I hear many exercisers talk about cheat days. There is something to be said for flexibility in the diet, but what about these “cheat days”—days when one purposefully goes off-diet and enjoys excess calories and less-healthy foods (e.g., burgers, pizza, etc.). It is pleasing to skip the salad from time to time, but in the long-run the cheat day plan likely does more harm than good.
Weight management—that is, efforts to lose body fat and gain muscle—requires consistency. Diet is about caloric balance, macro balance, and nutrient timing. If it takes a 3500-kcal deficit to lose a pound of fat, then one needs to be in a daily 1000 kcal deficit to lose two pounds a week. As such, a single cheat meal (a cheeseburger and fries can easily exceed several thousand kcals) can destroy a week’s effort. Granted, calorie balance and metabolism don’t work quite like that (according to set-point theory). If you are hypocaloric to lose weight, a “cheat meal” can slow your progress.
Personally, I don’t like the phrase “cheat meal”. Instead, I prefer to understand that life happens despite one’s efforts to lose body fat. Holidays can be particularly challenging. Rather than “cheating”, though, try to manage your social life within the confines of your diet plan. If you know there will be a big meal out at a restaurant or a dinner party, plan the rest of your day wisely. If you are on a 6-meal plan, there is no shame in combining two meals and/or trimming the macros in the other meals for the day. The key is to do your best to keep within the daily caloric and macro goal. If deviate slightly, it is better to slipping of the track altogether. Get back to the plan the next day—without feeling the need to “pay for your sins”. One occasional day of not meeting your calorie and macro goals will not be to destructive to your progress. Feeling the need to cut calories the next day only lead to another off-track day.
Another way to counter the occasional off-track eating day if to offset the caloric intake with a modest increase in physical activity and exercise. It is best, however, to not take this to extremes, as it may affect your recovery from you prescribed exercise program.
The key to successful weight management is consistency. Plan for success. Allow for the occasional slip, but don’t plan to “cheat”. Be flexible, but be consistent.
Calling them “cheat meals” is giving yourself an excuse to go off-diet. Have a plan for when your diet doesn’t fit your circumstances. Keep a “big picture” mindset. Don’t give yourself the opportunity to fail.
No food should be off-limits. “Fun” foods—even desserts—can be enjoyed on occasion. Just realize that “opportunity costs”. Overall, the diet should consist of satisfying, nutrient-dense foods (e.g., quality proteins and veggies). Just don’t go to extremes and don’t do it frequently.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!