It's quite common to hear others talk about how they're looking forward to their ‘cheat meal’ or ‘cheat day’. It's interesting that this is denoted as cheating when the purpose may be similar to that of a refeed, high day, or diet break, because all these approaches increase energy intake by a certain extent for a varying amount of time.
Although the literature is fairly hazy regarding the benefits of higher calorie days during a dieting phase, there are some benefits that you may experience:
▪️A mental and physical break from the demanding process of losing bodyweight
▪️Replenishment of glycogen stores which can result in a ‘fuller’ physique (guide for peak week)
▪️Increased energy for training and other activities
▪️Ability to consume other nutritious foods you may otherwise have difficulty "fitting in" during a dieting phase
However, what separates these two approaches is the degree of control implemented, and the associated mindset. As opposed to ‘cheating’ on your diet, which can be perceived as negative, having a measured refeed or high day allows you to reap the benefits from this nutrition tactic, yet still be in control. The other fairly obvious difference is the amount of food consumed. Rather than going wild at a buffet and stalling your progress, a scheduled high day/refeed allows you to eat more while still acknowledging energy balance. Another point to consider is the macronutrient composition. Advocating for a higher carbohydrate approach is potentially more favourable than increased dietary fat, because carbohydrates are the predominant fuel source used during resistance training.
On the flip side, there is nothing wrong with eating out or making a meal that isn’t “tracked”. However, does this really have to be labelled as ‘cheating’? The vocabulary we use to describe our dietary practices matters, and cheating usually implies that a diet is unsustainable and unenjoyable. Therefore, we think that implementing higher carbohydrate "refeed days" as opposed to "cheat days" can allow an individual to maintain a healthy relationship with food throughout a dieting phase, and overall view the act of dieting in a different light.