The infamous "cheat day"

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Replies

  • mrsamanda86
    mrsamanda86 Posts: 869 Member
    I'm finally at the point where I can go out to dinner and not have to pick the healthiest thing on the menu, or avoid having candy or chocolate in the house out of fear of binging, so I've gotten to the point where I can eat whatever I like usually without going over my calories. Today I went out to lunch and had probably one of the highest calorie meals, putting me over for the day, luckily I didn't eat breakfast and am still full so probably won't eat anything else. That puts me around 200 calories over for the day which is no issue because later this week I can just make sure I don't eat all my exercise calories back

    ETA: I don't usually plan on having days where I go over, but if it happens, it happens. I just deal with it the next day. I used to stress and then just eat all day long, now I just say Ok, today wasn't great, but tomorrow will be.
  • j75j75
    j75j75 Posts: 854 Member
    I don't cheat, I eat what I want.
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
    I started out having a cheat day once a week and it didn't work for me. Then I tried just having one cheat meal, but that wasn't eloping me lose weight either. So now, I have a bigger than usual meal every now and then but I always exercise to make it for into my calories. Plus, now I can't eat as much as I used to so I'm thinking that may change again! I have also had a few days where I feel like I'll go crazy if I see another salad so I just say screw it and have a cheeseburger.
  • MistbornVin
    MistbornVin Posts: 29 Member
    I've read everything you've read. To be honest, it's a personal decision based on what you can handle. Why not experiment with each and every one of those points of views and find out which one works for you?
  • CMB1979
    CMB1979 Posts: 588 Member
    you may trigger starvation mode....

    You can't trigger a myth into reality. lol

    Well, you can start rumors and trigger a myth into reality, I guess.

    But seriously, I have no idea what you're talking about. Unless of course you're talking about Chupacabra.


    Starvation mode is a myth. haha
  • Goal179
    Goal179 Posts: 314 Member
    I believe it is very beneficial and can help boost your metabolism. But I have three steadfast rules

    1) I have cheat MEALS, not an entire cheat DAY. You can maintain better control and get back on track quicker if you minimize the cheating to a specific meal and not an entire day.
    2) I have to log everything, no exception
    3) I still pick the healthiest options available for my cheat foods (ie: all veggies on my pizza instead of triple meat)
  • Goal179
    Goal179 Posts: 314 Member
    Don't do a cheat day do a cheat meal! I log the "cheat" meal in advance, when possible. Then I work out harder
    and eat a little less the day prior, the day of the cheat meal and the day after so I will have a calorie deficit the day
    before and the day after to balance the situation out.

    That is so right. I do the same thing.
  • sheltap
    sheltap Posts: 10
    I think in general moderation is key. Yo dont need to have an entire pizza but maybe one or two slices, then again I think that if you are going to eat something that is `bad` then watch what you eat throughout the day.
  • ecmont032
    ecmont032 Posts: 37 Member
    I don't do cheat days......someone made a comment about a month ago in one of the message boards that a cheat day for a person struggling with weight loss is like telling an alcoholic that they've been doing so good with their sobriety that they can have a drink as a reward. I LOVE food and a cheat day is not something I can do. I still eat things that I like but I just do it in moderation.
  • OneDimSim
    OneDimSim Posts: 188 Member
    I don't do cheat days......someone made a comment about a month ago in one of the message boards that a cheat day for a person struggling with weight loss is like telling an alcoholic that they've been doing so good with their sobriety that they can have a drink as a reward. I LOVE food and a cheat day is not something I can do. I still eat things that I like but I just do it in moderation.

    Amen -
  • angelzprophecy
    angelzprophecy Posts: 130
    I would also like to add that cheat days (In my opinion) should be done progressively like for every 1-2lb lost. so say you cheat on day and eat like 1500-2000 over maintenance, it wont undue much. I also have the opinion (through personal experience) that fat that has been gained quickly can be lost quickly
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
    Possibly if you have a lot of weight to lose and a BIG deficit but I no longer have the luxury of having a spare 1000 calories for 'treats' every day. If I want to continue to lose weight I have to eat about 1800 cals/day. I maintain at about 2100 so for me it is super easy to go over maintenance. I can honestly blow my entire weekly deficit just going out to eat one time without thinking about what I am ordering..so easy.

    Instead I try to stick to my calories as much as I can but if I want to have a 'treat' or a particularly high calorie meal I will do it and try to eat a little less for the next few days. I go into it knowing full well that if I go overboard I won't lose that week ( I almost did it this week just from 3 "snacky" days) I couldn't imagine why on earth I would actually plan to sabotage myself on purpose.
  • garn3232
    garn3232 Posts: 39
    A cheat day for me is eating the number of calories I should eat when I get to the point that I am not trying to lose weight, it is not a binge. I don't plan for them, but there are times when I can't get around them. I am still very mindful of calorie count on those days and it is not a binge.
  • mcibty
    mcibty Posts: 1,252 Member
    I have a social life which revolves around restaurants and bars. I don't plan my 'cheat day', they just tend to happen. I make up for them the next day, though.
  • selfepidemic1
    selfepidemic1 Posts: 159 Member
    Cheat days remind me I'm not missing anything. I usually have 1 a month, got one tomorrow! Then I have a whole no-cheat November to look forward too C:
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,228 Member
    It is okay to allow yourself some leniency in your diet on occassion. Whether you want to do it on special occassions, or plan for it somewhere in your regular routine, is really up to you.

