Cheat day or not?

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magster67dm
magster67dm Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Is it ok to take a cheat day from dieting every so often? Also any tips for getting back on track if I do take a day off. Plz help!!
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Replies

  • jamie_lee80
    jamie_lee80 Posts: 176 Member
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    I wouldn't take an entire day, but I think that a cheat "meal" every now and again is fine. I used to have a cheat meal every Saturday, but my losses have stalled so I had to kiss those meals goodbye. If you can do it and still lose weight at the rate you are hoping for then I say go for it.
  • buttercup525
    buttercup525 Posts: 7 Member
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    If you feel the need for a "cheat day," I would simply eat at your maintenance level rather than the caloric deficit level. This way you don't gain true weight (some water weight maybe...) but that way you don't go crazy but can splurge just a little. I wouldn't do it every week necessarily, maybe once a month or so?
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
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    buttercup525 wrote: »
    If you feel the need for a "cheat day," I would simply eat at your maintenance level rather than the caloric deficit level. This way you don't gain true weight (some water weight maybe...) but that way you don't go crazy but can splurge just a little. I wouldn't do it every week necessarily, maybe once a month or so?

    Exactly this. I do this every other week or every month since my deficit it's terribly restricting. A go for a nice restaurant with my wife or eat the things I've craved the week before.
  • UltimateTrashBae
    UltimateTrashBae Posts: 176 Member
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    I eat a box combo with lemonade from Cane's every Friday. I probably shouldn't but it's just so good.
  • sblackwell2013
    sblackwell2013 Posts: 2 Member
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    I don't know if I would do a cheat day.... But I definitely do a cheat meal once in a while. I mean your on a diet not in jail! You still have to be able to enjoy a meal and not feel guilty. To help you stay on track though I would still log the meal to show you how much you "use" to eat and how you don't want to go back down the other road again. I mean, I had a cupcake the other day and it was well worth it
  • My_Butt
    My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
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    I have Sundays dedicated to cheating. That's when I have a pint of ice cream and go order whatever I want from a restaurant. It slows down weight loss depending on how much you eat on your cheat, but it keeps those cravings at bay Monday through Saturday so you can focus on your diet.
  • csb66
    csb66 Posts: 32 Member
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    I wouldnt take an entire day off, perhaps one cheat meal. This will actually help you a great deal in losing fat. Your body will get accustom to the calories you eat daily. It is a good way to shock the body into losing fat. Don't over do it, remember why you're here, not to diet, but to learn how to eat for the rest of your life. Don't make this a diet thing, it will never work. So go ahead have a cheat meal, and enjoy it, just get back on track the vey next day. One day should not affect your goals.
  • louiseyates1
    louiseyates1 Posts: 108 Member
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    I have one day a week where I allow myself some treats. Today for example I will be having a few drinks and a take away (a small chicken kebab in pitta with salad no sauce) but I don't go to excess and I log everything. I also won't be going the gym today (I go 6 out of 7 days and my rest day is the day 'off')

    I think if I don't have a day were I allow myself to relax a little then I will fail and fail and fail.

    As long as you don't go eat 5000 cals and expect to lose on you off day I think you'll be fine.
  • Looncove_Farm
    Looncove_Farm Posts: 115 Member
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    How about a "cheat treat"
    Maybe you would love to have chips and dip with lunch?
    Or how about that piece of pie and a coffee at your favorite restaraunt some evening?
    Try a nice potato salad with you healthy chicken some time for dinner?
    Mmmm, a sundae or ice cream cone after lunch some afternoon. All of these things are little treats that just make your taste buds go hmmmmmmmmm,,or MMMMMMM, lol.
    A cheat day will leave you feeling tired and sometimes kinda yucky, specialy if its a high fat, salt or sugar meal, and if you eat cheat meals the whole day it just gets worse, and then you feel guilty because you ate so much junk and wish you hadnt. Sometimes its like a train crash it just keeps going into the next day.
    For me, its a cheat treat occasionaly when im just feeling the NEED.
    Becca
  • rob985620
    rob985620 Posts: 2 Member
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    I plan to have a cheat meal once a week. When I dieted once before when I slipped up and fell off the wagon, I fell off HARD. If I have a little bit of what I fancy every now and then I can still lose weight, exercise and have what I want.

