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Cheat days, cheat meals, or treat days.

zfitgal
zfitgal Posts: 519 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, I don't know if it's just me but I love tracking my calories and being in control. I love the healthy foods I eat and the way I eat everyday. But occasionally, I would say, once a month to every 6 weeks I like to take a day off of tracking and eat whatever I want, enjoy it and get back on track the next day. I find when I have my cheat day, cheat meal but it's very difficult for me to have one cookie. I feel I want to have as many cookies as I want. Or maybe two slices of cake or whatever it is I don't like to stop at 1. I know the next time I'm going to be back on track and it doesn't affect my weight. Do any of you ever feel like when you go off your program that you don't just have the one piece of candy or one piece of chocolate. You can have half a bag? Are you guys okay with this because you can go back on track the next day? Are you able to have that one piece of chocolate and walk away.

Like I said, for most of the time I do like tracking what I'm eating. I enjoy what I eat during the course of my day while tracking. Just sometimes I feel like I need that extra day where I can eat whatever I want as much as I want of it. So it's not like I'd like to incorporate a piece of chocolate into my day. I'd like to hear all your opinions and takes on this. I know I'm normal but at the same time it kind of feels a little abnormal LOL. Looking forward to hearing your replies

Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited June 2019
    I'm not sure I'm entirely following what you're asking, so my experience might not have anything to do with what you're looking for :lol:

    But I eat "treat" foods all the time. Sometimes they fit into my calorie goal, sometimes they don't, but I log them and move on to tomorrow. I do find if there is a treat that I rarely have, when it's available I go overboard. I'd put potato chips in that category - I don't tend to buy them for myself, but if I go to an event and there are chips there, I will hoover them down. The Oreos or Ben & Jerry's or hot pretzel that I eat every week (weighed out and calories set aside for) I find rather easy to control myself with.

    Also, I'm a data geek so logging is actually fun for me, so I don't find taking a day off logging helps me. But I know plenty of folks here find a day off from logging every once and awhile helps them psychologically.

    As long as it all evens out in the end, then whatever works for you is fine. If at any point you find you are not losing weight though, those unlogged cheat days should be the first place you look to for an answer :smile:
  • wmweeza
    wmweeza Posts: 319 Member
    I don't schedule cheat days, holidays and family birthdays take care of that for me! There's always some event where it would be rude not to at least have a bit of cake. That said I still take a small portion, and often I won't finish it.
    I used to have cheat days once a week, no more. I have 2 pieces of chocolate every night for dinner, so that fits in my calories.
    My thought is I don't want to deal with the bloating etc that comes from eating too much. Also I am not a usual case, I CAN'T eat too much....I had a stomach virus a few years ago and my tummy reacts horribly to being full.
  • zfitgal
    zfitgal Posts: 519 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    I'm not sure I'm entirely following what you're asking, so my experience might not have anything to do with what you're looking for :lol:

    But I eat "treat" foods all the time. Sometimes they fit into my calorie goal, sometimes they don't, but I log them and move on to tomorrow. I do find if there is a treat that I rarely have, when it's available I go overboard. I'd put potato chips in that category - I don't tend to buy them for myself, but if I go to an event and there are chips there, I will hoover them down. The Oreos or Ben & Jerry's or hot pretzel that I eat every week (weighed out and calories set aside for) I find rather easy to control myself with.

    Also, I'm a data geek so logging is actually fun for me, so I don't find taking a day off logging helps me. But I know plenty of folks here find a day off from logging every once and awhile helps them psychologically.

    As long as it all evens out in the end, then whatever works for you is fine. If at any point you find you are not losing weight though, those unlogged cheat days should be the first place you look to for an answer :smile:

    My cheat days usually come after stating on track for 4-6 weeks. im very lean and I'm in maintenance so it's not like I'm trying to lose weight. I incorporate ice cream in daily into my plan because I need something sweet, and I'm ok with that... but sometimes I just want to feel normal like everyone else.To just order from a menu at a restaurant(not grilled fish or chicken lol)but whatevet I want and a dessert like everyone else. but what happens psychologically to me is when I do have that mentality occasionally it's like I can't stop. Where one dessert is not enough for me. And I feel like I can eat more and I want you more. And don't want it portioned. Physically it works for me, I do not like the bloated feeling the next day or two but that's what comes with the territory LOL. I just don't like the mental Behavior.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    I don't think of any food as a cheat. If I want a certain food, I eat it and balance the rest of the day around it. YMMV B)
  • zfitgal
    zfitgal Posts: 519 Member
    lbsansouci wrote: »
    I don't think of any food as a cheat. If I want a certain food, I eat it and balance the rest of the day around it. YMMV B)

