Why is it we look forward to our cheat meals so much? It is perfectly acceptable to sit down and enjoy a delicious treat every now and then. A cheat meal allows us to feed our cravings while still remaining on track the majority of the time. But why is it that we think about that one meal two, three, and maybe even four days in advance? Do you truly dislike the way you are eating 80% of the time? If that is the case, it may be time to reevaluate the way you are eating entirely.

In order to be successful with any goal, you must set yourself up for success as much as you can. With that in mind, you should not be eating a diet that makes you despise eating and cooking most of your week, you should be able to eat well while eating foods that are appealing to you. Eating real food that is good for you can be done in a way that allows you to be flexible while never being disappointed the next time you go to open the fridge. Your diet plan should include foods that make you enjoy cooking because they taste delicious and are also full of the necessary nutrients your body needs that your cheat meals lack.

It is important we strive to fuel our bodies with good food and have a healthy relationship with our cheat meals. We do not want to think of it as a crutch that is the only thing we cling to each week to keep us sane. Having the proper set of guidelines around your cheat meal can make things easier to stick to. Looking to eat well a majority of the time, something like every four out of five days with clean eating and taking that fifth day to have one cheat MEAL. Do not confuse the cheat meal with a cheat day, the rules for a cheat meal are as follows.

You are not to eat an excess of calories outside of what you normally eat in a meal. Just because you are not eating well does not mean you also get to eat more food that day. Second, your meal should be eaten at a table and starts from the moment you sit down and ends the moment you stand back up, that means no going back for seconds or adding on a dessert course to your meal. Lastly, do not buy your cheat meal food in large quantity otherwise you will feel obligated to not let it go to waste and thus will lead to excess calories being consumed.

Let’s learn to enjoy every step of this journey by finding foods that make us like cooking and eating every day but then also have the chance to go out with friends for the things that we get to enjoy every now and again. There is no substitute for real food that makes us healthy so instead make the most of the opportunity to discover new ways to eat well and build sustainable, good habits. Earn your cheat meal each week, because you deserve to indulge every now and then, not because you need it to survive your week. Follow all your cheat meal rules so that your meal does not overflow into a binge of poor eating.

If you struggle to follow all these guidelines and lack the motivation to constantly go shopping, cook, and prepare all your food, at CrossFit Torrent we offer nutrition coaching where we give you strategies on how to set yourself up for success on a daily basis. Making the right decisions requires holding yourself accountable but with our help, we can keep you more accountable towards your goals and give you a plan that lets you enjoy eating every single day.

FOOD=FUEL