Cheat days?

Kaylee_law_123

The last time I decided to have a cheat day, I went back and logged everything and ended up under my calories for the day ... so apparently I don't have cheat days anymore!!!

taso42

only on weekends and weekdays

hailzp

Yup, I call them treat days, and usually once a week. I don't go crazy though like I used to. It ends up about 600 calories over goal amount and it consists of chocolate, pancakes, a dessert, hot chips, etc. Things like that.

Oh and I always log it now. That way I keep myself accountable.

cmcollins001

Do you ever have cheat days where you eat what you want?

Eat what I want or as much as I want? While I eat what I want whenever I want, nothing is restricted, I will eat as much as I want and not log upon occasion. Sometimes it's because I'm out of town, or with friends hanging out, holidays, special occasions...etc.

After several months of being fairly on track, I'll even take up to a week or two "off" and eat closer to maintenance (sometimes above...well, mostly a little above) and take the week off the gym...give myself a break. I always come back stronger and ready to get back on track. Yes I "gain" a little back, but it always goes away fairly quickly, as it's mostly water weight.

HeinekenMan

I was about to start the same thread. I have been extremely irritable and lethargic for the past few days. And I feel like my diet is causing it. I feel like I'm eating too little and being too restrictive about what I put in my body. I've been eating 1,400 to 1,800 calories for the past 45 days. MFP says I should be eating 2,300. I have eaten that many calories only twice. So I am concerned that my deficit is zapping my energy, which is causing me to be tired and cranky, which is fueling my desire to cheat on my diet.

So that's where I'm at. The hard part is figuring out a solution. Do I go have one big meal of whatever I want? Do I run to the store and grab a little chocolate? Do I just go buy an apple and eat it with my fat-free caramel dip? If this whole thing is about making good choices, then I want to make good choices every day. But I also don't want to have a nervous breakdown and throw something across the living room or drive like a bat out of hell to Five Guys and order two burgers.

HeinekenMan

So I just returned from the grocery store. My wife and I are going to split a Sam's Choice pizza. I missed breakfast. I don't normally do that, but I was busy with housework and kids. So my half of this pizza will be 1,000 calories. I'm allotting myself 1,800 per day. That's under the MFP recommended 2,300. So this pizza basically throws breakfast and lunch together for one greasy, fatty meal. It seems like I could be doing a lot worse. I also bought a bag of Reese's cups, the little ones. I bought some a few weeks ago and managed to eat no more than 2-3 a day. So I think I will be okay. Hopefully, this gets my energy up and my mood improves. Because the food I bought for the next few days isn't as exciting: Boca burgers, 97-percent fat free, 45-calorie hot dogs, salad fixins and fresh veggies. I had a big bag of cheesesticks in the cart. I would have been declared a hero by the wife and kids, but I realized that I was getting a little ridiculous. I tossed the cheesesticks back. It was like when a kid has to let a wild animal go on one of those sad movies where he finds it as a wee thing with a broken leg and nurses it back to health.

Happymelz

I try to make it a cheat MEAL, not the entire day, because I would go WAY over if I did an entire day.
But, I still log it to keep myself accountable. (I tend to think "If I don't log it, it won't count". lol.)

exWHYzee1337

I try not to have a whole day as that can add up to a lot and then I feel like I am just on damage control the rest of the week but I do have a 'cheat' meal once every week or 2. But I track it, I always track regardless.

this here, because my cheat days can turn into 2-4000 calories of crap lol. I really try to make it a cheat meal/dinner or whatever. You don't want to undo the work you've done through the week.

Mr_Bad_Example

"Free days" keep me sane... and at my goal weight. They're really quite helpful.

hopefaithlove24

Yup, Sundays. Holidays, and weddings or other events... even though I don't go all bolistic on the food right away, but I still eat whatever is there:)

cmcollins001

So I just returned from the grocery store. My wife and I are going to split a Sam's Choice pizza. I missed breakfast. I don't normally do that, but I was busy with housework and kids. So my half of this pizza will be 1,000 calories. I'm allotting myself 1,800 per day. That's under the MFP recommended 2,300. So this pizza basically throws breakfast and lunch together for one greasy, fatty meal. It seems like I could be doing a lot worse. I also bought a bag of Reese's cups, the little ones. I bought some a few weeks ago and managed to eat no more than 2-3 a day. So I think I will be okay. Hopefully, this gets my energy up and my mood improves. Because the food I bought for the next few days isn't as exciting: Boca burgers, 97-percent fat free, 45-calorie hot dogs, salad fixins and fresh veggies. I had a big bag of cheesesticks in the cart. I would have been declared a hero by the wife and kids, but I realized that I was getting a little ridiculous. I tossed the cheesesticks back. It was like when a kid has to let a wild animal go on one of those sad movies where he finds it as a wee thing with a broken leg and nurses it back to health.

If you filled out your profile correctly, and MFP allotted you 2300 calories..why would you drop it another 500 calories? You need to fuel your body...food is that fuel. You wouldn't need a "cheat day" if you ate at a healthy deficit and ate the foods you enjoy...and you would have more energy.

Follow the system, and let the system work for you...don't make it more complicated or harder than it has to be. Eat at the proper healthy deficit...enjoy your food...exercise...eat back most, if not all your exercise calories. Track, be honest, and stick to it at least 90% of the time, also, be patient and you will see success.

