Cheat days happen. Whether intentional or not, we’ve all been there, especially this holiday season with all the parties and dinners.
Having a cheat day is a great way to treat yourself for adhering to your meal plan throughout the week, but sometimes we overdo it and fall off the wagon.
When this happens it may seem impossible to pick back up momentum, so we’ve rounded up a few tips that can immediately put you back on the straight and narrow.
1. Increase Protein and Vegetable Intake The Next Day
The day after your cheat day you should commit to eating a lot of protein and veggies.
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Try to keep the calories low this day and it will help you balance your calorie intake.
RELATED: Great Tips to Burn Off Your Holiday Meals
2. Schedule a High-Intensity Calorie-Burning Cardio Workout
Burn off those calories with a high-intensity workout. Remember, high intensity does not mean “extended”, so avoid a lengthy workout the day following your cheat day.
Endurance cardio sessions, in combination with an improper diet, will stress your body’s maximum.
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Stress overload causes cortisol, which is correlated with fat storage.
So don’t go crazy. An extra 20 minutes of cardio or a couple of extra sets to your weight-training routine will suffice.
3. Drink Lots of Water
Cheat meals consist of bad foods and bad foods have lots of salt or sugar – or both!
The best way to bounce back after a cheat meal is to flush the salt, sugar and other toxins out of your system by drinking water.
Try to drink at least 2 liters of water.
4. Go Easy on Yourself
This one might sound logical, however in practice it can be hard to put a cheat day behind you.
Personally, you may still be harping on days after, but there’s nothing you can do about it except move forward and turn your cheat into motivation.
A cheat meal won’t hurt us as long as we have a plan to regain control.
Include these four tips into your plan and you’re always back on track the day after a cheat meal!
We hope this helps!
Jasmine Browley holds an MA in journalism from Columbia College Chicago, and has contributed to Ebony, Jet and MADE Magazine among others. So, clearly, she knows some stuff. Follow her digital journey @JasmineBrowley.
