Why cheat days don’t work and what you should do instead

You shouldn’t only enjoy eating on cheat days.

Come to think of it, do you actually ENJOY what you eat on a cheat day? Or are you just more focused on the fact that the gate is now open and you’re in a rush to eat ALL.THE.THINGS, because you know they’re only “allowed” for that one day.

It doesn’t sound like such a feast when you look at your plate that way, does it?

And what about the day after - remorse, more restriction and possibly not feeling your best because you’ve kinda jumped your body and it doesn't quite know how to react (bloating, indigestion, headache, muscle stiffness.) You know what your hangover is.

Giving yourself permission to eat is one thing, but jumping blindly onto the buffet table, just because your plan said it’s OK to “cheat”, ignores the heart of what truly makes food and eating nourishing. Sure, food fills a void and gives you the fuel you need to keep our body functioning, but the act of eating is so much more.

The secret sauce is really the satisfaction we feel when we’re eating. Enjoying something that ticks all of the boxes for us. The taste, the texture and the ease of eating something that fits exactly with the moment we’re in:

A warm bowl of soup won’t cut it when you’re driving to your next appointment, but maybe a warm oatmeal muffin will?
Choosing to spend time with friends and sharing store-bought snacks instead of making your own, because no-one felt like cooking?
Tuning in and deciding for yourself if something spicy or sweet, crunchy or smooth, or cold or hot will really fill you up at that moment?
TAKING THE TIME TO TRULY SAVOUR AND ENJOY THE MOMENT.

Giving yourself the time to eat with intention, and honour that what your body is saying it really needs, will fill you up with true satisfaction every day. Not just on “cheat days”.

Subbing fake cheese into your mac ‘n cheese might fill you up, but is it really what you were craving? If you’re hungry for something more after your mac ‘n “cheese” is gone, the answer might be “no, it did not”. Did that bowl of “n’ice cream” really cut it as a dessert, or are you still feeling empty and searching for something else now?

Satisfaction isn’t only about the food.

It’s about:

Where you’re eating.
Who you’re eating with.
How much time you’ve given yourself to eat.
Preparing the food yourself, enjoying the smells, sights and anticipation as the meal came together?
Eating free of distraction (cell phone, TV, computer …)?

I’m going to go a step beyond the food and say that HOW we eat is just as important, if not more important than WHAT we’re eating.

If your current plan calls for cheat days, think long and hard about why, and what you’re being asked to give up … and in exchange for what, exactly?

If you want how and what you eat to be sustainable, enjoyable and satisfying for the long term, waiting for a cheat day to enjoy your food isn’t the way to go.

Sure, you might play along for a while, until you can’t stand it anymore, and then boom! Two things will likely happen.

First, you’re gonna eat all the things and promise yourself, or your coach, that you’ll do better next time.

Or second, you’re a trooper. You’ve really stuck with it, but you’re absolutely miserable, because you’re depriving yourself. You miss your favourite foods, you’re exhausted from all the effort it takes to “eat properly” and you resent how much time it’s taking you. That sucks for you and everyone else around you, #grumpy!

All the flip-flopping stresses you out because you think you’ll never be able to get it right, and that makes you feel even worse than you did before you started with your new plan.

On top of all that, your blood sugar is probably just as low as your mood, because you’re not eating enough.

Which makes you even more cranky.

And on it goes.

Sound familiar?

Why not try this instead?

Take some time this week to really tune in to what you like. Ask yourself why you’re eating what you are. Is it choice, convenience or because you think it’s “good for you”?
Pay attention to how what you’re eating makes you feel. A journal can be helpful here, just don’t use it to count or keep a scoresheet of what you’re eating. Instead, make it your record of how what you’ve eaten made you feel.
Get intentional about how you plan, shop for and prep the foods you enjoy.
Be curious about exploring new foods or recipes you’d like to add into your diet, to help you build your confidence around food and cooking.

See for yourself how doing these things consistently over time, and making that your new everyday, all day plan, makes you feel. Plus, when you do, you’re probably going to save yourself time and $ in the process.

Now that’s what I call sustainable food.

If you’re looking for something to help get you started with real foods in your kitchen, plus some simple recipes, click here to get your free guide.

Sure, eating an epic, home-cooked, whole food spread at every meal isn’t realistic (or maybe it could be, 80% of the time?), but relying on a cheat meal, or even a cheat day, doesn’t feel like enough to keep me nourished and satisfied, mind, body and spirit. How about you?

Think about what you’re giving up if you’re tied to a restrictive diet.

It’s not just the food, it’s the social connections too. The time with friends and family. The joy of exploring and preparing a wide variety of foods. Eating in season and with the seasons (hello holidays!). Savouring that local delicacy you can only get when you’re in a certain place.

Is it really worth it to give all that up so you can stick to a plan?

Or does it make more sense to settle into a way of nourishing yourself that makes you feel satisfied EVERY day? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you’d like some help exploring this more, or you’re not sure where to start, send me a DM.