5 health tips you should think about on cheat day

You've spent week after week dieting to prepare yourself for your unit's command fitness test because you want to do your absolute best and make weight. However, it's hard as hell to stick to a diet with all those delicious foods out there to enjoy — we're only human, after all.

Skipping out on tasty treats in order to shed a few pounds isn't any fun, but it does work. However, we all deserve to cheat on our diets once every week or so to reward ourselves for making excellent progress. Like everything in life, properly cheating on your diet is all about timing and efficiency. Here's how to do it right.

---

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2FXaZOdMYXwArBu.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fi.giphy.com&s=672&h=a94f0744e80f78288e6ee9e13782c52f4b7d3af1065e19313dbcb8686f4b1ad3&size=980x&c=2087778025 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252FXaZOdMYXwArBu.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fi.giphy.com%26s%3D672%26h%3Da94f0744e80f78288e6ee9e13782c52f4b7d3af1065e19313dbcb8686f4b1ad3%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2087778025%22%7D" expand=1]

Protein!

Add some protein

When people cheat on their structured meal plan, they tend to scarf down carbs and love every minute of it. However, adding some protein to your cheat meal allows all those carbohydrates to escort that nutrition into storage — which helps increase your metabolism.

By adding some protein to your cheat meal, you'll continue to build lean muscle even after you ditch the diet. Also, adding protein will fill you up quicker, making you less likely to overeat.

Put some lemon in your water

About 15 minutes before your cheat meal, put some fresh-squeezed lemon into your water. This will help you digest food your body is no longer accustomed to consuming.

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2F3ohhwGAhWKWnKFqBvG.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fi.giphy.com&s=750&h=15032e7c99a274ebab17daed95b23a1a2510ad510e644799d339610372fa9a3c&size=980x&c=2669931264 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252F3ohhwGAhWKWnKFqBvG.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fi.giphy.com%26s%3D750%26h%3D15032e7c99a274ebab17daed95b23a1a2510ad510e644799d339610372fa9a3c%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2669931264%22%7D" expand=1]

Sit down during your meal

When tend to eat faster when we're standing up. Sit down, slow down, and enjoy your meal. Not only will you fill up more quickly, it's also more comfortable. This is your cheat day — treat yourself.

Chew your cheat meal slowly

When you scarf down a cheat meal, you typically don't feel so awesome afterward. Consider chewing each bite of food around 8-10 times before swallowing. This process allows your body to release a hormone called leptin. When this unique hormone is released, it tells your body it's getting full.

So, the more slowly you eat your cheat meal, the less likely you'll earn those love handles back.

[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2F3o6ozm0Akj49p7YhFu.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Fi.giphy.com&s=475&h=c62659ce7c6d7c6e4eb47916bcb29b02b5be9781d242980d3580197aabc71d0c&size=980x&c=2474387008 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252F3o6ozm0Akj49p7YhFu.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fi.giphy.com%26s%3D475%26h%3Dc62659ce7c6d7c6e4eb47916bcb29b02b5be9781d242980d3580197aabc71d0c%26size%3D980x%26c%3D2474387008%22%7D" expand=1]

Don't skip your workout

After a solid workout, your body's insulin sensitivity is higher and proactively absorbs nutrients. Your body has a tendency to take more of the positive nutrients out of that high-carb meal.

Resistance workouts are ideal for when you cheat on your diet.