    Personally, I dedicated part of my diary to "indulgences," and I very often have an indulgence once a day... or some days I don't use it at all. As long as you aren't so rigid in your diet that you become disatisfied with it, then you are fine.
  • Routerninja
    Routerninja Posts: 201
    I can't do it. Cheat meal becomes cheat day, which then turns into cheat week, which usually caps itself off with Apathy Day, Self Loathing Day, and finally, Getting my head out of my a** Day, which usually comes a week or 2 later after I have undone all my work and then starting over.

    My fiancee can do it, but once I let my guard down, it is SO hard to get a handle back on things.

    That said, I don't deny myself treats when they fit in my calorie count, or I find alternatives to the bad stuff I crave.
  • mumblemagic
    mumblemagic Posts: 1,090 Member
    you may trigger starvation mode....

    You can't trigger a myth into reality. lol

    Well, you can start rumors and trigger a myth into reality, I guess.

    But seriously, I have no idea what you're talking about. Unless of course you're talking about Chupacabra.

    FYI Chupacabra is totally real. :tongue:

    I average out my calories over the week, so I don't have a cheat day as such, but I do have higher calorie days and lower calorie days. I sometimes don't log alcohol though... which I suppose is "cheating".
  • mazmataz
    mazmataz Posts: 331 Member
    I don't really schedule 'cheat' days, I just try my best to stick to my calories every day. Now and then I'll have a day (like today!) where I know it's just not going to go well, or I treat myself to something calorific. I don't feel bad about it, I just workout some more do undo it...or eat less the next day.

    I think that so long as I try my best to hit calories and macros every day, even though some days it might not go so well, this is probably better for my health and mentality than purposfully scheduling in a 3000 calorie + day.

    Some days I will take a break from logging, usually I end up eating slightly more than usual on those days, but not so much more.
  • mommabenefield
    mommabenefield Posts: 1,329 Member
    do-what-i-want-10.jpg
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
    I don't do cheat days. I thought the whole point was to stop the binge/starve cycle. Doesn't seem very beneficial anyway. Besides, I already eat fast food and whatnot, there's not much "cheating" for me to do, other than gorging on lots and lots of calories. Meh, I don't need to do that, I'm getting enough to eat. :drinker:
  • willrun4bagels
    willrun4bagels Posts: 838 Member
    I don't have a "cheat day" per se, but do allow myself to have dessert, a few glasses of wine, a cheesy delicious appetizer, etc. once in a while, but I always make sure to log it as best as I can.

    I have anything that I want on holidays, but in smaller portions than I used to. (Spinach dip with pumpernickel bread - however - I will eat as much as I want :drinker: )

    My SO and I have a tradition every Thanksgiving morning, we run a 5 mile Turkey Trot race in our area. On the morning of Christmas Eve, we also do a long run together. Makes me feel better about overindulging all day :happy:
  • rileyhunter169
    rileyhunter169 Posts: 150
    I don't have cheat days; I hate that whole mentality of weird and slightly obsessive food restrictions; I eat what pretty much what and when I want as long as it falls into my flexible dieting macro/micro template. But... I do have a refeed on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, or both to get some glycogen so I can keep my lifts up as I diet. Usually it's beer, wine, regular foods with more discretionary calories. Unfortunately this does slow down fat loss; but performance retention is and should be the priority here; I don't care how fast right now. Now... Holidays must always remain epic failures; so from this Saturday through to thanksgiving, I cut out the refeeds; or at least minimize the degree to maintenance or -10%.
  • dlkingsbury
    dlkingsbury Posts: 90 Member
    i do more of a "cheat meal" and it's not like i go all out and eat a whole pizza and carton of ice cream, but more like i will allow myself to have a smaller portion of a creamy pasta dish or two slices of pizza, while still making sure that i exercise that day and keep my other meals healthy.
  • mazmataz
    mazmataz Posts: 331 Member
    I do have a refeed on Friday, Saturday or Sunday, or both to get some glycogen so I can keep my lifts up as I diet. Usually it's beer, wine....

    I like your style ;)
  • arcana7609
    arcana7609 Posts: 212 Member
    What are you cheating? By making something naughty and a cheat all you are doing is reinforcing a bad relationship with food. In the same way as classifying food as good and bad you are putting human emotions upon it. If you have to 'cheat' you are not eating sustainably. I have occasions I technically I go over its not a cheat it is life I move on knowing that the exercise and normal calorie intake for the week will counteract it. No cheating just living. To me calorie goals are not chiseled in stone they are a guide.

    Really well said. I just recently started using this tool because I was curious about what I was eating and because I am planning on slowly making my way to a more paleo diet and needed a tool to help me with that. I think people err when they start to moralize about food. "I am a good person because I didn't eat blah" or "I am a bad person because I ate blah". That sort of thinking leads to the thought that "fat people are bad", which is really harmful thinking.
  • lysslax
    lysslax Posts: 64
    Once a week, usually Sunday, I will have a high calorie meal around 800-1200 calories. I try not to let it put me at a surplus for the week, so I kind of plan in advance by eating lower than my net goal in the days leading up. If I've had a high calorie week I will still splurge a little on Sunday, but with smaller portions.

    My favorite splurges are: Pizza, Indian food, Chinese food, and ice cream. I'm already looking forward to next Sunday!!!

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