If you’re trying to lose fat, cheat days are probably not helping you.
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In fact, they can be sabotaging your macros for fat loss and making it harder for you to reach your goals.
A macro diet can be a great way to start losing fat, but cheat days are not recommended.
When it comes to #cheatday, this is one thing I won’s recommend to my clients who track macros, or are part of Focus on the Fat loss family.
And here’s why they set you up for failure.
It’s also important to keep in mind that cheat days aren’t a healthy way to reward yourself. If you’re eating healthy most of the time and sticking to your macros plan, then you’ll actually find there’s no need for a “cheat” meal or day, or even weekend at all.
How cheat days affect your fat loss goals
While some people think that cheat days can be used as a tool to jumpstart their metabolism, this is not true. Cheat days can actually cause your metabolism to remain at a lower rate for several days after the cheat day and will hinder your fat loss progress.
Cheating on your diet also causes you to lose motivation in reaching your fitness goals. When you’re following strict meal plans and eating clean all week, it’s very easy to become frustrated when you allow yourself to cheat one day out of seven. This can lead to feelings of guilt or self-loathing which will only put you off from exercising and sticking with your diet plan in future weeks.
Fat loss is a whole lifestyle change.
Fat loss is a lifestyle change, not a diet.
It’s easy to focus on what you’re eating and how much you’re moving. You can cut out sugar or alcohol and start counting calories with an app, but if that’s all you do, then that won’t last long.
So, there will be a point some point in the future where you least expect it when something tempting that wasn’t on your cheat food list will be presented to you. Maybe it’ll be at work or with friends. You want to give into temptation because the thought of depriving yourself feels painful, but then when this happens too often (which it will), weight loss stalls and before long, you’ve gained more than enough weight from all those cheat day over time!
The best way to stay on track with your fat loss journey.
If you want to lose weight, the best way to stay on track with your macros is to reduce your overly processed foods and focus on balance. This means eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains and healthy fats like avocado. You can add in your favourite foods of course, but use balance here, not “moderation” as that ends up subjective.
Conclusion
In the end, it’s important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all diet. For some people, cheat days work well and keep them on track with their fitness goals. But for others, they can be counterproductive. I would advise you to try experimenting with your own macros before deciding if cheat days are right for you. It may be easier than you think!
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