For people who are on very low calorie diets that are hard to maintain it may theoretically give you something to look forward to. This can be a path to disordered eating though. It fools your brain into thinking “good” foods are bad and “bad” foods are good.
First, I don’t cheat. Cheating on myself feels like crap.
Next, I take exceptions because I don’t want to eat 100% clean (I have a pretty restrictive diet bc of my chronic illness) 100% of the time. I need to be able to take an exception that’s planned and executed according to plan every couple of weeks.
When I took cheat meals (regardless of metabolism science) it always ended up in increased insulin reactvity and cravings, then brain hampstering leading to binging. Case Study, but the further I get away from “cheat meals” the healthier I am, physically and mentally.
My cheat days got so bad that I am realing myself back into 80% good 20% bad. So 4 meals are good quality meals and my 5th one is kinda a cheat meal. I feel this method will work best for me so I dont have to look forward to a cheat meal/day at the end of the week. Dieting after a while becomes tough and restricing yourself and telling yourself you cant eat foods screws with your mentality making you want those foods even more.
I love making fried food. I make literally the best Tempura battered vegetables. I also make double fried French fries that are so light and crispy that is better than any restaurant.
But I know it’s terrible for you so I limit to making these things once a month. On the plus side, I make fried food so well that I don’t crave fast food since it’s not nearly as good.
I like drugs. I like alcohol. I like good food. I can’t do all those things and look like or be who I want to be. So I do them once in a while so I can achieve my goal.
The unhealthy thing is suffering because you deny yourself simple indulgences that make life worth it. Life needs flavour - for some people that means eating a pizza in a parking lot once every few weeks. The benefits are that you get to enjoy things. It’s all a balance.