Science has finally answered our biggest dilemma. Not only pizza, but eating ice cream, pasta and even noodles can help us lose weight. Here’s what science has to say:
A study conducted in Portugal confirmed that eating cheat meals on one day of the week can help you stay on track with your weight loss regime.
For the research, people were divided into two groups. One team was put on a weight loss diet with cheat meals, the other was put on a strict diet sans cheat meals. The study found out that those who ate cheat meals every week were happier and more motivated to lose weight. Those who didn’t eat a cheat meal soon lost interest in their weight loss plan.
The rule for cheat meals is simple: Eating cheat meals makes dieting more sustainable and helps you to stay on track without losing commitment. For example, if you know that you will get to eat a doughnut on one cheat day, you will not get excited every moment you see it. But if you have been strictly refraining from eating your favourite doughnut, its sight can make you lose control and hog on junk food the moment you see it.
However, understand the difference between binge eating and cheat meal. Binge eating means you keep eating in great quantity without any control. While cheat meals mean eating pizza in controlled quantity. Cheat meals are only meant to secrete happy hormones in the body because cortisol (stress hormones) will only lead to more weight gain. Therefore, know the difference and follow it.
Cheat meals also help your body to break the boring cycle of a diet. If you keep eating oats in the morning, roti subzi for lunch, fruits for snacks and soup or grilled veggies for dinner, you are bound to get bored. So surprise your body with cheat meals and also lose weight in the process