When people adopt a (usually short-term) diet regimen, there is considerable debate as to whether to allow "cheat meals" that willfully deviate from the diet. Proponents argue that occasional splurges help people stick to their diets without significant negative effects, whilst antagonists argue that they are slippery slopes that too often lead to abandoning the diet altogether.
But a better way to consider "cheat" meals is that they are not cheating at all...they're detours.
First, to clarify, the diets I'm talking about here are the most common ones: those intended for weight loss. If you're on a special diet for other health reasons (such as diabetes) this is not for you.
One other clarification: I'm talking about cheat meals here, not cheat days. Those are almost never a good idea.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled presentation.
"Cheat" is a very negative word. There are a few different definitions...the one most applicable here is, "To violate rules deliberately." (There's also "To act dishonestly; practice fraud." But that's pretty harsh.) A "diet" (as the term is most often used) can indeed be considered a set of rules for eating (or not eating) so a cheat meal is cheating by this definition. Case closed, cheater-heads!
Yet cheat-meal advocates will often build them into a diet as a regular, planned activity. In that case, they don't violate the rules at all! But they still carry that negative connotation..."cheating" is never good, and can lead to feelings of guilt. Feeling guilty about eating is never a good thing.
When someone starts a diet, they have a clear starting point (their weight, measurements, body-fat percentage, appearance) and should have a clear destination (pounds or inches lost, fit into clothing, etc.). We can think of it like a map from point A to point B. Road trip! But it's not by car...let's say it's a cycling trip because you have to put in the effort to make progress.
Like any real trip, this one won't be a straight line (or completely flat).
Some people may choose the scenic route. It will take longer to get to the destination, but the trip should be more enjoyable.
Other people will ride as fast as they can, trying to get there as quickly as possible. However, this increases the chances of a breakdown or smash-up that can put an end to the trip completely.
No matter how you travel, you may choose to take some scenic detours, just for the pleasure of it. It means it will take longer to get to your destination, and more work ("pedaling") to get back to where you were, but for some people these detours are worth it. These are the "cheat" meals of your journey.
Some detours are longer than others (a cookie vs. a hot fudge sundae, for example). These will add more time to the journey and require more effort to get back on track. Too many detours--even small ones--will keep you from ever getting to your destination.
The thing is, these detours aren't crimes or violations of any rules; they're choices. If you want to take detours on your journey, go ahead. Just be aware of their consequences. You may choose to build scenic detours into your trip as a regular part of the journey (with a later Estimated Time of Arrival). Or just take them when a particularly appealing option arises. Again, it's your choice.
Now, these choices aren't always easy. They can be influenced by emotional distress, lack of sleep, hormonal imbalances, and so on. But they're still choices. They're not inherently "good" or "bad." But they will affect your trip, slowing or speeding your journey, or ending it.
There may be choices you regret, but it's the same for any long journey. Sometimes you take a side trip that turns out to be disappointing, or at least not worth the time and effort. Either way, no one would call that "cheating." It was just a choice, perhaps one too enticing to pass up at the time.
When it comes to healthy eating, there's no such thing as "cheating." Pick a destination you're confident you can reach, give yourself enough time to get there, and take as many scenic detours as you need without going too far off course.
And lift weights! (Sorry, had to throw that in here.)
Be seeing you.
-gary