Why “Cheat Meals” Do Not Work and What Does.

The concept of a cheat meal is often paired with messaging about “earning food” and a strict commitment to excessive exercise and dietary control. This mindset can foster a problematic, transactional view of food—where “credits” are earned through strict dieting or exercise and then “spent” on short periods of indulgence. At its worst, this approach can encourage a cycle of binge eating followed by restriction. Excessive restriction not only justifies binging but also heightens the urge to binge and lose control during such episodes. Consequently, during cheat meals, there is often a significant caloric intake, which dieters then feel compelled to counterbalance with even stricter exercise or dietary restrictions. This can lead to an increased desire for subsequent binges, fueling a cycle of overconsumption and loss of control that continues indefinitely.

The similarities between cheat meals and binge eating raise concerns. It’s easy to see how this strategy might promote or predispose individuals to cyclical patterns of bingeing and restricting, reinforcing an unhealthy relationship with food.

Operant conditioning is a learning strategy, or method of behavior modification, that employs reinforcement—either in the form of rewards (positive reinforcement) or punishments (negative reinforcement)—to promote or reinforce specific behaviors.

Dr. Edward Sarafino offers 12 strategies for effectively utilizing reinforcement to encourage desired behaviors. Key points include:

- Avoid using reinforcers that could undermine behavioral or outcome goals. For example, rewarding a person with sweets for achieving milestones in a calorie-reduction diet is counterproductive.

- Ensure the reward maintains a high level of value throughout the intervention. When using consumable rewards, avoid allowing the individual to become satiated before the session ends. To prevent this, consider alternating reward types or providing small amounts of the consumable item for each instance of reward.

- Make sure that reinforcement can be given immediately following the desired behavior without significantly interrupting ongoing positive actions.

There is substantial evidence supporting the use of rewards and operant conditioning to effectively drive behavior change. However, using a high-calorie cheat meal as a reward for successful weight loss or dietary compliance is an ineffective approach within this framework. It contradicts the goal of a fitness program, reduces the perceived value of the reward through satiation, and disrupts the ongoing behaviors it is meant to reinforce.

It is crucial to remember that while weight loss programs often show high short-term success rates, maintaining a reduced body weight over the long term is much more challenging. Research suggests that sustainable behavioral changes are vital for long-term weight maintenance. Framing cheat meals as rewards undermines the notion of adopting lasting behavioral changes, instead reinforcing a pattern of alternating between restrictive eating and indulgence, which can threaten long-term success.

To effectively use rewards in a behavior change strategy, choose rewards that either do not conflict with your goals or actively support them. For instance, instead of using food-based rewards, consider rewarding yourself with activities like a movie night, a new book, or a hobby-related purchase. Alternatively, rewards can be directly tied to your progress, such as buying new clothes to highlight your physique changes or engaging in a recreational activity made more enjoyable by your fitness improvements. These types of rewards enhance motivation and align with ongoing goal achievement.

First, let's address the commonly assumed physiological benefits. While it's true that dieters might undergo metabolic adaptation, which involves a decrease in total daily energy expenditure due to caloric restriction, the evidence on this is nuanced. Theoretically, certain non-linear dieting methods, such as refeeds or diet breaks that temporarily increase calorie intake, might help mitigate declines in energy expenditure or maintain training performance during extended dieting periods. There is some experimental evidence suggesting positive effects on psychological and behavioral outcomes and training quality, but the data on preserving energy expenditure or metabolic rate remains somewhat inconsistent.

Among the various intermittent dieting approaches, cheat meals are considered the least effective option. Alternatives like refeeds—periods of increased calorie consumption, primarily from carbohydrates—and diet breaks are often used to carefully balance energy intake. The objective is to raise calorie intake sufficiently and for a long enough duration to temporarily mimic a state of adequate energy availability, without crossing into excessive consumption that could significantly disrupt weight loss progress. Experimental studies indicate that aggressive, short-term overfeeding methods are neither efficient nor effective for this goal.

For instance, a study by Dirlewanger explored the impact of short-term overfeeding on leptin levels (a key hormone involved in metabolic adaptation) and energy expenditure. The results showed that a high-carbohydrate overfeeding protocol over a short period increased leptin levels by 28% and total daily energy expenditure by 7%. However, this protocol required participants to consume 140% of their energy needs for three days, resulting in a 40% caloric surplus—significantly more than what is needed to maintain energy balance.

