How Many Calories Can I Have On a Cheat Day?

eldamiano

1 million

neanderthin

How would you know anyway, after all it's a cheat day.

lauraf130490

I don't really do cheat days, I do cheat meals or nights maybe once or twice a month. Even then I do it in moderation though, I won't go crazy and eat like 3000 calories in one meal. On the days I know I'm going to go over my limit I usually eat very low calories for most of the day and fit in an extra session at the gym so I've built up quite a big deficit, which then allows me to eat more without going too far over my limit. So I probably go over by between 500-800 calories when I do cheat. If I go out Saturday night for a meal and I go over my 1500 goal for that day by 700 calories, I'll make sure that I go to the gym an extra day the following week and go under my calories a few days to make up for it. So it's not really cheating I suppose, because I'm having to make up for the extra calories I've eaten some how.

stefanieraya

I would like to know how many calories I can have on a cheat day? I was told it is good to have one one time a week but mine is only a couple times a month. Thank you for all your help.

You need to remove with your cravings first. Calorie reduction diets don't normally work long term because you aren't changing your eatting to work FOR your metabolism. I agree with others that I no longer have cheat days because I don't have cravings anymore. I'm no better or worse than you but finally got it into my head that you have the hit the problem at the head to get rid of it.
There is a way to do it. Friend me and I can help you.

action_man

I think its important to differentiate here between "cheat day" and binge eating as well. A 'cheat day' doesn't mean you go crazy and eat a whole cake. It means if you feel like eating a piece of cake, then you do and don't feel bad about it.

I wouldn't worry about trying eliminate cravings. Firstly, I don't believe you can. Secondly, I don't know why you'd want to. Unless you're disrupting your daily life on account of your oreo habbit, I don't want to live in a world where I can't eat a donut sometimes when I want to.

In the end, it all comes out on the scale. Do what works for you and if you're not losing weight, you're gonna have to net fewer calories. If you are losing weight, great. If it's not broken, don't fix it.

spikrgrl503

I havent had a cheat day yet really, but I may do one tomorrow. What I plan to do is:

See how many calories I would need to eat for maintenance. (I'm currently at -1 lb per week). Try to stick to "maintenance" for a day.

If that's too hard, see how many I would need to gain 0.5-1lb per week. One day of eating that many calories isn't going to affect my weight in the grand scheme of things.

amoffatt

I want to clarify that I don't believe in cheat days because I don't think there's anything to cheat on - it's just a lifestyle.

That being said, I think the purpose of the cheat is to have what you want and just enjoy it. But as I don't do the cheat thing my thought is just have something, enjoy it, log it, go on with life.

:flowerforyou: ^THIS!!!!!

Lesa_Sass

Calorie spike days are important. But I agree with others, we do not use them as an excuse to binge.

I was on 1400 plus exercise cals and usually ate around 3000 on spike days.

We use calorie spike days so our bodies will not get used to eating such low calories. I would eat a high calorie meal like a cheese burger and then add a reasonable sized slice of home made apple pie, not fill the whole thing up with a tub of ice cream or something like that.

airangel59

You have to do what works for you, personally I do NOT have Cheat days, Cheat meals, Cheat anythings. If it won't fit in the diary, It's not going in my mouth. It's NOT a diet...It's gotta be a LIFESTYLE change.

I plan my meals in advance, I work in the fast food, junk food, chocolates/treats whatever and keep within my calorie goals. I don't feel deprived if I can 'have my cake & eat it too" and it FITS in my stats.

Good luck in whatever you end up doing :drinker:

ZombieEarhart

An entire cheat day every week could seriously de-rail your progress. Instead, why not look at the week as a whole, some days you'll go under, some over- try to be close to your calorie goal for the entire week.

I would also suggest removing words like "cheat," or even "good" and "bad" from your diet vocabulary. Instead, encourage yourself with things like "I hit my protein goal today!" "I ate twice as many vegetables as I used to" or "Remember in the future to pre-plan for cookies and decide how many to eat before I eat them." That kind of thinking and self-talk will take you a lot further than "when can I cheat?!" Which may make you feel like you're punishing yourself with too-strict rules you need a break from, and could even inspire guilt over "cheating"

Good luck!

mamadon

I have been doing it once a month for over a year. I always log it, and eat whatever I want for one day. It has never hurt me a bit.

ZombieEarhart

I had a cheat day when I possibly consumed nearly 6000 calories, in the next 2 days I gained about 7 pounds, my initial thought was weeks worth of hard work gone in 1 day, but a couple more days later my weight dropped back to the original weight, and then I was happy to see I hadn't even gained at all, this was all in under a week, and by the end of the week I even lost some weight, where I thought I would at least go through a full week week without losing.

