Cheat Day

Ready2BFitMom

For those that have a cheat day, how do you go about it? Do you still stay within your calorie range or do you go over?
Do you feel like having a cheat day has helped or hindered you?

SezxyStef

I don't do "cheat" days...that would indicate I was doing something wrong.

I eat what I want within my calorie goals any day. There are days I go over my goals..but then there are days I am under so it all balances out.

Annie_01

First off I don't think of it as a "cheat" day. There is something about that terminology that truly bothers me. Who are you cheating? I just have a meal once a week that consists of food that I love...such as pizza! Sometimes I try out a new restaurant that I have never eaten at before. I don't worry if it fits my macros or calorie goals...I just eat. Most of the time however I have no problems with it fitting.

The word "cheat" has a negative connotation associated with it...I don't need anything negative associated with trying to lose this weight. That's just me however...but it really really really bothers me when I hear "cheat meal/day"...

Merci4u

In the beginning I was a good girl through the week and 'cheated' on the weekend. It worked for me for a while but when I got to the pointy end I needed to be more strict. I now factor in my splurges though banking cals or doing extra exercise.

I have also moved away from the term 'cheat'. As stef said, it had negative connotations.

jacklfc88

Tomorrow I'm at a wedding so I know I can't eat what I usually have but I do try to stay within my macros for the day on days like that. I try not to have a day where I just indulge myself, even if you don't do "cheat days" that's never good for you to just have a complete blow out I don't think. It's just getting the right balance.

snickerscharlie

I don't 'cheat' because I would only be cheating myself.

I eat whatever I want whenever I want it. I just make it fit into my calorie allotment for that day, whether that means cutting down on something else that day, or just having a smaller portion of what it is I'm 'cheating' with.

And I agree that the word cheat has negative connotations when used in a diet context and can help set you up in a 'good' food vs 'bad' food mindset which rarely ends well.

Capt_Apollo

why are you restricting yourself so much the other 6 days a week that you feel that you need a cheat day?

Jgasmic

I always log everything, even if I'm going to go way over. It keeps me accountable, and helps to keep me from being frustrated if my loss slows down since I know just how much I went over. I have been way more successful doing it this way than I have with any of my previous attempts. As far as planned days, it is usually on the weekend because I'm socializing. Sometimes I have a plan to stick to at least maintenance, and sometimes I drink 1,200 calories (see this past Saturday!) I don't see it as cheating, just living, that works for me.

jacklfc88

Capt_Apollo wrote: »

why are you restricting yourself so much the other 6 days a week that you feel that you need a cheat day?

because some people wanna do that. i do it as well but i just like doing it that way. i also enjoy things a lot more when i restrict them during week and have as a treat. like a beer, i have cut it out during the week but when i have one at the weekend i appreciate it way more. haha how bad does that sound, appreciating Stella

Bshmerlie

Yeah. Some people get hung up on the word cheat but don't let it bother you. We all have days where we go over on calories for a day or a meal on something that is not part of our normal routine. They key is to stop thinking of this as a diet you have to cheat from. Start thinking of this as how you are going to live your life from now on. If you have a favorite food that is really high in calories try eating a smaller portion of it. For example I love a huge 16 ounce steak. But a 6 ounce steak tastes just as good. Or plan the meal into your day if it absolutely must be a huge amount of calories. For example...every other week I have this burrito that is 1000 calories alone. It's huge. So I eat 300 calories in the morning for breakfast and then eat my burrito around 2pm. It is so filling that it literally lasts me all the way until the end of the day and I don't feel the need to have dinner. So I had 1300 calories for the day. Exercise a little and I'm back to 1200. Fit it in. Try to get away from the free for all day as that is more than likely what got us into this mess is the first place. Have your treats but just do them in moderation. If you go over... even way over just log it and move on. That way you can track how often and by how much you go over and you can follow your trends. Hope this helps.

l8knut

One thing to remember is that your body doesn't hit the reset button at 12am. All your weeks calories are really averaged out over time. If you go over one day your probably under another. As long as you dont go loopy, it all works out.

SezxyStef

jacklfc88 wrote: »

Capt_Apollo wrote: »

why are you restricting yourself so much the other 6 days a week that you feel that you need a cheat day?

because some people wanna do that. i do it as well but i just like doing it that way. i also enjoy things a lot more when i restrict them during week and have as a treat. like a beer, i have cut it out during the week but when i have one at the weekend i appreciate it way more. haha how bad does that sound, appreciating Stella

eh trust me I savour my chocolate every night...

headwind2015

SezxyStef wrote: »

I don't do "cheat" days...that would indicate I was doing something wrong.

I eat what I want within my calorie goals any day. There are days I go over my goals..but then there are days I am under so it all balances out.

