Are Cheat Meals Hurting Your Weight Loss Efforts?

"There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable." —  Mark Twain

If I had a nickel for every time I heard a client, friend, gym member or random stranger on the internet say something along the lines of:

"I cheated yesterday."

"This is my cheat meal."

"I can't wait for my cheat day."

I would literally have been able to retire on a private island in the Maldives by now.

And while I joke, I need you to hear this right now.

STOP. Seriously. Stop it.

Cheat is such a loaded word. To be labeled a "cheater" is associated with public shame and judgement.

No one likes a cheater. Scarlet Letter anyone?

The definition of the word “cheat” is: to break a rule or law usually to gain an advantage at something.

Ummm...last time I checked, there were no food police.

And diet "rules"...rules according to who? There is no official diet rule book.

Diet rules are MADE UP by the diet industry.

Listen to me closely.

Your language creates your reality.

Eating a cookie does not make you a con artist or a fraud.

Eating a slice of pizza isn't an illicit act to be done only behind closed doors.

And your food choices are not a reflection of your moral character.

The "cheat meal" mentality is a slippery slope, one that most often leads to an unhealthy relationship with food.

It encourages a never ending cycle of extremes.

Restriction followed by a free for all.

A cycle full of guilt, judgement and regret.

Being "good" all week and then "bad" over the weekend.

Until you're left feeling defeated and ashamed that you "did it again".

Any diet plan that has you counting down the minutes to your "cheat" meal is not realistic or sustainable.

Cheat meals imply that there is something missing from your diet.

And the more we categorize foods as "off limits", the more our cravings for them increase.

We crave what we can't have.

And then, when we finally do have these "off limit" foods, we generally go off the rails.

A healthy, long-term approach to nutrition should include the opportunity to eat simply for the pleasure of eating without equating this act to a crime.

And a well rounded weight loss program should do more than give you a list of "good" and "bad" foods. It should teach you how to:

✅ Navigate cravings

✅ Practice moderation

✅ Tune into hunger/fullness cues

✅ Enjoy and appreciate food

✅ Use portion control

✅ And ditch food guilt for good

Yes, when you are trying to lose weight, a majority of your food choices will be based on "nourishment" rather than "fun".

But the ability to include eating for pleasure as part of your nutrition plan, without going off the rails or feeling guilty afterwards, plays an even bigger role in your long-term success.

So please, remove "cheat meal" and "cheat day" from your vocabulary. There should be no guilt associated with food consumption. Ever. 😘🍦