Cheat days, what are your thoughts?

pastichex296

Hey guys! I hope everyone's fitness journey is going smoothly, especially with the new year coming around the corner

amusedmonkey

Personally, treating days as "cheat days" is counterproductive for me. It encourages overeating because it has a "clock strikes 12" vibe to it where diet is suspended for a day and all the rules fly out the window and I could finally breathe. I treat my diet as a continuous things where higher calorie days are just a normal part of the plan whenever needed, and I'm breathing just fine all throughout. High days don't feel any different from my low days apart from being able to eat more. No feelings of "cheating", just being flexible and adaptable.

trigden1991

Ultimately it is down to whether you can eat some "cheat" food and stay within a calorie deficit for the week. If the answer is no, then you shouldn't do it.

kejw08

I don't have cheat days because I feel like it would be an excuse for me to binge. I do my best to stay within my calorie goals and some days my best isn't every good. I accept that and move on.

neldabg

I don't do them, and I'm not fond of them overall. I think it's better to eat in moderation and/or bank calories over the week (or even over a month to prep for a particular festive period) to eat more on certain days. I know it's not true of everyone who practices cheat days, but some people go overboard with the day and wipe out their deficit or develop behaviors close to binge eating. A "cheat" day puts too much of a negative tone around food and eating. There's nothing to cheat about food with tools like MFP around.

SideSteel

It really depends on the individual.

I'd say I "generally" don't like the idea but the truth is, some people implement them in such a way that the cheat day allows them to adhere to the diet on the non cheat days.

If it works, have at it.

zyxst

SideSteel wrote: »

It really depends on the individual.

I'd say I "generally" don't like the idea but the truth is, some people implement them in such a way that the cheat day allows them to adhere to the diet on the non cheat days.

If it works, have at it.

What he said.

For me, they wouldn't work as I'd eat up my weekly deficit.

SideSteel

zyxst wrote: »

SideSteel wrote: »

It really depends on the individual.

I'd say I "generally" don't like the idea but the truth is, some people implement them in such a way that the cheat day allows them to adhere to the diet on the non cheat days.

If it works, have at it.

What he said.

For me, they wouldn't work as I'd eat up my weekly deficit.

Yup, and I suspect that's the case for many people.

mskimee

SideSteel wrote: »

It really depends on the individual.

I'd say I "generally" don't like the idea but the truth is, some people implement them in such a way that the cheat day allows them to adhere to the diet on the non cheat days.

If it works, have at it.

This is how I find it works for me. Eg, my "treat" day is usually Saturday so I decide on Wednesday that I'm doing one of the dishes I love and is a bit naughty, like naan breads with tikka and rice etc. Now, I know this day is coming and that the dish generally contains about 1000 cals depending on size, types of sauce etc. So now on Wednesday I already know I'll probably be over my allowance on Saturday so I put a bit more into my workouts and decide you know what, I'm having Tikka Naan on Saturday so I don't need any garlic bread with my spag bol and right now I saved myself an extra 100 cals. The same on Thursday and Friday, cos mentally i'm thinking about Saturday and cutting calories without feeling the pain cos I'll be getting Tikka Naan on Saturday. So Saturday comes around, I've had my Tikka Naan and I'm feeling all full and satisfied and someone suggests we go get pizza....you know what? Pizza sounds great!! But for next Saturday cos that's my next treat day and because I KNOW it's coming I don't feel I have to go wild and binge THIS Saturday, cos there will be other treat days and hey, that makes this whole diet thing work for me. Then one day it might be someones Birthday and "Treat Day" might be on Friday or Sunday or whenever, but that's ok cos I feel I can enjoy them as part of my life!

findingone

I used to do cheat days. Now once a week I will have a cheat meal. Not the full day. BUT that cheat meal is about 2 to 4 hours of eating whatever I want. NOT the whole day. But at the start of the journey I needed them for sanity and for the maintaining of persistence for the long haul.

Good luck and you can do it

beaglebrandon

mskimee wrote: »

my "treat" day is usually Saturday so I decide on Wednesday that I'm doing one of the dishes I love and is a bit naughty, like naan breads with tikka and rice etc. Now, I know this day is coming and that the dish generally contains about 1000 cals depending on size, types of sauce etc. So now on Wednesday I already know I'll probably be over my allowance on Saturday so I put a bit more into my workouts and decide you know what, I'm having Tikka Naan on Saturday so I don't need any garlic bread with my spag bol and right now I saved myself an extra 100 cals. The same on Thursday and Friday, cos mentally i'm thinking about Saturday and cutting calories without feeling the pain cos I'll be getting Tikka Naan on Saturday.

This sounds very similar to what I do.

I plan my 'cheat meal' (not DAY) way ahead of time. I plan what I'll have. Hmmm... Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers, Shrimp, some Cheetos, honey toast on a roll, slice of chocolate cake, whiskey....

