The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly About Your Cheat Meal
Kate Irwin • March 3, 2020
That One Meal Can Undo Your Work For The Week
A typical fat loss meal plan has you consuming a set number of calories per day. Historically these diets have you consuming less calorie-dense foods like vegetables, fruit, and lean protein in order to fill your daily requirements. Adding in things like donuts, cake, chips, and higher calorie-dense foods has been frowned upon in the diet world.
In recent years the idea of a cheat meal has been encouraged as a way to get away from the mundane Monday to Friday chicken and vegetables. By scheduling a day where you can “cheat” on a meal it gives you the mental and physical break from being so strict and not enjoying your food.
But is this the answer to being able to maintain the diet? The answer is probably not.
When we determine your daily calorie goal we look at the number of calories you burn in a day, including exercise, and subtract a select number of calories from that to put you in a caloric deficit.
For this example let's set the daily calories burned to 2,000 calories, a conservative but maintainable caloric deficit would put the daily calorie goal around 1,800 calories. This 10% deficit will allow you to decrease fat and weight while still having the energy to function.
In this example, you consume 1,800 calories a day Monday through Friday. On Saturday when you indulge in your cheat meal - not only is it unlikely you track it but it is likely that it is a very high-calorie density meal. If you eat normally all day Saturday and indulge in a cheat meal Saturday for dinner (think a restaurant burger, fries, glass of wine and a couple of bites of an appetizer). While it’s only one day that you are going over calories you can easily undo your week’s worth of hard work.
Five days at a 10% caloric deficit is equal to 1000 calories. At that rate, you should lose just under half a pound a week. Once we account for the increase in calories in the cheat meal you can easily decrease your deficit by half or more! This means that you will work extremely hard all week to decrease your calories and one meal can undo all that hard work which then becomes frustrating and causes many people to give up on the plan.
So what now? If you want to lose weight do you have to stick to consuming only “clean” foods? The answer is no, but it is time to start changing the mindset. Rather than focusing on a cheat meal where all rules go out the window, you are better served to calculate the calories and macronutrients in all your meals and include them in your tracking. By tracking everything and making higher calorie density foods like french fries or a slice of cake fit into your meal plan you are both less likely to fall off the wagon and more likely to hit your goals!
If you need help learning how to incorporate less nutrient-dense and historically forbidden foods into your diet think about joining the Nova Health Club Nutrition Challenge that will be running at the end of March. During this challenge, we focus on increasing your awareness of what you are putting into your body and how to make less healthy foods fit into your daily routine but not take away from your goals!
If you're doing all the “right things” — working out, eating clean, trying to stay consistent — but still struggling with stubborn belly fat, low energy and slow results, you’re not alone.
Tanya’s dedication to rebuilding her health after surgery offers valuable lessons and perspective for anyone facing setbacks.
Do Hard Things Now, So Life Becomes Easier Later Modern humans default to the easy way but it's not our fault... Throughout human history, we were wired to survive constant hardship - scarcity of food, threats from predators, harsh environments and manual labor for everything. Our DNA evolved for survival in these conditions, not for modern living. Imagine an early human stumbling across a fruit tree. It made sense to gorge - there was no telling when the next meal would come. The human who gorged had a higher chance of survival than the human who only ate a few pieces of fruit. Practicing self-control in an environment of scarcity would have been a death sentence. Likewise, if given a chance to rest instead of walking miles or hunting, rest was the obvious choice. The problem? Our genes haven’t caught up with modern life. Today, food is everywhere. We don’t have to fight to meet our basic needs. Technology does the heavy lifting, cars replace walking, entertainment is on-demand and calorie-dense foods are always within reach. Left unchecked, our instincts will always lean toward easy options like overeating unhealthy foods (that are so easily accessible) or driving to the store instead of walking. In other words, we’re still hardwired to take the path of least resistance. But here’s the catch: Choosing easy now often means a harder life later and choosing hard now often means an easier life later. Most modern humans are overweight, stressed, tired and dealing with chronic health problems because we’re following outdated survival programming that no longer serves us. It’s time to become aware of these defaults. To override them. To consciously choose the hard thing - because doing hard things is what actually makes life easier in the long run. Hard things like: Going to bed on time instead of watching another episode Preparing a healthy meal instead of grabbing fast food Moving your body instead of sitting all day Walking or biking to the store instead of driving Managing stress with deep breaths and fresh air instead of pouring a drink Looking at your habits instead of masking symptoms with medication It might feel uncomfortable because it goes against everything your biological programming is urging you to do. But that’s exactly why it matters. Don’t think of it as punishment or sacrifice. Think of it as an investment. Every time you take the stairs instead of the elevator, cook instead of order out, or put your phone down to truly rest, you’re building a life that’s easier, richer, and more fulfilling down the road. And remember: Do easy things, and you’ll have a hard life. Do hard things, and you’ll have an easy life. Most of the above information is probably not new to you. That’s because we live in the information age with the internet and now AI - we already know what it is we need to do. The problem however is implementation. This is where having a customized plan and accountability comes in. If you know the hard things you need to do more of but struggle with breaking past your ‘default mode’ then contact us for a complimentary consultation HERE .
