The Role of Cheat Meals in Dieting: A Scoping Review of Physiological and Psychological Responses

"Cheat" meals are characterized as a pause from energy restriction to allow relaxed ad libitum energy intake in a short period of time, usually as a single meal, a single day, or meals that spread across multiple days, such as over the weekend. Incorporating cheat meals has become a popular strategy in the diet and fitness communities, with individuals often indulging in large meals containing energy-dense foods. Proponents of this strategy typically suggest that intermittent periods of pauses in prolonged dieting might serve as a "mental break," "boost metabolism," or enhance exercise performance. This review aims to examine existing literature on cheat meals, exploring both physiological and psychological responses. A systematic search was conducted in 5 databases using all available records until October 2, 2024. A total of 8 articles were selected for detailed analysis. Currently, the available data provided some evidence regarding the ability of short, intermittent bouts of ad libitum dietary intake to facilitate effective weight reduction; however, the evidence on the retention of lean mass, the attenuation of metabolic adaptation, or the improvement in exercise performance during weight reduction was mixed. When framed as a goal-directed behavior, positive influences of ad libitum intake on eating behaviors, such as reducing feelings of hunger and enhancing satisfaction, were notable. However, the analysis revealed that framing cheat meals as contradictory to one's goals or normalizing cheat meals as a form of reward for committing to a strict dietary regimen could be associated with the manifestation of eating disorder behaviors. Therefore, while cheat meals might offer physiological and/or psychological benefits in some circumstances or applications, they also pose risks of fostering unhealthy eating patterns. Considering the rising prevalence of cheat meals, future research is strongly warranted to unravel the complex physiological and psychological ramifications of cheat meals, to equip healthcare and fitness professionals in devising a safe and effective diet strategy for sustainable weight loss.