The need or desire to lose weight can send us to extremes. For me that’s what causes my failure. Today I do thing a different way. In my diet, nothing is offlimits, but I watch my calorie count. So I have a cheat meal now and then, just try not to make it a frequent thing. But there’s another reason to have a cheat meal. And believe it or not, it can actually help you lose weight.
Leptin is hormone that regulates fat storage in the body. It is produced by fat cells, so more fat equals more leptin. The more leptin, the more okay it is to for the body to burn fat. When leptin levels drop, the reverse is true.
You can combat this by eating a cheat meal periodically. This is known as refeeding. Refeeding is eating a lot of food to stimulate leptin production. But it can’t be just anything. If you eat a lot of fat in your cheat meal, it can cause the reverse effect, and decrease your leptin levels. But carbohydrates increase leptin levels without increasing resistance. So when refeeding you should eat more bread, pasta, oats, and cereals. If you are gluten-intolerant, stick to rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and legumes (but not peanuts – need to keep fat intake down to less than 25% of your caloric intake).
You can do this for a day, or sometimes 2. Your weight may go up slightly, but the metabolic boost will conterract that soon.
Another hormone that regulates metabolism is ghrelin. It is secreted by the stomach, and it’s what makes us hungry when it’s lunchtime. If you fast, your ghrelin goes up, and you feel hungry, which makes sense. But it also slows metabolism, curbing your ability to burn fat. Studies show gastric bypass patients have less ghrelin, which makes it easier for them to lose weight, it’s not just having a smaller stomach. It also may account for the fact that eating more, smaller meals is a good strategy for weight loss or weight management.
I had a baked potato last night, and I’ll probably have another tonight, don’t like to waste food. Unfortunately, I’ll also have plenty of fat in the form of smart balance, sour cream, bacon, and cheese. oh well.
Still, the message is that sometimes a cheat meal is not a cheat meal. It’s a strategy for good health.
Sources:
[profanity warning] https://www.muscleforlife.com/leptin-and-weight-loss/
http://www.leanmachinenutrition.com/blog/2015/12/14/how-reefed-days-help-you-lose-weightnot-the-same-as-a-cheat-day
https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/satter17.htm
Weight (change since Jan 2018): 212 (-62)
Workout time: 0 Minutes
Total Distance (total since Nov 2017): 2.21 Miles (410.58)
Steps: 5,733
Muscle Mass (change since Aug 2018): 162.09 (+19)
Body Fat: 23.4%
Daily Sleep Duration 7-day Avg: 5 hours
2019 Goal: 15% Body Fat