When you choose to follow a diet technique, you want to stick to it no matter what happens. The problem is that when you fall through the cracks for a day, it would be difficult for you to get back on your feet. You think that you have already failed once, so you do not follow your diet technique anymore.
You can avert this problem by having a cheat day. Some people think that the cheat day reverses everything that you worked hard for, but it does not. Instead, it allows you to breathe after some time of following your diet technique.
- It keeps you sane
When you have a strict diet plan where you restrict yourself from eating different foods, you end up always craving various dishes. Before you know it, you might abandon the program. When you have a cheat day, you know that you can have those dishes again, so you will stick to your plan for now.
- You deserve a reward
You might also stick to your plan when you reward yourself for your faithfulness to it. The cheat day is your reward. It also helps that you have something to look forward to at the end of the week. You know that if you keep pushing for a few more days, you will reap the reward. You can start planning by reserving a table in one of the upper west side restaurants now. When you know what is waiting for you at the end of the week, you will work hard.
- You are creating a realistic plan
Following a rigid diet technique does not seem sensible. Even if you could follow it thoroughly, it might take a while before you see results. However, when you have a cheat day, you allow yourself to relax for a while without feeling guilty about it. You do not think of that day as a mistake, but a break before returning to your diet.
- A temporary break is better than getting rid of the plan
When you do not allow yourself to have a cheat day, you will reach a point when you start getting tired. Worse, you barely see any changes in your body. You will then get fed up with what you are doing and decide to stop. However, when you have a cheat day, you allow yourself to know how it feels to eat without restrictions. It could be once a week depending on your level of comfort. The key is for you to remain consistent with the plan.
Most people fear that when they have a cheat day, and they once again feel what it is like to not have any restrictions when eating, they will not go back to their original plan. It is up to you though to decide if you will have several cheat days, or if you will return to your plan once that day is over.