Is Cheating on a Healthy Eating Plan OK?

03rd Mar 2010

If I am honest I believe it is! However, the opinions on this do vary. I have recently read the
Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson where cheating is allowed but only with certain foods,
whilst American fitness expert Joel Marion has a program called "cheat your way thin". This
shows both ends of the scale.

The best place to start here is to review the concept itself. The concept of a “cheat day” is
used a lot by athletes and body builders who have to use strict discipline to achieve certain
goals. This helps mind set and also acts as a reward. I believe this is a sound concept and
definitely works for me, however it may not work for everyone.

I like the theory of rewarding yourself

and I believe this potentially needs to
be incorporated into any sound
nutritional plan. Some people can be
100% strict all the time but I believe
because we have grown up with sweet
foods and treats, it is very difficult to
switch off completely.

There also can be some benefits to

cheating occasionally. Some studies
have shown that a bigger intake of
calories than usual can shock the body
and speed up the metabolism. I can use
my experience of getting in late from
an appointment and having a pizza as a
one off. The next morning I looked the
leanest I ever have!

I believe cheating also gives people extra motivation to succeed because the odd indulgence
is fantastic as a reward for hard work. I personally really look forward to my “night off” on a
Saturday. I can be safe in the knowledge that I have earned this treat and I am not going to
fall off the wagon the following day.

Snacking can be influential in weight gain because of the calorie dense foods that are
associated with it. Chocolate and crisps are two of the main snacking choices and it can be
very easy to consume a lot of calories in short space of time. This is where having a cheat day
or meal can play an important part in my opinion. I believe in “saving calories up” for a true
indulgence. This doesn’t mean over eating on one day, it means instead of having snacks and
treats all week, I save for a pizza or some ice cream on a weekend for example.

I try and stick to the 80% rule as well. This means that if I do have a couple of indulgences, I
make it no more than 20% of my total weekly meal number. This then means I don’t regret
any indulgences as long I eat well for the majority of the time.
We do live in a world where the majority of food advertising is for arguably the more
unhealthy choices so it can be very difficult to be super strict. That said I also understand that
this all depends on personal circumstances and it may not work for some people.

For me, the concept of a balanced diet is just that and can include the odd treat.

Resources:

Please also see how not to take healthy eating too far
Orthorexia Nervosa

- John Hill, Inspiring Fitness Birmingham Personal Trainer