Will a cheat day hurt?!

l883
l883 Posts: 8 Member
edited November 15 in Health and Weight Loss
If I am doing a low carb diet, with also low calories, is there going to be a big impact on my weight loss if I have a cheat day once a week?

Also any advice from people who have successfully done the low carb diet? :)
«1

Replies

  • nomorepuke
    nomorepuke Posts: 320 Member
    edited February 2017
    Let's put it this way. You eat unhealthy/high carb food 6 days a week and eat healthy/low carb food only once a week, would you lose weight? Probably not.
    You eat healthy/low carb food 6 days a week and you have one cheat day where you eat whatever you like, would you gain weight? Probably not.
    Only concern with a cheat day is that it may trigger you to fall off the wagon. If you get on track the very next day, why not have a cheat day once a week or twice a month or thrice in 2 months? For some people, I've read that it actually keeps you sane and keeps you on track in the long run.
    I prefer not to have a cheat day for the first 6 months of my weight loss journey. Once I hit my goal, then I'm considering it.
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    Track it to make sure you don't go too far overboard - depending on what you consider a cheat day you can undo your weekly deficit (I know I can...)

    Also, you will probably see an upswing on the scale the days following the cheat day. This will be due to higher water retention (more carbs, more food in your intestines, possibly higher sodium...) and should be gone within the week. If you're certain of your logging on the other days, there's no reason to worry about it and it will even out long term.

    (low carb tends to reduce water bloat, so the moment you eat more carbs, your body will again retain more water, but again, it's not fat so nothing to be worried about).

    Personally low carb didn't work for me. I like bread far too much to ever want to give it up, even if only temporarily. What worked for me was a happy medium including those things I love, but in smaller quantities (or very very rarely things I love where small quantities just won't cut it... pizza anyone? :tongue: )

    Best of luck on your journey.
  • nomorepuke
    nomorepuke Posts: 320 Member
    misskarne wrote: »
    If you eat enough calories on your "cheat day", you can wipe out the entire week's deficit.

    Why not just eat the things you love and fit them into your calorie goals?

    She's on a low carb diet, she says. "Eat things you like as long as they fit in your calorie deficit" is old. So are you suggesting I can live off of cupcakes, donuts or McDonald's because that's what I love? How about your health? How can you jeopardize your overall health by eating junk just to look skinny? By all means you will lose weight by eating only 2 donuts a day.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    Maybe consider limiting it to a cheat meal rather than a whole day as you'll be less likely to completely negate any deficit. If you're doing low carb there may be some water retention if you're eating carbs or lots of sodium on your cheat day. Don't let that stress you out as it'll come back off. If it worries you, wait a few days before weighing in after your cheat as the water retention will be gone
  • chase8oliver
    chase8oliver Posts: 27 Member
    Any time I have my clients on a low carb diet plan I insist they take one day each week to replenish their sugar intake (carbs). It's actually a good thing to include high carb meals/goodies in your weekly diet regardless of your particular plan. Within reason of course.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    misskarne wrote: »
    nomorepuke wrote: »
    misskarne wrote: »
    If you eat enough calories on your "cheat day", you can wipe out the entire week's deficit.

    Why not just eat the things you love and fit them into your calorie goals?

    She's on a low carb diet, she says. "Eat things you like as long as they fit in your calorie deficit" is old. So are you suggesting I can live off of cupcakes, donuts or McDonald's because that's what I love? How about your health? How can you jeopardize your overall health by eating junk just to look skinny? By all means you will lose weight by eating only 2 donuts a day.

    Oh good grief, not this stupid strawman argument. I'm not saying she should eat only cupcakes or donuts or McDonalds. But if she wants, she can fit some of it into her calories. That prevents the exact scenario OP is describing where they plan to go all out on a "cheat day".

    Yep, that's like saying people who are doing low carb eat nothing but sticks of butter and blobs of coconut oil.

    Enough derailing and back to OP. If you want a cheat day, make sure you don't eat too many calories on that day. Track everything. It's entirely possible to diet all week then eat back every calorie you dieted in one big binge effectively regaining whatever you lost that week. If you keep your calories under control, a cheat day will not hurt you.

    Do you feel your diet is so hard and restrictive that you need an outlet by the end of the week to destress? Or is this cheat day just part of an eating strategy that makes dieting overall easier for you while still being relatively pleasant throughout the week? If it's latter, have your cheat day and enjoy it, if it's the former, you may need to re-evaluate your diet and how well it fits you.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I have a cheat day every now and then, i simply add the things i like in the quantities i like, which just do not work with the calories i currently have. It is most definitely not a free for all, i still weigh and log everything and dont go stupid, i just relax the rules... a little.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    edited February 2017
    MFP's app lets you view your weekly calories, and see week by week what your calories have been.

    Going over on one day may still mean you're under your calorie limit for the week.

    Go to Diary > Nutrition > Calories > Week View
  • SierraFatToSkinny
    SierraFatToSkinny Posts: 463 Member
    A cheat day would ruin me. I'd just go nuts.

    To each their own.
  • MAH80T50
    MAH80T50 Posts: 23 Member
    Probably not, unless you're taking an exam ... Cheating at what ... !?!

    You might deviate from your plan, but that's having a day of relaxed eating - I hate that phrase, it implies you're doing something bad and that sort of mentality is what causes people to quit their healthier lifestyle plans ...
  • andron04
    andron04 Posts: 3 Member
    My cheat days can become cheat weeks. If I stray, I lose momentum and quickly gain weight.
  • samhennings
    samhennings Posts: 441 Member
    Will a cheat day hurt? I guess that depends on what you are doing.

