Cheat days!

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anxioushero
anxioushero Posts: 61 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What do you define as a cheat day? What do you like to have on a cheat day? How often do you have them?
(Hello by the way! Add me if you want, I'm 5'2 and 137lbs currently)
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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    edited June 2015
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    I've been here almost three years and I still can't figure out what a cheat day or meal is. To me, it's just an indicator that a lot of people have really *kitten* relationships with food.
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
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    Do not really agree with a cheat day. Now a cheat meal. Maybe.
  • anxioushero
    anxioushero Posts: 61 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I've been here almost three years and I still can't figure out what a cheat day or meal is. To me, it's just an indicator that a lot of people have really *kitten* relationships with food.

    People DEFINITELY do - if you're trying to radically change your lifestyle it's understandable to not want to go cold turkey though. This is why I'm asking what people view as a cheat day! Because for me that is drinking I suppose, and I "save up" for it throughout the week.
  • Stressedby8
    Stressedby8 Posts: 53 Member
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    I have cheat "meals" every weekend! I look forward to it. I follow weight watchers together with MFP and WW allows for an extra 49 points a week. I use these to have a few coctails on the weekend together with a nice meal out.

    It is all doable. I just make sure I get in an extra long walk/run or exercise.

    This is a life style for me now so I don't want to feel deprived.
  • Marilyn0924
    Marilyn0924 Posts: 797 Member
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    For me, a cheat meal once every week or two...will always involve wine, and maybe dessert if I have enough calories. It doesn't have to be decadent. I stay within my maintenance calories for that day and usually do a little extra something physical to offset.
  • blossomingbutterfly
    blossomingbutterfly Posts: 743 Member
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    I don't do cheat meals or days. I eat what I want and make it fit into my calorie goals. Every so often, I eat at maintenance for a week or so to give myself a break from a constant deficit though. That tends to help with weight loss as well.

    But some people love cheat meals/days/weeks/whatever, but some don't. I don't.
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
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    A cheat day is when I go to a motel and......oops.... sorry wrong cheat thread :wink:

    Seriously though. I don't classify anything (food related) as "cheating" or "bad" and I know if I gave myself permission to have a regular day where I ate whatever I felt like I would probably wipe out my deficit for the week in that one day. (I can eat a lot) Then I would be cross with myself, so not worth it, for me anyway.
  • MitsuShai
    MitsuShai Posts: 151 Member
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    I have a few "cheat days" which for me is treating myself to candy, brownies, cookies, or something that's unhealthy. However, I still stay under my calories. It's just a break from eating healthy foods all the time for me like usually I eat fruit for a snack well on my cheat day I might eat some brownies instead lol

    The reason I do this is because yeah being fit and healthy is my goal but I don't want to deprive myself of foods I love. It's my life and I want to live :wink:
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
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    "Cheat Days" were created by the people who invented very restrictive exclusion diets as a way to help people stay on those plans. The problem is many people would overindulge on those days and slow down or erase their progress, or see the "damage" next day and give up.

    Eating is central to many social activities, and it doesn't do you good to be a hermit because you're "on a diet". You have a lot of options to handle eating out, family occasions, etc. You can eat to your maintenance level, some people "bank" calories over a few days so they stay in a deficit for the week, or you can have some indulgence log it and move forward. It just comes down to what works with your goals.
  • anxioushero
    anxioushero Posts: 61 Member
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    manderson27 wrote: »
    A cheat day is when I go to a motel and......oops.... sorry wrong cheat thread :wink:

    AHAHA

  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    Ugh I just had the first, "cheat day," in over 2 months (one of my very good friends died during the night then my sweet dog unexpectantly died the next morning) and it just was not worth it. It's over a week later and I am now finally back to the weight I was.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,135 Member
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    For me, a cheat day or meal is eating whatever I want in the amounts I want. Basically saying eff you to weight loss.
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
    edited June 2015
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    0 ) You're only cheating yourself
    B ) If you feel the need to have to cheat, you're doin' it wrong. Way wrong. Right?
  • DylanThomas2
    DylanThomas2 Posts: 78 Member
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    For me a cheat day is when I stay in bed and dont workout instead I eat a gallon of ice cream washing it down with a jar of gravy then I sit in a running shower and cry until the water gets so cold I am shivering. To cheer myself up I order two medium pizzas and eat them both while watching mash reruns and contemplating how klinger was able to get a girl and I cant even get my dog to give me a kiss after I rub peanut butter all over my hand.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    I never have a cheat day or meal. Yes, there are days when I overeat (some with knowledge ahead of time like holidays and some where I just overate) but I refuse to get into the mindset where some food is good and some food is cheating. I am learning how to live my life with food and thinking that I am doing something bad by eating is non-productive.
  • anxioushero
    anxioushero Posts: 61 Member
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    Asher_Ethan wrote: »
    Ugh I just had the first, "cheat day," in over 2 months (one of my very good friends died during the night then my sweet dog unexpectantly died the next morning) and it just was not worth it. It's over a week later and I am now finally back to the weight I was.

    I'm so sorry to hear that, sending good luck and love dude, hope you're okay xx
  • anxioushero
    anxioushero Posts: 61 Member
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    SergeantSausage wrote: »
    0 ) You're only cheating yourself
    B ) If you feel the need to have to cheat, you're doin' it wrong. Way wrong. Right?

    You have a point!
  • anxioushero
    anxioushero Posts: 61 Member
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    DylanThomas2 wrote: »
    For me a cheat day is when I stay in bed and dont workout instead I eat a gallon of ice cream washing it down with a jar of gravy then I sit in a running shower and cry until the water gets so cold I am shivering. To cheer myself up I order two medium pizzas and eat them both while watching mash reruns and contemplating how klinger was able to get a girl and I cant even get my dog to give me a kiss after I rub peanut butter all over my hand.

    So strange to hear we have exactly the same schedule!
  • kndev
    kndev Posts: 23 Member
    edited June 2015
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    extremelygrumpycat wrote: »
    I don't do cheat meals or days. I eat what I want and make it fit into my calorie goals. Every so often, I eat at maintenance for a week or so to give myself a break from a constant deficit though. That tends to help with weight loss as well.

    But some people love cheat meals/days/weeks/whatever, but some don't. I don't.

    I like your logic in regards to giving your body a break with a maintenance week. How often do you do a maintenance week?

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