Can a cheat meal prevent weight gain (and prevent weight loss?)

While some people swear that eating clean, except for one large cheat meal or snack per week, keeps them on track for maintaining or losing weight, it can backfire. If that cheat meal, and/or that decadent dessert is so calorie-laden that your total calories for that week exceed the amount of calories you are burning, you’re going to see weight gain, not weight loss.

If that cheat meal, or snack wasn’t as delicious, or satisfying as you had imagined all week long in anticipation, that could be mentally detrimental, and set you up for binging later that week in hopes of getting that endorphine rush you expected.

If a cheat meal, or snack, is not working to get you to your weight loss goals, flexible dieting might be better for you. A flexible diet is where you eat a varitey of healthy foods you like, in reasonable portions, and sprinkle in some not-so-healthy options (wine, chips, cheesecake, hearty meal out), every now and then when you’re really craving it, and on special occasions.

What works for your best friend may not work for you and that’s okay, we’re all different. Try various diet methods to see what sticks.