6 Tips for Intermittent Fasting Cheat Day | How Cheat Correctly?

Intermittent Fasting Cheat Day

A cheat day can provide much-needed relief from the pressures of adhering to the same eating plan daily for an extended period.

Although Intermittent Fasting is a diet plan for some adherents, it is more of a lifestyle choice for many others.

However, even in intermittent fasting, you might want to veer off the norm at one time or another.

Consequently, the question is, can you accomplish an intermittent fasting cheat day while maintaining your weight loss or healthy living objectives?

An intermittent fasting cheat day is generally acceptable, but you should first ask yourself why you are doing it.

Once you are clear about why you want to cheat on intermittent fasting, you need to do it right without compromising your objectives. 

Reasons That Would Lead To An Intermittent Fasting Cheat Day

There are various legitimate reasons you would wish to indulge in a cheat day while on an intermittent fasting regimen.

1. You may want to boost your metabolism after a calorie deficit.

Every time you lose weight, your metabolism slows down, and one of the best strategies to speed up your metabolism is to take a diet break and eat high-calorie foods.

2. You might want to indulge in a cheat day to avoid hunger pangs and food deprivation, which is especially important if you are new to an intermittent fasting program.

Cheating, of course, will leave you feeling satisfied.

3. The third reason you might want to cheat on intermittent fasting is if you want to lock in more muscle, and your current diet is not helping you achieve that goal effectively.

Fasting for an extended period while engaging in physical activity will deplete your glycogen stores, resulting in a loss of water weight and muscle mass.

All these are good reasons to have a chat day, but you should do it right. 

Intermittent Fasting Cheat Day

Tips To Do Your Intermittent Fasting Cheat Day Right

6 Tips To Do Your Intermittent Fasting Cheat Day Right

The following suggestions will assist you in accomplishing intermittent fasting cheat days without compromising your objectives.

1. Choose A Much Longer Fasting Period

Choose A Much Longer Fasting Period

A cheat day on any typical or conventional diet plan entails trying different meals. It involves consuming foods you would otherwise avoid if you rigorously adhere to a diet program. 

The timing of your meals is more important than the content of your meals while you are intermittent fasting.

The 5:2 and 16:8 fasting plans are the two most popular variations, although dozens of others are available. 

More extended fasting periods give you more cheat days or hours than shorter fasting periods, which is advantageous.

It also reduces your food cravings, which results in you consuming less food once you break your fast.

2. Go Slow On the Carbs

Go Slow On the Carbs

When most people cheat, they always gravitate toward foods heavy in carbohydrates, sugars, and fats instead of foods low in these nutrients.

Why? Because they entice the senses of smell and taste. 

Even following an intermittent fasting regimen, overindulging in carbohydrates can hinder or slow your success.

Because the reason for your cheat day is most likely that the fast hours are lengthy, make sure to eat or snack on something nutritious and filling.

3. Do Not Cheat Consecutively For Two Days

It is acceptable to delight in two cheat days per week, but indulging in two cheat days in a row is unreasonable.

Maintaining the metabolic benefits of intermittent fasting is possible by having one cheat day per week. 

In other words, the most successful cheat day is one in which you consume only one cheat meal on that particular day.

You can undo all of your hard work quickly if you allow your cheat days to continue for two consecutive days or more, especially if your goal is to lose weight.

4. Do Not Overeat

Intermittent Fasting Cheat Day – Do Not Overeat

You should not try to push yourself to eat if your body is adapted to fasting and does not prompt you—the temptation to overindulge on a “cheat day” may be because you are seeking something specific. 

It is essential to listen to your body on even the most indulgent days of an intermittent fasting diet, no matter what.

Fill yourself up, but do not overeat. Do your research before adding something new to your diet that you would not ordinarily eat.

5. Keep Track of Your Progress

Keep Track of Your Progress

Keeping track of your progress is critical if you integrate cheat days into your intermittent fasting regimen to determine how these cheat days are affecting your overall health and wellness. 

Weigh yourself, take your measurements, and note how you are feeling in general.

It is critical to keep track of how you are feeling because it will assist you in determining whether or not you are misusing the cheat days.

6. Make The Best Out Of Your Cheat Day

Intermittent Fasting Cheat Day

Intermittent Fasting Cheat Day – Make The Best Out Of Your Cheat Day

If you decide to cheat, make sure to eat well and indulge in foods you enjoy.

If you cheat by eating something that you do not like or which might cause you more harm than good, you will regret your decision to do so in the first place.

Remember that you are not the only one who enjoys a day off from the routine to indulge in a bit of indulgence.

Final Thoughts

Some people have valid reasons for deviating from their regular eating habits when it comes to cheat meals or cheat days.

The addition of an intermittent fasting cheat day to your plan may be just what you need to keep on track, or it may sabotage your success and leave you feeling demoralized and defeated. 

What you should eat will depend on your metabolism, temperament, and preferences. Identify the ideal approach for you, and explore the options on the table.

Even if you succeed in cheating, you should, at the very least, attempt to do it correctly. 

Do not overindulge, do not consume an excessive amount of carbohydrates, do not delight in consecutive cheat days, and most importantly, enjoy yourself without feeling guilty about it.

See Also

What are Cheat Meals

What Can You Drink During Intermittent Fasting

Best Intermittent Fasting App

Keto Cheat Day

800 Calorie Intermittent Fasting

Current Version
April 30, 2022
Written By
Damla Sengul