You’ve had a hard day and you’re stressed and exhausted. You’ve been eating nothing but lean meat, vegetables and rice for months. And while this diet change has delivered excellent health results, you’re craving ice cream. Someone at work mentioned the most popular cheat foods on the planet recently and you just laughed. But now you’d really like to know what these are, and if ice cream is on the list.
So, how do you make this indulgence as healthy as possible if you’ve not tried a cheat meal yet? And could this cheat meal wreck your run of healthy eating and changed lifestyle behaviour?
Let’s look at the most most popular cheat foods on the planet now and how you can make eating these as healthy as possible 🙂
Cheat foods can be a great way to reward yourself for good behaviour. Plus, they can let you feel more flexible about food choices, while allowing you to still meet weight loss goals or fitness objectives. But it is essential to plan your cheat food intake, so you don’t over indulge and blow your calorie limit sky high. Also consider what other nutritious foods will complement cheat foods allowing you to satisfy your cravings without sacrificing too many health benefits.
The Most Popular Cheat Foods On The Planet #1: Honey Mustard Pretzels
People love Honey Mustard Pretzels because their quick, easy and tasty to eat. Eating a handful of these is equivalent around 140-190 calories. So, if you’re looking to negate this calorie intake you’ll need to walk briskly for some 30-40 minutes or swim or jog for 15-20 minutes. Of course, your height, weight and body composition may slightly alter how quickly or slowly your body burns these tasty morsels up.
The Most Popular Cheat Foods On The Planet #2: Steak With Sauce or Topping
While eating a steak by itself isn’t considered a cheat food because it’s high in protein and other nutritious vitamins and minerals. Adding a creamy sauce or a Surf and Turf seafood topping can make a healthy steak of around 270 calories double to 540-680 calories. So, while this treat is delicious, to counteract the additional calorie intake you’ll need to walk, jog or swim for longer. The health benefits of eating steak include stabilising your blood sugar levels throughout the day, helping you to feel fuller faster. Add a salad or veggies to your steak, and you can enjoy a tasty, high-protein meal in no time.
The Most Popular Cheat Foods On The Planet #3: Chicken Strips
Chicken strips are a a crowd pleaser. As one of the most popular cheat foods on the planet they are loved and enjoyed by many people often. However, most chicken strip lovers like to fry their tenders, which can make them unhealthy. For a healthier option, consider baking your chicken strips and using spices rather than breading.You can also include vegetables such as cucumbers or zucchini and squash for an even healthier meal than before.
The Most Popular Cheat Foods On The Planet #4: Cakes, Cookies, Pies and Pastries
Sure these treats are delicious, but they’re also full of sugar. The cup fulls of sugar found in these all time favourites can spike blood glucose levels and leave you feeling cranky and tired afterward. If you must indulge in such decadence, make your serving smaller. Try having a slice or peice, rather than two or three, and forgo the ice cream. You can also make this gingerbread or your own receipes giving you greater control over what goes into your mouth. Remember there are healthier options available that can reduce your calorie intake but satisfy your sweet tooth.
The Most Popular Cheat Foods On The Planet #5: Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt
This is obviously one of the most popular cheat foods on the planet as everyone loves ice cream. But when one scoop of ice cream contains around 207 calories it pays to restrict the number of scoops you have. Alternatively, you can opt for a sugar-free option such as sorbet or a protien rich frozen yogurt. These healthier choices will keep you on track fitness wise and you’ll feel better about having a sweet treat.
The Most Popular Cheat Foods On The Planet #6: Dark Chocolate
Dark choclate with more than 70% cocoa has a multitude of health benefits. Cocoa is a powerful antioxidant, plus it reduces lowers blood pressure and improves blood flow. Dark chocolate is also fibre rich and is jam-packed ith minerals like iron. There are also some delicious receipes that you can make including chocolate cake that will satisfy your cravings and keep your healthier.
The Most Popular Cheat Foods On The Planet: Key Takeaways
Consuming the most popular cheat foods on the planet doesn’t have to undo all of that hard work you’ve done on maintaining your health. By following these key takeaways you can have one of the most popular cheat foods on the planet at least once a week.
- Aim to counteract cheat food calorie intake by doing more exercise.
- Rather than eating a packet of honey mustard pretzels make yourself up portion controlled packets to eat.
- Try making healthier alternatives to foods that aren’t so healthy for you.
- Eat smaller servings of cheat foods.
- Look for health improving substitutes like dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.
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