Thoughts of cheat days?

MintBerryCrunch21

I would never do cheat days. After I lost weight last year I decided to have at least 2-3 cheat days a month. On those days I gained weight so quick I don't know how bodies work but I've learned from my lesson. I believe it's to do with body types as my body type says that I can gain fat or muscle easily.

Wildflower0106

I lost weight while having no log Saturdays. It never hindered my weight loss.

Wildflower0106

I would never do cheat days. After I lost weight last year I decided to have at least 2-3 cheat days a month. On those days I gained weight so quick I don't know how bodies work but I've learned from my lesson. I believe it's to do with body types as my body type says that I can gain fat or muscle easily.

It was most likely water weight...

Buckeyt

I don't view a cheat day or cheat meal as the opportunity to eat something of which I've been depriving myself. I use it as a metabolism boost. After a few weeks on a consistently low calorie diet, if I start to struggle completing a couple consecutive workouts, I'll have a "Cheat Meal". To me that will not mean unlimited pizza or ice cream, but a few additional calories, 500 or so and mostly carbs with my last meal of the day.

Gee_24

I eat what I want all the time, within my calories.

My only "cheat days" ( I HATE that expression! ) I call them " I'm going out and dont give a **** today " days.

Anyway, the only time I go over is when I go out with friends and I know we'll be at a restaurant or having a drink at the pub. I log every single thing, but I dont care how much I go over.

This has happened 3 time in 3 months and has done me no harm thus far. If I let go a little more Im sure I would find it hard to get back on track. Especially if I didnt make myself log it.

glitterstreet

I have a cheat day once a week but I ensure that it fits into my weekly deficit.When beginning my weight loss journey I made the mistake of looking at my calorie deficit on a strictly daily level and I found that I never allowed to indulge once in a while because I was so terrified of being over my calories for the 'day'. However, now I've started looking at it from a weekly perspective, I lower my calorie intake on days I don't feel particularly hungry (Mostly Mondays) and a little bit the rest of the week so I have room on the weekend to eat more, but within limits.

I think a cheat day can have alleviate the psychological impact that a diet can create, it can make you feel less restricted and more inclined to carry on the diet for a longer time. However, the impact of a cheat day, in my opinion, depends entirely on the basis on the weekly deficit you have incurred. For example, you could eat 2500 calories on a cheat day but cut out calories during the week and still maintain the week's deficit, or have 5000 calories and maintain an average calorie intake that causes you to maintain.

Occasionally, I'll allowed myself little treats during the week like a small chocolate bar but I find that this isn't the best method for me because they tend to trigger me to eat more.

Yes, I find that for a few days afterwards my weight is up a bit but it has always dropped back to normal after a couple of days. Remember, this is a lifestyle change and having some flexibility is what is going to make it easy to stick to

thoshowski

I have a cheat day once a week. I work until that day. This past cheat day, I didn't really eat bad, but it was the fact that I could enjoy the food with out wondering how many calories are actually in this. It's there to keep my sanity. I still eat anything I want in moderation, as long as it fits in my calories, but it's nice to not think about calories once in a while.

Bry_Fitness70

Allow yourself a "cheat day", but spread it out over a week - enjoy 3 cheat meals on 3 different days. It will give you something to look forward to on 3 days, you probably won't gain very much weight, and you won't be as likely to veer out of control into a period of binging.

MatthewLewis81

I don't do scheduled cheat days or cheat meals, but I occasionally do one or the other. Often if I know a special food occasion is coming up, I'll eat light the rest of the day so I can still at least stay under maintenance for the "treat" meal(s). Very rarely I go ahead and let myself go for a whole day, depending on the situation.

I find the emotional need for "cheats" is greatly mitigated by making room each day for some foods I really enjoy eating. (Avoiding, however, a handful of "trigger" foods that somehow create a vicious craving as soon as I finish one bite.)

crempel83

I don't do cheat days I don't really like to limit what I can or can't eat. Instead I focus on making sure to eat lots of veggies and whole foods, the more that I do that the more the cravings for those other processed crappy foods has diminished. I find that when I eat them I tend to be disappointed. I do like to treat myself but it's more just part of the way of eating, I believe in an 80/20 kinda thing. As long as 80 percent of what I'm eating the other 20 percent can be whatever. Mostly I try and keep them homemade healthier treats but sometimes I do go for that leftover pizza in the lunchroom or the store bought cake and I don't feel guilty about it. I guess it helps that I've gotten better over time and limiting my portions, where a slice of cake used to be almost a quarter of it, now it's just a tiny wedge because I know I'll feel sick and gross if I eat more and I like the way I feel when I eat healthy.

babyluthi

The way to not do cheat days is to stop thinking you are on a diet. You can have anything you want as long as you stay within your calorie goal. By logging calories and exercise, you are making a lifestyle change.

I don't believe in cheat days because I am not on a diet.