I'm with stef! I'd also add, for me personally, that cheat days makes me feel like my behavior change is only temporary and I'll revert back to my old habits.

Ready2BFitMom

Jeesh, so much hate for the word cheat. I was asking because I was told by someone who is training to be a personal trainer that having one day where you "cheat" and create a spike in your calories can help with weightloss. He claimed it shocked the body. I have also read that it can curb impulses to binge eat. I'm certainly not talking about going crazy with junk food.
For example, today I want to take my kids out for a fun day at the nearby arcade and then stop for lunch. I usually keep my meals around 300-400 cals, but if we stop I will likely get my favorite dish (I have an obsession with burgers) and it would be high cal and certainly high fat.

ncboiler89

Ready2BFitMom wrote: »

Jeesh, so much hate for the word cheat. I was asking because I was told by someone who is training to be a personal trainer that having one day where you "cheat" and create a spike in your calories can help with weightloss. He claimed it shocked the body. I have also read that it can curb impulses to binge eat. I'm certainly not talking about going crazy with junk food.
For example, today I want to take my kids out for a fun day at the nearby arcade and then stop for lunch. I usually keep my meals around 300-400 cals, but if we stop I will likely get my favorite dish (I have an obsession with burgers) and it would be high cal and certainly high fat.

This question gets asked literally everyday. Maybe this will help;

https://google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=%22cheat+days%22+site:myfitnesspal.com

pumpkinpocalypse

I'm a bit of a freak about my nutrition so I always, always eat as ''healthy'' as i can (or what i personally consider healthy, as i'm pretty strict), and sometimes (around once a week I guess) i'll go out with friends and we eat out for one meal during the week-end. That's basically what i call my cheat meal even though it's far from a cheat technically lol. I never went over my daily calories and try to stick to the healthiest menu options, even when i was on 1200 and I guess that now that i'm going into maintenance it will stay the same...I know i shouldn't, but i also know i'll always feel bad about going over or eating unhealthy 'just because i'm out''. I like to have control over myself i guess. I hope this kinda obsession changes one day though haha, cheat meals look like fun and especially when you're not losing weight anymore...I mean I just look at people mindlessly eating what they want on special occasions and stuff without overthinking it and I honestly think it must be nice to let go a bit from time to time, as long as you're not doing it at a point where it's just a straight crazy and unhealthy behaviour i guess (like, actual emotional binging that turn into catastrophes..)

malibu927

Ready2BFitMom wrote: »

Jeesh, so much hate for the word cheat. I was asking because I was told by someone who is training to be a personal trainer that having one day where you "cheat" and create a spike in your calories can help with weightloss. He claimed it shocked the body. I have also read that it can curb impulses to binge eat. I'm certainly not talking about going crazy with junk food.
For example, today I want to take my kids out for a fun day at the nearby arcade and then stop for lunch. I usually keep my meals around 300-400 cals, but if we stop I will likely get my favorite dish (I have an obsession with burgers) and it would be high cal and certainly high fat.

What I usually do in that case (and just did it Tuesday) is eat light for breakfast to save up calories. And since I was still over, I'd take a few calories out of the next day or two to even out my weekly deficit. You can still work these kinds of things into your diet in moderation, especially since there's no way to "shock" your body.

snickerscharlie

Ready2BFitMom wrote: »

Jeesh, so much hate for the word cheat. I was asking because I was told by someone who is training to be a personal trainer that having one day where you "cheat" and create a spike in your calories can help with weightloss. He claimed it shocked the body.

He needs to find a new potential career, then.

Unknown

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johnnylakis

Cheaters never win, winner never cheat. That being said, when I cheat, instead of eating 1,200 calories, I go up to 2,000 calories

mattyc772014

I pepper them in through out the year. Make up a number. Say 25 days you wont log or just let yourself go over your calorie goal. Pick those holidays and birthdays throughout the year. I bet you have more days to play with when your all done counting. You need to go over your maintenance by 3500 calories to gain 1lb. So 1 day is not so bad. This has helped me stay on goal. Slow and steady....Lots of luck OP.

lizzocat

I guess you can call my weekends 'cheat days' because I'll drink and eat what I want- but it works into my weekly calorie allowance. During the week I eat 1200 calories so when I go over on weekends, I'm still under for the week, and still tend to lose 1-2 pounds.

photosarah

I zigzag my calories so that I can eat like a normal NYC person on weekends when in social situations (drinks + 3 courses). Usually go over about 600-800 calories, but then make up for it by going slightly under some other days of the week (whether that's via eating less or exercising more). But I look at my calorie deficit week-by-week instead of day-by-day.

dolliesdaughter

Cheat day wouldn't be good for me. I have a cheat meal or a cheat item.