Is it ok to have 2000 calorie cheat days?

2

Replies

  • Danielle_Stg11109
    Danielle_Stg11109 Posts: 13 Member
    ABSOLUTELY not! Depending on age/gender/weight your BMR is probably around 1600 calories a day. That's a total of 11,200 calories a week. In order to gain an actual pound (not water weight) you have to eat 3500 calories OVER your BMR for the week. You will not gain weight. If you're exercising, that's probably the amount you'd want to eat if you're maintaining weight.

    So you're doing fine, sweetie :)
  • u_mad_bro
    u_mad_bro Posts: 42 Member
    OP, I regret to inform you that your thread is nowhere near as good as the 5000 calorie cheat day thread we've had a while ago.
    I award you no points blah blah blah...


    Anyways, 2000 is probably very close to your TDEE, so I wouldn't call it a cheat day. Eating around maintenance a day a week should do you good mentally, and shouldn't affect your progress.
  • u_mad_bro
    u_mad_bro Posts: 42 Member
    NO NOT IF U ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT

    Did I tell you how very entertaining I find you? And highly representative of a certain part of MFP. Like an MFP mascot of sorts. Lovely.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    NO NOT IF U ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT

    LOLWUT?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    NO NOT IF U ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT

    YES YES IT IS FINE



    As long as you end up at a deficit on average, it is fine.
  • aFootballLife25
    aFootballLife25 Posts: 63 Member
    I usually eat about 1200 calories a day. Is it ok to have a 2000 calorie cheat day once a week? I absolutely love sweets and cannot go a long time without eating them.

    A cheat day once every week or 2 is definitely OK, and I would say it's actually VERY BENEFICIAL.

    As you go day after day on a calorie deficit, a key fat burning hormone called Leptin, gets lower and lower... Kind of telling your body that it is starving. A day of high calories(and more specifically carbs), brings Leptin levels back up. Keeping your fat loss from coming to a halt/burning muscle.
  • CrankMeUp
    CrankMeUp Posts: 2,860 Member
    NO NOT IF U ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT

    Did I tell you how very entertaining I find you? And highly representative of a certain part of MFP. Like an MFP mascot of sorts. Lovely.


    entertaining...

    not what my choice of word would be but okkk.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Well does your weekly average put you in a deficit? Question answered.
  • aFootballLife25
    aFootballLife25 Posts: 63 Member
    2000 calories is around maintenance for most people, so it's hardly a cheat at all :)

    And as others have said, 1200 is probably a bit too strict for you. Most people need many more calories than that, but unfortunately MFP spits out 1200 as the "default" number. Check out this thread, it can help you figure out how much to eat to lose weight healthily! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

    1200 is not a "default" number. It's the number MFP gives as a MINIMUM.
    So pretty much everyone sets their stuff to "lose 2lbs a week" and get stuck with 1200.

    I lose 2 pounds a week on 2500+ cals

    =)
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    2000 calories is a cheat meal. 2000 calories in a day is maintenance.

    This. My cheat days are about 4000 calories minimum. Usually over 5.
  • aFootballLife25
    aFootballLife25 Posts: 63 Member
    It all depends on your weight, Lean mass/body fat %, and activity level.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    It all depends on your weight, Lean mass/body fat %, and activity level.
    Agreed. People who post about their cheat meals aren't helping. The same calories and macros will have different results on each person. Telling someone you eat X doesn't mean they can eat X.

    I can lose weight on 2,100-2,300 calories... doesn't mean that Bob and Jill will too.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    2000 calories is a cheat meal. 2000 calories in a day is maintenance.

    QFT.
  • aFootballLife25
    aFootballLife25 Posts: 63 Member
    It is HIGHLY INDIVIDUAL. For example...

    A 120 pound sedentary female probably only burns about 1500 calories a day

    I'm 215, 9-10% body fat, and probably hit 4000+ calories burned on game days.
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    I'm 215, 9-10% body fat, and probably hit 4000+ calories burned on game days.

    To give a female perspective, I regularly hit 3,200-3,400 cals burned on days I work (lots of walking and lifting heavy boxes)

    Edit: I'm currently fat :P
  • Dynamis600
    Dynamis600 Posts: 743 Member
    I eat TDEE one day a week but have a lower day before hand and put the calories from that day on top of my TDEE . I also exercise that day and eat back all of those calories. It gives my metabolism a boost.

