Post thanksgiving "Cheat Meals"
Cheat Meals or a better yet “Treat Meals” are something outside of the normal routine is how I classify these meals. Now if you are NOT already “fit” here is how I would tackle cheat/treat meals for you - One cheat meal every one to two weeks to help stimulate the metabolism that has been in a calorie deficit for several weeks, AND to still allow you to have a life with friends and family. Now, me personally I like to enjoy 1-2 meals per week that are a little out of the normal range – but my workload “training” is hard and frequent so for me 1-2 meals works. With that said I try and follow a few set rules to make sure I don't go overboard - go out to a restaurant so I am limited to 1 serving and no leftovers or make a single serving at home so there is no leftovers.
- Limited to 2 hours, so I don't end up making it a cheat day. - Take nothing home from a restaurant. What I don't finish I don't finish - Pick foods that sit well with me because I don't want to feel like crap afterward. I want to feel full and satisfied not bloated and in pain. - On days that I workout, so I can put the extra calories to use….I always workout hard or for a little longer duration on cheat meal days. When I am making a transformation (getting ready for a fitness competition and/or photo shoot), and I've done well for several weeks, I don't want to mess it up with crap food, so I'm a bit more choosy about my meals. I want to eat something that satisfies my cravings (I get them too) AND promotes a good workout. Hope this makes sense and if there is anything specific you want to ask about cheat meals just message me back.
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Great article Cheryl, very reasonable guidelines!
I also like the reference of treat meals better than cheat meals. 👍😊