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Cheat day..yes or no?

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  • Buhbee
    Buhbee Posts: 108 Member
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    I don't necessarily "cheat" but one day a week I just don't count my calories. I am still mindful of what I eat and try to make healthy choices. But if my hubby wants to enjoy a glass of wine and ice cream when the kids go to bed early, you will never hear me say NO. lol. If you over indulge one day, its no big deal. Just get back on track the next day and don't fret.
  • CoachJen71
    CoachJen71 Posts: 1,200 Member
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    I bank earlier in the week for nicer treats or splurge meals on the weekend. As long as the numbers all still work, it's fine. Holidays are the closest I get to cheat days, but I haven't gotten to a place where I can enjoy letting go completely. I am eating a lot of food on those days, but not enjoying it. I hope to get to that place someday where I can let go of food guilt.
  • QueenOSpades
    QueenOSpades Posts: 171 Member
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    I found that cheat "days" made me excuse a lot of unnecessary junk food. A single cheat "meal" however kept me on track a bit more.
    Holidays and birthday events are another thing though... at the end of the day it's what you are comfortable with the most.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    gjw1911 wrote: »
    I need a cheat meal, or I will not be able to stay on track.
    Sometimes I want a double cheeseburger, fries and a few beers. I just make sure my weekly calorie deficit is high enough to tolerate those extra calories.
    Also figure out ways to cheat cheat meals, like my wife and I splitting a meal at a restaurant. That way a cheeseburger and fries are not as bad cut in half. I still get my burger just with half the calories.

    Funny enough, this kind of thought process is what got me started down the low-carb path. "Wait, you mean I can halve the calories in this, by throwing away the bun, which I don't really like anyway?" Had to figure out something on the nights we ended up working in the middle of nowhere for days on end, with nothing but a McDonalds nearby open at night.
  • Tophers_Motivation
    Tophers_Motivation Posts: 39 Member
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    I suppose it depends on what you mean by "cheat day." For instance, I'm going to a restaurant with my wife on Saturday, and I fully intend to have my favorite meal, a country-fried steak. However, I'm going to be careful with my calories the rest of the day, still do my exercise and it's not going to include a bunch of junk food. It might cost me on the scale the next day, but I know it's not going to derail my overall progress.
  • immatureinspiration
    immatureinspiration Posts: 3 Member
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    i say no allow yourself a little cheat everyday and youll be fine and be able to control your calories thats why counting calories work everytime at least for me. not only that if you dont cheat on your cardio youll be able to eat what you want in moderation . moderation keeps you from binging unless you drink then you may loose the battle for the day lol
  • pompeyjosh1990
    pompeyjosh1990 Posts: 90 Member
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    addily1986 wrote: »
    So, I am nearing the end of my first week. It has been hard. But today I woke up with energy enough to take a walk.
    Yesterday I did what most of you advised and splurged on calories for a meal. I went out with my husband and had carne Asada with rice and beans (which is my favorite). And I was able to have almost all of the plate. But decided to only have half of the rice and beans and more of the meat... And did pico de gallo instead of salsa with only 6 chips. And I also rewarded myself with a vodka/soda water with lime. It really made me feel at cause over my life knowing I can balance things in a way that I can still go have fun with my family and be social.

    I ended my day 300 to spare. Though I was 1g over my fat intake target. But 1g is pretty dang good!

    1g over your fat daily allowance isn't going to make a difference, as long as you hit your macros you'll be fine
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    I never called them "cheat" meals (how am I cheating?), but when I was actively eating in a deficit I always allowed for a day per week when I'd go out to eat and while I wouldn't be totally indulgent I also wouldn't be too restrictive or worry too much about the calories. At first I'd eat a bit less the rest of the day or week, later I covered it because weekend workouts would be my big workouts, but it really worked for me because going out to eat and enjoying the food at a variety of restaurants is part of my lifestyle and something I enjoy, so I knew I wasn't going to cut it out.

    I find the generalizations about "cheat days" kind of weird. Not everyone slows their progress with them or gets into a restrict and binge cycle or sees them as desirable because they are otherwise miserable or has a huge blow out (I'd normally be at maintenance or below for the day, and was losing 2 lb/week during most of this period). It really just depends on what works for you.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    vingogly wrote: »
    As has been pointed out in many threads, cheating implies a moral choice. There's no moral dimension to decide on eating food X rather than food Y.

    I often reserve 300 calories or so for a treat after dinner. Sometimes it's a dish of ice cream from the dairy down the street, or a good-quality chocolate bar. Sometimes something else. If I've eaten my treat calories earlier in the day, well, that was my choice and there's always tomorrow.

    Treatin' ain't cheatin'. And dieting isn't hard work if you're not looking at it as dieting (meaning an unpleasant portion of your life you look forward to getting through, so you can return to "normal eating"). Catch my drift?

    Love this post!
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited July 2016
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    I have cheat meals and even cheat days on weekends (but not really cheats because I am not over eating) and this really is NOT over doing calories per se, but getting off the diet structure I eat everyday during the week. My husband does not log food, so I give him the weekends to eat whatever!

    I hate what it does to me days later on the scale and it is usually Wed before it evens back out!
  • abitofbliss
    abitofbliss Posts: 198 Member
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    Great way to handle going out! Hope you had a great time! Keep it up!
  • Yourkindagirl
    Yourkindagirl Posts: 100 Member
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    You can do too much damage with a cheat day. Have a cheat meal once a week. That way you don't just lose it and binge, but there is some control. I have a cheat meal schedule every week. I don't always use it, but I have it to look forward to just in case I am having a weak moment.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Yourkindagirl wrote: »
    You can do too much damage with a cheat day. Have a cheat meal once a week. That way you don't just lose it and binge, but there is some control. I have a cheat meal schedule every week. I don't always use it, but I have it to look forward to just in case I am having a weak moment.

    But what if a single meal is all I take in a whole day? Texas de Brazil comes to mind. ;)
  • wmeyerbill455
    wmeyerbill455 Posts: 49 Member
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    BIG, BIG, BIG NO! In order to lose weight and maintain the loss you have to eat consistently fewer calories. If you are looking for a 20% reduction you need to find out how many calories you can consume each day to maintain your current weight then reduce it by 20% and that is your new calorie max, every day, no cheat days.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited July 2016
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    wmeyerbill455 wrote: »
    BIG, BIG, BIG NO! In order to lose weight and maintain the loss you have to eat consistently fewer calories. If you are looking for a 20% reduction you need to find out how many calories you can consume each day to maintain your current weight then reduce it by 20% and that is your new calorie max, every day, no cheat days.

    "Cheat day" is a bad term, IMO, but why on earth should you need to eat the same calories every day to lose weight? I lost lots eating a bit less during the week and more on the weekends (well, Friday and Saturday). Or in other words, what J72FIT said above.

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