Cheat days and cheat meals may be important to you because let’s be honest, most of us have problems following a structured diet, and the more restrictive it is, the worse the experience can be. We may start off highly motivated and able to follow the specifications of a particular diet, but all too often we find our commitment being challenged as social engagements tempt us and we are bombarded with all kinds of tasty-looking food commercials. The result is often that we quit the diet completely and revert back to an unhealthy eating plan, thereby negating any gains (whether that be weight loss or muscle growth) we may have made and setting us back to square one.
An important factor in any endeavor is setting yourself up to succeed. This may entail taking a longer journey, or a slower one, but you are much more likely to see the results you want by following a plan that recognizes the psychological impact of dieting rather than one that just talks science and stipulates a boring, repetitive food list.
A great way to deal with the psychological impact of restricting your foods (and perhaps your calories if you are looking to lose weight) is to have cheat days and / or cheat meals. A cheat day is a complete day given over not to over-eating, but to breaking your diet in a reasonable manner. A cheat meal on the other hand is a single meal that also significantly breaks your normal dietary pattern.
We are all human and derive a great deal of pleasure from eating food. We are also social animals and eating out or attending parties is at least somewhat routine for many of us. We may also face the problem that while we may be on a restrictive diet, our significant other, our friends, or our family may not be. Accommodating their wishes for a change in diet at least once in a while will help us to maintain a healthy relationship.
Obviously though cheat days and cheat meals carry with them the danger of relapse into unhealthy eating patterns. If you know that you are an emotional eater in particular you will want to be particularly careful in how you approach your non-diet days / meals. Another issue is the guilt. After working so hard on a diet (perhaps supplemented by a training program) do we really want to waste that time and effort by over-consuming, even if it is just a meal or two? If that is how you are thinking then I would recommend in fact that you treat yourself to at least a cheat meal as soon as possible. Depriving yourself of what your body and mind are starting to crave can lead to bigger problems later on with a much harder rebound from your diet. Another tip I have is to go for tasty food options. Often it is not so much volume that we miss on a diet but just tasting something different to what we are normally eating. Admittedly certain sauces carry more calories than the actual food they complement, but if you are walking away from a meal satisfied and re-motivated to continue your diet then that is acceptable as long as you are showing some degree of control in how much you eat.
Cheat days and cheat meals: The science
Turning now to the science, you will no doubt be pleased to learn that there is evidence that cheat days and cheat meals do in fact offer real benefits. The most obvious is by expanding the range of micro-nutrients you absorb. Chicken, broccoli and brown rice is a great and healthy meal, but if that is all you are ever eating your body will eventually become deprived of the nutrients it needs to function well.
Leptin. You will also be able to boost your leptin level. Leptin is a hormone vital to regulating our appetite and metabolism. Starches in particular help with our leptin.
Muscle Glycogen. A quick change in diet can do wonders for boosting your glycogen level in your muscles if it has become depleted. This will help to give you a more toned look and will aid you when you get back into your training.
Increases Serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical that makes us feel good. Carbs in particular are good at increasing our serotonin level and without sufficient levels of this chemical we feel lethargic and depressed. Note here that feeling depressed for other reasons and attempting to compensate by over-eating carbs is NOT recommended.
As you can see there are some good reasons, both physiological and psychological for enjoying cheat days and cheat meals. I also recommend that you consider that professional athletes train in seasons or for specific events. They are not following a strict diet and training program month in and month out. They give themselves time to recover which allows their bodies to rest but also helps to keep them motivated by providing them with a break in their program.
