"cheat" meals and "free" days.

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  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
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    I don't have cheat days or meals or weeks or months. But there are days where I will eat an entire pizza, hit up a great buffet, etc. That's just part of my regular diet. I do it when I feel like it.
  • radmack
    radmack Posts: 272 Member
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    I plan around social events and don't know if I consider them cheat days exactly. I do know that if I want to have several drinks and eat on a weekend, I need to eat a bit less on weekdays to compensate.
  • angiecassimatis
    angiecassimatis Posts: 91
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    Had my first cheat day yesterday! And i felt great about it. I logged it and was even still within my daily calorie goal.

    I think, personally, a cheat day, is about eating within my calorie goal but not worrying so much about the NUTRITIONAL value.

    Im vegan and every day I ensure every single thing i put in my mouth is wholesome and good for me. I dont drink calorie beverages or eat any fake meat products for this reason, and obviously keep fried vegan foods to a minimum....although they ARRRREEE delicious!!

    On my cheat day i had a big vegan burger and some fries about a million glasses of water, then some coconut water and dinner was a massive indulgent almond milk, frozen banana, cacao, coconut milk smoothie.

    I think it should they should still be logged. I think they should be within your daily limit. I just think you can be a little easier on yourself in terms of nutritional value just for one day :)
  • hollyrayburn
    hollyrayburn Posts: 905 Member
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    Yeah, I'm not trying to say any type of food is bad. Boyfriend and I eat pizza regularly. And today, I had a chik fila sandwich and fries. But I was still within my calorie goal. I do like the idea of a "treat" day/meal.

    Talking about holidays: funny story, I was the one holding up the line at our family Christmas because I weighed stuff! Lol. I had started my lifestyle ha he the 22nd. Simply because I didn't want to have another 4743636 pounds to take off Haha
  • honkytonks85
    honkytonks85 Posts: 669 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Lots of people do them...just keep in mind that it all comes down to the bottom line...if having "cheat" days or meals eats into your overall deficit, you're going to lose weight slower. Honestly, I think this is a big problem for a lot of people who have "issues" losing weight...a great many of them are being good 4 days per week or whatever...but unwinding their deficit with 3 days of whatever.

    the bottom line is the bottom line...it's all in the math. what does the math look like from week to week?

    This is me.... I could so easily ruin a 3000 calorie deficit over a weekend. It isn't really that hard to do when you stop thinking about the calories in your food. Go and have a burrito is 1000 calories, a few glasses of wine 600 calories. I realised that I needed to stop doing the free thing and just count and have treats when I wanted and accept that sometimes I'll go over but free days is unnecessary and harmful. That's just me though.
  • mamameg312
    mamameg312 Posts: 7 Member
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    My "cheat" is allowing myself alcohol on the weekends. I don't usually track it. I don't overindulge and it doesn't cause me problems.
  • dawnna76
    dawnna76 Posts: 987 Member
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    I have three slices of pizza every friday night with my kids. i just work it into my meal plan that day, and its the one day i do eat back my exercise calories. hasnt caused any issues. but its also just pizza. and its one night, not a weekends worth of nights
  • aureliem1a
    aureliem1a Posts: 15 Member
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    I have my cheat days on sundays....i dont eat big portions but i have carbs and a dessert. I avoid carbs and sugar during the week.
  • jessieleah
    jessieleah Posts: 204 Member
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    I try not to do it often. I go out to eat maybe once a week with my SO, though, and that's something I consider a "free meal". However, I still try to fit it into my macros so I'm not over calories for the day! The last real "anything goes" day I had was Christmas.
  • cameramanbj
    cameramanbj Posts: 29 Member
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    I treat myself regularly but do try to log my food, a few weeks ago I was over 4000 calories which was a little much. I don't think you can deprive yourself or that will make it harder to stick to your lifestyle change. Planning is not a bad idea, do a little more exercise and earn you treats.
  • cameramanbj
    cameramanbj Posts: 29 Member
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    On the pizza and beer thing, I sure could go for 4 slices and a 6 pack right about now!
  • spoonyspork
    spoonyspork Posts: 238 Member
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    Have not 'cheated' since I never deprive myself - if I want something, I fit it in. I still rarely go over 1300 -- usually ~1250 (yes, I weigh *everything* that goes in my mouth if made at home, including lettuce! I'm below my goal enough most times that I don't sweat dinners out. Still count the calories but understand it's probably not completely accurate)... until last night. Husband met a big goal so we went to a Brazilian Steakhouse to celebrate. Ate less than 200 calories before dinner and told myself I'd sample everything and even have dessert!

    Made it through ~8oz meat and some cheese rolls before I was so full I was *ill*. STILL feel nasty today. I can't even look at food, and feel like my stomach is full of rocks. I'm all puffy from the likely insane amount of sodium. I've had nothing but my 90 calorie morning coffee and even that was enough to send me back to 'urrrgh' territory.

