Cheat day: Yay or nay?

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  • Mavrick_RN
    Mavrick_RN Posts: 439 Member
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    I guess it depends on your definition of "cheat". I call it a Bonus Meal. It keeps me on track because I can always promise myself that if I want something I just have to wait for my Bonus Meal to have it. No food is off limits. I just limit that food to the Bonus Meal. Pizza, fried chicken, BBQ ribs, chocolate cake, anything.

    Some weeks I don't even need the Bonus Meal because I have had the food I desired as part of my regular calorie goal.

    Using a meal to "boost your metabolism" or "confuse your body" is woo-science.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    jrline wrote: »
    Don't deprive yourself of foods you enjoy and you will not need a cheat day.

    Exactly.

    I eat whatever I most want, within my calorie limit. I have chocolate every day, and alcohol most days, because that's what I like. I also like seafood, Greek salad and pasta.

    I've lost 70 lbs since April, and haven't cheated once.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,472 Member
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    I cheat most weekends, but I work my butt off hard all week.
  • Kelly9405
    Kelly9405 Posts: 14 Member
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    I don't do a cheat day, I just eat "bad" things every so often but don't binge or anything.
  • rararicey
    rararicey Posts: 6 Member
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    Thank you all, I appreciate the tips and encouragement! :)
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    If I plan on a "cheat meal" on a certain day I'll usually make up for it the rest of the day by either eating less/working out more/both so I'm still at a deficit for the day. So I don't know if that counts, but that's how I usually manage it.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    Nicks10x wrote: »
    I once read that cheat meals are actually good for you - as it keeps your body guess. When you have a cheat meal, your body goes into shock and works harder to digest and process the fats and carbs! anyone else heard this? for me, a cheat meal is something I look forward to... its kind of like a reward for being 'healthy' for the week! :)

    Your body doesn't guess, nor does it go into shock.. it just processes what you give it every day.
  • N0easyway0ut
    N0easyway0ut Posts: 193 Member
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    That's good to know! I guess what you read on bodybuilding.com is not always true! I'm no expert, but hearing unicorns don't exist has slightly disappointed me!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    llbrixon wrote: »
    I called them maintenance days
    I try to have at least 1x week

    Yep, no damage done this way.

  • King_Spicy
    King_Spicy Posts: 821 Member
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    Or be me and make everyday a cheat day :-D
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    One meal a week, I eat what I want, within reason. If I don't, I'll crave junk food more so.
  • OyGeeBiv
    OyGeeBiv Posts: 733 Member
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    Nicks10x wrote: »
    its kind of like a reward for being 'healthy' for the week! :)
    My reward for being healthy all week is...being healthier.
  • yannie100
    yannie100 Posts: 18 Member
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    Not really. I make choices not really cheat. I'm a high carb kinda gal so if I want fries I'll eat em. Shoo.
    I don't do greasy crappy foods though
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Nicks10x wrote: »
    I once read that cheat meals are actually good for you - as it keeps your body guess. When you have a cheat meal, your body goes into shock and works harder to digest and process the fats and carbs! anyone else heard this? for me, a cheat meal is something I look forward to... its kind of like a reward for being 'healthy' for the week! :)

    It's mentally satisfying and can help you keep on track from a physcological stand point- but in no way does it keep your body "guessing".

    that's just silly.
  • meredith1629
    meredith1629 Posts: 17 Member
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    One cheat day can easily turn into a binge, two cheat days (etc.), or giving up completely for me. The last time it was a three day binge in which I ate over 5,000 calories each day, according to my estimate.

    I think each person has to find what works for them. Some can do a cheat day and be totally fine. I have found that I allow myself these little "cheats" when I go out with friends for dinner or it's a special occasion, such as a birthday. I don't eat out often, so this works for me. I don't eat with reckless abandon but will allow myself that little extra I maybe wouldn't have otherwise. The meal is usually already higher in calories and fat because it was prepared in a restaurant so it's already over what I'd normally eat.

    I'll each a normal sized slice of birthday cake instead of a super-large size. These are my "cheats."
  • hockeysniper8
    hockeysniper8 Posts: 253 Member
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    Reward yourself with a cheat meal, if you are still at caloric deficit at end of week. I do extra Cardio or weights neXT day...
  • Dustinryan24
    Dustinryan24 Posts: 233 Member
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    Nicks10x wrote: »
    I would go for a cheat meal - not a cheat day! one meal per week is not going to harm your progress.

    i had success taking this route
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
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    I don't like to call eating cheating. Eating up to normal maintenance is good to do at least once a week when you have a lot of deficit days. That's what helps keep our hormones stable. Just eat the normal foods you love up to normal maintenance calories.

    People seem to forget that the caloire deficit is temporary corrective action to fix a health problem we all got ourselves into, not normal eating. Then they treat normal eating days like cheating. That sets us all up for failure.

    And then of course we have a few feast days/celebrations/vacations/holidays a year. We were meant to enjoy those and not call them cheating. If only we didn't do those "every day" than we wouldn't have become obese.
  • Dvdgzz
    Dvdgzz Posts: 437 Member
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    I can easily knock out a week of progress in a day. Like others have said, eat till you're content but keep it to a meal not a whole day.
  • georgiafraietta
    georgiafraietta Posts: 3 Member
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    I think having a cheat day is ok if you feel like you can follow a good diet for the rest of the week. Just make sure that the cheat day doesn't include all out binging til you are stuffed. Eat those junk foods with some control so you don't feel like crap after. Plus stretching you stomach like that will make it harder to feel full for the days after.

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