Even among active people, the concept of cheating—breaking the healthy-eating rules—is commonplace. But maybe these days or meals should really just be called “treat days,” says Jordan Mazur, R.D., coordinator of nutrition and team dietitian for the San Francisco 49ers football team.
“The term ‘cheat day’ gives a negative connotation,” he says. “And I don’t like the word ‘diet’ for the same reason.”
The premise of a cheat day, or even a cheat meal, is to let yourself indulge on foods you wouldn’t otherwise eat, Mazur says. “But this premise implies that you’re doing something wrong,” he adds.
Dietitians tend to agree that the goal for athletes should be to eat everything in moderation, and that includes your favorite indulgence. In fact, a poll of Runner’s World Twitter followers found that 75 percent of readers who responded follow this rule of thumb. (Although one reader responded, “Where's the ‘Run so I can eat like a garbage truck’ option?”)
We get it: The old “Everything in moderation” motto isn't exactly the most ground-breaking or trendiest piece of advice, but it is a safer mindset for the long run, says Lisa Bruno, R.D., a nutritionist at Work It Out Gym in Hoboken, New Jersey. “You teach your brain how to enjoy food, and not treat it like something you earned or something that is typically off limits.”
RELATED: Why Trainer Sam Wood Doesn't Believe In Cheat Meals
Bruno also points out that if someone feels the need to dedicate an entire day to indulging themselves, there may be too much structure in his or her weekly diet. “If we can reduce the amount of time we painstakingly audit our food choices and trust our bodies, we’ll innately be healthier individuals,” she says.
Now this doesn’t mean it’s healthy to constantly load up on ice cream sundaes just because you run. It means making those treats part of a balanced diet. For example, if you’re craving a chocolate chip cookie, eat one or two after a workout when your body needs carbs to recover, and fill the rest of your day with meals that are healthy and nutritious.