When considering the psychological impact of presenting cheat meals as goal-oriented behaviors in a fitness context, there appears to be more potential for negative outcomes than positive ones. Primarily, it is challenging to justify cheat meals as goal-directed actions within an evidence-based framework for goal-setting. This type of framework involves creating a structured hierarchy of interconnected goals. At the top of this hierarchy is a superordinate goal, which reflects an individual's core values and vision of their ideal future self. For instance, a broad goal like "being healthy" may reflect a person's commitment to health, a desire to lead a healthy lifestyle, and an aspiration to become someone who consistently makes healthy choices. To achieve this superordinate goal, one would establish a series of intermediate goals, which are then further broken down into specific subordinate goals. Intermediate goals are more defined than superordinate ones, such as "exercise more," while subordinate goals are the most specific, like "lift weights for 60 minutes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the local gym."

What makes goal hierarchies effective is their interconnectedness. Each subordinate goal supports an intermediate goal, which in turn supports the superordinate goal. There are scenarios where multiple lower-level goals contribute to the same higher-level goal, a concept known as "equifinality." Conversely, a single lower-level goal might serve several distinct higher-level goals, referred to as "multifinality."

The essence of a goal hierarchy is that it creates a cohesive and interconnected framework to support the main overarching goal. In a well-designed goal hierarchy, you won’t encounter contradictions or lower-level goals that conflict with higher-level ones. Within this framework, it's challenging to justify the inclusion of cheat meals—characterized by restrictive dieting followed by an indulgence purely for pleasure—as they don't align with a structured approach to achieving goals. For example, if the primary goal is "to be healthy," intermediate goals might focus on aspects such as mental well-being, exercise routines, and dietary adjustments. Cheat meals do not easily fit into these objectives.

On the contrary, cheat meals often contradict these goals, creating internal conflicts and cognitive dissonance for the dieter. "Mental contrasting," a technique that involves visualizing a desired future state and comparing it with the current reality, can help clarify this conflict. This method can enhance expectations of success, boost confidence in achieving goals, increase motivation, and drive action toward those goals. It can also help identify major obstacles and outline a more effective strategy for achieving the desired outcome. If a dieter frequently indulging in cheat meals were to engage in focused mental contrasting, they would likely see cheat meals as more of a hindrance than a supportive behavior.

In conclusion, cheat meals are not well-aligned with a coherent goal hierarchy and can introduce cognitive dissonance, potentially undermining self-confidence and motivation to pursue one's goals.

Wrapping it Up

Let's consider a hypothetical scenario involving a dieter who adopts a highly restrictive approach to weight loss. This individual follows a strict regimen where certain foods are entirely prohibited, and every meal must meet precise nutritional targets. Any deviation from this stringent plan is seen as a failure to adhere to the diet. Due to the highly restrictive nature of their eating habits, the dieter permits themselves one "cheat meal" each week, where they can eat anything they want, serving as a temporary release from their otherwise inflexible diet.

When the dieter begins this cheat meal—whether it's a planned part of their routine or an impulsive response to restrictive dieting—the sudden shift from rigid control to unrestricted eating can lead to a loss of restraint. This lack of control may cause them to consume more than intended. As the meal continues, the dieter realizes that their food choices are not aligned with their dietary goals, eating foods that were previously off-limits in excessive amounts. Even if the cheat meal was pre-planned, it can feel misaligned with their higher goal of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which reflects their core values and vision of their ideal self.

This misalignment between their desired self-image and their actual eating behavior can lower their self-esteem and belief in their ability to succeed. Consequently, they may start to blame themselves, either for succumbing to the temptation of an unplanned cheat meal or for losing control and overeating. These feelings can trigger a negative emotional state, sometimes masked by further overeating, or lead to a shift in mindset characterized by diminished motivation or feelings of defiance. The dieter might rationalize, "I'm already off my diet, so I might as well continue," or they may feel demoralized by their perceived failure and overeat as a form of rebellion against their restrictive eating plan.

