Eat what you want in large quantities and lose weight? Yes. That’s true, but there are some caveats (there are always caveats): eat what you want one day a week, and try not to exceed your ideal caloric intake by 1,000 calories. But hey, 1000 calories can be a pretty good binge.
This tip isn’t just some crazy trick to make a diet more, shall we say, palatable. There is actually sound physiological reasoning behind this one day a week binge diet program. But it’s much easier to stick to a diet if you know that every Saturday, for example, you can have that cake or chocolate ice cream or whatever else strikes your fancy in your diet and exercise program. Now you’re exercising, right? Your diet is extremely important, but it is also important to maintain good health that you exercise regularly.
The reason this binge day helps, apart from mentally, is because when you go on a diet and reduce your calorie intake, your body has a certain way of responding that will make it harder to lose weight. Your body essentially thinks that hunting and gathering have become more difficult and that it is better to prepare for a long winter of lean meals. Thus, it slows down your metabolism and begins the process of converting some of your muscle into energy and saves body fat. “By God, fat is our last reserve, I won’t let them take it from us or we’ll starve to death”, thinks your loyal body although somewhat clueless. And this is the last thing you want your body to do or think. You’re trying to lose the fat, right?
But you can’t override natural defense mechanisms, at least not yet. So trick your body into thinking the crops are in and the harvest is plentiful by indulging one day a week. When you eat this way, your body will not go into conservation mode and you will be able to lose weight and, more significantly, fat more easily. Also, it’s a lot of fun to have a holiday. So eat, drink and be skinny.