If this is what the menu looks like for your cheat day, it makes you question if the concept is right for you in the first place?
A shift has taken place and “cheat days” have come into vogue. What used to be verboten is now encouraged. On a diet? Pick one day a week and eat whatever the heck you want; you are practically required to shove as much guilty pleasure food down your gullet as you can and relish the experience.
Back when I spent 30 days following Tim Ferriss’ “4-Hour Body” eating plan, I have to admit the first cheat day was fun. Gleefully (and guiltlessly) ingesting muffins and pasta and cupcakes had its charms. But the rush quickly wore off and the next week I struggled to “binge” and mostly just felt sick afterward. The third week I ate a lot less on my cheat day and mostly just upped the carbs a bit and added a sugary snack and dessert. I didn’t like how I felt and I didn’t think it was necessary to have this unregulated day.
Now I’m on a super-strict version of “The Smarter Science of Slim” plan. I mostly eat just lean proteins and a whole lot of non-starchy carbs. If I indulge, it’s generally one meal, and I’ll have a piece of bread, maybe a dessert, and a glass of wine. The only thing I really miss and will cheat on more often is ice cream, otherwise I’m dairy free.
But there are pitfalls to cheat days and I want to talk about them.
1. It can be the beginning of a back slide. My experience after a cheat day is that I feel resentful to be “back on the program.” I was annoyed to return to my leafy greens and grilled chicken and wanted more. Sometimes that feeling turned into action and I got more. Not good. A cheat day can easily turn into the end of your diet and it might even be a week or two before you even realize it!
2. Cheat days don’t teach balance. Isn’t the general idea, not just with a diet but with what you consume on a daily basis, that you eat mostly healthy foods and have an occasional indulgence? If your focus is solely on planned cheat days and what crappy food you’re going to gorge on, then how are you learning balance? I think the long-term goal should be making eating healthfully de rigeur and letting yourself have a sweet snack here and there.
3. Not for those with eating disorder tendencies. If you have any history of binge eating or overly restrictive eating, cheat days can be a set up just waiting to happen. You could easily wind up with distorted behaviors, which can be truly dangerous. Be honest with yourself, and if you have these tendencies, don’t put yourself in a position to trigger them.
I have slowly evolved to get to the place where eating right is my lifestyle, although right now it’s hard to tell because I am doing the hardcore “SSoS” plan. I won’t really know if I’ve changed permanently until the pressure is off on October 22nd, the day after I film my fitness videos. Then I can do whatever the heck I want and I hope that I’ll stick mostly to lean proteins and veggies and weave in a little bit of whole grains here and there. Planning to eat sweets once or twice a week will be plenty I think.
What about you? Have you discovered any drawbacks to cheat day? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Cheers,
Lisa
photo credit: Amy Loves Yah
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I do a “splurge” meal where I may have some wine or a sweet or bread, but the rest of the meal is still lean proteins and veggies and it’s ONE meal. But I’m not on a strict diet, I’m changing my eating for life. I think a “cheat day” is 1. excessive and 2. kind of a lie, a lie to yourself – if you’re on a super strict diet ok maybe because there is no way you’re going to incorporate that super strict diet into your daily life forever, but if you are genuinely changing your life and focusing on eating real foods, or are cutting or backing off a certain type of food that doesn’t make you feel good, then why would you feel the need to throw that all away for an entire day every week – 4 times a month etc. It’s kind of like – man I love this new way of life, it’s so right for me, but I still love my old life enough to go back to it for a day. No, you don’t truly love your new life, you miss your old and this is your way of trying to have both.
It’s like loving your new spouse but missing your old boyfriend – so you justify cheating on the new spouse once a week because you’re going to be faithful to him the other 6, so it’s ok, plus all my friends told me it’s ok, well at least the friends I agree with.
Ha! Curlsz, nice way to put it … I think you’re hitting something that rings true … if you’re going to live healthy, live healthy … binge days just aren’t the way to do it really … L–
I do like half a cheat day. My weekly weigh-in is on Friday at noon, so after that, I loosen up a little for the rest of Friday. I don’t make a point to seek out “forbidden” food, but if I drink a beer or two, I’ll do it on a Friday night.
My mom sent me a fridge magnet “It took a lot of willpower, but I finally gave up dieting”. It meant to me that changing habits and making lifestyle changes is the right mindset.
Deb I do like that idea … a lot. And it makes sense to me too. Timmy that sounds pretty darned normal too … just relaxing and going with the flow instead of planning ahead for a 3,000 calorie smorgasbord …
I don’t like to think of them as “cheat” days. Cheat just has such a negative connotation! I believe a healthy diet has BALANCE, and I eat accordingly. If I want a cookie, I have one! And I don’t beat myself up about it.
Thanks for commenting Leah, I agree … don’t beat yourself up over a cookie … and balance should be our ultimate goal. :-)
Personally, I’m not up for cheat days, although I’ll agree that a reward is never a bad thing, if you’re truly in a state of mind where your ultimate goal is balance, then why are you planning your next cheat day? If you have unconditional love for chocolate, indulge in it!(But just be rational when you do…) I’d say health is a sacrifice, but one I’d definitely make, the rewards are golden :)
I love this, Lisa. I totally hear you on this….cheat days and meals are becoming kind of the “in” thing. I think it’s important to eat the foods you’re craving sometimes and allow yourself to indulge, but I do think it’s over the top to be required to have full on cheat days and totally agree with the drawbacks you mentioned above. I think what works for everyone is so individual. I do better eating well almost all the time with a treat every day or every other day. There are certainly days where I have more than that and just get back on track the next day. However, there are some pople who rave about the way they look and feel with intermittent fasting and/or cheat meals/days.
Hi Amanda, thanks so much for stopping by … yes, cheat days or fasting days are so much about individual choice and what works best for each person. There is no cookie cutter answer when it comes to how to be healthy. :-) L–
Wow, I think you hit the nail on the head here! I couldn’t agree more. I try to eat healthy 90% of the time. I save my “cheats” for special occasions or parties or if it’s something I really can’t pass up at the time (which is pretty rare) & try to restrict it to that meal. Then I make an effort not to beat myself up for it. One meal or day is not going to make you gain a bunch of weight. The key is getting right back on track the next day & not let it turn into a backslide.
Thanks Julie! Really appreciate you adding your voice. :-)