    As far as I am aware "normal weight" people use exercise to help them maintain their weight an allow them to have treats now and again. So I don't think it is wrong, I think it is developing a better realtionship with food. I think we can become too obsessive about cals etc which isn't healthy. Think of them as tools to get you where you're going. If one day a week eating your TDEE stops you from having a huge binge then do it. You body your journey do what works for you.
  • cherio256
    cherio256 Posts: 219
    I go WAY over once a week and am still losing. This is my night I get to drink! :)
  • tehboxingkitteh
    tehboxingkitteh Posts: 1,574 Member
    NO NOT IF U ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT

    But... I lose weight eating over 2,000 some days :huh: :wink:
    2000 calories is the lowest I eat. I average around 2500 and had over 3000 the other night :noway: oh, and I'm still losing weight, anywhere from 1-2 pounds a week.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    NO NOT IF U ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT

    Did I tell you how very entertaining I find you? And highly representative of a certain part of MFP. Like an MFP mascot of sorts. Lovely.

    I love everything this comment chooses to be; the art of truly smarmy comments is sorely lacking on MFP.

    Also I agree. That poster and their rage always makes me chuckle.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    I prefer to incorporate the foods I really like into my daily goal so I don't feel the need to cheat. That works for me, but if it doesn't for you then I see no reason you can't have your cheat day. Just be sure you're indulging in things you really enjoy and whatever else you do, do not feel guilty about it after. Once you make the decision go with it whole heartedly and have no regrets later. Good luck to you. :)
  • dixoncrew
    dixoncrew Posts: 186 Member
    That's what I eat everyday :) Starvation just isn't my thing.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I usually eat about 1200 calories a day. Is it ok to have a 2000 calorie cheat day once a week? I absolutely love sweets and cannot go a long time without eating them.

    A cheat day once every week or 2 is definitely OK, and I would say it's actually VERY BENEFICIAL.

    As you go day after day on a calorie deficit, a key fat burning hormone called Leptin, gets lower and lower... Kind of telling your body that it is starving. A day of high calories(and more specifically carbs), brings Leptin levels back up. Keeping your fat loss from coming to a halt/burning muscle.

    Effects on leptin in one day is pretty insignificant. I would say about a week or more for it to effect leptin how you say.
    And even then, don't lepton levels drop right back down within 24 hours of returning to a deficit?
  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
    I prefer to incorporate the foods I really like into my daily goal so I don't feel the need to cheat. That works for me, but if it doesn't for you then I see no reason you can't have your cheat day. Just be sure you're indulging in things you really enjoy and whatever else you do, do not feel guilty about it after. Once you make the decision go with it whole heartedly and have no regrets later. Good luck to you. :)

    I do both. I have chocolate and treats throughout the week (and eat a little less) then I eat higher than my daily cal goals on the weekends to fit in large restaurant meals and such while still staying in my weekly calorie goal.
  • jamielynas
    jamielynas Posts: 366 Member
    I ate more than that in cereal yesterday, you're fine
  • aFootballLife25
    aFootballLife25 Posts: 63 Member
    No. They BEGIN to drop. Gradually.
  • christschild2
    christschild2 Posts: 97 Member
    For me ,occasionally, yes. Regularly, no.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Absolutely ok! For one thing your daily calories may be too low. And occasional maintenance days (not cheating) is essential and ok if you are eating at a deficit. 2000 calories is not a lot!!! A cheat day for me is 2500 to 3000. I don't call that a cheat day. I call it a treat day.

    Personally I can not eat less than 1750 and still be able to function at full capacity. And I am very small.
  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    NO NOT IF U ARE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT

    If you had a cheat day once in a while you might have the strength to push that capslock key down so you're not constantly *shouting* at people, which is considered rude.
  • rdzilla
    rdzilla Posts: 113 Member
    I hit 5-6k on my bigger days. 10k come holidays if I try. You're fine

    This. A cheat day every so often should be a huge amount of calories and no regret. I find it helps me stay true to myself on the non-cheat days and, to my wife's disgust, amazing amounts of consumption on cheat days.
  • purplepiggy1
    purplepiggy1 Posts: 66
    When you say 'ok', if you are referring to not putting on weight than go for it! 2000 as many have said is just maintenace and plus 1200 is very low so it probably would be more beneficial than anything else. I'm a big sweet tooth too!

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