photo credit Anna Routh

Common jargon in the life of a dieter is the highly anticipated, often abused “cheat meal”. This typically includes a select number of meals per week where the dieter eats whatever he or she pleases. This could range from fettuccine alfredo to a whole box of cereal to a plate of fried pickles to a root beer float. The meal tends to include whatever food is prohibited on the diet of choice. A stomachache and a healthy dose of guilt often ensue.

The typical justification for this free-for-all meal is to “reset the metabolism” to get ready for another week chalk full of discipline and deprivation. On the surface, this seems reasonable enough. Plus, who would ever turn down a free diet-approved pass to eat anything desired?

First off, what in the hell does it mean to “reset your metabolism”? From a scientific perspective, this is complete nonsense. The speed of your metabolism is defined by how fast you convert food to energy. If resetting the entire body’s complex energy making system were as simple as eating one large, unhealthy meal, weight would be an issue for absolutely nobody.

And no wonder you have a stomachache. When you live for 6 days on water, steamed vegetables and chicken breast then go out for a cinnamon roll French toast and bottomless mimosa brunch, your body doesn’t like it. Imagine putting a mix of honey, diesel and manure into your car when it’s used to running on premium gasoline. Your car wouldn’t be doing its best either. No need to be so extreme in either direction.

Now let’s think about this whole concept on an even deeper level. When you break down the terminology, to cheat means to act dishonestly. Cheating is a very moral issue, and basic human code says cheating is wrong. When you follow a diet that includes “cheat meals”, eating delicious food becomes sinful.

Dishonest, immoral, wrong, sinful – what do these words have in common? The principal similarity is that they have very little to do with food. Unless you took your wife’s leftovers for lunch when you told her you wouldn’t eat them, eating fettuccine alfredo is not dishonest. Other than religious dietary constraints, eating a whole box of cereal is not immoral. Whether it’s fried pickles, fried potatoes or fried fish, eating things that are breaded and put in oil is not sinfully wrong.

Our day-to-day food choices do not need to be a moral issue. While I recognize that there are ethical and controversial concerns that are food-related such as animal rights, access to food, pesticide use, etc., none of those have to do with your Friday night root beer float.

When whether you decide on a bowl of oatmeal or a bowl of Lucky Charms becomes a measure of your self worth, we have a problem. Not only can this lead to diminished enjoyment of food and unnecessary guilt, it can lead to yo-yo dieting, life long issues with weight and eating disorders.

Stop “cheating” and start eating. Make food less of a moral issue and you may just start enjoying that big bowl of fettuccine alfredo for what it really is: a rich, creamy, delicious dish that is meant to be savored infrequently.

Words are powerful. Use them intentionally.