How often do you have a cheat day?

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  • wickedwendy6
    wickedwendy6 Posts: 117 Member
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    EVERY weekend! Every Saturday I have a free day, where I eat whatever I feel like - NOT a binge day, just an 'eat not so healthily' day. And every Sunday I jump straight back on the bandwagon and carry on as usual. :bigsmile:
  • janetay01
    janetay01 Posts: 1,298 Member
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    I don't plan cheat days since they happen all by themselves. You can't avoid social occasions or other circumstances where it's very hard if not impossible to stay within your limits. There seems to be something like that at least every other week. Those are my cheat days. I don't stress over them. I just try to make up for them in the next few days to balance them out over the week.

    This! I don't have cheat days as such (don't like the term) - and I acknowledge that I have to balance this improved health game with simply living and enjoying my life. If I know it's going to be a high day (birthdays, meals out etc) I do a bit more exercise and try to balance the meals through the rest of the day. But I don't sweat it - it doesn't happen enough to make a real significant difference.
  • loztandfound
    loztandfound Posts: 73 Member
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    once a week I'll have a non-logging day. So not a cheat day as such, I will still eat well balanced and try and drink all the liquids, but I won't log, so I'm less strict on the cals. I might be a bit over on that day, but i will enjoy it. I don't binge on that day, but one kebab a week won't kill the weightloss as long as the other days are good!! try to cut down on any sauces you have with the kebab though, and have a small one rather than a larger size, just to give you that taste. Oh yeah, and ENJOY!!
  • eyleene
    eyleene Posts: 264 Member
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    I don't plan cheat days since they happen all by themselves. You can't avoid social occasions or other circumstances where it's very hard if not impossible to stay within your limits. There seems to be something like that at least every other week. Those are my cheat days. I don't stress over them. I just try to make up for them in the next few days to balance them out over the week.

    yeah I agree , i couldnt plan a cheat day , too much temptation , i will just keep going as long as possible until a ' Who really gives a F*** " day comes along , with my family that will be at least once a fortnight , so i allow one day and then get back on the wagon again and try to adjust the next few days .
  • JojoEffeckt164
    JojoEffeckt164 Posts: 146 Member
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    No cheat days for me right now. I had one on New Years Eve and that´s it. I believe that as long as I am not used to my new lifestyle I shouldn´t allow myself a cheatday, because if I start doing this, it will get out of control!!! :noway:

    Everybody is different though. That´s just how I do it. And I got great results so far :smile:
  • arrseegee
    arrseegee Posts: 575 Member
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    I don't have cheat days because a) these days I eat what I want, just less of it than I used to, and b) it seems defeatest to me to diligently log your foods all week only to possibly blow it on one day when you have no idea what you are actually eating.

    I understand 'cheat day' or 'cheat meal' to be a meal that is not logged on here, hence my comments above.

    If you are only two weeks in and already having problems perhaps the changes you made to your diet have been too radical, too quickly? You want to eventually get to a point where eating healthy foods is totally normal and you aren't having daily cravings for the things that got you to the point where you needed to join MFP!

    ETA: I have logged every single thing I have eaten on August 2013. Including days when I ate way more than I had planned.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
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    I have a cheat day once a month. I eat whatever I want for that day, but I do log it all.
  • jadetigereyes
    jadetigereyes Posts: 44 Member
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    My bf and I cheat once a week, but for one meal rather than a full day's worth of food. As long as we maintain portion sizes, it makes us feel much better about our food plans. Like other users, we try to make our regular meals as tasty as possible, and vary everything as well.
  • bethyv1030
    bethyv1030 Posts: 226 Member
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    It's fine to have a cheat day once in a while as long as it isn't hindering your success. If you feel guilty about how much you ate then maybe just try to do some extra exercise that week to even it out! You will hate life if you can't eat the things you love!!!
  • snappled
    snappled Posts: 48
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    1000lb kebab? Are you american? :s

