Verdict on cheat days?

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  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    DevilsFan1 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Just an observation: We spend a good many electrons here, posting our competing opinions of "cheat days".

    Very often, we do so without even clarifying what we mean by "cheat day":

    * Over weight-loss calorie goal?
    * Over maintenance calories?
    * Skip logging, don't know the calories?
    * Eat above some macro goal (carbs, say) but within weight-loss calorie goal?
    * Eat some "bad food(s)" (<eyeroll!>) we've been denying ourselves?
    * Etc.

    No wonder there's plenty of disagreement: We're using the same words ("cheat day"), but meaning different things.

    Good point. It depends on your goals. Most people don't track macros, so for the majority I don't think that qualifies. My personal definition is eating over maintenance or eating something you want to eat without regard for caloric intake. I said above that I would qualify eating a Chipotle burrito as cheating because you don't really know the calorie count for it, just a very rough estimate. A couple of people disagreed, but I wonder if they would say that eating a Western Bacon Cheeseburger from Carl's Jr. would be also not be a cheat meal even though you can find the estimated calories for it online as well. If you're trying to lose weight, "cheating", IMO, is eating something you want to eat without accounting for or caring about caloric intake, but I know many wouldn't adhere to that definition.
    If it fits into your caloric goal then no, I wouldn't see that as "cheating". I also think that the word "cheat" is really poorly used, but that's a slightly different conversation.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    rdthoms wrote: »
    Cheat days are great. Once/week. They give you a little bit of guilt to get you motivated for the next week's calorie counts. Also I've found that if I was very constant hitting my calorie deficit that I would plateau. And then I started going -100 extra for say six days then +600 for the 7th day and that seemed to kick start some losses. (all for the same weekly calorie goal)

    You can't plateau if you are in a calorie deficit. You can have water weight and food waste mask your fat losses for a period of time but that is completely different. I never plateau but I will very often only see a new low weight every third week.

    Guilt was a stumbling block for me in previous weight loss attempts so I don't do that anymore. I give myself permission to do everything I do related to eating. Even if I screw up I have my permission not to be perfect. I need to remain objective so I can correct any problems that need addressing.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
    DevilsFan1 wrote: »
    nooshi713 wrote: »
    I have 3 cheat days a year: my birthday and the 2 days after. Cheating regularly only cheats yourself.

    I love (and by love, I mean hate) how the truth you stated here is flagged as woo.

    Yes I saw that but there are naysayers everywhere.

    For me, one cheat meal a week wipes out my entire week's deficit so that doesn't work for me. I have known many people who have done the same, had cheat meals, worked hard all week otherwise, and got frustrated when they didnt lose weight.

    For people that have a higher daily calorie budget, maybe cheating can work for them. I do feel that the whole concept of cheating and good/bad foods is not good though
  • mlsh69
    mlsh69 Posts: 31 Member
    I like cheat days once in awhile
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