On Fat Loss And Eating CleanRecently, a reader e-mailed me for some advice about clean eating and fat loss. "I have a history of eating disorders," they wrote. "The worst of my problems are now five years in the past, and I have pretty healthy habits these days." "However, I find that my enthusiasm for clean eating and working out will last for about a week, before I get derailed and find myself struck with that manic urge to order a large pizza for myself!! The past few weeks (I hate to say) I've obeyed the urge." "There seems to something about the restriction that triggers me. I don't know if this is due to my memories of eating chaos in the past or if there's something happening on a physical level, like maybe my body is extra sensitive to the slightest hint of starvation." "Do you have any advice for me? How do people who've struggled with eating disorders in the past break free and get results on a fat loss program?" Here's what I told them...Firstly, I should make it clear that I don't have any clinical experience or training in the area of eating disorders, so what follows is just "my two cents" based on my own experience and that of my clients and friends. For some, "clean eating" can take on an almost religious importance, where any deviation is seen as the equivalent of dancing with the dietary devil. My own view is that clean eating is not necessary or even desirable for people who want to lose fat. As I see it, having some kind of "cheat" meal once or twice per week can actually help with fat loss from both a physiological and psychological point of view. The main physiological benefit of a meal that's high in carbohydrate (such as pizza) is an increase in muscle glycogen (carbohydrate) levels. This can help to improve performance in the gym, especially during high-intensity exercise, such as weight training or interval training. A high-carbohydrate meal can also help to improve your mood. Meals high in carbohydrate elevate serotonin levels and leave you feeling a little calmer and more relaxed [1]. And no research I've seen shows that the source of carbohydrate in your diet has much of an impact on how fast you lose weight once the basics of your diet are in place (calories are set at an appropriate level, protein intake is adequate to preserve muscle, and you're getting sufficient amounts of essential fatty acids). Psychologically, however, a cheat meal can cause some people to come unstuck. They take an "all or nothing" approach to diet and exercise, and any kind of unplanned deviation marks the end of the diet and the start of a junk food "binge" that can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. I don't think this is all that uncommon. And, in my experience at least, it's not exclusive to people who suffer or have suffered from an eating disorder. While I don't think this type of behavior falls into the category of an eating disorder, you could probably label it as a form of disordered eating. I think the solution is to incorporate some kind of planned and controlled cheat meal into your diet. It's human nature to want the things we can't have, and if you actually plan to have a pizza (or whatever you fancy) once or twice a week, I'm guessing that you'll want it less. This should make it a lot easier to stick to your diet in the long run.
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