    Fire eating? that will probably hurt...
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    If you eat at 200cal deficit everyday for 6 days and on the seventh you eat 1200cal over, yes, it will hurt.
  • mskimee
    mskimee Posts: 228 Member
    I use to have a cheat day every week, but I ended up eating my entire calorie deficit for the week and didn't lose for a few weeks. Now I have a day that I allow myself a few extra treats, but still log as normal (you'd be amazed how many calories/carbs you can eat mindlessly when you're on a cheat day). Once I hit x calories on a cheat day i know "ok, time to rein it in now."
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,140 Member
    edited February 2017
    It all depends on your definition of a "cheat day", it means different things to different people:
    • A cheat day where you eat whatever you fancy but it factors in your normal calorie goal - not going to affect your weight loss
    • A cheat day eating at maintenance - provided you've been at a deficit the rest of the week, probably not going to affect your weight loss too adversely.
    • A cheat day where you alter from low carb to normal/high carb but stick within your normal calorie goal - shouldn't affect your weight loss long term but you may notice that you're more bloated when you switch.
    • A cheat day where you eat everything in sight with no regard for your normal calorie goal or maintenance level is the one that will most likely stall your weight loss, as other posters have said, it's easy to end up eating back the whole week's deficit.

    I factor things I like into my normal week (just to be clear that doesn't mean dining on Maccy D's every day), usually eating out 1-2 times per week and I still like a little chocolate bar now and again. Making a fakeaway on a Friday night or making a lower calorie version of something.

    You need to find what suits you and that you can manage long term, otherwise you'll just end up back at square one.
  • unrelentingminx
    unrelentingminx Posts: 231 Member
    I may not neccessarily have a cheat day but I definitely have a cheat meal once a week which is normally when I eat out with my OH. The rest of the day will be balanced and low calorie but during our one evening meal out a week I will have whatever I like. I don't make a pig of myself but if I'm going to be paying restaurant prices, I'm definitely ordering something I know I'm going to really enjoy. I acknowledge that I've probably blown my calories for the day in doing it and I'm going to hoard water like crazy the next day but it's only one meal a week. There are 20 other meals in the week to be good.
  • IWearDaCrown
    IWearDaCrown Posts: 15 Member
    edited February 2017
    I really think you have to do what works for you. Some people are soooo against cheat days . And some people swear by them. I personally have not had cheat days . Beacause everyday is a cheat day for me lol. I am 30 years old and at this point I know myself well enough to know that if I deprive myself of what i really want, by time my so called cheat day rolls around I am bound to go absolutely crazy lol (just being honest) . I have a crazy sweet tooth (always have since childhood) . So what I've done is allow myself at least 1 serving of something I reeeeally am craving every single day and factor it into my calorie allowance and it has been working great for me so far. I don't feel like i'm missing anything .... and I am still losing the weight.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    I cheat all weekend and work hard all week, works for me.
  • Katimira
    Katimira Posts: 50 Member
    I have cheat meals Friday and Saturday evening, usually because I am out with friends. It hasn't affected my weight loss thus far. My calories deficit every week is in the order of 3600 calories and those cheat meals have me go about 200 over maintenance. +400-3600= -3200. Everything still good.

    Incidentally, I'm fairly new here and was wondering if there's a way to find out our maintenance calorie intake. I happen to know mine is around 2000. My MFP weight loss intake is 1500 (at one pound a week). Those cheat meals usually put me at a calorie surplus of 2200.

  • Morgaen73
    Morgaen73 Posts: 2,817 Member
    misskarne wrote: »
    If you eat enough calories on your "cheat day", you can wipe out the entire week's deficit.

    Why not just eat the things you love and fit them into your calorie goals?

    The bold bit. Friday is my cheat day and I used to eat whatever I want, then come Monday I'd spend the entire week working it off.

    My suggestions is a cheat meal not a cheat day. Controlled cheating if that makes sense?
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
    I once did Atkins for quite a long time and noticed that one small cheat would not do harm, but slip off the rails for say a weekend, and 8 pounds will jump back on you overnight, like magic!
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    Trilby16 wrote: »
    I once did Atkins for quite a long time and noticed that one small cheat would not do harm, but slip off the rails for say a weekend, and 8 pounds will jump back on you overnight, like magic!

    It's not 8lbs of fat but rather the higher amounts of carbs causing water retention.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,140 Member
    edited February 2017
    Katimira wrote: »

    Incidentally, I'm fairly new here and was wondering if there's a way to find out our maintenance calorie intake. I happen to know mine is around 2000. My MFP weight loss intake is 1500 (at one pound a week). Those cheat meals usually put me at a calorie surplus of 2200.

    I used this website https://www.iifym.com/tdee-calculator/ to get a rough guide to my maintenance intake.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    Carbs are good for you. It won't hurt you to cheat every day as long as you keep your calorie intake low.
  • ibboykin
    ibboykin Posts: 97 Member
    For me personally if I have a cheat day then I am only cheating myself.
  • tahxirez
    tahxirez Posts: 270 Member
    I'm not a cheat day person. I feel it takes me mentally out of the game. But I'm also not one who needs a mental break from the game. If I ate "junk" food when I was losing I made it fit and any calorie overages were very, very rare. If you must "cheat" you might want to reimagine your diet (by diet I mean eating pattern.) Either way if you do it, track it. I would really try not to go above maintenance if I were you.
  • AriaLace
    AriaLace Posts: 59 Member
    I prefer to do a cheat meal every so often, not a full day. Today I had a breakfast roll as my cheat meal because I normally have a shake and I missed sausages! It won't effect me much and even with the cheat meal I'll still be within my calories. A full day would throw me off the wagon especially once a week.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories