Is It OK To Cheat When On A Weight Loss Diet?

If you're trying to lose weight and are struggling with sticking to a restrictive eating program, read this.  Many people wonder if it's okay to cheat when on a diet and here's the truth.

By: Ed Scow, NSCA-CPT: Certified Fitness & Nutrition Expert to the True Superheroes - Busy Moms & Dads and author of Fat Loss To Go

I love working with small groups of clients because I get a lot of good questions, and follow-up questions if someone doesn’t like the answer I give.

It makes me think on my toes and come up with really good answers because if one person doesn’t like the answer, another will jump in right away with an even better question.

Take this exchange I had last week about weight loss diets, reward meals, cheating and exercise.

Question: “If I’m exercising hard and doing my weight loss workouts regularly, can I relax my nutrition and still lose weight?”

My answer: Not if you really want to lose weight.

Follow-up question by another person in the group: “Really? Not even a little?”

My answer was a little long, so I’m going to condense it for you. Plus you won’t get the feeling of me shaking the heck out of these clients whose main goal is weight loss.

You always need to keep reminding yourself what your goal is. Do you just want to maintain your weight and not lose anymore, or do you want to continue to lose weight and get rid of that flabby goo sitting on top of your waist?

This rationalization that you can relax your eating habits because you’ve been doing your weight loss workouts is one of the biggest reasons you’re failing to achieve anymore success with your fat loss.

I’m not saying you can’t have some of your favorite treats. Quite the opposite actually. Enjoy the things you like, but in moderation. If there’s a dessert that looks good, I’m usually the first one in line to scarf it down…if I haven’t already eaten my “reward meal”.

You cannot lose sight of your weight loss goals.

You cannot out-train a bad diet.

If you are consistently exercising and want to have a cookie, or 4, go ahead, but make sure you stop there.

Don’t grab the whole bag and start dunking them in glasses of milk. And don’t have a couple cookies, then an hour later go out to dinner and have a cheeseburger and fries.

Always keep your goals at the top of your mind and don’t let people get to you if they start calling you a health nut for eating well. Wear that as a badge of honor because you’re going to be the one with the fat free body while they’re complaining about their ever-growing gut, butt and thighs. 

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