Is this cheat day okay?

firetoostrong

Hello all,

I am 190 lbs and 5'7. I am currently trying to lose 2lbs a week for the next 3 months or so to try and hit my goal weight of 160 lbs.
I've been down to 175 lbs before but because of the holidays I gained a lot of the weight back. But my question is; is this type of cheat day okay to do?

For my size, 2300 calories is maintenance for me. Lately i've been eating at 1500 meaning I am at a 800 calorie deficit per day. I also burn about 500 calories as day 6 days a week. So adding my diet deficit (4800) and my calories burned at the gym (3000) I am at a 7800 loss which is a little over 2 pounds. ( assuming 7000 is 2 pounds ) I am eating clean during those 6 days that i'm only consuming 1500 calories ( oatmeal, chicken and turkey breasts, salmon , fruits and veggies , and water only)

SO my question is, on that 7th day of the week where I am resting, is it okay to have a cheat day of whatever I want at 3100 calories? I get 3100 from the 2300 maintenance level, and the extra 800 calories that i will be burning from the gym.

The reason why this concerns me is because , although the math seems right, a 3100 calorie cheat day seems to good to be true, so I think it will sabotage my goals of losing 2 lbs per week. I know it's a lot to read and to calculate, but it's honestly pretty easy and straight forward. Do you guys think this is okay?

delaney056

An 800 calorie deficit seems quite large to me. I personally don't have "cheat" days, I have "cheat" meals. So, for me, one meal a week will be whatever I want, but I don't overeat and still exercise that day. Don't look at it as "cheating" or you will subconsciously shame yourself for it. That's what happened to me. Or, you can do what is called the 80-20 rule. 80% of your daily calories, eat healthy, 20% have a small treat, but still stay within your goals.
Adapting a new lifestyle doesn't mean you have to give up the foods you like. Stay within your goals, eat in moderation, and don't deprive yourself.

Phrick

With only 30 lbs to lose you'll be lucky if you can sustain 2 lbs a week, your body is really unlikely to cooperate. You also need to wrap your mind around the idea that weight loss is not linear. You may lose 2 pounds or even 3 or whatever the first week then only .5 the next then 1 the following week, etc, depending on any number of factors; if you go about it expecting that because you eat 7800 calories less than maintenance you WILL LOSE 2+ pounds each and every week without fail, I'm afraid you'll be really disappointed.

firetoostrong

Thank you for your reply Phrick,

but it sounds like everything I am doing is wrong? Or am I just reading everything you have to say in a very negative light.

astrampe

I don't see anything negative??? The only thing you are doing wrong is expecting to lose 2lbs a week every week - it won't happen, and you do not have that much to lose.....
Lower your expectations and eat a bit more...And the cheat day sounds OK....

firetoostrong

Thank you astramphe, Yes I know i wont always lose 2 lbs a week. It was just numbers that I was crunching together. Thank you again

Gingerspice45

I don't see anything negative in this. I do something similar with increasing my calories on the weekends. With minimal exercise I lost 3 pounds last week.

Phrick

Thank you for your reply Phrick,

but it sounds like everything I am doing is wrong? Or am I just reading everything you have to say in a very negative light.

I hope it's just a matter of not being able to read tone on the internet - I certainly didn't intend to be negative. I hope the other replies after mine can help make my point perhaps in a different way. Here's to your success, I hope you attain your goal

ndj1979

for your cheat day i would just suggest eating up to maintenance of about 2300 calories….I prefer to have foods that i want and then incorporate them into my deficit or maintenance level calories….I am just not a fan of big calorie blow out days except for like Thanksgiving, Christmas, July 4th and a few other days...

DeltaZero

You are 21? Why are you eating clean?


I don't think there was anything clean about me when I was 21.


Except maybe..



Yeah.


No.


ndj nailed it though.

MoreBean13

Cheat days are fine, 2lb/wk when you only have 30 lbs to lose might be too aggressive for the whole way- for successful maintenance you probably want to taper your deficit as you work towards your goal.

tiptoethruthetulips

Try calorie cycling just make sure your high point day isn't a day or two prior to weigh in.

Walter__

Here's what I do:

I eat "clean" most of the week (normally 4-5 days straight); but when I start to get bored of it, I fit whatever I want into my macros. Yesterday I had some Burger King and today some Popeyes. The rest of the week I will continue to eat my regular, boring, "clean" food until I get cravings again. Then when I get cravings again, I find something I want to fit into my macros. Rinse and repeat.

I don't have a cheat day until I reach a decent goal. For example, once I lose 5lbs I will have a cheat day. A cheat day to me is eat whatever the hell I want. I completely disregard tracking the food for the day. Don't give a chit how many calories I eat. A cheat day is a cheat day.

Now obviously it'll set you back a few days (maybe 2-3 days, depending how much you pig out), but that's why I plan it after I've hit a decent goal. And because I regularly fit food I want into my macros throughout the week, I never really feel like I'm dying for a cheat day.

Edit: Or you could do what the other guy suggested and fit the food you enjoy into your macros every day. That works well also.

ThunderBeard7

Cheat days are the only thing keeping me sane man, they are a real help mentally.

firetoostrong

I don't believe age has anythign to do with trying to remain healthy. But to answer your question, I am a type 2 diabetic and been over weight all my life , and i'm trying to get thin and healthy.