written by Elizabeth of Pure Simple Wellness
Cheat days are a hot topic in the health and wellness space and people are often asking me my opinion on them.
Hi! I’m Elizabeth, Holistic Health Coach and Emotional Eating Expert over at Pure Simple Wellness here to provide tips and tricks to help you get off the yo-yo dieting cycle and to get back to your healthy eating habits!
So, back to cheat days…..
Some people feel that cheat days help them reach their goals and for others they absolutely get in the way and derail their efforts.
The fact is, no one can (or probably should) stick with a highly regimented diet 24/7, 365 days a year. It’s not realistic and it’s not fun! Food is meant to fuel your body AND to be enjoyed!
Personally, I believe an entire day every week where you gorge on “forbidden” foods (sweets, takeout foods, chips, etc.) doesn’t help to reinforce your health and wellness goals or keep you consistent in your actions.
Cheat days reinforce an “all or nothing attitude” where you immediately throw in the towel if you “cheat’! In addition, flooding your body with foods that provide minimal nutrition can leave you feeling tired, bloated and crappy!
Instead, a moderate approach might work better – eating a “reward” meal once or twice a week, or working some treats (like favorite meals or snacks) into your regular routine so you never feel like you need a cheat day.
This moderate approach supports the strategy I use in my health practice called the 80/20 approach. Read on here for more information about how you can incorporate the 80/20 approach into your lifestyle!
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