A cheat meal is a one-time, planned break from a weight loss routine where there is a choice to eat feel-good foods that are not part of that diet. A cheat day is the same, allowed for an entire day.
A refeed phase in a weight loss routine involves a period where there is a purposeful and mindful increase in calorie intake, through carbohydrates, to compensate for calorie deficit and energy loss.
WHY DO WE CHEAT
First, we need to understand why we feel the need to have a cheat day.
The human body produces and regulates a number of hormones. Leptin is one such hormone, also called the satiety hormone. This hormone, made by the fat cells in the body, control hunger and are responsible for energy balance.
- Since weight loss routines focus on a calorie-deficit diet plan, over time, the body’s leptin production slows down.
- The symptoms of this slow down are increased hunger, slower metabolism and lower energy levels.
- And since you start feeling hungry again, you will end up eating more, thereby slowing weight loss.
This is the root cause of desires for cheat days.
REFEEDS
Refeeds are an alternative to cheat days. The idea of refeeds is to bring leptin levels back up again to a moderate amount, so that your hunger is satiated but at the same time, ensuring that your calorie intake does not shoot up above limits.
- Therefore, a refeed in a weight loss program is a time where you can increase your calorie intake for the day, up to the level of body weight maintenance, by consuming a controlled quantity of carbohydrates.
- After the refeed, leptin levels rise which increase metabolic rates and all this brings energy back to the body. So, you will no longer feel hungry and can easily step back into the diet routine for weight loss.
- Refeed times can be flexible, according to how you progress with the weight loss routine.
- Refeed and maintenance levels are calculated based on the calories you are dieting at, the length of time you’ve been dieting for and your metabolism rate while on the diet plan.
Make sure you consult with your fitness coach and dietician to understand maintenance calories for your body weight so that you can decide on a solid plan for refeed.
DIFFERENT FROM CHEAT MEALS
Cheat Meals –
- Cheat meals are lazy meals. They are unplanned and have no structured or well-defined limit.
- Cheat meals / days have higher failure rates since it’s easy to lose track of calories.
Refeeds –
- Refeeds are well-planned and have clear limits based on a calculation of maintenance calories.
- Refeeds help to quench the appetite mainly when energy levels are very low and it focuses primarily on including more carbohydrates.
When on any diet plan, it pays off to train the mind to enjoy every meal consistently rather than condition it to wait eagerly for a day to cheat. Eat within limits and eat to progress.
