Morning or Evening: When is the best time to eat a cheat meal?

Do you too indulge in a cheat meal every now and then whenever you are following a diet? Cravings are natural and hit harder when you are trying to stay away from fried and sugary foods. It is best to fix your cheat days in order to keep better track of your diet. Your cheat meals can be once a week or once a fortnight, depending on how much weight you want to lose in how much time. If you quickly want to lose weight in less time, it is better to keep cheat meals once every two weeks.

Now, when is the best time to savour a cheat meal- morning or evening? Though you can have it any time of the day, eating a cheat meal in the morning would be much better than consuming it any time else.

This is because your body is capable of burning twice as many calories in the morning as compared to the evening. This is known as the power of chronobiology. This is why it always recommended to have a proper breakfast and never skip it for the sake of getting thinner. It is also suggested to workout in the morning than in the evening because your body will burn more calories during the early hours.

Your glucose levels will rise twice as much if you eat a meal loaded with calories in the evening compared to the morning, which will not only disturb your sleep but will also add to your weight.

The key to savour a cheat meal and also watch over your weight at the same time is portion control. Whenever you opt for a cheat meal it is better to fix a portion size for yourself. Always eat in small portions, enough to satiate your cravings. This way you will be able to enjoy your favourite food without feeling guilty about it.

The best way to avoid any fat deposits on your body because of those cheat meals is to burn some extra calories. If you are already following a diet and have a cheat meal every now and then, it is advisable to maintain a regular workout routine.

Sweat it out in the gym, do home exercises, jog around the block, practise yoga or play any of your favourite sport to get your body moving. On average, 30-40 minutes of exercise is enough, to begin with. You can extend it to 40-50 minutes, depending on your body's capacity. This way you can enjoy your favourite food without going on a guilt trip and also keep those extra kgs at bay.