In today's health-conscious era, the concept of 'cheat days' has gained significant popularity. The concept, wherein individuals diet strictly and then give in to all of their cravings for a day, has always been a subject of fierce debate. While some find it helpful to ward off monotony and stick to their fitness resolutions, others feel it triggers unhealthy eating habits and an improper relationship with food. So today, let's dig deeper – are cheat days useful in achieving our health goals?
Changing our relationship with food is often challenging. There are times when the willpower might wane and we just crave to break the rules for that chocolate cake or French fries. It is at these moments when the concept of ‘cheat days’ comes into play.
Advocates of cheat days argue that they can be psychologically motivating. According to them, discipline becomes less grueling if we know there’s an impending reward for our efforts. Certain research studies even suggest that “planned hedonic deviations” indeed help us stay on track by breaking monotonous disciplined routines.
Another argument in favor of cheat days is related to their potential effects on metabolism. Some researchers theorize that occasional deviation helps temporarily increase your body’s levels of leptin – a hormone that signals fullness during eating. Thus, theoretically speaking, these indulgent moments can feed your leptin levels assuaging extreme hunger pangs while dieting.
But that's just it... those are theories. They do not necessarily stand on robust scientific ground and there is not really a lot of research to support that cheat days are truly effective. Moreover, what many refer to as supporting evidence sometimes relates more closely with refeed days for athletes or intermittent energy balancing protocols rather than traditional ‘cheat’ methods.
Now let's switch sides... One may argue that metabolic rates may increase immediately after an indulgent splurge, but this effect often doesn’t last for long enough to make a significant difference.
There’s also the risk of going overboard with food intake during cheat days. Cheat days, which are essentially planned deviations from our dieting routine, are often misunderstood as binge eating opportunities. Unchecked indulgence in fast food, sweets, and other calorie-dense foods can actually result in counterproductive overeating tendencies rather than 'cheating'.
Studies have linked such patterns with disordered eating behaviors and this may further trigger psychological problems including binge-eating episodes among adolescents.
How do "cheat" days align with Open Eating Principles?
With Open Eating, all food is meant to be enjoyed. As you bring in more nutrient-dense foods, the body tends to crave indulgences less in favor of using those nutrients to support the most energy, the clearest mind, and the healthiest body. As you Open Eat, you'll be able to fit those indulgences right in with your regular eating patterns with the proper cadence and portions, without ever feeling guilty or deprived.
The label 'cheat' tends to reinforce an all-or-nothing approach towards food. Tagging certain foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ adds unnecessary moral baggage to our perception of food which often becomes harmful for sustainable weight-loss aims.
Instead of fixating on a deprivation mindset or a black-or-white dietary approach where we completely avoid certain types of dishes we consider unhealthy; Open Eating focuses more on a balanced approach.
A balanced approach encourages us to divide these extra phases throughout the week instead of cramming them into one extravagant cheat day. It helps avoid associating such days with ideas like ‘treating yourself’, which in turn challenges our perspectives of how to deal with long-term health objectives. It involves taking many steps forward and a giant leap back rather than making sustained efforts of endurance with relief along the way.
To conclude, while cheat days may temporarily boost morale and help individuals adhere to their regimented diets in certain cases, they don't represent a magic wand solution applicable universally for achieving health goals. A balanced diet where we celebrate a variety of foods without imposing restrictive limitations on us constantly would cater to both – our needs and wants, in the most effective ways!! It all comes down to realizing that ultimately, it’s okay to treat oneself occasionally without feeling guilty- but all within wisely drawn boundaries- aiming towards a sustainable healthier lifestyle!