Congratulations to Sonya Jeyaseelan, Our July 2025 SuperNova!
Congratulations to Liz Belford, Our June SuperNova!
We are back with our second series of 'Pod Calls' available exclusively to our Nova Health Club members. Don't miss these unique sessions to help you level up your health and wellness game! What is a Pod Call? A Pod Call is a live online (webinar like)_ session with a Nova coach, offering support and insights on key health topics like fitness, nutrition, recovery and overall wellness. Why did we create Pod Calls? Our goal is your success and your health goals can not be built on fitness alone. After delivering thousands of personal training sessions, we noticed a disconnect between fitness sessions we were delivering and the other pillars of health (and lifestyle habits that happen outside of the gym). To get the most out of your health and your fitness sessions at Nova we need to link other pillars such as mindset, nutrition, stress and recovery. Training coaches who care about your results will agree that a couple hours of personal training each week is not enough time to workout AND learn everything you need to know about maximizing those workouts... Things like how to eat before or after workouts, what recovery habits should be practiced or the link between stress and working out are all subjects that you need to know on your health and fitness journey. Pod Calls are dedicated sessions where we teach you essential health and fitness insights that we can't often cover during your gym workouts. We hope you take advantage of these expert-led sessions that will enhance your workouts, teach you new concepts about health and bridge the gap between fitness and overall wellness. Upcoming Pod Calls (all times in EST) Mon Jun 2, 2025 (6:00pm) Topic: How To Eat Carbs For Better Energy, Muscle & Fat Loss Coach: Josh Allen Wed Jun 4, 2025 (2:00pm) Topic: Hip Mobility Using the 'CARS' (active session) Coach: Kim Vo Sat Jun 7, 2025 (12:00pm) Topic: Benefits of Single Leg & Arm Training for Overall Strength Coach: Matthew Nadler Tues Jun 10, 2025 (6pm) Topic: Releasing Neck Tension Coach: Zack Fernandez Wed Jun 18, 2025 (1:00pm) Topic: Training The Backside of The Core Coach: Colin Soltesz Thu June 19, 2025 (7:00pm): Topic: Ayurveda for Healthy Ageing Coach: Kayla Hutchinson These calls are free for Nova members and Zoom links for each call can be found in the Nova Mighty Networks platform. If you are not a Nova member and would like to attend any of these please email Info@NovaHealthClub.com for a seat. We look forward to seeing you then!
Check out the interview with Beth to see the habits, mindset and lifestyle shifts that helped her reach her goals
Simon’s 6-Week Transformation: From Stressed & Stuck to Strong & Energized
Simon joined Nova through the LeanDads 12-week program in February. Like many busy professionals...
