4 Reasons Planning An "Exception" Meal Is Beneficial For Weight Loss

Let me start by explaining what an “exception” meal is. Twenty out of twenty one meals per week, we eat according to our planned protocol (a list of foods that we think will get us to our weight loss goal). One meal per week we choose to eat/ drink anything we want. There are some guidelines around this meal, however. The meal must be planned (including exact quantities) 24 hours in advance. We must follow the plan EXACTLY. If we get to a +4 on the hunger scale (when you feel food in your stomach/ but you’re not uncomfortable) before we meet our specifications for the meal, we stop eating.

Let me be really clear- this is NOT A CHEAT MEAL! We are not cheating on ourselves by planning/ eating this meal. In fact, it’s a way of building trust with ourselves. Because we’re making a plan and following it, we’re practicing keeping a commitment to ourselves. We’re also practicing self trust by stopping at +4 on hunger scale. Additionally, we’re restoring our relationship with food. We’re able to not see food as “good” or “bad”, but rather foods that we can “strategically” consume, “on occasion”…in a very planned and deliberate way. By eating foods that we’re not consuming on a regular basis, in a different macronutrient ratio, we’re preventing metabolic adaptation- one of the reasons the scale stops moving after we’ve been on a weight loss plan for a period of time.

I’ve seen the “exception” meal help my clients achieve and maintain their ideal weight. It may be something you’d like to try, so you can assess if it’s beneficial for you. If you’d like more information about this practice, or would like to be coached on a specific issue, email me: lparkes@lightenup4ever.com.