BattleTaxi

I don't have cheat days. However, after Friday weigh-in, I do have 1 meal out of my normal routine. ie on Saturday I will eat sushi with miso soup for lunch, or make a small pizza, or have a cup of ice cream etc. I never go out of my macros, though, and if it is going to exceed my calories, I do an additional work out. I don't think of this as cheating, so much as working in foods I enjoy but would otherwise not eat frequently.

Mariposa_Lily

Yup, I call them treat days, and usually once a week. I don't go crazy though like I used to. It ends up about 600 calories over goal amount and it consists of chocolate, pancakes, a dessert, hot chips, etc. Things like that.

I like this idea of calling them "treat days"; "cheat" sounds so negative, just like talking about how you were "bad" on a particular day. Life needs to be enjoyed. Sometimes that enjoyment involves food that we don't normally eat, or food in higher-than-usual amounts. And that's OK!

If I know ahead of times I have such a time coming (a happy hour or party to attend, out of town guests, whatever), I try to plan ahead, maybe bank a few calories, eat extra healthy the other meals of that day. And, then I enjoy. I've found that, because of how healthy I eat the rest of the time, I eat less at those times than I used to, anyway. So, the "damage" isn't as great!

tavinsmom

I don't have a "cheat day" necessarily, I still try to log everyday. However, I do allow myself extra calories 1 day a week so I can splurge a little. Typically I allow myself to eat up to 2,000 calories on my "splurge day". I actually found it is helping speed up my weight loss because I think I was stuck in a rut of 1,200 calories for to long. I will say I don't usually count on big holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas) since a break is nice once in a while.

yaseyuku

No, I work what I want to eat into my macros and daily calories.

If I go over from time to time on certain occasions, that's fine. There are days when I'm under too. It evens out.

Cassierocksalot

I have goals and allow myself a treat meal upon meeting those goals.

kellijauch

I don't believe in cheat days. I will have a meal once a weekend that is over on calories, but I don't consider it cheating, and I don't blow the whole day. Then I just work out hard and make up for it.

ellew70

I was about to start the same thread. I have been extremely irritable and lethargic for the past few days. And I feel like my diet is causing it. I feel like I'm eating too little and being too restrictive about what I put in my body. I've been eating 1,400 to 1,800 calories for the past 45 days. MFP says I should be eating 2,300. I have eaten that many calories only twice. So I am concerned that my deficit is zapping my energy, which is causing me to be tired and cranky, which is fueling my desire to cheat on my diet.

So that's where I'm at. The hard part is figuring out a solution. Do I go have one big meal of whatever I want? Do I run to the store and grab a little chocolate? Do I just go buy an apple and eat it with my fat-free caramel dip? If this whole thing is about making good choices, then I want to make good choices every day. But I also don't want to have a nervous breakdown and throw something across the living room or drive like a bat out of hell to Five Guys and order two burgers.

Have you tried tweeking some of your meals before you go for the pizza and Five Guys? For example, nuts have lots of healthy fat and will up you calories with a relatively small serving. Have whole eggs instead of egg whites? Have full fat milk instead of 2%? Add avocado to a sandwich, or granola to yogurt. These are relatively healthy options that will increase your calorie intake without going the full processed food route. It seems to me that this will get you a larger amount of food and more energy, then one big calorie laden meal.

Now, some folks here on MFP will say it doesn't matter if you eat the pizza as long as you are within your calorie goals. My personal experience has varied - I've had more success trying to stay away from processed foods and going this route. But that's not to say the "eat it all if its in your macros" might work for you.

I'd try both ways for a few weeks and see what works for you!

ken_hogan

Do you ever have cheat days where you eat what you want?

I guess every day is a cheat day going by your post. I always eat what I want, just at my calorie goal.

HeinekenMan

I was about to start the same thread. I have been extremely irritable and lethargic for the past few days. And I feel like my diet is causing it. I feel like I'm eating too little and being too restrictive about what I put in my body. I've been eating 1,400 to 1,800 calories for the past 45 days. MFP says I should be eating 2,300. I have eaten that many calories only twice. So I am concerned that my deficit is zapping my energy, which is causing me to be tired and cranky, which is fueling my desire to cheat on my diet.

So that's where I'm at. The hard part is figuring out a solution. Do I go have one big meal of whatever I want? Do I run to the store and grab a little chocolate? Do I just go buy an apple and eat it with my fat-free caramel dip? If this whole thing is about making good choices, then I want to make good choices every day. But I also don't want to have a nervous breakdown and throw something across the living room or drive like a bat out of hell to Five Guys and order two burgers.

Have you tried tweeking some of your meals before you go for the pizza and Five Guys? For example, nuts have lots of healthy fat and will up you calories with a relatively small serving. Have whole eggs instead of egg whites? Have full fat milk instead of 2%? Add avocado to a sandwich, or granola to yogurt. These are relatively healthy options that will increase your calorie intake without going the full processed food route. It seems to me that this will get you a larger amount of food and more energy, then one big calorie laden meal.

Now, some folks here on MFP will say it doesn't matter if you eat the pizza as long as you are within your calorie goals. My personal experience has varied - I've had more success trying to stay away from processed foods and going this route. But that's not to say the "eat it all if its in your macros" might work for you.

I'd try both ways for a few weeks and see what works for you!

Yes. I usually keep nuts around, and they help, I think. I'm out right now. I'm also out of fruit, which is another snack food I've been enjoying between meals. I'm sure I ought to be getting those snacks to curb the hunger. I was literally shaking today before lunch. That can't be good for eating healthy. I am going to try eating more healthy snacks to push my calories closer to 2,000 a day. And I'll just keep inching higher until my body and mind start to feel better.