Nobody strictly adheres to their diet all year round; it is true that to become leaner and more muscular, you have to eating a certain amount of specific nutritious foods, but this does not mean that we cannot indulge in some whim.
Even athletes indulge themselves every few days "Cheat meal" or free meal; let's find out together what cheat meals are and the advantages and disadvantages they bring to the diet.
Index
What are cheat meals?
The terms cheat meals, cheat day (day off), diet refeeds and diet breaks are sometimes used interchangeably by coaches and trainers.
Research indicates that more than 50% of athletes when preparing for a competition bodybuilding (as Hafthor Björnsson) use cheat meals; a cheat meal can be defined as a meal in which one's restrictive and meticulously calculated diet is abandoned for a brief introduction of "forbidden" foods, regardless of quantity and macronutrients.
This is what a cheat meal is; an opportunity to eat whatever you want, in unlimited quantities, under the pretext that this will stimulate the metabolism and will help prevent muscle loss.
How does cheat meal work (or should it work)?
The general idea is that bingeing every now and then will boost metabolism, improve appetite-related hormones, reduce stress-related hormones, and help maintain muscle, all with the expectation that this will produce better results when you recover. your diet.
The theoretical mechanism behind the cheat meal is the Leptin, the hormone that regulates appetite and energy expenditure; it is released by the fat cells and increases with the ingestion of carbohydrates.
In response to cheat meals, leptin levels should rise rapidly, but it is not so obvious.
Disadvantages and advantages of cheat meals
The increase in leptin after a cheat meal is only temporary and quickly returns to normal levels; the alleged benefits of the cheat meal, therefore, do not exceed the impact of an excessive consumption of calories in such a short period.
THEthe only positive effect really demonstrated occurs on a psychological level, since the diet, especially in preparation for a race, can be really exhausting.
Indulging cravings over a free meal can also help regain motivation, but for some it may just be the beginning of a series of uncontrollable binges.
Who can afford cheat meals?
According to some research, “seasoned” athletes are the most suitable subjects to indulge in a weekly cheat meal, because they have serious and well-founded reasons to return to their diet and training routine.
Newbies can indulge in some whim of course, but a real cheat meal is not recommended to avoid losing sight of your goals.
In conclusion…
From a physiological point of view, it is difficult to justify using cheat meals to improve body composition; from a psychological sustainability perspective, indulging in some whim is inevitable.
We are human beings, we have cravings and life must be lived and enjoyed.
And you, how often do you indulge in a cheat meal or some whim? Let us know in the comments!
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