    Sometime I don't feel it's about the food I think it's about having as much as it as you want. Not in the portion manner. I know that in general I won't go out and have pasta because it is very high in calorie and it will take up most of my calories if not everything for the day. So if I was going to have a cheat day I would have the pasta and give myself a permission because I won't crave it when I'm on track. Because if I was going to have the pasta, I would have the bread with the butter. And enjoy the meal. Because I know I wouldn't be able to really enjoy it tracking it. Because I look for something else to have instead, like zoodles instead of pasta. And sometimes you just want the bread and butter and dipped into the pasta sauce with the pasta.
  • zfitgal
    zfitgal Posts: 519 Member
    But this is every 4 to 6 weeks. For a day. Not a common daily weekly thing.
  • zfitgal
    zfitgal Posts: 519 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    Oh, okay! So this is just my unprofessional opinion - you have to find the balance where you are happy with how you look AND you are happy with what you have to do to look that way. I can be 100% honest and say if I really wanted to, I could be 10 lbs lighter. But kind of like you are saying, I like to be able to order indulgent food at a restaurant or eat a big bag of popcorn at a movie. I could spend some extra time in the gym, but I have other stuff I want more. So I'm cool with where my weight is, because it's a healthy weight, and because I'm not willing to do what's required to get leaner.

    It sounds to me like you do have to restrict yourself a little to be where you are. And you're usually fine with it because you know that behavior is necessary to be the weight you are. But that restriction is still bouncing around in your brain, so when you loosen the reigns you go overboard. I think that's perfectly understandable. I'm not sure how to fix it without keeping the reigns looser all the time, maybe someone else will have some ideas. But it doesn't really matter if this behavior is "normal" or not. If it works for you, it works for you.

    I'm not sure if you're looking for someone to tell you it's ok to indulge sometimes, or if you think there's something wrong with you because you want to indulge in some pasta at a restaurant every once and awhile? I will say, if you can't log an indulgent meal without feeling guilty, you may need to take a step back and give your relationship with food some thought. Food is one of the great pleasures in life, and moderation and balance are just as important goals as a lean weight or a flat stomach. I ate half a pizza last night, went a bit over my calories. Logged it and anyone that wants to judge me for it can have it. :smiley:

    you totally get me! I'm about 16% body fat and I workout 6 days a week. I'm very accurate my calories in measuring everything in grams. So yes I am very strict on myself that I do like being stripped on myself oh, but there is anywhere I want the day to not be stretched. So I guess I am looking for someone to say that I didn't normal LOL. I guess I go from being so restrictive to being so not restrictive and I guess it's just a weird, because it seems like they're so opposites. But I guess that makes it a balance. But I wouldn't say I'm so restrictive because I really do enjoy what I eat in the course of the day. I do have my small indulgences throughout the day where I have frozen yogurt, popcorn but I do hit my macros. And make sure my protein is high. But yes, in order to keep the shape that I am in I do need to be on top of my calories even when I'm maintaining. But you totally Understand where I'm coming from so that makes me feel happy LOL
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    It sounds like your indulgence day every 4-6 weeks is fitting well with your overall plan. If your results are where you want them to be then it's working. Don't stress over it.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,811 Member
    edited June 2019
    I'm sure I've shared this with you before but I usually take 1-2 days on weekends and eat at a larger intake, this allows me to eat "normally" without restriction, plus it helps with my workout performance and adherence. I do fit treats in during the week but sometimes I do want 3-4 bowls of pasta and three different desserts plus wine to go along with it. To be honest I have never maintained long term (not because I have failed but because I am always either bulking or cutting) but the basic trend still applies where I keep things more regulated during the week then weekends I am able to enjoy family dinners, functions, weddings, restaurants, etc. I typically cycle my calories but I might also eat really light during the day if I know I have a huge dinner coming up.

    This works for me but you can definitely do it less often. Every 4-6 weeks sounds good and because you do them so infrequently they shouldn't affect your progress. But of course I am sure you will keep an eye on things and make sure it is working for you and your goals.
  • Buff_Man
    Buff_Man Posts: 623 Member
    If you're able to be good for 4-6 weeks at a time I would say this is fine. As long it's not effecting your ability to meet your goals, whether it's maintaining or losing, it doesn't matter that much. I stopped tracking last year and I'm now able to cut, bulk and maintain intuitively. I know when I'm overeating some days so I will compensate. I track weig6and measurements as a guide but I can also tell by how I look too.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,412 Member
    In reply to your last sentence - yes you are abnormal

    I dont mean that in nasty way - I mean we are all abnormal in our own way. Individual is probably better way of putting it.

    If whatever you are doing is working for you in terms of desired results (and those results are healthy, you are not aiming to have BMI of 16 or something) and you are happy with your method of achieiving that - then all is good. Doesnt have to fit any perceived norm.

    I am a bit like Kimny - I now have BMI of 23, so in healthy range. Could get leaner and less 'middle age squishy' but my aim was to be healthy not to be a super model, so am happy where I am at and with my now easy enough methods to get/stay there.

    Every now and then I take a week of so off logging - mainly when on holiday (vacation) as too difficult to track with even any vague semblance of accuracy.

    I dont go over board but I don't log or track at all for short period.
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