    Never again XD
  • Camo_xxx
    Camo_xxx Posts: 1,112 Member
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    I don't log on many days but just because I am not logging doesn't mean I change my way of eating. I would think that if you find yourself deviating from your normal way of eating on a regular basis then perhaps an honest evaluation of your diet is in order.

    Or as the saying goes. Cheaters never prosper. And if you are "cheating" on yourself that would seem to me as a bad strategy.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    spoonyspork wrote: »
    Have not 'cheated' since I never deprive myself - if I want something, I fit it in. I still rarely go over 1300 -- usually ~1250 (yes, I weigh *everything* that goes in my mouth if made at home, including lettuce! I'm below my goal enough most times that I don't sweat dinners out. Still count the calories but understand it's probably not completely accurate)... until last night. Husband met a big goal so we went to a Brazilian Steakhouse to celebrate. Ate less than 200 calories before dinner and told myself I'd sample everything and even have dessert!

    Made it through ~8oz meat and some cheese rolls before I was so full I was *ill*. STILL feel nasty today. I can't even look at food, and feel like my stomach is full of rocks. I'm all puffy from the likely insane amount of sodium. I've had nothing but my 90 calorie morning coffee and even that was enough to send me back to 'urrrgh' territory.

    Never again XD

    :( This sounds awful. How can that be sustainable?
  • Sugarbeat
    Sugarbeat Posts: 824 Member
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    Whatever you call it, it boils down to allowing yourself to eat something you normally wouldn't. I save those meals for special days. Luckily our luncheons at work have been soups and salads lately. I also try to think of it in terms of "meal" not "day." If I know we're having something heavy or rich for luncheon, then I eat lighter at lunch and dinner and I make sure to walk an extra lap or two.
  • spoonyspork
    spoonyspork Posts: 238 Member
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    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

    :( This sounds awful. How can that be sustainable?

    Which sounds awful? The small calorie intake, the awful feeling of being too stuffed, or not wanting to eat today?

    The first, I'm almost 200 days in and never feel hungry. I never deprive myself. Even if it's a day I'm close to my limit, if I crave something I listen. But, I've really never been a big eater (I've just swapped all-day grazing for spaced out precise meals with mostly more filling choices, unless I want ice cream and donuts... though it usually works out that I only crave those things on exercise days )

    The second -- again, never been a big eater. The 200 calories wasn't on purpose: just super busy so didn't have time to plan and just had coffee, and turkey frank and a cheese stick as I ran around. Didn't think it'd translate to getting *so* stuffed *so* quickly, though! Believe me, that was disappointing! I was looking forward to tiramisu, and more of that melt-in-your-mouth prime rib... siiigh XD

    As for today -- the coffee finally kicked in and the rocks made their way out, and I can stomach food again. Still feeling super bloated and sluggish, but way better now :D

    My point is, if you don't deprive yourself, you don't need to think of any days/meals as cheating.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    spoonyspork wrote: »

    My point is, if you don't deprive yourself, you don't need to think of any days/meals as cheating.

    I agree but coming from someone who eats 1300 calories a day, I'm a bit baffled.
  • spoonyspork
    spoonyspork Posts: 238 Member
    edited January 2015
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    *shrug* I'm not depriving myself. Seriously. Are you not reading that if I want something, I eat it? It's 'usually' 1300/day, but certainly not always!

    (I should note: this is 1300 NET, not TOTAL -- I eat back at least 50% calories burned in order to net at least 1200-1300 calories. 1600 is my actual goal set by MFP. I would probably die if I only totaled 1300 calories!)
  • RyanneRose
    RyanneRose Posts: 128 Member
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    It's never a whole day for me, though I do try to keep it to one time a week. Like I'll say "Sunday is my cheat day". Sometimes I'll just eat like I normally do. Or I'll eat as normal but have a size able dinner. Other times ill eat as I usually do but add something special like a sundae. Without worrying about the calorie count. Or I'll just make it a day when I still fit everything nicely in with my calories, but eat something that isn't particularly good for me (like buffalo wings).

    It's like soda. If I give myself permission to have one a day, I find myself not having any for days or more than a week at a time, whereas if I say "no more soda ever", I'll crave it like mad. If I tell myself I can have a "cheat day", sometimes just knowing it's ok is enough and I don't end up using it at all.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    spoonyspork wrote: »
    *shrug* I'm not depriving myself. Seriously. Are you not reading that if I want something, I eat it? It's 'usually' 1300/day, but certainly not always!

    (I should note: this is 1300 NET, not TOTAL -- I eat back at least 50% calories burned in order to net at least 1200-1300 calories. 1600 is my actual goal set by MFP. I would probably die if I only totaled 1300 calories!)

    Oh ok that makes sense then!

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