Why Cheat Days Aren't Doing You Any Good—And What You Should Do Instead
“Cheat days”—or cheat meals, if you prefer to think of them as a single meal—are often encouraged by people who want to lose weight, with the idea that it can help break an otherwise bad diet and allow your body to reset itself back to a normal, healthy weight.
The idea is to eat a strict and “clean” diet 6 out of 7 days of the week, then indulge in a cheat meal or entire cheat day. At first glance, this might make sense; after all, if your goal is to lose weight, shouldn’t you give yourself some sort of leeway? If you don’t have some indulgences, doesn’t that just make it harder to stick with your diet at all?
If you’re trying to lose weight, the last thing you need are cheat days, and they may even be screwing over the progress you’re trying so hard to make. You may have heard that they’re essential if you’re trying to stick to your diet and avoid cravings. However, here’s why cheat days aren’t doing you any favors, and what you should do instead to help yourself achieve long-lasting, sustainable weight loss.
Cheat days throw off your progress
Cheat days can end up slowing your progress because when extreme dieting, psychologically you are categorizing foods into ‘good’ and ‘bad’. You are telling yourself that you can eat ‘clean foods’ then feeling guilty when you consume anything outside of these healthy foods that are deemed worthy. Not only will restriction hurt you in the long run, constantly battling cravings and depriving yourself can also set you up for failure well after your diet plan is over.
If you have experienced a strict diet that incorporated a ‘cheat meal’ or ‘cheat days’ ask yourself these questions:
- What is your relationship with food right now?
- Do you feel like certain foods are inherently bad or good?
- How do you feel when you consume these ‘bad foods’? Does it come with guilt?
- Are you not able to keep these foods in your house out of fear of self-control?
This is exactly what I explore with clients in depth inside my coaching program, The Method: Healthy Habits for Life. If you’re looking to heal your relationship with food, create balanced and sustainable health habits, and achieve your physical health goals (like sustainable weight loss), this program is a great fit for you.
Prioritize moderation over perfection
Cheating on your diet is a sure fire way to feel guilty, stressed, and deprived. Plus, it sets you up for overindulging when you eventually fall off the wagon. If you gorge on food for an entire day, you're likely going to feel stressed about trying to get back on track.
If you're not able to commit to a strict diet all the time, then we recommend following a flexible approach in order to indulge in eating anything you want but in moderation. It may sound counterintuitive, but this strategy will ultimately help you feel less stressed and more satisfied with your food choices.
Cheat Days Cause Digestive Issues
Days where you overindulge can cause digestive issues like bloating, heartburn and acid reflux. A diet rich in ultra-processed foods and refined sugar can wreak havoc on your gut bacteria, says Dr. Heather Bauer, author of The Stress Remedy. And that means that instead of feeling good after eating a lot of unhealthy foods, you'll feel bloated or constipated or have stomach cramps from all the sugar.
Let’s be clear that enjoying some processed foods and refined sugar on a regular basis is nothing to be too worried about - but the mass consumption of “junk food” on a typical cheat day can result in serious digestive upset as it’s such a change from your normal way of eating.
Cheat Days Damage your relationship with food
There’s so much to say about how harmful the rhetoric of having a “cheat day” or “cheat meal” is. As a reminder, food does not have moral value. Food is not good or bad. You are not good or bad for what you do or don’t eat.
The concept of cheat days can reinforce a poor relationship with food that results in you feeling bad about yourself if you don’t do an amazing job of sticking to your diet 100%. This is why I place so much emphasis on removing the moralization of food from the way you think about nutrition.
Instead, I invite you to look at foods as being more or less nutritious and health promoting. Broccoli, beans and quinoa are all nutritious and health promoting. Taco Bell and hamburgers are likely to be less nutritious and health promoting.
Does that make one food morally better than the other? No.
If you’re on a weight loss journey and you’re looking for long-term, sustainable weight loss, you’ll be much better off eliminating the “cheat day” terminology from your vocabulary and focusing on how to create nutritious and satisfying meals - with the regular indulgence so you feel happy and balanced with your overall food intake.
So, what should you do instead?
Learn How to Build Nutritious Meals and Opt For Nutrient Dense Foods
One of the best things you can do for yourself is to start eating nutrient-dense foods that will give your body the fuel it needs to keep going. This means opting for whole foods like vegetables, fruit, nuts and legumes that are packed with vitamins and minerals. Eating these types of foods will help keep your energy levels high and make sure that you're getting all the nutrients you need without feeling weighed down or sluggish.
Eating nutrient-dense foods is crucial in the context of creating nutritious and satiating meals for yourself. I believe that learning how to feed yourself delicious, healthy foods is a critical life skill - and that’s why it’s included in the first module of The Method: Healthy Habits for Life that new clients learn about.
When you have a broad stroke overview of nutrient density in foods, macronutrients and calorie density, you’re able to take these nutrition science facts into account with your own personal health needs, your taste and food desires, and your meal preferences.
This lays the groundwork for building satisfying, nutrient-dense meals that you’ll actually enjoy eating! This is how we create healthy eating habits that truly last for life - because they don’t feel like something you’re restricting yourself to do.
Reward Yourself in Healthy Ways
You deserve to treat yourself, but you don’t need a cheat day. There are better ways to reward yourself and feel good about your progress.
Before overindulging in food, try these alternatives:
When you work out, give yourself 20 minutes of guilt-free Netflix time afterwards.
Treat yourself with a new book or a little bit of retail therapy if it doesn't conflict with your budget.
Get a pedicure! The act of getting one can be really relaxing.
Set up a lunch date with friends that is at least five days away to look forward to.
Bring a bouquet of flowers home from the grocery store.
Implement Healthy Daily Habits That Keep You on Track
The best thing you can do is replace cheat days with a healthier daily routine that keeps you on track. Try some of the below ideas to keep you happy, clear-headed and motivated about your health and fitness goals.
Take 5 deep breaths each morning when you wake up.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
Eat a well-rounded snack when you have a sugar craving, like nuts, dried fruit and some carrots, or an apple with peanut butter and some chocolate chips.
Include lean proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbs in every meal and snack throughout the day.
Go for a walk after dinner (or walk on the treadmill).
Write in your journal every night before bed.
I’m all for indulging in your favorite foods on a regular basis - part of having a great relationship with food is getting to enjoy your favorite foods. But if you're going to do it, be mindful of the context.
A “cheat day” needs to be part of a long-term strategy, not a short-term fix, and we should move away from the language of “cheating” as well. In other words, if you want to indulge in an occasional higher-calorie meal, you should do so in moderation and not feel guilty about it. You deserve to enjoy the foods you eat!
And if you’re looking for more customized support with nutrition counseling and health coaching, I’m here to help you along the way.
I’ve worked with over 150 clients in the past 3 years to help them heal their relationships with food, overcome years of dieting and weight fluctuation, and leave behind the food anxiety and food guilt of the past. Learn more about what health coaching with me looks like by clicking here.