a scientific level, “cheats” keep your metabolism on its toes, so to speak, so that you do not hit calorie-burn plateaus. Recent research has found that periodic breaks from restrictive eating habits prevent your body from going into “starvation mode,” which drops your basal metabolic rate.

What Not to Do

If you have let one cheat meal turn into so many cheat meals that you are no longer effectively dieting, do not:

• Beat yourself up
• Feel guilty
• Indulge self-destructive behaviors, including poor eating choices
• Give up

It’s obvious to see that these choices will not get you closer to your weight loss or fitness goal any more than eating too many cheat meals.

However, what may be less obvious is that reactionary exercise is not effective, either. Trying to earn your food or work off extra calories long after the fact can be dangerous. These thought patterns can put you on a dark path to disordered eating. And, exercise as punishment is typically a short-lived motivator.

Better Ways to Cope

Instead of giving into despair, try this 3-step plan:

Pause

Take a breather…literally. Once you have the “aha” moment and you realize you’ve had one cheat too many, pause and breathe deeply for at least 2 minutes.

This brief meditative practice will help calm your thoughts and emotions so that you can proceed to fitness-plan-recovery with a clear head.

Take Stock

Now, take some time to reflect on where your diet got derailed. Get curious and ask questions to better help you understand the experience. For instance:

• Was there a special event for which you partook in a “justified” cheat meal? How did that one turn into more?
• Were you alone or with company when you decided to cheat a second (and third, fourth, etc.) time?
• Do you tend to cheat during the same times of the day or week?
• Do you tend to cheat by eating the same kinds of food?

If you really have no clue about how or why your diet went off course, you may want to try keeping an eating journal. Write down when, what and how much you eat AND record your thoughts and feelings going on when you are looking for and eating a snack or meal.

Strategize

Equipped with information about what gets your diet off course, you can start making plans for a more successful diet moving forward. Some strategies you may consider include:

• Research—perhaps the diet you were trying to do was too restrictive for your lifestyle, nutritional needs, etc. To lose weight safely, talk to your primary care provider or a nutrition counselor at ICWA to find a diet plan that’s right for you.
• Meal planning—because nothing leads you to cheat faster than hunger and empty cabinets.
• Eating journal—continue to record and reflect on the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and eating habits.
• Supplementation—if your cheat meals were the result of strong cravings, it may be that your body is telling you that you are low on essential vitamins or nutrients. Consult your physician or schedule a nutrition consultation at ICWA.
• Accountability partner—your friends and family want you to succeed, and they may be able to help you improve your progress through regular check-ins.

Of course, it might be that you just need a change of scenery and some supportive company to get back on the diet wagon. Visit ICWA to surround yourself with people and vibes that inspire you to work towards a better you!