Do you have a cheat day or cheat meal every week?

bobbiedr

I am thinking of making Friday either a whole cheat day, or have dinner on Friday be my cheat meal of the week. However, I wonder if I do that every week, and I make sure that I am within my calorie budget the rest of the week, if I will still be successfull at weight loss. I figure if I make at least one meal a week a cheat meal, then I won't be depriving myself of anything. (All things in moderation, right?)

Do you guys do this? Does it work for you?

Cheeky_and_Geeky

I cheat 2 meals a week & lose 2lbs a week

brucedelaney

If you burn more calories in the week then you ate you will continue to lose weight. If you want to enjoy a treat, have at it.

4legsRbetterthan2

I think cheat days or cheat meals are a great idea, helps keep you from driving youself crazy and allows you to enjoy life more, why not splurge on a date or a fun night out or whatever. I also have cheat foods, I am one of those cannot survive without chocolate kind of people so I figured out if I just eat a strait up chocolate bar that is the lowest calorie way for me to get my chocolate fix I need. I just eat it when I can't stop thinking about chocolate and move on, dont worry about it. For me this really keeps me from spurging on cake or something else with way more calories later. You have to figure out ways to diet while still keeping yourself happy because in the end that is what we are all looking for despite a number on the scale or dress size. Just figure out what will work for you to cheat without cheating too badly

FrankiesSaysRelax

I have "cheat days" I guess. I don't plan them though. I eat whatever I want as long as it fits into my calories for the day. As long as you're under your calories, regardless of what you're eating, you'll lose weight.

beanrider

Saturday is my cheat day every week. However, since I am not sitting at my desk at work, I also tend to be much more active. When all is said and done at the end of the day, yeah I "cheated", but with all the extra activity, it ends up not being too much over and generally still within my weekly allowance.

chelsea123453342

yeah, once a week i have a cheat day

Francl27

I try and stay within my calories but eat what I want within them (to an extend, I don't want to be starving either so most of what I eat is filling and healthy, but I have some sort of treat most days).

Personally, I think that a cheat meal every week would be too much, but I'd probably go 1000 calories over or something if I was to really cheat, and it would slow down my weight loss too much. I've had a couple cheat meals since I started and only went over my calories once, but I had to guesstimate how many calories it was (I had saved my calories for dinner and still picked the healthiest entree, I just cheated on appetizer and dessert).

So overall I think cheat meals are fine, you have to keep living, but once a week is probably too much, IMO. I'd make it a once in a while thing... and eat what you want within your calories otherwise. Of course it all depends on what you call 'cheating', for me two slices of pizza isn't cheating, for example, I make room for them.

MaryRegs

nope

madtownjeremy

Make it fit your macros and you can 'cheat' whenever you want.

shellma00

I have cheat days on Saturdays and Sundays. I am sure on most of those days I am still staying under my calorie goals, but I just do not log them. On the weekends it seems like we do not eat on a regular schedule, because we do all the family stuff together and I do not deprive myself when my family is eating whatever they want. It seems to work for me, I am sure it all evens out throughout the week. :drinker:

RipperSB

I've said it before, I'll say it again - it's not cheating if you log it. Eat it, log it and live your life.

jlanderson_12

If you burn more calories in the week then you ate you will continue to lose weight. If you want to enjoy a treat, have at it.

Agreed! Eat WHAT you want WHEN you want as long as you hit your goals. Eating fat will not make you gain. Eating over your calories and not moving makes people gain.

oreyna

I've said it before, I'll say it again - it's not cheating if you log it. Eat it, log it and live your life.

Great Answer!!!

mmm_drop

I eat what I want.

IIFYM.

xX_Samantha_Xx

I have a cheat day or two every week. Nothing CRAZY.. but I don't restrict myself. I am very strict with my eating all week and working out also. Sat and Sun are the two days I am more relaxed.

AntWrig

Make it fit your macros and you can 'cheat' whenever you want.

This

Cheat days and cheat meals are utterly retarded. Food is food and you can't cheat on it.

doctorsookie

I've said it before, I'll say it again - it's not cheating if you log it. Eat it, log it and live your life.

Well said... I started out with a cheat meal a week and a cheat meal a month. I noticed after three months of that that I would eat healthy and then when i had my cheat times I would get migraine headahes and stomache issues. I decided to start eating like i was already at maintaince weight only with a deficit. Now, if I want a treat, I eat it, because I want to get used to eating how i will once i get to my goal weight and not suddenly change the way I eat and put it all back on. Its working so far, I'm happier, I stress about 'bad' foods less and I am still losing pounds and issues. Its all up to you, OP. :flowerforyou:

eksero2k

Usually just eat what i want, as long as it's within my daily calorie amount, which seems to work out pretty well so far!

LittleAngelamj

I definitely have a cheat day and depending on the week, I may have two in one week, but its all good.

itsscottwilder

I don't have cheat meals. But about once a week I'll fall off the wagon.

I typically eat right at my goal weight BMR number. On fall off the wagon days I still am under my TDEE number