This!!:)

Losingthedamnweight

I thought I could manage cheat days. Here I am 7 months later 10 lbs heavier than when I started in March. Cheat days might be ok for some people, but for me it just added to my struggle. I was always doing calculations and figuring out when my next cheat day was and that mindset made me not even stick to the cheat days I figured out. I was going to have a cheat meal every Friday. Then Thursday came around and I was already making excuses like "well it's only tomorrow. Why don't I just have it now? I've been doing so well!" So I have a junk food meal and then on Friday for whatever dumb reason, I was like "well it's Friday. My cheat day. What should I have". And I got stuck on this dependency on the need for cheat days so much I would always diet really well for a few days then undo the weeks worth of work with a 2 day binge.

I just did it again these past couple days and I woke up this morning just wanting to cry feeling like I have no control over anything anymore. I feel like a drug addict that can't stop, being totally consumed with my need for my next fix. For the foreseeable future, I'm not doing cheat days. If I want something, I'm gonna figure it into my daily calories and work it off. I need to always feel like I'm in "positive eating mode". When I cheat, I'm off that mode and feel like I'm simply back to my old habits. My self image goes back to that lazy bum that ate whatever he wanted. I NEED TO FEEL LIKE I AM IN EATNG RIGHT MODE. If I let go, my self image of this hardworking man doing whatever he can to eat right and lose weight fades and I become what I was before. And that's why I binge. I'm done

ingeh

I basically only cheat or go way over goal on birthdays, christmas eve/day and valentines day. So maybe 8 days a year in total.
Other times Il just make sure I eat within my calories to treat myself. Like this weekend Im having a pizza in the evening, it fits into my goal so its fine!

andresconejo

I dont have cheat days, i try to have 1 cheat meal everyday but make it fit in my macros... so if i have a muffin and a poptart i decide which to eat today, enjoy it and eat the other one on friday or tomorrow
But i make sure ive eaten pretty healthy during the rest of the day

Daerina8

This can depend on what kind of diet you're on as well, I tried to do a cheat day or cheat meal once a week but since I'm on a ketogenic diet I found that while I lost maybe 2 to 3 lbs during the week I'd gain back 2-3 lbs of water weight immediately the day I cheat.... so it's really not worth it. Perhaps once I'm at the point where I'm looking to maintain my weight instead of lose it I'll go for a weekly cheat meal.

I think for most diets though this can be a good thing as long as you don't go overboard. It can give you something to look forward to and keep you motivated if you know that you get to let loose slightly at the end of a long week of dieting. Just try to limit it to ONE thing, ONCE on a cheat day. For example have the french fries with dinner OR have the ice cream for dessert, but NOT BOTH!

Jestinia

Gather information from anyone and everyone on everything you're uncertain about, but only do what works for you.

If it stops working, look until you find something new that does work. Whether it be cheat meals, exercise, ratios, or pink flamingos on your lawn, unless you're violating the laws of physics, just keep on while it works.

And if something you're doing works and does seem to violate the laws physics, let us all know, perhaps we'll figure out how to make a perpetual motion machine out of it.

TXBlonde81

I try and limit myself to 1 cheat meal a week. I try and limit my calories the rest of the day so that I am not completely pigging out and then I make sure to go to the gym the day before and the day after to help burn off the extra calories.

ElliottTN

I usually don't plan cheat days or meals but rather they just happen when I'm out at social functions. I like em

missyont

I don't like cheat days because 1 really bad day can screw up yourwholeweek. I do like adding cheat foods in every day though. Like a tiny bit of buttery popcorn or a couple chicken strips with green salad instead of grilled chicken, glass of wine etc but Im really trying to eat clean now!

joycelreed

I can't agree more... my cheat day started June 26th and is still going.... I was so proud too - I lost 51 pounds from October to June and now have gained 11 back. Seems that one little cheat just opened the floodgates. The first day did no harm so I kept nibbling and got in all the old habits again. Very depressed and needing lots of encouragement and a kick in the butt!

brendacs21

I used to have a cheat day which then turned into the whole weekend. Then during the week i had to try and undo all the damage i did on the weekend. What i decided instead is during the week to give myself small treats so that i dont start planning a weekend binge. I love andes chocolate mints so i have a couple (50 calories) most days. I also love chips and guacamole, i buy the wholly guacamole (100 calories) and pair it up with 10 tostitos scoops chips (140 calories) as a snack some days. Then on the weekends i have a cheat meal each day. I really try hard to make the other 2 meals lower calorie, drink lots of water and sneak in a workout if i can. I have lost every week doing this!

mg720

i personally dont have set days per week that i call "cheat days". this is a lifestyle change for me and my days where i have a birthday party, or date night with my husband, or a family/friend function, holidays, and vacations and the healthiest of options wont be available is not called a cheat but LIFE. and so i do have those days once in a while and i am okay with having them. If i prevented myself from ever having days/nights like that i would be miserable and wouldn't be "living". what i do remind myself is the important thing to move on after that day/vacation and hop right back to healthy living.

momof2boyz832

Cheat days do not work for me.. It has taken many kicks at the can to figure this out... Now I allow myself one meal a week (usually Saturday evenings) and at max. eat the calories I exercised earlier in the day.. I cannot splurge for an entire day.. I find myself in the same situation as you do. It does not work for everyone..