Imagine this. For a month, you have been strictly following your diet. Strictly. You ate clean and healthy. As a result of your hard work and determination, you reached your goal weight, yay! Now, you decided to move on to the next step which is maintaining it. Then comes a birthday celebration of one of your friends. Upon arriving at their house, you were welcomed by social distancing-approved greetings (no handshakes and cheek kisses). Plus, wait for it, the smell and sight of all the food you've been trying to avoid and you undeniably miss- pizza, pasta, bread, sushi, cake, and ice cream. This was my situation yesterday. I already know that I cannot say no to my friends and to the carbs. Hence, I had a cheat meal, and to be honest, I wasn't even guilty, not the slightest bit..... UNTIL MY STOMACH TOLD ME "I CAN'T TAKE ONE MORE SPOON OF ICE CREAM".
My stomach certainly got used to the amount of food I've eaten this past month- enough to make me full and satisfied. It got shocked when I devoured a large amount of food I haven't consumed during my diet. I, myself, was shocked too. Before, I am a small girl with a big appetite. I can finish a single serving of chicken biryani. To give you an idea of how huge this meal is, that is probably around 2-3 cups of basmati rice and a large chicken leg that is already ideal for sharing. Yes, it is THAT huge and that's how I eat before. I enjoy eating, it makes me so happy. However, ever since I planned on losing weight, I controlled my cravings and opted for healthier choices. Ergo, I followed a low carb diet, keto to be specific (which I will be sharing my journey and experience in another post).
I never felt sick before when I feasted too much but last night, my stomach can't contain all the food I ate, as if it's asking for more space. I was controlling my breaths because I was scared that I will just puke in no time. Long (sick) story short, I've arrived home, drank green tea, and fortunately, did some business in the toilet (oops, sorry for the TMI!).
The next morning, I did a 45-minute HIIT, followed by a glute, abs, and arms focused workout- I tried burning the calories by doing a 2 1/2 hour workout! It was a punishment, yes. Of course, not all of it was burned but the guilt definitely came after. I felt that all the days I've eaten healthy was a waste of time and all were gone because of one meal- one huge cheat meal. I swerved off my healthy eating habits but here I am, trying to get back on track.
But what should I do after a cheat meal? Below are some tips (I did them myself, so I can say they are proven and tested?) on how to get back on track after a cheat meal.
1. Accept and Release the Guilt
It will sound stupid and late to say you shouldn't have eaten that much. We've been there and there's no undoing it. We got tempted and dug in, then guilt kicks after. Guilt is normal, especially feeling guilty about food. We all think that we screwed up our diet and truth be told, we did. But, that doesn't mean we cannot return to healthy eating, right? We need to accept the fact that we will fall sometimes but it depends on us whether we will let things go this way or move on and recontinue healthy eating.
2. Drink lots of water.
This advice helped me the most. Increase your water intake to flush out the toxins in your body. Water also curbs hunger and gives a feeling of fullness. Aside from water, try taking some tea (without any sugar or other ingredients) to help with cleansing the grease you ingested and also for detox.
3. Exercise- but do not overdo it
I suggest not doing what I did- spending more than 2 hours working out thinking I will be burning all that I ate. Although, it is a good thing to sweat off the calories plus it uplifts your mood and reduces feeling stressed.
4. Fasting
I am already doing intermittent fasting (16:8 method), but this time I extended my fasting hour just so I can limit my extra food consumption and also burn more the excess glucose. Take note, you are fasting, you will eat after your fasting hour. Do not starve yourself, please!
5. Plan your meals
Since we went heavy on the cheat meal, we should now plan ahead our meals to kickstart clean eating. Along with veggies, incorporate protein, whole foods, and foods rich in fiber to help with digestion. Junk foods and snacks are oftentimes convenient that we can just reach for a bag of chips to satisfy our hunger. Meal planning helps avoid situations like this by having a prepared balanced meal that is filled with nutrients.
Cheat meals are inevitable and we easily fall for it, let's all admit it. We will feel bad about ourselves for ruining our "perfect diets" just because the word "cheat" already gives a negative connotation. How about we call it "treat meals" instead? Besides, it is harmless to indulge sometimes! At the end of the day, eating is a treat and we should not punish ourselves for enjoying it way too much. Agree? If you do, please share your thoughts on this post or suggest your post-cheat meal tips in the comments below. Till next time!
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