    It will slow down the losses and the high salt / sugar / fat meals show the next day on the scales but if it works for me its got to be worth it. If you do slip, just jump back on that horse and grab the reigns by both hands. Remember you ARE strong!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    It's okay if you can work it so that you still have a deficit over time. If you are questioning how to get back on track after that could be a signal that it might not be a great idea for you.

    Different things work for different people.
  • Bugdude54
    Bugdude54 Posts: 137 Member
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    Just log the cheat honestly and you'll see that its really not as bad as you think. You really might only go 500 cal over target. Don't do it every day as its hard to come back sometimes.

    My take on it is this. "I decided to make a life change. I'm not on some 3 month diet plan. I'm changing my eating style for life. So if my coworkers or my family wants to eat out one meal or two is OK because a couple meals isn't going to make me blow up and I'll make up for it easily in the next couple days".
  • Bugdude54
    Bugdude54 Posts: 137 Member
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    Just log the cheat honestly and you'll see that its really not as bad as you think. You really might only go 500 cal over target. Don't do it every day as its hard to come back sometimes.

    My take on it is this. "I decided to make a life change. I'm not on some 3 month diet plan. I'm changing my eating style for life. So if my coworkers or my family wants to eat out one meal or two is OK because a couple meals isn't going to make me blow up and I'll make up for it easily in the next couple days".
  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Everyone is different. Some ppl can't handle a cheat day because they think of it as a free for all and then it turns into a cheat week into a cheat month. I personally have a cheat day but, I stay at or below my maintnence and by the end of the week I more then make up for it. Its only called a day because each meal in itself I dont really consider a cheat but, altogether I go over my deficit by 200-400 and then the next day I go right back to plan. Not everyone has the willpower to do that though. I do this once a week and I still consistently lose 2-3 lbs a week and my loss is set for 1 lb a week. If I ever stall I know what my first change will be.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    edited April 2015
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    I think there is nothing wrong with a cheat day now and again. You didn't put all your weight on overnight and you aren't going to lose it all overnight. One day in the scheme of life won't make or break you.
  • vynnette26
    vynnette26 Posts: 58 Member
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    I have a cheat meal every week and when I do, I also perform double workouts that day. So I know Saturday is my pizza and wine for lunch so that morning and evening I'm at the gym.
  • vynnette26
    vynnette26 Posts: 58 Member
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    My cheat day and rest day are not on the same day.

  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    Cheat days are great but you have to enjoy your regular diet in order to "take a day off" or else you're not going to go back to it. If you're worried about taking a cheat day it's probably for good reason -- maybe your regular diet can stand some tweaking so it's more appealing to you?
  • berlynnwall
    berlynnwall Posts: 669 Member
    edited April 2015
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    AlabasterVerve wrote: »
    Cheat days are great but you have to enjoy your regular diet in order to "take a day off" or else you're not going to go back to it. If you're worried about taking a cheat day it's probably for good reason -- maybe your regular diet can stand some tweaking so it's more appealing to you?

    This. Instead of depriving myself all week until I can cheat, I eat snacky things throughout the week and make them work into my calorie limit. Im at 1630, so if I can fit in pizza one day and Cadbury Creme Eggs the next, then as a man you can totally do it too.
  • msullivan1979
    msullivan1979 Posts: 13 Member
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    I had an entire cheat weekend while on vacation. I didn't lose anything that first week, by the next week I lost 2 lbs. It was completely worth it.

    I go to concerts a lot which typically involves a lot of drinking and eating out. I will be very strict with my diet and exercise leading up to it and I enjoy my night out. I will see up to 5 lbs of water weight most of the next week, but by the next weekend I'm back to where I started. I enjoy my concert night/weekends too much to give them up. I make it work by playing with the numbers.

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