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The Harm of “Cheat Meals”, and Why All Foods Fit In

Have you ever been sticking to your “perfect” diet or meal plan, only to “cheat” with a burger or a dessert on the weekend? If so, you’ve experienced one of diet culture's most sneaky guilt-traps: cheat meals. At first glance, cheat meals can seem balanced, planning your indulgence, right? But underneath, the idea of a “cheat meal” can seriously mess with how we feel about food and ourselves. 


Written by: Fiona Chapman

Reviewed by Heather Bray, RD


Let’s unpack the harm of cheat meals and how to adopt a healthier mindset and ditch diet culture most healthily.



Close-up of burgers and fries, often labelled as "cheat meals" in diet culture, illustrating how restriction can lead to binge eating patterns.

What IS a cheat meal? 


A “cheat meal” is typically a planned break from a restrictive diet—an opportunity to eat something “off-limits.” It’s often used as a reward after days of so-called “clean eating” or intense exercise. This often includes high calorie foods that would otherwise “throw you off” your plan. 


While it might sound harmless or even structured, the cheat meal mentality reinforces the idea that some foods are bad, and that they must be “earned”,—which is where the real problem starts. It also promotes binge eating. 


If you’ve ever felt “out of control” around food after a cheat day, you’re not alone—and you’re not broken. This is a common side effect of restriction. In The Empowered Eating Journey, we help you rebuild trust with food so you can stop swinging between extremes and start eating in a way that actually feels good.



Woman eating a slice of pizza, highlighting how labelling foods as “cheats” and how cheat meals can lead to guilt, restriction, and binge eating patterns.


What's wrong with it? 


Cheat meals have many red flags: 


  1. Moralizing food: Labelling a food as a “cheat” implies guilt, shame, or wrongdoing. But food doesn’t have moral value. You’re not being “bad” for eating a cookie. And you can’t cheat on food.

  2. All-or-nothing thinking: Cheat meals often trigger bingeing behaviour—because once you’ve “cheated,” the mindset becomes “might as well go all out.”

  3. Disconnection from body cues: Instead of listening to hunger, cravings, and fullness cues, you follow rigid food rules—abandoning them temporarily, only to return to restriction later.

  4. Food fixation: When certain foods are restricted, we tend to fixate on them more. Cheat meals can increase cravings, not reduce them.


Understanding the binge–restrict cycle is one thing—breaking it is another. That’s why The Empowered Eating Journey combines evidence-based guidance with reflection exercises that help you get to the root of why it’s happening, and how to interrupt it with care—not more control.



Woman holding her temples in frustration, representing the emotional toll and mental stress caused by the binge/restrict cycle and food guilt. Cheat meals


The Mental Impact of Cheat Meals: 


The cheat meal mentality can take a significant toll on your mental wellbeing. When we categorize foods as "good" or "bad," we inevitably end up categorizing ourselves the same way based on what we eat.


This creates a destructive cycle:

  • You restrict "bad" foods all week

  • You finally "allow" yourself a cheat meal

  • You feel guilty about indulging

  • You vow to be "good" again tomorrow

  • You restrict even more to compensate


This cycle can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food characterized by shame, anxiety, and obsession. It can also lead people into binge-restrict cycles that are very difficult to break. 


For many people, it becomes a gateway to disordered eating patterns that are difficult to break.


Ready to break free from food guilt and ditch the “start over Monday” mentality? 

Our team of non-diet dietitians offers 1:1 support and a self-paced program designed to help you eat with confidence and compassion. 

[Work with us] 

[Join the Empowered Eating Journey]

 
 
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