Should you plan in a cheat meal/day? That depends on the kind of person you are – some people can have one piece of chocolate, a cake or a few crisps, cheese or whatever your guilty pleasure is and others can’t.
Depriving yourself of your favourite treat – whatever it may be – could set you on a mission to sabotage your goal, however determined you are to achieve that goal. Why? Because the brain makes decisions about food constantly – more than you can ever be aware of, so, sticking rigidly to your plan might seem like a good idea, but for some people, it will just make them crave foods, by allowing yourself a cheat meal or day once a week can actually help you stay on target because nothing is completely ‘banned’ or defined as ‘naughty’. It could also help to reboot your metabolism.
Just remember – it’s a once a week/fortnight treat and not the start of falling off the healthy eating plan! If it happens – maybe it’s time to go back to the Food Diary!