I wouldn't worry too much in counting calories on a cheat day, if you going too then, its hardly a cheat day at all, just enjoy yourself, and reward yourself and eat as much as everyone else does, just don't do it everyday.

This. Even if you ate 8000 calories in one day you wouldn't wipe our your entire weeks work. The biggest problem with doing it is that it might lead you to continue on the same path. Just as your body can only lose weight so fast, it can only gain so fast, most of those calories are going to end up as number 2. I would suggest doing it once so you will stop thinking about it, and see over the course of a few days if it levels back out for you. You will most likely gain some water weight but it should fall right back off.

I don't think this is good advice. Eating 8,000 calories in a day certainly can wipe out a week's worth- if I did that I could be as much as 6,000 calories over for the week, combine that with the concept of having a "cheat day" every week, and that leaves you with no deficit. And our bodies are pretty good at extracting nutrition from food, I'd like to see some science to back up the idea that most of those calories would go to waste.

Either way, unless your daily goal is 4,000 calories, 8K in a day is pretty extreme.

cwolfman13

One of the reasons I'm so glad I discovered the IIFYM crowd...no such thing as cheating. You get your nutrition on and hit your calorie goals...you don't get extra credit for more broccoli...so IIFYM (and calories) have some ice cream or cake. I don't need a special day to have some particular food that is perceived as being "bad."

Yesterday I had a glazed doughnut with my coffee in the break-room as we celebrated a co-worker's retirement. It was pretty tasty. I also had one egg and 3 egg whites scrambled and some oats earlier that morning. At lunch I had a cup of my homemade charro beans with half an avocado, a serving of quinoa, and 4 oz of grilled chicken breast. For a snack later that day I had about 250 grams of mixed vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, grape tomatoes) and 4 Tbsp spicy red pepper humus as well as an apple and 30g of almonds. Last night for dinner I had 6 oz of salmon, a serving of brown rice pilaf, and 50 grams of asparagus. I had some xoxoxo dark chocolate for desert.

Having said all of that...how relevant was my doughnut? And why would I need a special day to have a doughnut?

Francl27

You have to do what works for you, personally I do NOT have Cheat days, Cheat meals, Cheat anythings. If it won't fit in the diary, It's not going in my mouth. It's NOT a diet...It's gotta be a LIFESTYLE change.

I plan my meals in advance, I work in the fast food, junk food, chocolates/treats whatever and keep within my calorie goals. I don't feel deprived if I can 'have my cake & eat it too" and it FITS in my stats.

Good luck in whatever you end up doing :drinker:

So you'll never eat over 2000 calories (or whatever your TDEE is) on Holidays? It's sad.

For me those 'cheat days' are a part of life. They'll happen. Just don't go nuts and be careful the next few days. I haven't seen any permanent damage from any of my 3000 cheat days, personally (TDEE is 2000 or so now).

Lesa_Sass

One of the reasons I'm so glad I discovered the IIFYM crowd...no such thing as cheating. You get your nutrition on and hit your calorie goals...you don't get extra credit for more broccoli...so IIFYM (and calories) have some ice cream or cake. I don't need a special day to have some particular food that is perceived as being "bad."

Yesterday I had a glazed doughnut with my coffee in the break-room as we celebrated a co-worker's retirement. It was pretty tasty. I also had one egg and 3 egg whites scrambled and some oats earlier that morning. At lunch I had a cup of my homemade charro beans with half an avocado, a serving of quinoa, and 4 oz of grilled chicken breast. For a snack later that day I had about 250 grams of mixed vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, grape tomatoes) and 4 Tbsp spicy red pepper humus as well as an apple and 30g of almonds. Last night for dinner I had 6 oz of salmon, a serving of brown rice pilaf, and 50 grams of asparagus. I had some xoxoxo dark chocolate for desert.

Having said all of that...how relevant was my doughnut? And why would I need a special day to have a doughnut?

Spike days have nothing to do with IIFYM. We use spike days so our bodies will not get used to eating low calories, not as an excuse to eat a doughnut.

ironanimal

ALL OF THEM

GetSoda

you won't know until you try

morehealthymatt

One bad day isn't going to make you overweight, just like one good day isn't going to make you skinny.

Answer to your questions...ALL OF 'EM!!

ironanimal

^ these people understand

CallMeRuPaul

I usually have a cheat meal a couple of times a week. I try not to have cheat days. but eat as much as you want and enjoy it, try to log it in and move on.