Cheat/treat days?

The_Wallflower
The_Wallflower Posts: 111 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Do you guys find them beneficial?

I will usually go an entire month of almost 100% clean eating and then have a “treat” day.

Does anyone else? It always makes me feel blah. :/
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Replies

  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    Yes, I call it that. But for me, it’s just a meal when I don’t worry about logging accurately, like a pot-luck. I don’t use it as a time to eat all the food. It doesn’t bother me at all, because I don’t overeat a lot or eat things I wouldn’t normally eat.
  • Hanibanani2020
    Hanibanani2020 Posts: 523 Member
    I bank calories for a cheat meal every few weeks or run extra hard the next day if I have a ‘lenient’ day.
  • cgcdavis7
    cgcdavis7 Posts: 85 Member
    For me, absolutely not. Instead of cheat days, I let myself have whatever I want if I REALLY want it. Bag of chips that doesn't fit in my cals? Yes. Going out to eat spur of the moment? Yes. Anything more than 1 "cheat" treat is too much for me. Sends me into a low feeling and then I spend the next day hoping I don't continue the endulgement since it was so enjoyable. I've also really gotten better at taking joy out of overeating lately so most of the time, I'm not craving the cheating at all.
  • MohsenSALAH
    MohsenSALAH Posts: 182 Member
    No cheat days for me when im on caloric deficit, but when bulking i always treat myself when there is extra calories left 👍
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    I manage my calories so that I have one day with a planned higher intake. This allows me to fit in foods that are typically calorie dense, not very filling and not very high in nutrients and still have calories for foods that are more filling and nutrient dense.

    I don’t cut out foods or label things good/bad/clean/cheat/etc. but my calorie allowance is not very large and I struggle to fit some of the higher calorie/not very filling/not very nutrient dense foods into my regular allowance without being very hungry. Shuffling a few calories to allow for the higher day gives me day where I can fit them in without being ravenous.
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    No cheat days. It’s counterproductive to me. I have a treat daily, jus work it into my calorie budget. Lost almost 1/2 of my original body weight doing this.
  • Jacq_qui
    Jacq_qui Posts: 443 Member
    Not for me. It doesn't really work for me mentally. I allow myself a little treat every day, but in terms of cheat meals, I suppose I usually make something for the family on a Friday or Saturday where the focus is on something we love rather than a bit healthier! It still has to fit in with my calories for the day, I still log it, I just tende to have a lighter lunch/more exercise, or a combination of those to make it fit. I don't feel that my diet is restrictive enough to need a cheat day.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    edited July 2020
    The_Wallflower wrote: »
    Do you guys find them beneficial?

    I will usually go an entire month of almost 100% clean eating and then have a “treat” day.

    Does anyone else? It always makes me feel blah. :/

    You likely feel "blah" because you are travelling in extremes. It has been my experience that a sudden shift in a macro or fiber can make me feel "not well". Much earlier in my weight loss I would go weeks of lowish fat and high fiber and then if I did something like go on vacation it would be unpleasant.

    That is when I realized that to make myself more well-rounded I would be better off not allowing my diet to to that extreme.

    I suggest that if you want to enjoy your treats without the "blah" to eat more like 80 percent of whatever you think clean is.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I don't eat clean and will eat what I want (including treats) almost daily. I also wouldn't call what I do cheat days, but they are planned higher calorie/ refeed days which happen on the weekends. Overall I still stay in a deficit but I allow myself more flexibility those days which helps my adherence and workout performance.
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    I eat what I want and work it into my calories. On days where I'm more active, I have more calories to work with. For a special occasion, I plan ahead and 'bank' some calories each day for a few days ahead of when I 'need' the additional.
  • Coffeelover1264
    Coffeelover1264 Posts: 16 Member
    I eat 1500 calories five days a week, and 1800 two days a week. Or sometimes I have just one day where I go up to 2000 or 2100. But it's all included in my weight loss calculations so it's not really a cheat.
  • asthesoapturns
    asthesoapturns Posts: 313 Member
    No cheat days. I just fit that *kitten* in. Had a steak and lobster dinner on Saturday, including dessert. A lighter breakfast and lunch, plus my usu walking and voila easily in calories. I plan for when I want more indulgent meals and eat accordingly.
  • Oneka5
    Oneka5 Posts: 106 Member
    I wouldn't call it a cheat meal. It's more just getting take out versus my healthier home cooked food. Lately, I've been getting a burrito bowl from Moes on Fridays - which isn't bad minus the chips :). If I want something sweet I'll just keep dark chocolate around so I don't go crazy holding out on cravings.
  • Jacq_qui
    Jacq_qui Posts: 443 Member
    Weirdly I came across this article earlier today: https://physiqonomics.com/cheat-day/
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    Cheat Meals and Cheat Days and Cheat Months go hand in hand with the All or Nothing Dieting Mindset and perfectionism.

