Cheat Days Don't Work: The Hidden Cost of This Diet Trend

"For years, diet gurus, fitness influencers, and popular magazines have promoted the idea of a "cheat day" as a way to literally "have your cake and eat it, too." The message is simple: restrict your food or eat "clean" most of the time, then set aside one day to indulge in the foods you've been avoiding. Many find this approach appealing because it seems to grant permission for enjoyment without guilt,"

"Cheat days divide food into "good" and "bad." When foods are labeled as clean or forbidden, they take on moral value: salad becomes virtuous, dessert becomes sinful. Invariably, moralizing food increases guilt, shame, and preoccupation with eating. Far from keeping things balanced, cheat days maintain the idea that certain foods are special or generally off-limits-which only heightens cravings and reinforces the binge-restrict cycle."

Cheat days create a moral hierarchy of foods, labeling some as clean and others as forbidden, which increases guilt, shame, and fixation on eating. Planned restriction followed by scheduled indulgence mirrors binge-restrict cycles and predicts rebound eating and disordered patterns. Rigid rules about food undermine internal hunger and satiety cues and erode trust in the body. Flexible guidelines, everyday permission, and consistent inclusion of varied foods support hunger awareness, satisfaction, and long-term balance. True food freedom depends on daily consistency and permission rather than periodic cheat day swings that intensify cravings and emotional distress.

Read at Psychology Today