One possibility is that the combination of diminished self-esteem and confidence, along with the pleasure derived from an unrestricted meal, may lead the dieter to abandon their diet entirely. In this situation, the diet is halted before the individual reaches their weight loss goals. This can leave the dieter in a worse position than when they began, not only failing to achieve the desired physical changes but also suffering from lasting negative emotional and psychological effects.

Even if the diet is not immediately abandoned, the dieter may resort to larger or more frequent cheat meals. Research suggests that individuals who experience binge eating episodes—marked by excessive calorie consumption following a loss of restraint—may develop harmful coping mechanisms, such as justifying their behavior with thoughts like "eating makes me feel better" or "it's okay to binge," and believing they lack control over their eating. These beliefs can trigger additional binge eating episodes. Consequently, this pattern can impede a dieter's progress, as large or frequent cheat meals can completely counteract the calorie deficit created through moderate dieting efforts. For instance, a daily deficit of 400 kcal on non-cheat days can be undone by a weekly surplus of 2,400 kcal in one day, 1,000 kcal over two days, or about 533 kcal over three days. Over time, this "relapse" into larger or more frequent cheat meals may halt weight loss progress, decrease motivation and confidence, and ultimately lead to the diet being abandoned without achieving its intended goals.

Another scenario is that after a brief lapse into overeating, the dieter might attempt to regain control by compensating for the overeating episode with extreme dietary restrictions. While this may seem effective in the short term, it often exacerbates the cycle of bingeing and restricting. This repeated cycle of perceived failures and unsustainable compensatory behaviors can lead to problematic eating patterns in the short term and, over time, erode self-confidence, self-esteem, and motivation, potentially resulting in the diet's cessation. Once again, the dieter fails to achieve the desired physical outcomes and faces long-lasting emotional and psychological consequences.

We've now discussed some typical features of cheat meals and examined why they may not be the best strategy for dieters. However, stopping there would be overly simplistic. There are reasons why people use cheat meals—primarily because maintaining strict dietary restraint over an extended period is challenging. A diet that doesn't allow for occasional increases in calorie intake or the pleasure of eating lacks long-term sustainability. With this in mind, let's consider some alternative strategies that could be more effective and sustainable than cheat meals.

What are the alternative approaches?

Planned Hedonic Deviation Approach

A planned hedonic deviation isn't about completely losing control or engaging in an unplanned binge when one reaches their "breaking point" with dietary restrictions. Instead, it involves a controlled and calculated increase in calorie intake, achieved by reallocating calories from earlier in the week, while still adhering to the overall weekly calorie budget. This approach can be compared to setting aside a specific amount for a clothing budget each month, as opposed to going on a spontaneous, unchecked shopping spree and only later assessing the financial impact.

In essence, planned calorie increases are intentional and carefully managed within the framework of an individual's goals, based on predetermined caloric guidelines. This method encourages positive psychological outcomes linked to flexible dietary control, rather than the negative consequences associated with binge eating or breaking from the diet plan. As a result, planned hedonic deviation is viewed as a goal-oriented behavior that aligns with the individual's broader objectives, minimizing the risk of negative self-perception, psychological distress, or overly restrictive behaviors that are often triggered by cheat meals.

Slack with a Cost Approach

The "slack with a cost" strategy is based on the idea that overly ambitious goals can result in frequent failures, which may lower self-confidence and weaken motivation to continue striving toward those goals. Conversely, goals that are too easy tend to be unengaging and do not effectively promote meaningful progress; their lack of challenge fails to capture attention or inspire efforts towards achieving success. This concept is particularly relevant when individuals are aiming for an important overarching goal. Sharif and Shu, in their 2017 study, observed that "when a superordinate goal is in place, more difficult goals may be seen as more appealing (valuable) because they increase the likelihood of achieving the superordinate goal."

The "slack with a cost" method seeks to strike a balance by making challenging goals more achievable. This approach introduces a degree of flexibility in the goal-pursuit process, allowing for some leeway while also incorporating a minor "cost" to discourage frequent deviations.

