Here’s What Happens When You Overindulge on Your Cheat Day

Amy Taylor November 13, 2015

You’ve been religiously following your diet plan for five long days. It was difficult going through the intense cravings and ‘starving’. But you did it. And there you are - really excited about the weekend for your ‘cheat day’.

There’s nothing wrong with having cheat days and eating what you want once in a while. In fact, studies have shown that dieters who indulge at least once a week are more likely to lose weight than those who totally deprive themselves from their favourite not-so-healthy treats. But just because you can eat what you want doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want. There’s a big difference between the two. Not only does over-indulging spoil your weight loss efforts. It could also lead to some other health consequences.

You can get a heartburn.

Heartburn is a form of indigestion that is characterised by a rapid, burning sensation in the chest. For some people, it can cause them to vomit. Heartburn can cause inflammation which leads to long-term damage. Binge-eating can cause the stomach to be full, which adds pressure on the sphincter and leads to a ‘lock’. This lock usually stops food from coming back up. This causes the burning sensation in the chest all the way through the throat.

You may feel anxious.

A lot of people who binge-eat feel terrible after their meal. It gives them ‘guilt feelings’, and encourage them to even restrict their food consumption the next week as a way to ‘catch up’. Unfortunately, over-restricting food intake would lead to another cycle of binge-eating.

And bloated.

While not much of a major health concern, bloating gives a person great abdominal discomfort. Swelling in the abdomen could cause pressure upwards, making it hard to breathe normally. Also, bloating can seriously affect one’s mood. If you are feeling bloated or gassy after a heavy meal, it is quite likely your liver is not producing sufficient levels of bile.

You could still gain weight.

Yes, over-indulging, even for just one day, can lead to weight gain. Remember that the human body requires 3,500 calories to gain one pound. And if you go overboard on your cheat day and lose track of your calorie count, you could end up gaining a few pounds in just one day. Many people find they lose weight steadily from Monday to Friday only to know that their weight has gone up the following Monday morning, and is usually more than the previous week.

Guilt-free Cheat Day

Whatever it is you are eating during your cheat day, the most important thing is that you observe portion control. More importantly, practise mindful eating. Because no matter what food you have on your plate and how much, you are not going to enjoy it unless you are being mindful. Focus on the food you’re eating while you’re eating it. Chew your food properly. And do away from distractions such as TV and computer when having your meal. Eating something healthy on your cheat day also ensures that your body still get a dose of essential nutrients. Health foods can also help you stave off hunger, so you are less likely to binge eat.