02 Apr Are Cheat Days Healthy?
The term “cheat day” refers to a day where you can binge on foods you typically wouldn’t eat— then go right back to your healthy lifestyle. Oftentimes folks designate one day a week (typically on the weekend) as their cheat day. Although some diet plans advocate such a day, as a registered dietitian I don’t and here’s why.
The Definition
The definition of the word cheat is to violate the rules deliberately, to mislead, and to deprive by trickery. All these terms are negative—food, weight loss, and healthy eating should never be equated to trickery or deprivation.
The Reality
Cheat days in theory may sound like a good idea, but in reality they can have severe consequences. I’m not talking about cheat days which are defined by an extra decadent dessert or a glass of wine—both of which can be part of a healthy lifestyle and don’t even need a designated cheat day to be consumed. It’s the “cheat day gone wild” that can get you into trouble.
Think about it—you eat 1,400 calories a day 6 days a week. That’s enough to help you lose 1 pound per week, a healthy rate to lose weight. On your cheat day, you consume 4,100 calories which isn’t very tough to do if you went out to eat a lavish meal with cocktails, appetizers, and desserts (and ate breakfast and lunch too).
In order to lose your planned 1 pound per week, you need to eat 583 fewer calories 6 days of the week (meaning you usually eat around 2,000 and now you lowered your calories to 1,400 per day). On your cheat day you went over you calorie limit by 2,700 calories—by doing so, you just sabotaged almost 5 days of healthy eating which you worked very hard to achieve. This will lead you to feel guilty, frustrated, and you probably won’t lose weight.
The Control
If you think cheat days are about having a few extra treats or calories, again it’s the wrong type of mindset. You are saying that you have the power to control yourself to indulge “a little” once a week. What if you have a little extra on the wrong day? Does that mean you fell off the wagon and should feel guilty? This can lead to a second, third, and fourth day “off the wagon” and ultimately sidestep your healthy eating plan altogether.
The Bottom Line:
Whichever way you look at it, a cheat day is not a good idea. Healthy eating and weight loss is about finding ways to make healthy lifelong habits. Part of creating healthy eating habits is learning how to moderate alcohol, dessert and other high calorie indulgences on a daily basis. It takes hard work, motivation, and a positive mindset to make it happen.
LET’S DISCUSS: How do you feel about a cheat day?
Bonnie Pfiester
Posted at 15:51h, 03 Aprilsoooooooo agree!!!! Preach it sista!!!
MilesMusclesMom
Posted at 16:06h, 03 Aprilmoderation is key. Not a cheat DAY but occasionally you should be able to have a special meal that does not normally fit into your clean eating lifestyle-again, it is moderation and learning what works for you.
I like to live by the 90% rule 🙂
Joyce Cherrier
Posted at 17:31h, 03 AprilSo many different opinions on this issue! But I tend to agree. I think the problem is using food as a reward. Especially children — – if you eat your veggies you can have cake idea. Amazing how much bad food is used to reward good deeds!
Olga @ Choose Healthy Food
Posted at 06:23h, 29 AprilHi Toby,
I found you through SesameButter.com and have enjoyed going through your blog.
I agree with you about cheat days. But I want to know why the diets that include cheat days still work for many individuals. Joel Marion, a fitness expert who supports the cheat day diets and sells them, claims that cheat day tricks your body in thinking that it doesn’t have to go into starvation mode that your diet otherwise pushing it into. He recommends that if you time it properly with exercise, it is actually very beneficial.
I don’t have enough knowledge to argue this point, but I would like to know whether this point of view has a leg to stand on ( and if it doesn’t, why people are losing weight)
Cheers
Olga
My Homepage
Posted at 03:44h, 18 June… [Trackback]…
[…] Informations on that Topic: tobyamidornutrition.com/2012/04/are-cheat-days-healthy/ […]…
jobs in the hospital
Posted at 23:35h, 24 June… [Trackback]…
[…] There you will find 70748 more Infos: tobyamidornutrition.com/2012/04/are-cheat-days-healthy/ […]…
RB2140,http://pinterest.com/pin/270990102548535330/,http://pinterest.com/pin/270990102548535330/
Posted at 00:32h, 25 June… [Trackback]…
[…] Informations on that Topic: tobyamidornutrition.com/2012/04/are-cheat-days-healthy/ […]…
ubiquinol coq10
Posted at 01:05h, 25 June… [Trackback]…
[…] There you will find 61993 more Infos: tobyamidornutrition.com/2012/04/are-cheat-days-healthy/ […]…
tatuaggi
Posted at 05:28h, 25 June… [Trackback]…
[…] Find More Informations here: tobyamidornutrition.com/2012/04/are-cheat-days-healthy/ […]…
workout music
Posted at 00:08h, 26 June… [Trackback]…
[…] Informations on that Topic: tobyamidornutrition.com/2012/04/are-cheat-days-healthy/ […]…
Goozle Zone
Posted at 15:04h, 07 SeptemberSites we like…
the time to read or visit the content or sites we have linked to below the…
Heather Cunningham
Posted at 22:33h, 30 JanuaryAfter being so focused on eating healthy & removing foods from your diet that don’t make you feel good, going off track is really a momentary lapse that in the end isn’t worth it. Since people have such a difficult time with the term “moderation” (it’s so subjective), once you “eliminate” them, I don’t encourage going back! In agreement Toby!
Diet 101: The 5-Factor Diet | Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog
Posted at 12:00h, 02 April[…] Cheat days don’t teach healthy eating habits or how to incorporate “junk” foods into your eating plan. […]
Diet 101: The 5-Factor Diet | HNW
Posted at 12:06h, 02 April[…] Cheat days don’t teach healthy eating habits or how to incorporate “junk” foods into your eating plan. […]
Diet 101: The 5-Factor Diet
Posted at 12:42h, 02 April[…] Cheat days don’t teach healthy eating habits οr hοw tο incorporate “junk” foods іntο уουr eating рlаn. […]
Diet 101: The 5-Factor Diet | Outer Space Nerd
Posted at 14:32h, 02 April[…] Cheat days don’t teach healthy eating habits or how to incorporate “junk” foods into your eating plan. […]
Diet 101: The 5-Factor Diet | Fitified
Posted at 15:53h, 02 April[…] Cheat days don’t teach healthy eating habits or how to incorporate “junk” foods into your eating plan. […]
Diet 101: The 5-Factor Diet
Posted at 23:25h, 02 April[…] Cheat days don’t teach healthy eating habits or how to incorporate “junk” foods into your eating plan. […]
Diet 101: The 5-Factor Diet | HNT
Posted at 16:18h, 07 April[…] Cheat days don’t teach healthy eating habits or how to incorporate “junk” foods into your eating plan. […]
Diet 101: The 5-Factor Diet | HNT
Posted at 16:18h, 07 April[…] Cheat days don’t teach healthy eating habits or how to incorporate “junk” foods into your eating plan. […]
FoodsGoodForSkin
Posted at 15:28h, 02 JulyCheat days is what works for me. Actually I consider them essential.
secret info
Posted at 01:27h, 12 JulyNice post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m inspired!
Extremely helpful info particularly the closing section 🙂 I care for such info much.
I was looking for this particular info for a very long time.
Thank you and good luck.