Is it good to have a cheat day now and then?

Inside: Is it good to have a cheat day? Lots of dieters get tired of their rigid food intake, so the lure of a “legal” cheat day is strong. But is it good?

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What does the word cheating bring to mind?

When I was about 8 years old, I held my hands loosely over my open eyes and counted slowly from 1 to 50 while my sister and brother scattered and hid.

I cheated. I watched them run. (Why does winning at hide-and-seek seem so important to an 8-year-old?)

I don’t remember cheating in school, but I remember those who did got into lots of trouble. And every time an athlete or professional chess player is accused of cheating, news thunders through the internet and all means of social media.

Clearly, cheating is bad.

Is it good to have a cheat day?

If cheating is bad, why would we ever think it’s good to have a cheat day?

Yet many dieters swear by their regular cheat days. They argue that having a cheat day every week or having a couple cheat meals on the weekends helps them stick to their strict diet for the rest of the week. Though I’m just one professional (with 30 years of experience, mind you), I haven’t seen the cheating mentality work out. Not for people trying to lose weight. Not for people managing diabetes or working to reverse prediabetes.

Here’s why I don’t like cheat days

First, data from the National Weight Control Registry finds that dieters who successfully keep the weight off are unlikely to have varying eating routines. They don’t eat one way on weekdays and another way on weekends, vacations, and holidays. Consistency matters.

The bigger reason I don’t recommend cheat days is that cheating is bad, and the word cheat has an odious connotation 100% of the time. You cannot be a good cheater. You may think that doesn’t matter, but I disagree. The words we use to describe ourselves and our behaviors define our identity.

Treat. Don’t cheat.

Food nourishes your body, mind, and soul. It’s not the enemy. A doughnut, cookies, and ice cream can fit into your wholesome diet without you becoming a cheater.

Eating well is not punishment; it’s self-care.

Eating a doughnut is not cheating; it’s normal.

Give yourself a treat allowance

You get to eat anything you want. I love chocolate, really, really love it. Unfortunately, it’s everywhere—in the checkout aisle of the grocery store, on nearly every receptionist’s desk, at gatherings of friends and coworkers.

What if you treat food the way you treat money?

Say you had a gift card for $100, or even $1,000, to your favorite clothing or small electronics store. You could walk into that store and stroll out with anything you wanted. But you couldn’t walk out with everything you wanted because your gift card isn’t unlimited.

The same is true for food. You can have anything you want (unless you’re allergic or intolerant) but not everything you want or in the amount you want and still have a healthful diet. By giving yourself a treat allowance, you have permission to have treats in a controlled amount.

My daily treat allowance is up to 150 dessert calories (I don’t care for fried foods or other types of treats, so typically my allowance goes to dessert—chocolate specifically). If you have diabetes, you might want to give yourself a treat allowance in calories and carbohydrates. Perhaps your dessert will cap at 15 grams of carbohydrates and 150 calories. Check out how to count carbs for diabetes management.

This is just an example; choose what works for you and your health goals.

Take the money analogy one step further

You need to budget your money to meet your financial goals and obligations: paying rent or mortgage, electricity, buying gas for your car. After you’ve paid for all of your necessities, you can spend a portion of what’s left on movies, vacations, jewelry, and other fun things. Similarly, you need to budget your calories to meet your weight and health goals. (Note: I’m not suggesting you count calories anymore than I’m suggesting you count every penny you spend.) Eating fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and other nutrient-dense foods isn’t negotiable. If your diet is quite good, you can spend the calories, carbs, saturated fats, or whatever is left in your budget on your favorite splurges.

My favorite part of using an allowance is that it keeps me from that tiresome conversation in my head. Should I eat dessert or shouldn’t I? I save so much mental energy. It’s how I make easy my best friend. And how I have the mental energy to build other skills and be creative in other areas of my life.

How will you answer if someone asks: Is it good to have a cheat day? I hope you’ll let them know that eating cookies isn’t cheating. It’s not like peeking through your fingers during hide and seek!

Bottom line: Enjoy your diet every day.