14 DAY TRIAL // It is already common knowledge that the most challenging part of dieting is having to accept that it comes with many restrictions. Researchers say it’s precisely knowing we can’t have something that makes us want it more, which is why we should approach dieting from a different angle: stop trying to play by the rules and learn instead to cheat better, as MSNBC can confirm.
Dieting is like a never-ending story, especially in the case of those that promise many pounds lost over just a couple of days. After the diet comes the weight gain, and then another diet and the same weight gain, and so on and so forth, so what we must strive to achieve is some sort of balance in our diet that is not focused so much on losing weight as it is on keeping it off. Clearly, that cannot be done when restrictions apply, therefore we must learn to cheat better and smarter, and thus be able to indulge and, at the same time, still maintain our figure.
“Forget drawing up elaborate, depressing lists of prohibited foods; isn’t calculating exactly how often you can get away with indulging infinitely more appealing? ‘You can have it all – just not all in one day,’ says Susan Roberts, professor of nutrition and psychiatry at Tufts University and author of ‘The Instinct Diet’ (Workman). And she’s just one of many nutritionists who have come to believe that this model – let’s call it the Cheater’s Diet – could change the whole way we think about what we put in our mouths.” MSNBC writes.
However, as with all diets, there’s a line between cheating and delusional, researchers and nutritionists point out, and it must not be crossed. Eating a scoop of ice cream and “accidentally” having the entire cup are completely different things and the latter would not fit into the grand scheme of better cheating. Another aspect the smart dieter must remember is that snacks are good – recommended actually. Eating snacks in between meals ensures that we don’t go extremely hungry and then overindulge once seated at the table, therefore, as long as we pay attention to the calorie count (100-200 calories per snack, every three hours), we should be able to stay fit while also getting to enjoy some of the things we like.
“Frequent snacks are, in fact, a key to weight loss, ‘because if you become ravenous, you’re compulsive, you make bad food choices, and you give in to cravings,’ says Stephen Gullo, a New York City health psychologist and author of ‘The Thin Commandments Diet’ (Rodale). While there’s no schedule that works for everyone, 100 or so calories every three to four hours should eliminate stomach rumbling. New York City nutritionist Lauren Slayton, founder of foodtrainers.net, likes high-fiber Gnu bars and dried-fruit-based Larabars, and cautions that whatever you choose should have fewer than 200 calories. ‘A lot of those nutrition bars are made for bodybuilders,’ she says, ‘not for women sitting at their desks.’” MSNBC further explains.
For more tips and tricks on how to get started on the Cheater’s Diet, please see here.