JUNK DAYS ( We can have them) THE BENEFITS!!!

dixon5000
dixon5000 Posts: 111 Member
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok ladies and gentleman, to make you all feel better about that day you feel you slipped OR CHEATED, here is some encouraging news.

Benefits Of Cheating:


Physiologically, cheats can offer many benefits. If you have been dieting pretty hardcore, it's likely that you have low muscle glycogen levels. Along with this often comes a sluggish feeling during your workouts and less than optimal strength.

You may also find that you are fatiguing faster than normal and are not able to keep up with your previous performance.

A cheat meal or day, since it often means an excess of calories and carbohydrates taken in, will serve to replenish some of these stores, which will help give you more energy and train harder at your next workouts.

Along with decreased muscle glycogen that goes with dieting, there is also a slowing of the metabolism effect. The body senses starvation and tries to lower the amount of energy it needs to continue to function on a daily basis.

This means you will be burning less calories just sitting there than if you hadn't been dieting, which makes weight loss even harder.

When you shock your system with a high influx of calories at one time, the body's metabolism will show an increase and you'll kick start your 'furnace' into high gear once again.

This will help you body to get less accustomed to running on a lower caloric level and make getting lean easier.

Effects Of Cheating:


The next reason to consider whether or not you should cheat is how it will affect you psychologically. Many people feel that cheat meals help them deal with the feelings of restriction they endure while on a diet.

They find that by looking forward to splurging on their favorite foods they have an easier time sticking with their diet the rest of the time.

On the flip side of the coin, though, cheating may turn into a negative psychological thing for some people. This is normal......

Effects:


Look at how this will affect you psychologically. Will cheating make you feel like your constantly dreaming about food?
Will it make you feel as if your losing all control and once you start you can't stop?

If this is the case, this may be unhealthy for you mentally and you may be better off to just include small cheat snacks as part of your regular diet (such as a small piece of chocolate on certain days) so you maintain a healthy relationship with food and don't develop binge habits.

Replies

  • dixon5000
    dixon5000 Posts: 111 Member
    Ok ladies and gentleman, to make you all feel better about that day you feel you slipped OR CHEATED, here is some encouraging news.

    Benefits Of Cheating:


    Physiologically, cheats can offer many benefits. If you have been dieting pretty hardcore, it's likely that you have low muscle glycogen levels. Along with this often comes a sluggish feeling during your workouts and less than optimal strength.

    You may also find that you are fatiguing faster than normal and are not able to keep up with your previous performance.

    A cheat meal or day, since it often means an excess of calories and carbohydrates taken in, will serve to replenish some of these stores, which will help give you more energy and train harder at your next workouts.

    Along with decreased muscle glycogen that goes with dieting, there is also a slowing of the metabolism effect. The body senses starvation and tries to lower the amount of energy it needs to continue to function on a daily basis.

    This means you will be burning less calories just sitting there than if you hadn't been dieting, which makes weight loss even harder.

    When you shock your system with a high influx of calories at one time, the body's metabolism will show an increase and you'll kick start your 'furnace' into high gear once again.

    This will help you body to get less accustomed to running on a lower caloric level and make getting lean easier.

    Effects Of Cheating:


    The next reason to consider whether or not you should cheat is how it will affect you psychologically. Many people feel that cheat meals help them deal with the feelings of restriction they endure while on a diet.

    They find that by looking forward to splurging on their favorite foods they have an easier time sticking with their diet the rest of the time.

    On the flip side of the coin, though, cheating may turn into a negative psychological thing for some people. This is normal......

    Effects:


    Look at how this will affect you psychologically. Will cheating make you feel like your constantly dreaming about food?
    Will it make you feel as if your losing all control and once you start you can't stop?

    If this is the case, this may be unhealthy for you mentally and you may be better off to just include small cheat snacks as part of your regular diet (such as a small piece of chocolate on certain days) so you maintain a healthy relationship with food and don't develop binge habits.
  • ali106
    ali106 Posts: 3,754 Member
    oh I needed this today Dixon!!!

    Only thing is its been sort of a cheat week or two...lol...sigh!:ohwell:

    it hasn't been that bad, just we had house guests, then bday party, etc...so I feel like its almost something....one thing I noticed is that after you cheat a bit and get back on board you get a ton of motivation back....how long it lasts is another story lol....

    anyway...thanks for the post!!! :drinker:
    hugs,
    Ali
  • BrenNew
    BrenNew Posts: 3,420 Member
    I'm looking forward to "shocking my system" on Sunday!
    I'm getting together with 3 old friends for a Chinese buffet luncheon!!!
    BOY, will I be putting my metabolism in overdrive! :laugh:
  • tanzmamma
    tanzmamma Posts: 368 Member
    hmmm so tomorrow I will go to IHOP for breakfast and get stuffed french toast.

    For lunch I will go to Five Guys and have a burger & fries

    For Dinner I will go to Outback Steakhouse and eat a bloomin onion, steak and loaded baked potato.

    For dessert I'll go to Dairy Queen and get a waffle bowl Sundae.


    HEHE jk..... I WISH!

    But yes.. seriously a "cheat meal" feels SO GOOD sometimes! Last weekend we went to Olive Garden and I loaded up on salad, had a breadstick and ate this YUMMY chicken/shrimp caronara. I only ate like 1/4 of it because I was full off the salad and breadstick but OHHHH did it feel good to be bad lol!!!
  • time2wrk
    time2wrk Posts: 773 Member
    How about a cheat "lifer"? Can we be that? :laugh:
  • eriquita
    eriquita Posts: 69
    I'm looking forward to "shocking my system" on Sunday!


    That is a good way to call cheating :wink:

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  • dixon5000
    dixon5000 Posts: 111 Member
    I use this method when i dropped weight for bodybuilding contests. I used to drop from 250 to 198. It really does do the job. Its not for everyone, but this post is ment to lift your spirits when you come down on yourself so hard. DON'T it's natural to have a snack once in awhile....
  • I know that if I am too hard on myself and don't give myself treats sometimes, I'll end up binging later. Speaking of, I've gone over my calories twice this week already! ARGH!! :sad: :sad:
This discussion has been closed.