'Cheat days' help woman shed 8 cm off waist

Van works as a teacher in the southern province of Binh Duong. Measuring 1.58-meters tall and weighing 54.5-kilograms, her waist used to be 75 cm.

She tried different ways to lose weight but felt it was too much pressure to follow strict rules. She never felt comfortable dieting, and she always felt guilty when she inevitably drank bubble tea or ate cake.

She then sought help from a professional nutrition coach, Dr. Pham Thai Tan, who introduced her to the concept of having one "cheat day" a week, on which she can eat whatever she craves.

"Cheat days freed me from the feeling of guilt," she said, adding that she managed to lose weight after adapting this more relaxed attitude.

Van lost 8 cm from her waistline and 4.5 kg after spending a day a week eating whatever she craves for. Photo courtesy of Van

According to Tan, using "cheat days" has become a popular tool used by many professional athletes.

The doctor explained: Cutting down caloric intake is the principle behind losing weight. People may find it easy when they start, but as time passes by, their bodies will eventually realize that they are taking in less calories than the amount burned. To compensate, the body slows its metabolic rate and stimulates the appetite, aiming to boost food intake.

So having cheat days is an effective way to fool the body and guarantee the efficiency of the metabolism process, according to Dr. Tan.

The method has proved its effects on Van and many other students of Tan’s, as it has helped them relax and be able to follow their diet routines for the long run.

Having a "cheat day" once a week, when you can eat whatever you crave for, may assist you lose weight. Photo illustration by Freepik

However, Tan said there are several mistakes people may make when following this method. They may have too many cheat days, or grow a feeling of hatred towards their meal plans for the rest of the week as they do not bring them the feeling of happiness they have during cheat days.

Because of that, those who apply the cheat days method should work hard on the remaining days in order to achieve their weight loss goals, according to Tan, who pointed to Van as a good example.

For her diet plans during the rest of the week, Van prioritizes seasonal food sources that can be easily found. Plant-based dishes make up 50% of Van’s meals, while the rest of her food intake include dishes that provide protein and carbohydrates. She always starts her meals with vegetables, followed by dishes that provide protein, and concludes with carbohydrates.

She mainly consumes raw vegetables and fruits that have low Glucose Indexes (GI). Boiled dishes are her next priority, while deep-fried or grilled dishes are her least favored cooking methods. She replaces animal fat in her meals with healthy fat like olive or avocado oil.

Another rule of thumb Van applies in her diet contains three "nos": no simple carbohydrates, no high-sugar dishes, and no high-GI fruits. This means Van excludes a variety of common foods from her diet, including white rice, white flour, cake, bubble tea, and coke.

In addition to her diet plan, Van also exercises frequently. She has switched to riding her bicycles instead of her motorbike, and she tries to walk from 45 to 60 minutes every day. She has one or two snacks throughout the day to guarantee that her body is provided with enough energy. She drinks a lot of water, practices deep breathing, goes to bed early, and focuses on keeping her mood up.