The Cheater's Diet
The Cheater’s Diet is one of the most controversial diets ever existed. Basically, it is a unique diet program by a weight loss physician Paul Rivas, MD, which is established on the idea and belief that if one is physically active, eat healthy meals most of the time, and cheat only during a specific time, he or she will be able to permanently lose some excess fats.
At present, the Cheater’s Diet is considered as something which is in between – not so good and yet not so bad. Some of its assumptions are with basis but some are unfortunately vague and unreasonable.
In general, the Cheater’s Diet is not for everybody. Its foundation is somehow complexed and questionable, therefore objective type of people may find it a bit offending and senseless. Its idea about 9:00 am Saturday to 9:00 pm Sunday cheating time is a bit confusing, so more or less people who follow strictly the weight loss flow may find Cheater’s Diet pointless and wasted.
Limitations and Restrictions
Cheater’s Diet is normally associated with Mediterranean-style diet with lots of fruits, whole grains, vegetables, lean protein, low fat dairy particularly yogurt, unsaturated fats and peanuts.
Based on the Mediterranean-style diet, you are then normally encouraged to have three meals and two snacks every day using the plate method and based from an approved list that includes fruit, nuts, protein bars, low calorie frozen treats, low fat yogurt or pudding, etc. To some extent, all these may seem tough, but thanks to Rivas, she has illustrated exact portion sizes in a form dieters will more or less easily understand.
Just an important reminder, during the week when cheating is not allowed, sugar, bread, saturated fats, and alcohol are not allowed. However, during the weekends when cheating is allowed, dieters can satisfy their cravings for foods high in sugar, fats, etc. like pizza, wine, chocolate, peanut butter, cinnamon buns, ice cream, strawberry shortcake, cheese, bread, meat, nuts and even some other foods as long as they do not trigger a “blast”.
Basics of the Cheater’s Diet
Generally speaking, the Cheater’s Diet is an extraordinary diet program. It encourages dieters to practice a healthy, reduced-calorie diet, along with plenty of physical activity during the week and some sort of cheating stuff during the weekends. It also encourages dieters to have supplements such as Yerba Mate, L-tyrosine 5 HTP, green tea extract, and Mucana Pruriens to fire up the weight loss process.
Basically, the idea about a healthy, reduced-calorie diet and all can actually be attributed to Rivas belief that eating a healthy diet, consisting of three meals and two small snacks during the week, prevents the metabolic slow-down that normally happens on most diet programs.
Similarly, for Rivas, cheating during the weekends can stir up your metabolism and helps you burn significant calories when you go back to your typical weekday eating program.
Insights of Some Experts
Well, in one way or another, the Cheater’s Diet though sometimes senseless and pointless, is still a good program that provides healthful menus and emphasizes the importance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and physical activity.
However, for an American Dietetic Association spokesman Cynthia Sass, “the plan is likely between 1,600 and 1,800 calories, which of course, may be too many calories for a very petite female, or far too few for a muscular male (especially at the level of activity recommended)”.
For her, the one-size-fits all approach of the Cheater’s Diet is in a way worthless and actually needs further study. At the same time, most importantly, for Sass, “there are no references or research provided to back up the author’s claims, even though he oftentimes refers to research in the book”.
Sass also purported that there are individuals who do not cheat on weekends even once, but have lost weight because of having treats in moderation during weekdays. She also do not agree with the supplement suggestions as there are many cases of weight loss that have occurred in the past without any connection with supplements.
Why Not Cheater’s Diet
In reality, you can’t actually please everybody. Well, there are some who are somehow interested with the Cheater’s Diet but there are also some who are very vocal of their inhibitions about the program.
One of the people who has affirmed negative feelings about the Cheater’s Diet is Cynthia Sass. For her, it is far better to try some other guides or try online help from some sites like mypyramid.gov for a successful weight loss program rather than resort to a program like Cheater’s Diet.
But, on the contrary, the Cheater’s Diet is not just about pure negative stuff. As a diet program, it still has the potential to help you out achieve the slimmer body you desire.