Should You Have a Cheat Day?

Are You Fueling Progress or Sabotaging It?

Ready to finally tackle those weight loss goals? You’ve got your food scale out, your calorie-tracking app loaded, and your mind set on staying committed especially after last summer’s two-week flop. This time, it’s lean proteins, plenty of veggies, and carbs dialed down to just 10 percent of your intake. But one week in, cravings hit. Pizza. Ice cream. Burgers. So you wonder, Should I have a cheat day?

A cheat day is a scheduled break from your usual diet where you indulge in your favourite foods. The idea is simple: satisfy cravings, then get back to business. And there can be benefits.

When you’re dieting, your body undergoes hormonal changes. You start burning stored energy mostly fat, but also muscle, especially if you’re not strength training. And even if you are lifting, muscle growth is tough in a caloric deficit. Over time, this can slow your metabolism.

That’s where cheat meals or more strategically, “refeed days” come in. By temporarily boosting carb intake, you replenish muscle glycogen and may reduce some of the hormonal drag that dieting creates. Since many cheat meals are carb-heavy, they’re effective for this.

But here’s the catch: weight loss still comes down to total calorie balance. Let’s say your maintenance is 2000 calories a day, or 14,000 a week. You drop to 1500 daily, for a 10,500 weekly total. That’s a solid deficit. Now throw in a cheat day with 3000 calories and your total is 13,500 still below maintenance. Not bad.

But cheat meals can escalate quickly. A big breakfast, lunch, and dinner can push that cheat day to 5000+ calories. Now you’re back at 15,500 above maintenance and your deficit is gone.

The takeaway? Cheat days can be useful, especially if you’re on a long cut or a very low-carb plan. But they’re not magic, and they’re not mandatory. If you can stick to your plan, eat satisfying high-protein meals, and include the occasional treat without losing control, even better.

Looking for a plan that keeps you on track without guilt trips? Reach out, I'll help make it work for you.

Emmanuel Ofori

Your friendly neighbourhood fitness professional