    How dare you. You want a piece of America?
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
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    Frequently. Just dont tell the wife. Oh, were you talking about food?....
  • LuvonLuv
    LuvonLuv Posts: 68
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    When I was on weight-loss in 2012, I did not do cheat days in order to reach my goal. When I completed my initial goal (lost 55+lbs), started to do one cheat day a week cause I was a bit afraid of putting back on weight. When I came to realize that with proper exercise and sufficient water intake, I could maintain and even lose more lbs....I started counting calories, etc. and eat everything my heart desires, just within my calorie goal. So I'll have chocolate, cheescake...anything I wish, but ensure cals, fats, sugars, etc. stay within my daily calorie goal.
  • SarahJains
    SarahJains Posts: 35 Member
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    I have one day off a week, usually a saturday! We have takeaway and alcohol. Sundays are my exercise day and back to normal in the week.

    i always eat what I fancy - I never ignore a craving. I just eat the things I love in moderation if I really want them.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I've been dieting for about 2 weeks straight now and I'm starting to get a little sad that I can't eat the way I used to! So tonight I'm treating myself to a ridiculously fattening 1000lb + calorie kebab. I already feel guilty though cos I feel like I'm just throwing away all my hard work :( I know I can still eat the food that I love in moderation, but there's no way I can fit that kind of food into my "diet". Does anyone else have really fattening favourite foods that they treat themselves to occasionally, whether they're on a diet or not?

    why can't you fit it in everyday??? I do...

    I don't have a relegated "cheat day" I eat what I want when I want as long as it fits in my goals..

    My diary is open so you can see I have a "cheat" everyday...yesterday toaster struddle...the day before cheese cake pop covered in chocolate and salted carmel...
  • steffipaulina
    steffipaulina Posts: 161
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    I have a 'treat' day every week. It's not a 'cheat meal' or 'cheat day' because I still stay in my regular calorie range. Yesterday I had a red velvet muffin - it was amazing and it will me going for another week.

    I think 'cheat' meals or days all depends on how committed the person is. Clearly if you binge out and eat everything in sight you're not serious about your goals. That being said - even if you DO binge on this 'cheat' day - you still need to carry on. You're still doing better than you were before you started caring about your diet/fitness.

    IMO - I feel like 'treat' days should be acceptable for those who don't have a lot a weight to lose and that aren't used to over-feeding themselves. I feel like your mind set changes once you have experienced weight loss.
  • ktsmom430
    ktsmom430 Posts: 1,100 Member
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    It depends on what you mean by cheat. I stay within my calories.
    I eat the things I like and fit them in to my daily calorie amount.

    The only one I would be cheating is myself and I did that for way too long. This is the way I live now, and it is a better life.
  • maca416
    maca416 Posts: 142 Member
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    Hubby and I cheat every Friday night !! Once a week. Whatever we want for supper. I usually get McDonald's or Pizza Delight. We have chips and dip as a snack. Then I finish it off with some wine that I don't have to measure out !! We start out the day by eating healthy and then when supper time hits just forget it all !!! It's the greatest. We set the night in stone. It is something to look forward to and it keeps me on the straight and narrow when it comes to eating healthy. Plus who wants to cook after working all week !!!!

    Good luck !!

    Just what I do, it takes away the feeling your missing out & doing this has made no difference to my weight loss over time.

    Just don't do it all week :)
  • teenyjem
    teenyjem Posts: 46 Member
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    I havent read everyones posts, but why dont u make your own kebab? i got a wicked schwartz chargrill seasoning which is yum on chicken, or cut up some lamb and make a nice one yourself. the leaner meat and less unknown crap and grease will defo ease the guilt, and not actually be that far off from being a good day rather than a cheat.

    i know what it is like - i am soooo addicted to something sweet after dinner and post 5pm is so hard for me. especially cos i live alone most of the time (housemate is often out) and dont have any support indoors or anyone to hide my food from. thats why i am building up my contacts on here, and it defo makes a difference!
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
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    We have take out every friday Kids really enjoy it Pizza, Subs, Chinese, and or mexican I just try to limit my portions but I normally go over but my weekly average is still under.

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