For instance, in one of Sharif and Shu's experiments, participants were tasked with completing a monotonous, repetitive activity and were compensated monetarily for adhering to their assigned goal. Some participants were asked to complete the task 5 days a week (easy), others 7 days a week (challenging), and a third group was informed that their "official" goal was to complete the task 5 days a week but to aim for 7 days a week. The fourth group, given "slack with a cost," was told to complete the task 7 days a week, with up to 2 days excused if necessary.

Under this framework, participants earned $1 for each day of task completion, plus a $5 bonus for achieving the weekly goal. The "slack with a cost" group faced a penalty of $1 for each day skipped, but their weekly bonus remained unaffected unless they skipped 3 or more days. This model allowed participants to work towards an ambitious goal (7 days per week) with some flexibility (1-2 skipped days would not forfeit the weekly bonus). The strategy promotes flexible cognitive restraint while imposing a small penalty (losing $1/day), ensuring that skipping days is not perceived as complete failure but rather as a choice that comes with a manageable cost, thereby discouraging frequent lapses.

The "slack with a cost" approach is closely linked to effective goal-setting strategies, as detailed in a Stronger By Science article on the topic. The experiments by Sharif and Shu highlight that participants favored goals incorporating this approach, seeing them as more attainable than difficult goals but more valuable than easier ones, and showing greater persistence in achieving them. In a specific experiment involving monetary rewards for a repetitive task, those in the "slack with a cost" group demonstrated greater persistence and were more likely to receive their bonuses compared to other groups. Overall, this strategy proved effective by making challenging goals seem more flexible and achievable.

This concept can easily be adapted to dieting. Dieters can create a predetermined "calorie reserve" for the week—a fixed number of calories they can use flexibly as needed. This reserve can be accessed at any point during the week, but its size remains constant, allowing it to be integrated into the weekly calorie target without turning into an unrestricted calorie surplus, as often happens with cheat meals.

Within this framework, dieters have the flexibility to use their calorie reserve at their discretion. The minor drawback (a slight delay in reaching the weight loss goal) doesn't equate to "failing" or "going off the diet," helping to prevent the "what the hell" mindset. Because the calorie reserve is pre-planned and accounted for, it fits seamlessly into the overall diet plan and aligns with the dieter’s broader goal hierarchy.

Additionally, this approach helps to align goals and incentives effectively. As mentioned earlier, treating a cheat meal as a reward for weight loss creates a contradiction and can lead to cognitive dissonance. In contrast, the "slack with a cost" method subtly encourages avoiding the use of the calorie reserve without directly penalizing those who choose to use it. This approach aligns the reward of faster weight loss with the dieter's objectives. If someone is pleased with their progress and more eager to reach their weight loss goals quickly than to consume extra calories from the reserve, they can opt not to use the reserve that week. There is no requirement to use it, nor is there a need to impose strict restrictions throughout the week to allow for occasional indulgences. This makes the "slack with a cost" strategy a flexible alternative, bridging the gap between traditional dieting (with a consistent daily calorie limit) and planned indulgences (with a set high-calorie day).

Proceed with Awareness

The primary challenge or obstacle during dieting, often referred to as a "sticking point," can differ from person to person. For some, the difficulty lies in managing social eating situations while adhering to calorie limits. Others may struggle with cravings or the mismatch between their usual eating habits and new dietary targets. Some may also contend with feelings of hunger. These challenges can evolve as the diet progresses; for example, social eating may pose a bigger hurdle initially, while hunger may become more prominent as one makes steady progress toward their goal.

Therefore, while some dieters might use planned indulgences or the "slack with a cost" approach to allow for more flexibility at social gatherings or to enjoy favorite high-calorie foods, others may focus on strategies to increase satiety and manage hunger. Although there are several effective and practical methods to enhance a meal's "satiating efficiency" (its effectiveness in reducing hunger per calorie), it's important to note that having a few high-satiety meals each week might provide temporary satisfaction but is unlikely to address hunger issues on other days. A more comprehensive strategy for managing hunger during dieting would involve applying these techniques consistently throughout the entire week, not just on days with higher calorie intake.

Additionally, a more comprehensive approach could involve combining these strategies with an acceptance-based method for managing hunger during dieting. While a full exploration of this concept is outside the scope of this article, the basic idea is that "acceptance-based interventions aim to alter one's relationship with unwanted thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations, rather than attempting to change or control them." In terms of hunger, this approach encourages viewing it as a natural and expected part of calorie restriction. The focus is on changing one's psychological response to hunger, rather than constantly fighting it or causing stress by trying to avoid or suppress it. Although this can be challenging, the benefits are significant.

