You work hard all week and then the weekend comes. With it comes the question: do I take a day off? A cheat day looks like a well-earned reward, but it can wipe out most of a week of deficit. A single cheat meal rarely does. It is simple maths.
Short answer: Cheat meal. One relaxed meal fits into your week and usually keeps you in a deficit. A whole day without brakes often does not. Hold a deficit of 500 kcal (calories) a day for a week and you have 3,500 kcal banked. A cheat day with 2,000 to 3,000 kcal on top wipes out about five days of work.
Where the cheat day goes wrong
Do the maths. You hold a deficit of 500 kcal a day all week.
7 days at -500 kcal = -3,500 kcal in the bank.
Then the cheat day arrives, and it can easily add 2,000 to 3,000 kcal extra. Take the middle of that range: 2,500 kcal extra ÷ 500 kcal per day = 5 days of deficit gone. Most of a week of effort can disappear in a single day.
Cheat meal vs cheat day
A cheat meal is one relaxed meal: pizza, dessert, whatever you enjoy. A cheat day is a whole day without brakes. One extra meal usually costs a few hundred to about a thousand kcal, so the week stays in deficit. A whole day often does not. So if you want a treat, bet on one meal and skip the all-day marathon.
The best cheat is no cheat
If you work the foods you like into your normal menu as you go, you do not need any "cheating". This is called flexible dieting, and for most of my clients it is the easiest way to keep eating food they enjoy and still get results.
How to treat yourself smartly
- Plan ahead. When you know Saturday has pizza in it, you do not have to fight cravings all week.
- Keep it to one meal.
- Go back to normal at the very next meal. No "it is all over anyway".
- Do not starve all day beforehand to "pay in advance". It often ends in overeating.
- Do not turn it into guilt. One meal does not turn you back into the person you used to be.
If you often feel you lose control around food, or guilt about eating takes over your day, talk to your doctor or an eating disorder specialist. That is not something to fix with a diet plan.
Eating what you enjoy is no sin. If you know how to fit it in with sense, you can stay with a healthy menu for years without feeling that you are denying yourself all the time.
Frequently asked questions
Why does a cheat day ruin my weight loss?
With a deficit of 500 kcal a day you have 3,500 kcal banked after a week. Eating 2,000 to 3,000 kcal extra on a cheat day is easy, and that wipes out four to six days of deficit.
How can I enjoy a favourite food and not ruin my results?
Plan ahead: one meal instead of a whole day, and go back to normal at the very next meal. Do not starve all day beforehand, because it often ends in overeating, and do not turn it into guilt.
Can I skip cheat days completely?
Yes. If you work your favourite foods into your normal menu as you go, you do not need any cheating. This is called flexible dieting.
Want me to coach you?
Gold coaching in English, fully written. A weekly report from your phone (3 minutes), my written answer with your plan, WhatsApp support Monday to Friday, calories and macros adjusted every week, a plan for eating out and travel. No video calls needed.
Apply for coaching Get the free Fat Loss KitSources, so you can check:
1) No studies are cited here. The maths is simple energy arithmetic: 7 days at -500 kcal = -3,500 kcal. Research on rigid control of eating and guilt about food is listed in the sources of the article "Weekend overeating" on this site.
Martin Barna
Online nutrition and fitness coach. Since 2013 I have coached 600+ clients through fat loss. Evidence-based nutrition and training.
Apply for coachingThis article is for information only. It is not medical advice. If you have a health condition, talk to your doctor.