Last Updated on January 6, 2022

Once you’ve started eating for your goal (losing fat, building muscle, being healthy, etc.), there always seems to be one burning question.

When can I cheat on my diet?

You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?  Once you start eating healthy you tend to want foods that are sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, cheesey, gooey goodness that’s nutritionally bankrupt and processed.

But the foods you wish you could just sit around eating all day long…. are the same ones you’re supposed to avoid or greatly reduce from your diet.

I bet you even have a couple of them in mind right now, don’t you?

Well, that would make you pretty normal, because the thing most people hate about eating right is that they have to limit or completely avoid many of the foods they love.

And this brings up some very valid questions.  Specifically:

• What is a Cheat Day?
• Can I Cheat on my Diet?
• When can I cheat on my diet?
• Will cheating ruin my diet?
• How Can I cheat on my diet without blowing my weight loss goalst?

And all of this brings us to a part of your diet that you’re probably going to like… Being able to ‘cheat’ on your diet with the types of foods I described a minute ago… Being able to eat the foods you know you shouldn’t have, but still want anyway…

Sounds like a pretty awesome diet concept, doesn’t it? That’s exactly what I’m going to share with you.

How to have a Cheat Day and Lose Weight & Stay Sane

First things first…

What Does “Cheating” Mean?

Eating restricted foods while trying to reach a weight loss goal is often referred to as cheating by eating cheat, reward and free meals.  These terms all mean the exact same thing: eating something that wouldn’t normally be a part of the meal plan you’re using to reach your goal.

The reason it goes by (at least) 3 different names is because some people like to think of it 3 different ways…

• The “cheat meal” people view this as them cheating on their diet. Most of the smarter people in the nutrition field hate this term, because it implies you’re doing something really bad, and that type of thinking leads to guilt… which is the complete opposite of how a cheat meal should make you feel (you’ll understand why in a minute).

• The “reward meal” people view this as a reward for properly sticking to their diet for some predetermined amount of time. I personally think that’s kinda silly, because the positive changes to your body (and health) are the real reward for sticking to your diet consistently… not a cookie or a slice of pizza.

• And the “free meal” people view this as a chance to be temporarily free from any real dietary restraints or guidelines. In terms of the actual wording, free meal probably makes the most sense of all.

But, like I said, it’s really all the exact same thing.

I’m going to describe how to enjoy ‘cheat meals’ from here on out… Because that’s what most people know it as, so I might as well go with it and avoid confusion.

However, even though I’m going to teach you how to ‘cheat’ start thinking of your cheat meals as “Choice meals.” Because when you decide to ‘cheat’ you need to make the right choices to ensure you’re avoiding consequences.

So here goes…

 

Can I Cheat on My Diet and Still Lose Weight?

The answer is yes!  But, only when you’re using cheat meals to help you stick to your diet… Not use a cheat meal as an excuse to go on a man-versus food binge fest.

The most common reason people fail to ‘cheat’ and reach their goal (or fail to maintain it afterward) is because they are triggers to fall off the wagon and stop eating for their goals.

When you deprive someone of something they crave (and are constantly surrounded by) for a long enough amount of time, and they will eventually give in to it. And that’s why diets fail.

But, that’s exactly how cheat meals help you succeed.  Instead of depriving yourself of your favorite foods for the rest of your life, you can do some advanced planning where you will allow yourself to eat those foods guilt-free.

That’s exactly what a real cheat meal is a small planned break from your regularly scheduled diet that help keep you sane, satisfied, on track and happy. And since you planned for it, there’s no guilt involved. It was supposed to happen.

By allowing yourself to eat the foods you love in this type of controlled fashion, the chances of short term and long term diet adherence increase significantly. And that right there is the purpose of cheat meals.

Now for the next most obvious question…

When Can I Cheat on my Diet?

 

The first question you need ask yourself to know if your can cheat on your diet successfully is “Will a taste trigger me into a man versus food contest?”

If so, Do Not Cheat.  The urge to cheat is be driven by emotion… not logic. Do something self-soothing that doesn’t involve food or drinks.

If you can hold it together, move onto the next question.  p.s. Be HONEST with yourself, if you lie, cheat, and go overboard you’re setting yourself up to feel bad.  It is not worth it!  You deserve better baby!!

When you’ve established you’re good and able to maintain control… Then you can cheat.  But when we cheat, we’re cheating guilt-free.  A lot of people associate cheating with failing their diets.  This leads me to the next question…

Will Cheating Ruin my Diet?  

No. Cheat meals can actually help you lose weight a few ways. For one, they help break up the monotony of your diet. Eating the same thing over and over again, can be boring.

A cheat meal can help you satisfy cravings, while staying on track.  When you stick to a strict meal plan regime your body will adapt.  A cheat meal confuses your body by giving it a sudden, unexpected influx of carbs and calories, which can help you avoid plateaus.

There are 3500 calories in a pound of fat… When you cheat to lose weight you won’t be eating anywhere near 3500 calories.

 

 

Which brings us to the next question…

How Can I Cheat on my Diet and Lose Weight?

You can easily ‘cheat’ on your diet and lose weight following these guidelines:

1) Pick a time and a day to cheat – I recommend using the same day and time.
2) Pick what you want and fill one plate with it – You have one hour to devour whatever’s on that plate… and you can only have one.
3) Enjoy it!
4) Start your diet fresh, the next day.

You’re allowed one cheat meal a week.  One meal.  That’s it. This is not a weekend, a full-day extravaganza or a man-versus-food contest. You get one meal and you choose when you want it.  I suggest planning your cheat meal on the same day and time…. Like Sunday night. You won’t ruin your diet or gain weight when you follow these guidelines.  And that’s it! It’s absolutely possible to cheat and lose weight.

I hope you liked this post.  If you think it could help someone you know please share it.

Your Coach and Biggest Cheerleader

xxoo

 

P.S.  If you feel like you’re constantly cheating on your diet and you CAN’T STOP you may be dealing with hormone imbalances or metabolic dysfunction.  Fill out this profile to get a free metabolic analysis and I’ll explain what your body type is, what’s going on with you and prescribe a plan that will help you fix it so you can start losing weight and feeling great fast.