Cheat/treat days?

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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: 7,467 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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: 3,224 Member
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    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
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    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: 429 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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: 429 Member
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    Weirdly I came across this article earlier today: https://physiqonomics.com/cheat-day/

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