Health Comes First Whether your goal is fat loss, muscle gain, strength or injury recovery, success starts with being healthy. As simple as that sounds, the unfortunate reality is that most people have no idea how to be healthy. Health isn’t just about working out and eating better . While those are important, they’re part of a bigger picture. True health requires a broader approach - one that goes beyond just hitting the gym or following a “healthy” diet. Think of health like a car with 5 gears: 1st gear – You work out 2nd gear – You work out and eat well But to shift into 5th gear, where real transformation happens, you need to focus on all 5 Pillars of Health These 5 pillars are so simple yet overlooked because modern life is filled with distractions - and we’re constantly bombarded with quick-fix solutions, trendy fads and marketing gimmicks that promise results overnight. But the truth is, when you implement the foundational principles of the 5 pillars you will achieve 80% of your goals. Without them, you’re stuck in low gear with slow progress and feeling frustrated. The 5 Pillars of Health 1)Mindset & Motivation Everything, even health starts with a thought. How you think determines your actions and whether they serve you or hold you back. For most people starting on a journey to achieve a health goal, it is like a fish out of water. They have no idea how to navigate the challenges - and trust me, a health journey has its share of challenges. You start off optimistic and full of excitement but if you don’t cultivate a strong mental outlook you won’t last. This is why most people don’t reach goals - or if they do, it does not last. THOUGHTS create FEELINGS which create ACTIONS which leads to RESULTS 2)Nutrition & Digestion Many people say they 'eat healthy' but are they eating healthy AND getting results? Unfortunately not… That is because most people do not understand what their body actually needs and even though a specific food could be 'healthy' it may not be healthy for you. Even if you are eating the right things, how is it being digested? Recent research emphasizes the critical role of digestion as the starting point for overall well-being. Digestive health influences not only body composition but also affects mood, energy levels, and even skin health. 3)Movement & Exercise The human body was designed to move. Incorporating movement, whether it be walking, stretching, working out or sport is paramount to overall health. When it comes to movement there are 4 components you must incorporate into your life - 1)Mobility, 2)NEAT (non-exercise active thermogenesis), 3)cardio and 4)strength training. If you only do one of them you are not optimizing your potential. 4)Stress & The Nervous System Stress is highly misunderstood. It is more than just work deadlines, traffic jams and challenging relationships. Stress is anything that takes your body out of equilibrium. That includes inflammatory foods, lack of sleep, digestive stress, alcohol, medications, environmental toxins etc. While most people see stress as something negative, it is meant to make us stronger and more adaptable to the pressures we face. Stress only becomes a problem when there is too much or when our resilience to it has been compromised. 5)Sleep, Rest & Recovery There is so much stress and stimulus in modern life. Even positive ones (like working out or taking a vacation) acts as a stressor that disrupts our equilibrium. To properly respond to the stressors in life, our body requires time to sleep, rest and recover in between. The unfortunate reality for most people is that they are under recovered and over stimulated by stressors. If you are not getting the right quantity or quality of sleep, then you are limiting your energy reservoirs, ability to adapt to stress and ultimately going to struggle reaching your health goals. The New Health Revolution After 20+ years as a personal trainer, I’ve seen countless people struggle to reach their goals - not because they weren’t working hard, but because their 5 Pillars of Health were out of balance. Many believe that grinding it out in the gym a few times a week is enough. But what they don’t realize is that intense workouts are a stress on the body, and without the right support from the other pillars, that stress won’t lead to the results they want. About 10 years ago, I had a realization - I didn’t want to be the kind of trainer who just counts reps while clients stay stuck. My clients wanted real results, and I wanted to help them achieve lasting transformations. That’s when I shifted from being just a personal trainer to becoming a health coach, using the 5 Pillars of Health to create real, sustainable change. This isn’t just a personal shift - it’s an industry-wide transformation, and at Nova Health Club, we’re leading the way. We’ve developed a 12-week program built around the 5 Pillars to help people finally break through and get the results they deserve. Even small improvements in these 5 pillars - mindset, movement, nutrition, stress, and sleep - can create massive changes in your health! But when you truly master them, you become unstoppable. At Nova, we’ve created personalized 12-week programs tailored to your needs within the 5 Pillars: ✅ LeanDads – designed for men ✅ Femme Fusion – designed for women Imagine having a step-by-step blueprint that eliminates guesswork and shows you exactly what to do in each pillar to optimize your body, mind, and performance!? Curious how LeanDads or Femme Fusion can transform your life in just 12 weeks? Click the button below to book a complimentary session with us today!
