Cheat days, yes or no?

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2

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  • BasicGreatGuy
    BasicGreatGuy Posts: 857 Member
    edited July 2015
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    If one changes his or her lifestyle to better reflect a healthier way of eating and living, there should be no need to feel like one needs to cheat, as if that is some kind of reward in the negative for living positive.
  • timothys831
    timothys831 Posts: 5 Member
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    What if instead of taking once a week, you stick to you diet threw a whole month and take one day out of that month like the 1st. That one day would be your cheat day. Would that effect the rest of the month that you are on track.
  • ungeneric
    ungeneric Posts: 60 Member
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    BasicGreatGuy wrote: »
    If one changes his or her lifestyle to better reflect a healthier way of eating and living, there should be no need to feel like one needsto cheat, as if that is some kind of reward in the negative for living positive.
    For people who have not yet achieved nirvana and purified themselves of desire, though, there may be some cognitive or emotional cost to weight loss. Running a sustained calorie deficit may require the regular exercise of willpower, and tallying up every calorie eaten may consume some amount of focus and energy.

    For people in that situation (which I think describes most people who are losing weight), a "cheat day" appeals because it allows them to take a break from exerting focus and energy on weight loss. Whether or not a "cheat day" is actually productive is the subject of this thread!
  • dolliesdaughter
    dolliesdaughter Posts: 544 Member
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    Nope, cheat meal or a cheat treat, never a full day.
  • North44
    North44 Posts: 359 Member
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    No I don't. I eat yummy things that I like all the time so I don't feel the need. One entire day of just going overboard would not be pleasurable to me. Fourth of July was a bit out of control this year and yeah, not really too great. But everyone has to do what works with their own preferences and lifestyle.
  • lizzocat
    lizzocat Posts: 356 Member
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    I don't look at it as 'cheat days' anymore, more like, living life. Some days I eat at my calorie goal, some days over, and some days under. At the end of the week, I'm usually right where I should be.
  • slinke2014
    slinke2014 Posts: 149 Member
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    I don't have cheat days anymore. I was letting go a little too much and undoing all my weeks work. I still log everything but go for eating at maintenance on the weekends so I can splurge on some things I really love like Dairy Queen Blizzards and Smoked Salmon dip. YUM
  • vickyaldersey
    vickyaldersey Posts: 39 Member
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    I am still struggling with weight loss and I've just come to the realisation(just today lol) that I can't have a cheat snack. I had something bad at the beginning of the day and I have eaten cr@9 ALL DAY. :( feel rubbish :s
  • lrash1167
    lrash1167 Posts: 16 Member
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    I do cheat day once a week because I need to know I'm not missing out on things - I know some will blast me for this (the health nazi's always do!) but I'm a normal, older woman with family and friends and we ENJOY eating "normal" foods - we go to pot luck's, have bar-b-que's, go to movies, and family get together's that involves southern comfort foods and yes, I scale down my quantities...but now and then I just need to not have every bite I take the center of my universe! I REALLY don't want to feel like I'm missing out on the fun times in my life! I'll DO the extra workout thank you... I HAVE noticed though that certain "free day" foods now make me sicker than a dog if I indulge too much in them. (Found THAT out with a recent movie with popcorn...uggh!). Guess what I'm saying is I wanna eat to nourish my body and still enjoy LIVING - NOT live to watch everything I eat!
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
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    lrash1167 wrote: »
    I do cheat day once a week because I need to know I'm not missing out on things - I know some will blast me for this (the health nazi's always do!) but I'm a normal, older woman with family and friends and we ENJOY eating "normal" foods - we go to pot luck's, have bar-b-que's, go to movies, and family get together's that involves southern comfort foods and yes, I scale down my quantities...but now and then I just need to not have every bite I take the center of my universe! I REALLY don't want to feel like I'm missing out on the fun times in my life! I'll DO the extra workout thank you... I HAVE noticed though that certain "free day" foods now make me sicker than a dog if I indulge too much in them. (Found THAT out with a recent movie with popcorn...uggh!). Guess what I'm saying is I wanna eat to nourish my body and still enjoy LIVING - NOT live to watch everything I eat!

    iifym
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,137 Member
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    Lots of people do this. They like to include treats on a regular basis. Some include them every day, some once a week or once a month or whatever.

    I don't do a lot of "cheating." I like eating healthy food and I've found healthy food that is yummy, so it's not like I spend my days longing for a treat. On rare occasions, I indulge, but I don't really feel like it's cheating.

    Just work out a plan you like and go with it. You can always change it later! :)

    I think this is wise. For me this is a lifestyle change and about finding better balance. I will never give up wine, cheese, eating out and other indulgences. So I need to find a way to work them into my calories. I'll need to do that when I'm in the maintenance stage as well. I do have indulgences. Some more worthwhile than others, sometimes I regret it because my body really does prefer healthier foods - my brain just hasn't quite caught up yet. I run my calories on a weekly rather than daily basis, so this allows for eating out and extra yummy things.
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
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    People around here tend to be very big on "moderation." For those who tend to come in with comments like that, they usually mean daily moderation. Works for some, doesn't work for others. For some, moderation means once a week, or even once a month. You should do what works for you, so long as it's healthy and doesn't hinder your goals.