Returning to practical tips for improving meal satisfaction, one effective strategy is to carefully select foods. Meals that are rich in protein, fiber, and water and have a low energy density (fewer calories relative to food volume) can be particularly satisfying. For instance, meals centered around fibrous vegetables, lean proteins, and low-calorie soups can achieve this balance. Research also suggests that opting for unprocessed or minimally processed foods, as well as those with firmer textures, may enhance satiety.

Foods with harder textures might indirectly boost feelings of fullness by slowing the eating pace, as they require more chewing. Studies indicate that slower eating rates are linked to greater satiety, potentially for two reasons. First, a slower pace allows the body more time to release and detect hormones and neurotransmitters that signal fullness. Second, it gives us more time, per calorie consumed, to enjoy the aromas and flavors of the food. In this way, eating slowly can increase the "hedonic efficiency"—the enjoyment per calorie—of a meal. While hard textures might slow eating due to the need for more chewing, a slower eating rate itself seems to improve satiety regardless of food texture. For example, one study found that eating apple juice with a spoon, as though it were soup, increased feelings of fullness more than drinking the same juice directly, even though the food and its texture were identical.

Regarding "hedonic efficiency," mindful eating can also be beneficial. Mindful eating involves being fully present while eating and consciously focusing on the flavors, smells, and overall experience of the meal. Sometimes, we eat while distracted—like mindlessly snacking on pizza while watching a game with friends. In such situations, our attention is divided between the game and social interactions, preventing us from fully savoring the food’s flavors and aromas.

In these scenarios, while we may consume a significant number of calories, the enjoyment derived from eating is diminished due to the distraction. This is not to suggest that we should eat in isolation devoid of external stimuli or that mindful eating is guaranteed to reduce calorie intake. Instead, dieters should be mindful of unintended overconsumption that might occur when eating distractedly. Additionally, mindful eating might help dieters enhance both satiation and hedonic efficiency when employing strategies like planned hedonic deviation or slack with a cost. By using the strategies outlined in this section, dieters can maximize the benefits of planned hedonic deviations or slack with a cost, getting more satisfaction and effectiveness from their dietary efforts.

The GrubSmarter approach

Many diet apps begin with overly strict dietary guidelines or targets, exacerbating the issue with features that promote rigid cognitive restraint. For instance, some apps issue warnings or display alerts in red when a user surpasses a daily goal or consumes foods deemed "bad." Others enforce strict meal timing schedules or become less functional if a user’s compliance, measured as the difference between their target and actual intake, falls outside a narrowly defined range. Some apps even label and track "good days" and "bad days."

GrubSmarter, on the other hand, is designed to foster success through advanced computer vision and machine learning algorithms that recognize what you're eating and offer nutritional guidance and education. The app processes personal data—such as gender, age, weight, target weight, current fitness activity level, and sports-related goals—to provide an initial estimate of total daily energy expenditure. This estimate is refined daily by an advanced algorithm, and when combined with a customizable goal-setting feature, enables a personalized approach that aligns with sustainable weight and nutrition goals. The app is specifically designed to support flexible cognitive restraint through its thoughtful features and design.

Summary and Conclusions

Cheat meals are often used in ways that lead to negative psychological effects, potentially lowering the quality of life during dieting and decreasing the chances of achieving desired outcomes.

Nevertheless, there are scientifically supported alternatives that can provide the perceived benefits of cheat meals without their usual drawbacks. Planned hedonic deviation allows for a controlled increase in calorie intake on a predetermined high-calorie day each week, while the "slack with a cost" method sets a fixed weekly calorie reserve that can be used at the dieter’s discretion. These strategies are most effective when integrated into a well-structured goal hierarchy, combined with flexible cognitive restraint, acceptance-based approaches to dieting, mindful eating, and careful food choices. Together, these techniques form a comprehensive toolkit that can enhance the dieting experience and increase the likelihood of sustainable, long-term success. These strategies are also easy to implement using GrubSmarter.