Should You Have a Cheat Day on an Ancestral Diet?
Are you following an ancestral diet but wondering if you should have a cheat day?
It's a question that many people ask themselves when they are trying to stick to a healthy lifestyle. In this blog post, we'll explore the pros and cons of having a cheat day on an ancestral diet. You’ll also discover some healthy ancestral alternatives to your favorite cheat foods!
First, let's define what an ancestral diet is.
An ancestral diet is based on the foods that our ancestors ate before the advent of agriculture. It includes whole, unprocessed foods such as meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and for some people, dairy. The idea is to eat the way our ancestors did, before the introduction of processed foods, refined sugar, and artificial ingredients.
Some notable and popular ancestral diet variations are Paleo, Primal, Pegan, Ketovore, Carnivore, Animal-Based, Whole30, and AIP.
So, should you have a cheat day on an ancestral diet?
The answer is that it depends on your health or fitness goals, your mindset, and how closely you want to adhere to an ancestral diet.
Some people find that having a cheat day helps them stick to their diet the rest of the week because it breaks up the monotony of an otherwise stringent diet. Others prefer to stick to their ancestral diet without any cheat days because they have a hard time finding their way back to healthful eating after eating “trigger” foods they find addictive. It's ultimately up to you to decide what works best for your lifestyle and goals.
When is a cheat day unhealthy?
The important thing is to avoid your personal triggers. Many people find that eating even smaller amounts of gluten, GMO, cane sugar, and unnatural food additives can bring on inflammation, bloating, digestive distress, skin breakouts, cravings, joint pain, mood swings, and a feeling of bodily toxicity.
If you find yourself each Sunday mitigating a food hangover from Saturday’s cheat day, you may wish to rethink how beneficial your cheat day actually is for you. Also if your cheat “days” turn out to be cheat “weekends” because you started early on a Friday night and then ate the leftover cheat food all day Sunday, this may be a sign to revisit your cheat day strategy!
Does your cheat day bring you joy and balance? Or does it bring you guilt and shame? While this post is not intended to diagnose disordered eating, it is important to speak to your doctor if you feel overeating, under-eating, or binge eating might be a problem for you.
If you do decide to have a cheat day, though…
The good news is that if you decide that a cheat day on your ancestral diet is the best choice for you, but you don’t want to consume many “food like substances,” there are plenty of healthy options to indulge in!
Here are 7 ideas for ancestral diet cheat day foods:
1. Dark chocolate: Choose chocolate with at least 85% cacao and that is made with coconut sugar instead of cane sugar. Not only is this treat ancestral-approved, it’s also rich in antioxidants and minerals!
2. Sweet potato fries: Sweet potatoes are a great source of slow-burning carbohydrates and fiber. Try roasting sweet potato strips with cinnamon and coconut oil for a sweet treat, or with garlic and ghee for a savory snack.
3. Grass-fed beef burger: If you're craving a burger, go for a beef patty and skip the bun. Top it with avocado, sautéed onions, and goat cheese!
4. Homemade potato chips: Slice sweet potatoes or regular potatoes very thinly and bake them in the oven with a sprinkle of sea salt until crispy.
5. Almond flour pancakes: Use almond flour instead of wheat flour to make pancakes or waffles. Top with fresh fruit and maple syrup. Yum!
6. Coconut ice cream: Coconut milk ice cream is a delicious dairy-free alternative that can satisfy a sweet tooth. TIP: Search for recipes online that are no-churn if you don’t own an ice cream maker.
7. Paleo pizza: Prepare a pizza crust using ancestral ingredients like cassava flour. You can even use a Portobello mushroom as the base if you don’t feel like getting out the mixing bowl! Add your favorite toppings, bake until golden, slice, and enjoy.
In Conclusion: Should You Have a Cheat Day on an Ancestral Diet?
When it comes to following an ancestral diet, cheat days can be either beneficial or unhealthy, depending on your specific situation. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to have a cheat day is up to the individual.
It’s perfectly okay to take a step back and really ask yourself if your cheat day is bringing you regret or success.
*Not medical advice
Sources
https://paleoleap.com/take-cheat-day/