    I look at a weekly deficit, as do many others. Saturdays are my "cheat days." Except I don't call them that. I just save up some of my deficit for the week, and eat a lot more food on Saturdays, including treats that I don't eat during the rest of the week. I actually enjoy doing that more than I do having daily treats. Between my work, commute, and exercising, I barely have time to adequate sleep (and most of the time don't). So, I rarely eat takeout during the work week and keep my days pretty simply planned. On Saturdays I can have an indulgent breakfast, a dessert treat of some sort, a restaurant meal, etc., and still be meeting my weekly deficit.

    People like to talk about lifestyle changes and whatnot, and they're not wrong in talking about such a mindset. However, we all lead different lifestyles. If you want to be successful, you should probably choose a way that you could reasonably see yourself sustaining. If having your "cheat day" is that way for you, then do it.
  • Becca_250
    Becca_250 Posts: 188 Member
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    No reason not to eat what you're craving within your calories instead of gorging yourself on it because it's a 'cheat day'.

    I suggest you do a search on 'cheat days'. You will find a LOT of replies.

    Also I don't believe there is such thing as 'tricking your metabolism' by eating more one day.
    dubird wrote: »
    I don't really do 'cheat' days. There are occasions where I don't feel good and just say *kitten* it, but normally, I just try fit what I want into my daily calories. That being said, I don't worry as much about logging for holiday meals with family. That would just be depressing!

    +1
  • robspot
    robspot Posts: 130 Member
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    For me, cheat=doing something wrong. Can't you call it an Increased Calorie Day or something? If you're building it into your plan to help you stay focused then it's not cheating, it's just part of the plan.

    I have a Mars ice cream pretty much every night for pudding. It's only 140 calories so no deal breaker but it's just enough to stop me craving rubbish all day.

    I do have days (or sometimes weekends....) where I don't set out to "cheat" but we go to weddings or birthdays and I don't control what I eat (usually where alcohol is involved!!) but I'm fine with that. I can get quite dull when I'm in the zone and occasionally you need to remember that life isn't just about the numbers on the scales. The idea of waiting all week to gorge on junk wouldn't work for me though. The healthier my diet becomes, the healthier I want it to stay.
  • J383
    J383 Posts: 4,573 Member
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    No cheat days. It isn't worth the struggle afterwards. I will enjoy a portioned treat if I have done really well the entire week. I will have a few ounces of Mt.Dew or a very small portion of custard as a treat. Never a full day. I always workout right afterwards. Why work so hard only to screw it up in one day?
  • kkzmom11
    kkzmom11 Posts: 220 Member
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    I agree with many that say it's better to fit the "cheat" foods into your daily calorie range. I wouldn't be willing to wait until my "cheat" day to have what i want. and when i am maintaining my weight, i want to be able to just have a plan, not wait for one day to eat whatever i want. that wouldn't help me at all.
  • Radory
    Radory Posts: 35 Member
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    Today marks 13 weeks I've been at this and I've not had a "cheat day/meal" as of yet. Have I had an occasional soft serve ice cream? Yes, but it fit into my calories for the day. I think I've been too fearful of how it would set me back. I am planning on a dinner out for my wedding anniversary in four weeks and it will be one that just can't be tracked...so that may be my first. I'll save up some from the week before though just to be safe. lol
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    edited July 2015
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    I have a chest day once a week - though I don't think of it as a cheat day as it is factored into my plan.

    I log that day as normal and try to only eat up to my maintenance calories - I'll lose slightly slower but feel happier being able to go drinking with my friends or out for a nice meal once a week.

    Works for me.

    Oh and I also fit what I want into my daily calories as I follow IIFYM but my daily allowance doesn't fit in a night at the pub :drinker: so maintenance days.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    ungeneric wrote: »
    BasicGreatGuy wrote: »
    If one changes his or her lifestyle to better reflect a healthier way of eating and living, there should be no need to feel like one needs to cheat, as if that is some kind of reward in the negative for living positive.
    For people who have not yet achieved nirvana and purified themselves of desire, though, there may be some cognitive or emotional cost to weight loss. Running a sustained calorie deficit may require the regular exercise of willpower, and tallying up every calorie eaten may consume some amount of focus and energy.

    For people in that situation (which I think describes most people who are losing weight), a "cheat day" appeals because it allows them to take a break from exerting focus and energy on weight loss. Whether or not a "cheat day" is actually productive is the subject of this thread!

    I've been meaning to start a thread on cravings from the Buddhist perspective, but for now will say the less craving-inducing foods I eat, the less I want.

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