Effects of a cheat day/cheat meal on your diet plan (carbs, protein)
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Historically, I've found the effects of a cheat meal (maybe 1-2/week, or a single cheat day) to be quite positive. I couldn't speak to the psychological effect it has on discipline or anything like that because I don't have much of a basis for comparison, but from a results perspective, it's helped in the following areas:
1) It helps, for lack of a scientific analysis, to "kickstart" my metabolism, which typically sinks if I'm cutting calories. If, after a few days or weeks of eating clean and I stop getting as hungry, a cheat day feels like it reinvigorates my hunger.
2) I often find that the short-term effects of a cheat day are beneficial to my lean mass numbers. Specifically, I'll either remain the same weight or even possibly gain weight afterwards, but my body fat numbers will typically show the most progress immediately after a cheat day.
I'm interested in other people's experiences with cheat days or cheat meals, and even some of the science behind its effects from those of you who know more about this stuff than I do!
To clarify, I rarely go overboard on my cheat days, but there are definitely more calories, WAY more carbs, and likely some waste sugars (i.e. soda).
So it'd be the equivalent of going from a Paleo diet to a cheat day where I have a pizza, a couple of sodas, maybe a sub sandwich. It's not like I'm eating a box of doughnuts and a 12-pack of beer, but it's definitely a far ways away from my "healthy" day-to-day diet.
I had to change my mindset on "cheat day". If I really considered it a "cheat day", I'd go crazy and easily ruin two weeks of hard work gaining back everything I'd lost. I've had to lose the notion of "cheat" and change it to "foods I eat or meals I have only on occasion". Then really only have them on occasion.
I had to change my mindset on "cheat day". If I really considered it a "cheat day", I'd go crazy and easily ruin two weeks of hard work gaining back everything I'd lost. I've had to lose the notion of "cheat" and change it to "foods I eat or meals I have only on occasion". Then really only have them on occasion.
I'm the same way, that's why I keep it to "cheat meal" when possible.
There are some bad effects also on having cheat meals. Some of them are listed below:
Your Body Won’t Fully Adapt to the Healthy Diet
If You Pig Out on Junk Food, it Can Feed The Addiction
You Might Binge and Eat Way Too Much
You May Feel Guilty Afterwards
Cheating Does Not Raise Metabolism or Prevent “Starvation Mode”
I'm the same way, that's why I keep it to "cheat meal" when possible.
The problem word in the equation is "cheat". That suggests you're doing something you shouldn't. I realize I'm arguing semantics which I absolutely hate when other people do. But the mindset can be the difference between long-term success and failure IMO. The preference is to simply follow an eating plan that is moderate and reasonable. That plan excludes no food, therefore, there's nothing to "cheat" with. You simply enjoy some foods less frequently because, while they are yummy and taste good, they are counterproductive
to weight management and wellness. You aren't cheating when you eat them, you're simply choosing to have them less frequently.
To me, that difference comes down to portion control. When I "cheat" I'll eat a giant meal of high fat, high sugar food because I'm "cheating" so I might as well make it good. When the mindset is to simply eat healthier, I'll still enjoy those foods, but eat them in smaller portions, or have the burger but skip the fries, etc. It's amazing how the choke hold over unhealthy food is released when one stops considering them "forbidden" and instead just chooses to eat them less frequently and in smaller portions.
The problem word in the equation is "cheat". That suggests you're doing something you shouldn't. I realize I'm arguing semantics which I absolutely hate when other people do. But the mindset can be the difference between long-term success and failure IMO. The preference is to simply follow an eating plan that is moderate and reasonable. That plan excludes no food, therefore, there's nothing to "cheat" with. You simply enjoy some foods less frequently because, while they are yummy and taste good, they are counterproductive
to weight management and wellness. You aren't cheating when you eat them, you're simply choosing to have them less frequently.
To me, that difference comes down to portion control. When I "cheat" I'll eat a giant meal of high fat, high sugar food because I'm "cheating" so I might as well make it good. When the mindset is to simply eat healthier, I'll still enjoy those foods, but eat them in smaller portions, or have the burger but skip the fries, etc. It's amazing how the choke hold over unhealthy food is released when one stops considering them "forbidden" and instead just chooses to eat them less frequently and in smaller portions.
Well, for what it's worth, I use the term simply because it's colloquial and people will know what I'm talking about by its reference. And like I mention in the OP, the psychological/discipline effects of the "off day" meal or whatever we'd call it is beyond my ability to comment on. Everyone has their own methods of maintaining discipline. For some, it might mean portion control in the interest of not viewing food as "forbidden". For me, I need something a bit more strict in my everyday routine, and then the occasional exception.
I'm more interested in the physiological effects. For example, you mention that when you "cheat", you have a giant mean of high fat, high sugar food. We know what the effects of eating that sort of thing consistently are, but I'm curious what the short term effects are (or traditionally are) for someone who more or less stays the course during the week.
Personally, my "cheat" meal will consist of something high-carb, likely with a substantial portion of bread or pasta. And typically after having such a meal, my body would respond positively (typically with an escalation in lean mass), despite it being contrary to my traditional diet (my usual meals are high protein, low-carb, moderate fats). So I was curious if others had similar results, or even a possible scientific explanation for MY results if someone is familiar with them.
If your diet is healthy and solid a cheat day is not going to make a dent. It's quite hard to gain weight if your diet is not structurally bad.
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