Should You Have Cheat/Treat Days?

For years, I followed a fitness plan that pushed a low-carb, low-calorie, low-fat diet. Spoiler alert: I think it was a terrible plan.

While I didn’t follow it to the letter (I stuck with my own way of eating—high fat, moderate protein, low carb), there was one part of their approach that intrigued me: the cheat/treat day.

The idea was simple: once a week, you could eat whatever you wanted for one hour. You could keep it tame, like adding sweet potatoes to your meal, or you could go all out with burgers, fries, pizza, and dessert. It sounded amazing—a golden ticket for indulgence, guilt-free!

But here’s the thing: it didn’t work for me. And judging by the fact that this program eventually went bankrupt, I’m guessing I wasn’t the only one who struggled.

Why Cheat/Treat Days Backfire

Here’s how cheat days ended up sabotaging me—and others:

1. Undoing Progress in One Hour:
   When you go overboard, you can undo a week’s worth of hard work. Some clients even developed binge eating habits, blaming themselves instead of the program.

2. Reigniting Cravings:
   Eating off-plan foods would reignite cravings. What had finally started feeling manageable—like skipping dessert or saying no to bread—suddenly became an uphill battle all over again.

3. Slippery Slope Syndrome:
   One hour became one day, which easily turned into a long weekend. Once I gave myself permission to indulge, it was hard to stop.

4. Turning Everyday Eating Into Punishment:
   Cheat days made my regular way of eating feel like a punishment. Instead of enjoying my high-fat, low-carb meals, I started fixating on the things I “couldn’t” have.

The Case for an Abstinence-Only Approach

Let’s be real—it can feel overwhelming to think about giving up your favorite foods forever. No more chewy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies? Would life even be worth living? That thought used to terrify me.

But here’s the thing: when we ask alcoholics to give up alcohol or drug addicts to put down their substances, we don’t make exceptions for special occasions. We recognize that abstinence is often the only way.

For many of us, food—especially sugar and highly processed carbs—is our drug of choice. And while it’s socially acceptable, the Western diet is lethal. Sure, a few lucky people might live long, healthy lives despite it, but most of us won’t.

So I had to ask myself: Do I love cookies more than I love my kids?

The answer was clear.

Why I’m Choosing Abstinence—For Now

I’ve decided to try an abstinence-only approach. No cheat days. No treating myself to “just one” because I know it makes my life harder for me.

Will I stick with it forever? I don’t know. That’s too overwhelming to think about. Right now, I’m focusing on today.

And today includes a fabulous confit’d slab of pork belly. I’m not sad or deprived about it. In fact, I feel lucky.

Because this isn’t about punishment. It’s about choosing foods that fuel me, that make me feel strong and clear-headed, that support my long-term health. And that taste delicious. And in my world, that includes pork belly.

What This Means for You

If you’re wrestling with cheat days or treat meals, you’re not alone. It’s normal to feel conflicted, especially when so many diets normalize indulgence as a “reward.” But if cheat days are making things harder instead of easier, it might be time to rethink your approach.

Abstinence doesn’t have to feel like deprivation. It can be empowering, freeing you from the constant cycle of cravings and guilt. And it doesn’t have to be forever—it can just be for today.