When to Eat Junk Food

When and how should you eat junk food?

You'll see that different people have different rules, guidelines, and recommendations for this, so what I will do here is talk a bit about some of the more popular ones, and then give you mine. The key to choosing which of these works bet for you is to KNOW YOURSELF, TRUST YOURSELF, and above all, be honest with the outcomes. If it works for you, and you are able to see progress towards your goals each week, then it's working. If you do NOT see PROGRESS towards your own personal set goals, OR experience other negative effects (including negative feelings, emotions, digestion problems, or any other physiological reactions), then you will have to decide for yourself whether or not the pleasure you experience form enjoying your cheats in your chosen way outweigh the negative effects.

"Weekends are free, Eat whatever you want for 2 hours, Have a cheat day"
Meaning, that you eat clean, whole, healthy foods in your own self-determined caloric intake for 5 or even 6 days a week, and then, on the weekends, you eat whatever you want and don't keep track.

Here's what comes up for me from a psychological standpoint:
1. If you know that you have a problem with binge eating, then this will only reinforce that within you by literally choosing a pattern of eating that allows and encourages you to binge. Binge eaters (and people with eating disorders in general) all share the common eating pattern of alternating between pious and restricted eating and all-out-mayhem. It's the same for anorexics, bulimics, and the newest kid on the block (to be released in the new DSM), Binge Eating Disorder (BED).
2. EVERY TIME you eat chemicals, excess in sugar, calories, and fat, or drink alcohol or take any drug (prescriptions, supplements, caffeine, and over-the-counter included) it stresses your system out. EVERY TIME. Free radicals get released, insulin gets released, your liver gets taxed with breaking down fats and artificial/synthetic ingredients, etc, etc, etc. Your body doesn't know "it's ok" because it's a cheat day.
3. What this encourages in a separation of your mind and body, when what might benefit you more is to do more to bring those things together. If you feel full, stop eating. No need to keep eating because it's a cheat day (or hour, or two hours, or WHATEVER), and you won't have one again until (insert binge date here). ESPECIALLY if your goal involves weight loss, this rule can be detrimental. If you are creating a calorie deficit every day with the intention of losing weight, then unleash a beast on a cheat day; your body will likely store all those excess calories.
4. Binge eating can still make you feel guilty, uncertain, and uncomfortable. Even if you are justifying it with some rule. Only you know yourself deep down. Don't you mind what other people/trainers/celebrities and the like tell you? YOU know you BEST. Make sure you take that time to really know yourself, what you stand for (and WHY), and what your goals are. Always check in with those at the slightest sign of anxiety about weather or not to eat something.

Now, while I understand the reasoning behind giving yourself a break from tracking and counting and all that (believe me, I DO), here are some guidelines that I think will let you work those cheats into your lifestyle:

1. Plan your cheats. As in, if you are planning a cheat meal, a great time to do that is on a day when you are working out! You'll have a better chance of metabolizing whatever-the-heck it is you are going to eat because you are going to burn calories through exercise!

2. Track it. You know your BMR (RIGHT??), and hopefully, you know your AMR (Active Metabolic Rate). Now, let's say I worked out a ton and had an AMR of 2,800 calories in a day. The numbers will say that I can eat that many calories to maintain my weight. If this were a cheat kind-of-day, then I would consider ditching or lessening the calorie deficit for that day by eating JUST my AMR. That way, I still won't GAIN weight because I’m breaking EVEN.
Now, that being said, there are different macro-nutrient suggestions for different dietary goals.... Different ratio amounts of protein/carbs/fats to shoot for depending on what your goal is and where you are individually on your goal path. That being said, with cheats, it's going to be near impossible to maintain that ratio (especially if your cheat involves alcohol)- so THIS is where I recommend totally relaxing. Let that go, and just focus on keeping your caloric intake in check.

3. Keep it whole and delicious.
These days, there is NO excuse for eating processed junk food. You can make or purchase EVERYTHING with whole and natural ingredients. I bake with coconut oil, brown sugar, stevia, unbleached or even gluten-free flour. When we go to the movies, I buy popcorn from the health food store with no trans-fats and other healthy-version snacks and sneak it in with a giant purse (ssshhh, don't tell). Just because it's a cheat doesn't mean it has to be toxic! If it has artificial sweeteners, colors, preservatives, or other things unidentifiable as FOOD, then pass. You are better off without those things in your system EVEN IN SMALL QUANTITIES (because TRUST ME, you get plenty of toxins and chemicals from the environment and foods without you consciously ingesting them). One of my favorite quotes is, "Calories, not chemicals".
Your body knows what to do with a calorie, but with a chemical, depending on your DNA, what other drugs/toxins/chemicals/substances are in your system, and about a hundred other variables, you just have NO IDEA how your body will respond to that. Best-case scenario, it does nothing, worst-case scenario, you get some crazy reaction or get cancer. It's a risk I bet you'd rather not take!

4. Pay attention to how you feel.
If you are eating in secret, in private, hiding wrappers, sneaking food or other meals, feeling excessive feelings of guilt, anxiety, or powerlessness/loss of control, or compensating by taking laxatives, over-exercising, vomiting, or purging in any other way, it might be time to consider exploring your relationship with food. NO diet will fix this. This is a whole new ball game. Consider doing some research on the MANY ways that eating disorders express themselves, and see if you are experiencing the symptoms. It may be time to look into visiting a Counselor instead of a nutritionist to put you on a new eating regime that will help you to lose weight. In many cases, dieting and bingeing are the symptom of anxiety or eating disorders. There is lots of support out there to support you and to help you explore those possibilities.