Being healthy and dieting can be tough, which is why God invented “cheat days”. Health “cheats” make it that little bit easier to stay faithful to your diet, and they help you to get through another week/month of eating food that may not be your favorite.
The good news: you can cheat a little bit every day, and it can actually help your diet! Here are some cheats that will actually do you good in the long run:
- Snack on Guacamole — If everyone else is eating chip and dip, don’t be left out! Get yourself some BAKED chips, and dip them into guacamole for a heart-healthy, weight loss-friendly snack!
- Go Veggie Pizza — All the oil in the toppings is what kills your diet, so why not eat an all-veggie pizza? Always have thin-crust, but enjoy the tomato sauce and cheese.
- Cheat with protein — If you’re craving something hefty, why not turn to an extra piece of steak or chicken breast instead of bread or pasta? Protein is much better for your muscles, and can even help to speed up metabolism.
- Have some pie — Bake yourself a fruit-heavy, low-sugar, low-fat pie, and enjoy the natural sweetness and tartness of your favorite fruit without overdoing it on the crust.
- Taste the burger — Just because your buddies are hitting the burger joint, that doesn’t mean you can’t join them. Just order the burger without any butter (on the bread) or mayonnaise (one of the condiments) and savor the meaty flavor of the burger patty itself. Hold the fries, and drink water, of course!
- Have some trail mix — Trail mix can be high in calories, but it’s a great snack if you need a little something sweet. A few M&Ms and raisins will be fine, as long as you stick to a SINGLE HANDFUL of the stuff.
READ MORE: 20 Easy Ways to Shave Off 100 Calories
- Make your fries sweet — Want French fries? Try sweet potato fries instead! They’re not much lower in fat, but they add EXCELLENT nutrients to your diet.
- Try dipped strawberries — Instead of eating candy, get yourself some natural dark chocolate. Melt it and use it to dip strawberries to make a heart-healthy, diet-friendly sweet treat!
- Drink dark — You may not want to drink too much beer while on your diet, but the occasional pint is fine. Always go dark beer when you do, as it’s loaded with antioxidants that light beer just doesn’t have.
- Find nutty candies — Need a candy while at your desk? If your sweet tooth is your weakness, look for a Snickers Almond Bar or any other candy bar loaded with nuts. The high nut content contains more dietary fiber, meaning less effect on your blood sugar.
- Dip into hummus — Try pita bread chips with a creamy hummus dip to replace your tortilla chips and cream-based dip. It’s a much healthier alternative, and you get a good balance of protein, fiber, and carbs.
- Go whole grain — If you MUST have that morning muffin, make it a bran muffin or bake whole grain muffins yourself. The whole grains will be higher in fiber and nutrients, and thereby will not affect your blood sugar as much.
Cheating on your diet isn’t something you should plan to do every day, but it’s definitely something that will happen. If you cheat smart, you can actually promote healthy weight loss and muscle building thanks to the snacks and “extras” you use for your cheat day. Use the tips above to help you cheat the right way!
