Good news: Your diet is about to go from “yuck” to “yummy” in no time.
While a clean diet is certainly something to strive for, we don’t
blame you if your mouth waters at the thought of a juicy burger or
potato chips covered in salt. Treating yourself every once in awhile
shouldn’t feel like a crime! Thankfully, research says that giving in to
your food temptations on occasion isn’t just OK; it might even be good
for you.
In a recent study from the Journal of Consumer Psychology, Portuguese
researchers asked volunteers to constrict their consumption to 10,500
calories a week. But while half of the participants ate 1,500 calories
every day, the other half ate 1,300 six days a week, saving the rest of
their calories for a “cheat day” on Sunday.
At the end of the two weeks, both groups lost weight. However, those
who pigged out on their weekend “cheat day” reported feeling happier and
more motivated to continue dieting. Try repeating these amazing quotes to boost your weight loss motivation, too.
What gives? Turns out, the occasional indulgence could keep you from
burning out on your diet, according to study author Rita Coelho do Vale,
Ph.D.
“The key is to plan ahead and designate a specific day for your rule-breaking,” Dr. Vale told Men’s Health.
“That’s because giving in to a spur-of-the-moment donut can make you
feel like you blew your diet—and might as well abandon it completely.”
But before you start inhaling every French fry in sight, proceed with
caution. Dr. Vale says it’s important to limit your cheat days and
avoid going overboard when you do indulge. Plus, there’s still some
debate in the health community regarding whether cheat meals are good or bad for weight loss.
Translation? Go ahead and chow down on a slice of pizza every now and
then; just remember to do so in moderation. And if you start feeling a
bit guilty, don’t despair! Torch the calories fast with this chart, which shows you exactly what you need to do to burn off every cheat meal.
