Personalities

I’m not nuts about it and here’s why. If you’re the type of person who has problems with carbohydrates and insulin, one day off your program can throw your blood sugar into a tailspin and undo a lot of good. For many dieters, insulin resistance – a condition in which the body doesn’t handle carbs, sugar and the hormonal response to them very well – is a big problem. You can make a huge positive impact on insulin resistance in just a few days of clean eating, but you can also blow the whole shebang if you go nuts on your “cheat day.”

That said, for those who do not have an issue with carbs or sweets and who truly understand the concept of moderation, a cheat day isn’t the worst thing in the world, though I would prefer a cheat meal to an entire day devoted to any and all foods.

Bottom line: If it helps you stay on track the rest of the week and if you don’t go overboard, the cheat day can be perfectly OK. But if you’re addicted to carbs, the cheat day concept isn’t for you. It would be like telling an alcoholic that they could drink one day a week.