    Adhering to strict meal plans or food protocols only to be followed up with Cheat Meals or Cheat Days. Aim for good enough instead of more perfectionism with food. When you take perfect off the table then things change.

    Give yourself permission to do everything on your own terms. Then you have options and options prevent throwing the towel in... Starting over and over and over again. Constant stops and starts.

    The good enough food protocol you follow will always be better than the perfect method you quit.
  • ashesfromfire
    ashesfromfire Posts: 867 Member
    For me, they are SUPER helpful. I'm an emotional eater and crave high calorie/low nutrition food multiple times a day. A "cheat day helps me filter these cravings. Was it only a moment, or did it persist as something I really wanted? This helps me filter down from eating 3-5 impulse foods a day, to a few one night a week. Usually pizza 😍
    I also do make room in my daily kcals for little things too - last night was ice cream ❤️
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,457 Member
    You know, it’s the strangest thing.

    It just occurred to me, I never even think about ice cream any more, but heaven help
    me if I miss my bowl of lemon yogurt pudding in the evening.

    This from a woman who would polish off a half a carton of Breyers mint chocolate chip in a sitting.

    With all the stuff I add to my pudding (3 lemon thins cookies, teaspoon of honey lemon granules, coconut whipped cream) I might very well be approaching Breyers territory, but I just enjoy it more!
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,457 Member
    For my own edification and thought I’d share.

    1/2 cup Breyers mint is 150 calories. Half a lousy cup.

    My pudding was 338 calories but included 1.5c yogurt, 2 oz skim milk, 12 g sugar free pudding mix, 3 servings coconut whipped cream, 7 grams Dutch hagelslag (pure milk chocolate sprinkles), and four large chocolate pizelle cookies (flat “ice cream cone” cookies) It filled a large, full cereal bowl to heaping. (I needed the calories last night so I supersized it.)

    Y’all can return to topic now. 😇
  • LockdownLoser23
    LockdownLoser23 Posts: 93 Member
    The Rock loves them and what is good enough for Dwayne...is good enough for me! Love a cheat day
  • KrissDotCom
    KrissDotCom Posts: 217 Member
    LockdownLoser23 wrote: »
    The Rock loves them and what is good enough for Dwayne...is good enough for me! Love a cheat day

    He also probably has a BMR/RMR high enough to handle a cheat DAY. Most normal people not covered in 10 layers of muscle dont.
  • LockdownLoser23
    LockdownLoser23 Posts: 93 Member
    KrissDotCom wrote: »
    LockdownLoser23 wrote: »
    The Rock loves them and what is good enough for Dwayne...is good enough for me! Love a cheat day

    He also probably has a BMR/RMR high enough to handle a cheat DAY. Most normal people not covered in 10 layers of muscle dont.

    I've lost weight having a cheat day each week and I'm not built like the Rock (sadly). P.s. wasn't being too serious
  • KrissDotCom
    KrissDotCom Posts: 217 Member
    LockdownLoser23 wrote: »
    KrissDotCom wrote: »
    LockdownLoser23 wrote: »
    The Rock loves them and what is good enough for Dwayne...is good enough for me! Love a cheat day

    He also probably has a BMR/RMR high enough to handle a cheat DAY. Most normal people not covered in 10 layers of muscle dont.

    I've lost weight having a cheat day each week and I'm not built like the Rock (sadly). P.s. wasn't being too serious

    Again.. most people cannot just have an entire DAY of cheating and somehow not wipe out their entire deficit.

    I love how i say most people and youre still talking about just you.

    Im happy for you and the rock, maybe you both can go on a cheeseburger crawl for a day and high five each other cause you didnt gain.

    However, to keep this post realistic for people reading this, and considering doing it because a famous person also does, its not feasible for most people.

    People can wipe out their entire deficit with one cheat meal, let alone a cheat day.

    And honestly, if youre just gonna plan something that potentially doesnt do that, and youre just eating a cheeseburger within calories or only putting you over a little and eating a chocolate bar, then your going about the whole idea of this all wrong, youre categorizing foods and labeling them as naughty or once a week foods like its some kind of reward system.

    The rock is famous and he is where he is because of his physical appearance, same as a lot of celebrities or influencers, that likely require them to maintain a certain appearance for their job. I dont think the rock would have the same effect he has in movies if he was 400lbs morbidly obese or one of those no muscle tone lanky people who might break if a breeze blew hard enough. He probably had quite a diet regimine to follow to keep up with his work and his workouts and him maintaining his body. One day a week with all his bmr really isnt going to make a bit of difference to him.

    You do you. You have your own bmr and your own choices, but again, for most people, who are dealing with a minimal deficit for their weight loss, the idea of a cheat day just doesnt work and its better for them to learn that food is food, you should be just learning to eat those foods within your calories and managing those decisions.

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