Cheat days?

hopleyjana2049

What are your thoughts on cheat meal / days. I have recently changed the way I eat, my diet bacame cleaner, full of fruit, veg, nuts if it's healthy I eat it. I allow myself a little treat every day, but it's always a healthier option, so instead of a chocolate bar I would reach out for a hand full of home made granola ext. Anyway, yesterday I thought I will have a cheat day. And eaten things I wouldn't usually eat, pasta and pizza, in moderation of course, but still, those foods haven't been on my menu for weeks now. Well it felt fabulous going down, never enjoyed pizza as much as I did last nigh. But today, when I woke up, I felt terrible, bloated, sluggish and really guilty. I worked out extra hard just to burn the extra calories I have had yesterday. So my question is: do you cheat on your diet? Do you have cheat meals or days? And if so how often. And are they actually worth it? Do you have any recommendation for a cheat meal / day which won't leave you feel terrible the next day?

mywayroche

Log them and find out if its worth it. I have cheat days but im so used to eating 1000kcal under my daily allowance that i barely break even.

If youre talking about eating crazy amounts of calorie dense stuff then log it and see

mywayroche

Only sugar and refined carbs make me feel awful the next day. Oh and alcohol.

usmcmp

I don't cheat on my diet. If I want pizza I fit it into a regular day. If I want chocolate I fit it into a regular day. It's staying on track, while building sustainable habits. It's pretty easy to wipe out a week's deficit with a cheat day. You wouldn't feel horrible if you just fit reasonable size portions in whenever you wanted.

livingleanlivingclean

I don't cheat on my diet because I don't demonise or restrict foods. I can eat what I like when I like - I just happen to choose nutrient dense foods most of the time because they taste good and fill me up.

Nony_Mouse

I hate, loathe, despise the term 'cheat day/meal'. With a passion.

Make room for it, whether it be fitting it in to your normal calories, saving some calories throughout the week, or choosing to eat at maintenance for a day.

Poisonedpawn78

Its the difference between a Diet and learning how to eat properly for the rest of your life. Ask yourself what are you going to do when you reach your goal weight? are you going to keep eating the same (just more calories) of broccoli and chicken, and other typical foods labeled as Healthy forever, or are you going to want the occasional chocolate bar, fries, beer, wine, pizza, ice cream ect. Learning to eat proper proportions of WHATEVER you want to have is teaching yourself how to eat properly for life. A diet will end and you know what happens then!

Christine_72

I don't have them often, usually only on social outings where i have no idea (or inclination) how to log the bits and pieces.

Today is one of those days, it's the football Grand Final here in Australia (superbowlesque), and we're going to a friends house, i have no idea what food is going to be there. So i'll eat what i want and not break my brain worrying about effing calories in each bit of food!

RoxieDawn

No cheating, this comes up 10 times a day. If you fit it in your calorie budget its not cheating! Enjoy the food you love, work them into your calorie planning.