Then I'll buy ONE 160 calorie small snack size bag of cheetos, buy 10 large jumbo shrimp, Portion out 5 Jalapeño poppers, buy a slice of chocolate cake at the bakery, and I'm ready on Thursday. Thursday and Friday eating are great, and usually under calorie, as my brain is thinking about Saturday....

I also skip a 'regular dinner' on Saturday to eat my 1500 calorie 'cheat meal'. Note that it turns out that it's not really a 'cheat' as I probably skip 100 calories each on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and skip a 400 calorie dinner. So I'm forgoing 700 calories or so to have 1,500 calories on my 'cheat'.

And my meal of 'cheating' still has me at or under my recommended calories for the day to maintain.

I think if you're doing this, your diet will work.

terbusha

I thinks it's more productive to work some treat foods into your diet throughout the week from time to time. I see a lot of people just completely lose control on cheat days and turn it into an all-out binge-fest. Working ~200 calories of chocolate into your macros from time to time is way better. I think a reason for people going crazy on cheat days is that they think that "this is my one chance to have foods I like for X amount of time. I better get it all in"

Unfortunately, this cycle makes for a lot of frustration as those days set them back in the goals, which leads to guilt.

GottaBurnEmAll

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Personally, treating days as "cheat days" is counterproductive for me. It encourages overeating because it has a "clock strikes 12" vibe to it where diet is suspended for a day and all the rules fly out the window and I could finally breathe. I treat my diet as a continuous things where higher calorie days are just a normal part of the plan whenever needed, and I'm breathing just fine all throughout. High days don't feel any different from my low days apart from being able to eat more. No feelings of "cheating", just being flexible and adaptable.

I feel like this too. I don't call them "cheat" days. I schedule maintenance breaks or days regularly and don't consider those "cheating".

There are a few times during the year where I don't log and really don't care about my consumption, but I never eat like crazy during those times either. Those are during vacations and holidays.

Savagedistraction

pastichex296 wrote: »

Hey guys! I hope everyone's fitness journey is going smoothly, especially with the new year coming around the corner

Eat what I want when I want for the most part. Some days I indulge more, but they're not planned days.

GottaBurnEmAll

SideSteel wrote: »

It really depends on the individual.

I'd say I "generally" don't like the idea but the truth is, some people implement them in such a way that the cheat day allows them to adhere to the diet on the non cheat days.

If it works, have at it.

This is what I've started doing since I've found that moderating wasn't working for me any more and it's working for me very well. I can hold out for my scheduled maintenance day and mid-week higher calorie day and feel fine on my deficit days.

Skyblueyellow

I do cheat meals, not cheat days. My husband and I rarely get to go to my favorite Japanese restaurant and when we get that opportunity (maybe 3 times a year) I don't pay any attention to calories AT ALL. I have it three times a year and I enjoy every bite.

I also don't weigh food or count calories on holidays. I also don't go overboard. I try to have a bigger deficit throughout the week so that I can "afford" dessert.

SideSteel

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

SideSteel wrote: »

It really depends on the individual.

I'd say I "generally" don't like the idea but the truth is, some people implement them in such a way that the cheat day allows them to adhere to the diet on the non cheat days.

If it works, have at it.

This is what I've started doing since I've found that moderating wasn't working for me any more and it's working for me very well. I can hold out for my scheduled maintenance day and mid-week higher calorie day and feel fine on my deficit days.

The beauty of this is that you actually are still moderating, just in a different way

red99ryder

i dont plan cheat days , times come up in life that it just happens . like this coming weekend Christmas or a Birthday ( Cake ) . thats the nice part of having a 5200 calorie deficit per week for now . if i maintain for the week im happy .

There have been times i just wanted to feel full tho and then i go for a larger meal and eats lots of broc and carrots to fill it out , been working ok so far

good luck

Chadxx

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Personally, treating days as "cheat days" is counterproductive for me. It encourages overeating because it has a "clock strikes 12" vibe to it where diet is suspended for a day and all the rules fly out the window and I could finally breathe. I treat my diet as a continuous things where higher calorie days are just a normal part of the plan whenever needed, and I'm breathing just fine all throughout. High days don't feel any different from my low days apart from being able to eat more. No feelings of "cheating", just being flexible and adaptable.

Exactly

tlflag1620

I don't do whole days off plan (I don't call them "cheat" days... I'm not married to food, therefore I don't have to be "faithful"). I will have an off plan meal from time to time. For me that means high carb food (I eat LCHF). But my off plan meals don't necessarily put me over on calories for the day, just carbs. So I don't even know if that counts as a "cheat". I usually gain 2-3 lbs (water), and it's gone in a few days time.

I suck at cheating.

cwolfman13

I guess it depends on what a cheat day is...is it a day where you're having something you may not normally have in your diet or is it a eat whatever the hell you want day? If it's the latter, in many cases, this can substantially eat into your weekly deficit or wipe it out completely. People I know who've successfully implemented cheat days still only eat to maintenance...they don't go off the rails.

janejellyroll

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Personally, treating days as "cheat days" is counterproductive for me. It encourages overeating because it has a "clock strikes 12" vibe to it where diet is suspended for a day and all the rules fly out the window and I could finally breathe. I treat my diet as a continuous things where higher calorie days are just a normal part of the plan whenever needed, and I'm breathing just fine all throughout. High days don't feel any different from my low days apart from being able to eat more. No feelings of "cheating", just being flexible and adaptable.

This is my approach exactly. There are days when I go over and days when I go under. They're all just days -- I'm still thoughtful about what I eat, going over my calories some days is just a part of my life.

cheryldumais

I've lost 70 pounds in a little less than a year. For me in the beginning I had a "cheat" meal once every couple of weeks. But when I say "cheat" I don't mean I ate like a maniac. I mean I had maybe 200 to 500 calories extra. This worked for me. I rarely do it anymore because I am getting close to goal so I don't have as big of a deficit and my tastes and habits have changed. The last big cheat I had (about 500 calories) made me feel sick! It can work though if you start to feel really deprived taking a very small break seems to make your body relax and you don't feel like you can't wait to finish dieting. I realize that the way I am eating now will be my diet for life with maybe 200 or 300 calories more a day.

kgirlhart

I don't like the idea of "cheat days". For me a way of eating that I need to cheat on is not going to be sustainable for long. I work in foods that I love daily. I never restrict anything but calories(portion sizes) I do occasionally go over on holidays or special occasions. But that is the exception not the rule. And I don't think of it as cheating. It is just eating more on a special occasion. Most of the time I have eaten under my goal at some point that week and it balances out anyway.

kami3006

I follow my weekly average and fit in whatever I want. No restrictions; no worries.

Asher_Ethan

I rarely do days with unlimited calories. I can consume 5k calories in a day and that kills my month when i do that.

CafeRacer808

kgirlhart wrote: »

I don't like the idea of "cheat days". For me a way of eating that I need to cheat on is not going to be sustainable for long. I work in foods that I love daily. I never restrict anything but calories(portion sizes) I do occasionally go over on holidays or special occasions. But that is the exception not the rule. And I don't think of it as cheating. It is just eating more on a special occasion. Most of the time I have eaten under my goal at some point that week and it balances out anyway.

All of this. I don't buy into the notion of "cheat days". I view my daily calorie goal as a lifestyle and in my view, you don't cheat on a lifestyle. You just live it. That said, different strategies work for different people. If having a cheat day makes it easier for you to hit your calorie goals on other days and keeps you in deficit for the week, then no worries.

lady_ghost

I have a cheat-refeed day. Once a month where for 1-2 days I eat 300-500 calories more than what I usually do, downing more water than usual to flush out the sodium. Mostly eating carbs, limited fat and some protien and I have always lost alot of weight in the following days after doing this. It like jump starts my metabolism. Then I go back to my restrictive diet. My cheat-refeed days are going to be on christmas eve and Christmas day. I CANNOT wait!

lady_ghost

Also by day two I actually start to miss my diet. I never feel out of control like I can't get back on the diet immediately after the second day. All that junk taste good but not as good as when I didn't diet. So it depends if you can handle then go for it but if u think u would struggle to go back to regular dieting after a cheat day then try a cheat mean once a week.

MissSugarBean

I just eat out once a week as a "cheat meal," not a for a whole day. Even then I don't go all out, just enough to keep me sane. Candy is another story...

spiriteagle99

When I was doing Atkins, I had occasional cheat meals, because the diet was so restrictive. The only way I could follow it most of the time was to allow myself the occasional high carb meal. I figured if I was good 6 days a week, it didn't matter if I ate a bit more one day a week. That worked well. On another occasion that I was doing a less restrictive version of low carb eating, I would allow myself two high carb foods on the weekend, perhaps a beer on Saturday and an ice cream on Sunday, maybe a pizza and a banana. Again, that allowed me to be on track the rest of the week.

Right now I'm working at losing a few regained pounds using MFP without the carb restriction, so I'm not deliberately having a cheat meal or cheat day, since there really is no such thing as a cheat. All foods are allowed. It doesn't matter whether I get my calories from eggs or ice cream. I do a lot of exercise, so I get a little more leeway than if I didn't do the exercise which helps. OTOH, by allowing myself to eat anything I want, I find it harder to be as restrictive as I should. As the weeks have gone by, I've gone from being under my limit most days to being over the limit more and more often. Kind of a slippery slope situation. That's how I gained the weight. I went from the occasional treat, to the frequent treat, to the daily treat. And then it's no longer a treat, it's just my daily or twice daily sugar fix.