4 Ways to Cheat Your Diet

By most accounts, a molten chocolate cake with ice cream would not pass as health food. That type of dessert creates images of gluttony, calories and deliciousness. And yet, last weekend you could have found me eating that exact cake in all my fit glory. And the ice cream…and much more alcohol than I typically consume. 

Sometimes, health takes on a weird form. Chocolate, cheesecake (another favorite) and booze will not appear in a diet book any time soon. And, admittedly, none of those foods are part of a good eating plan. But my weekend binge was exactly what my body needed and completely healthy. 

Don’t confuse my message for some crazy rant. I still believe in eating your standard fare of whole, non-processed foods. And this isn't an excuse for “fit” people who can cheat the system and eat bad foods without any repercussions. Quite the opposite: I’ve spent my adulthood trying to overcome an overweight childhood that was represented by swimming in T-shirts to hide my fat, and specially tailored pants for my Bar Mitzvah (they didn’t make a suit for a boy who was as vertically challenged as me, and yet so pleasantly wide). But during my transformation from the overweight to fit, and throughout my ongoing process of practicing healthy strategies, I’ve learned that even the most obsessive beahviors require a break. Being inflexible is unhealthy. And when you understand that cheating on your diet can be as healthy as going to the doctor or eating your vegetables, you start to gain a better understanding of how the human body works.  

Health is diverse and multi-faceted. As I discussed last week, there isn’t one standardized lifestyle approach. And that shouldn’t be a frustrating experience. Yes—there’s a lot of health information and much of it is bad or confusing. But here’s a truth that isn’t shared enough: Living healthy doesn’t have to be constraining, uncomfortable, and even painful.  I know plenty of people who look great but hate the way they live. And many others that hate the way they look and love the way they live. Being fit is finding the middle ground where you look the way you want, enjoy the way you live, and still remain healthy. To find that holy grail you need to ask yourself, what do you want? 

If you just want to be healthy, your mission is relatively simple. There’s tons of information on this site to help you get started, and the best guide for balancing your diet. But if your goal is more specific, like having a six-pack, you’ll need to work harder and do more research. After all, what is healthy isn’t always what will make you lean. This is a lesson that few people ever understand, but represents exactly why you need to understand your goals before you can plan your diet.

Regardless of your long term vision, it’s important to remember that any diet can include an allowance for dessert. Here are four strategies that will help you find an effective way to indulge:

1. The percentage rule 

Some people go by 90:10 and others 80:20. Either way, the concept is simple: 10 (or 20) percent of your daily calories are “free” for whatever you want to eat. So if you’re on a 2,000 calorie/day diet, you can eat 100 calories of whatever you want, whether it’s ice cream, candy, or cake. If you choose this route, just make sure you’re aware of portion sizes and don’t overeat.

2. The cheat meal 

If you have trouble counting calories or keeping an eye on your meal size, this might be your preferred option. In this strategy, you choose 1 (or maybe 2) meals per week when you can eat whatever you want. No rules. No restrictions. Just enjoy. I’ve seen this approach work great for many people. But, if you have a lot of weight to lose, I recommend avoiding this in the early process of your transformation. Oftentimes it increases cravings for the bad foods that you’re trying to remove, and can make your eating changes more difficult.

3. The post-workout approach 

If you’re a macro person (track your carbs, proteins, and fats), this is a wonderful option. When you’re aware of how many proteins/carbs/fats you consume, it’s easy to make food substitutions and eat “bad” foods without a negative consequence. And there’s no better time for a small indulgence than after a workout. I’ve made a habit of enjoying sugary cereals, fast food, or my favorite breakfast foods (think pancakes) as part of my “healthy” post-workout routine. And if you really want to understand the importance of eating during the post-workout window, check out leangains.com for the science behind the approach.

4. The random 

I guess you could call this the Born. It’s the strategy that I’ve followed for years, and it seems to work best for my goals. Here’s how it goes: I eat healthy year round. I don’t plan daily or weekly cheat meals. Most times I won’t even have dessert for months at a time. I know what’s good for me (fruits, vegetables, lean sources of protein, whole foods), and that’s all I eat. And I love my diet. I understand that this is a struggle for people, but when you learn to eat healthy, you find that most options taste delicious.  But sometimes, life calls for an indulgence—like last weekend. So I ate and drank and didn’t worry about the consequences. Why? Because I knew that come Monday, my healthy behaviors would return and I would be back on track. 

Regardless of what you chose (or if you even eat dessert), make sure you approve of your approach to diet and fitness. Although being healthy can be challenging or force change, ultimately it should never be uncomfortable. That's how you make it last.