Cheat days during cutting: yay or nay?

[viking22]

I'm reading a lot of conflicting information online on this topic.

Proponents of cheat days say they are great for providing some relief from some of the adverse hormonal consequences of calorie restriction such as slower metabolism, lower thyroid hormones etc. as well as having psychological benefits such as reducing the sense of deprivation from prolonged dieting and allowing you to attend social gatherings where eating clean is near impossible.

But most of the mechanisms behind successful dieting rely on eating clean (to reduce inflammation) and restricting carbs to some degree (to lower insulin resistance and help the body shift from burning carbs for energy to burning fat) and weekly insults might therefore be enough to throw you out of a fat adapted state and spike blood sugar and insulin levels and inflammation and the damaging effects can therefore extend beyond the single cheat day and spill over into the rest of the week. So a weekly insult over time can still do a lot of damage. Especially if you are treating the cheat days like a Man vs Food episode.

Obviously no one can eat perfectly 100% of the time because life gets in the way and sometimes cravings are just too strong to overcome. But cheat days involve deliberately scheduling unhealthy eating once a week with the notion that one day a week eating unhealthily won't hurt and might even help.

 

[BackInTheGame78]

If you are going to use them, the best usage is as follows:

1) Do it on your heaviest workout day (aka, legs). This minimizes any fat gain.

2) Stop eating by 7pm. Allows your body to not have high insulin levels overnight while sleeping. Would recommend also taking 2 TBSP of Apple Cider Vinegar in some water and hour before bed to help lower them further.

3) Do a 24-36 hour fast directly following while your body is in prime fat burning mode after having reset leptin levels and revved your thyroid.

I've used this method successfully many times over many years to drop weight from winter - spring and into summer.

 

[Gamisch]

If you are going to use them, the best usage is as follows:

1) Do it on your heaviest workout day (aka, legs). This minimizes any fat gain.

2) Stop eating by 7pm. Allows your body to not have high insulin levels overnight while sleeping. Would recommend also taking 2 TBSP of Apple Cider Vinegar in some water and hour before bed to help lower them further.

3) Do a 24-36 hour fast directly following while your body is in prime fat burning mode after having reset leptin levels and revved your thyroid.

I've used this method successfully many times over many years to drop weight from winter - spring and into summer.

The stop eating after 7 advice, should this be implemented every day?

Thats damn difficult!!

 

[BackInTheGame78]

The stop eating after 7 advice, should this be implemented every day?

Thats damn difficult!!

For best results, ideally yes...or at least 3-4 hours before bedtime.

It gets easier once you start doing it pretty regularly.

Also could be a sign your body is not getting enough nutrients or requires as this is its way to try and force you to provide them, by making you hungry so you consume something that hopefully has th in it.

 

[Gamisch]

For best results, ideally yes...or at least 3-4 hours before bedtime.

It gets easier once you start doing it pretty regularly.

Also could be a sign your body is not getting enough nutrients or requires as this is its way to try and force you to provide them, by making you hungry so you consume something that hopefully has th in it.

I'll give it a try!!

 

[georgehearn]

Cheat days aren’t “magic,” and they also aren’t automatically destructive. The real issue is how they’re used.

In my experience as a trainer, most people do far better with a controlled cheat meal rather than a full-blown cheat day.

Here’s why:
A single meal that’s higher in calories or carbs can help mentally, improve diet adherence, and give you flexibility socially without completely derailing your weekly progress. But a full “anything goes” day often turns into thousands of extra calories, huge blood sugar swings, poor digestion, inflammation, water retention, and a sluggish next few days of training.

What matters most for fat loss is:

• your weekly calorie balance
• consistency
• recovery
• muscle retention
• long-term adherence

One cheat meal usually won’t ruin progress. A weekly binge absolutely can.

Also, the idea that you instantly “reset your metabolism” or become “fat adapted” again after one clean day or one cheat day is oversimplified. Your body responds more to overall patterns than isolated meals.

My recommendation for most people:

• Stay consistent 85-90% of the time
• Use 1 planned meal per week for flexibility
• Avoid turning it into an all-day food marathon
• Keep protein high even during indulgent meals
• Get right back to routine afterward - no guilt, no compensation starvation

The best nutrition plan is the one you can realistically maintain for years, not just weeks.

If you want more guidance or structured help getting back on track, you can also connect with us at Basics and Beyond fitness & nutrition.

 

[Rocky_Hendrix]

I'm reading a lot of conflicting information online on this topic.

Proponents of cheat days say they are great for providing some relief from some of the adverse hormonal consequences of calorie restriction such as slower metabolism, lower thyroid hormones etc. as well as having psychological benefits such as reducing the sense of deprivation from prolonged dieting and allowing you to attend social gatherings where eating clean is near impossible.

But most of the mechanisms behind successful dieting rely on eating clean (to reduce inflammation) and restricting carbs to some degree (to lower insulin resistance and help the body shift from burning carbs for energy to burning fat) and weekly insults might therefore be enough to throw you out of a fat adapted state and spike blood sugar and insulin levels and inflammation and the damaging effects can therefore extend beyond the single cheat day and spill over into the rest of the week. So a weekly insult over time can still do a lot of damage. Especially if you are treating the cheat days like a Man vs Food episode.

Obviously no one can eat perfectly 100% of the time because life gets in the way and sometimes cravings are just too strong to overcome. But cheat days involve deliberately scheduling unhealthy eating once a week with the notion that one day a week eating unhealthily won't hurt and might even help.

nah. do not do cheat days. bull**** devised by normies with low self-control.

 

[remarkable]

If you're going to cheat, make that day a physically active day. Ideally, you'd be exercising throughout the day so that your muscles suck up all the blood glucose to minimize any fat storage. And the next days, you should be eating clean again. Cheating multiple days in a row is a slippery slope.

 

[UK manc]

If you're always in a slightly overtrained state, a mild bit of indulgence (eg maintenance + 500 calories) will add a bit of muscle too. Just don't go over the top.

 

[UK manc]

I just made my "cheat day" count. Screenshot.

Don't just sit at home eating beige slop or chocolate...

 

[Manure Spherian]

They don’t do **** unless one is in extreme dieting.

 

[Serenity]

The entire idea of cheat days is to satisfy oneself psychologically, to thrive and not feel like every single day for a perceived long time is just a constant struggle. Calories is just simple math, the math doesn't lie, the average calorie intake (counted over a period of time like a week or month) must be negative compared to the calorie expenditure. You can do the math, you can calculate how much of a margin you have and from that calculate how often and how much you can "cheat". At that point it no longer really becomes cheating, it becomes a part of the strategy to remain sane while still achieving your goals. The numbers takes the guessing, mystery and uncertainty out of the equation.

I find it reasonable to break the ordinary daily budget a couple of times a month. I like to save it for when I can get the most out of it, like any type of social events involving food. I might not count, but I don't go stupidly overboard into binging territory either. The once a week or every other week on a given day type of deal doesn't work for me, I need more flexibility than that to get more out of it or I will risk being stuck at some social event being grumpy because I already spent my budget.

I guess the most important thing is to honestly determine whether a cheat day is aligned with your plan or if you're running on excuses made up in your mind. Rationalizations are the number 1 enemy of discipline.

 

[BackInTheGame78]

They don’t do **** unless one is in extreme dieting.

I disagree. They can be used for hormonal manipulation