HYDERABAD: Are you a foodie who hates the idea of being on a diet and looks for the silliest of reasons to cheat on it? Even if one’s not a foodie, eating boring green foods every day can often feel mundane, tasteless and lifeless.
But cheat days are the worst ways to deal with your cravings for some exciting change on your plate. A single junk meal with burgers, pizzas and fries could take you back a week’s progress and nobody wants to lose that.
That, however, does not mean you sulk yourself to unhappy meals. CE speaks to doctors who share the right way to cheat on your diet.
G Sushma, chief clinical dietitian at Care Hospitals, explains how one can convert a cheat day into a healthy one. “If one is on a low-carb diet or intermitted fasting or keto, one can opt for a cheat day once a week. On these days, go for something that’s healthy and tasty, like a chocolate smoothie with the addition of protein powder, some peanut butter and a lot of nuts and fruits that will give you other vitamins, minerals and fibre.
This is how you can make a smart replacement. Pizza too can be a good option with the addition of veggies, meat and cheese for the perfect protein balance that your body needs. Add tomatoes, capsicum and onions which will give you fibre and other nutrients.
Cheese platters are a great option too. Try some chicken salad with different vegetables. If you’re into baking, remember to add protein powder, nuts and fruits. Smoothie bowls are another excellent option - you can add berries, chia seeds, fruits, sunflower seeds and ice creams too.
To popcorn, you can add cinnamon. One can also have dark chocolate as it is a very good source of antioxidants. Pancakes with protein powder and fruits are great too,” Sushma tells CE. Sujatha Stephen RD, the chief nutritionist at Yashoda Hospitals, Malakpet, says it’s important to not to give up on your diet plan, even if it is a cheat day.
“Cheat day doesn’t mean you can gorge on all kinds of junk food - we must train our body to keep away from these foods. Being on a diet is all about controlling portion sizes and so, on your cheat day, when you eat junk food, your metabolism or brain gets confused.
This is why most people tend to give up and fail to follow a strict diet. Personally, cheat day shouldn’t be an excuse for bad food but days when you’re out of options to eat healthy food. On such days, choose lighter foods instead of heavy, oily ones.
Homecooked food would be a wiser option,” she says, adding that one must always look for healthier options to satiate their cravings.