Men's Fitness UK

FEAST OF REASON

Despite their intensely disciplined regimes and single-digit body fat, some – if not most – of the biggest names in sport and fitness let loose every once in a while. As much as the hard graft in the gym, ‘cheat meals’ have become a badge of honour: something to brag about, rather than be ashamed of.

Some of the most hardened gym-goers take as much pride in their stack of cheat-day pancakes as the number of plates they can bench. But what does the science actually say about cheat meals? Are they a worthwhile inclusion in your diet plan, or likely to ruin your hard-earned results?

FOOD FRENZY

A cheat meal is a complete break from a diet plan. It’s normally a high-calorie, high-fat and high-sugar splurge with little to

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