How do you feel about a once a week "cheat day" ?

alexuh

I never call it cheating - it's living!!! :bigsmile: (Unless you have 12 burgers, 30 oreos, 9 hot dogs... then you might have a lil problem you need to address)

E.g. last weekend me and my boyfriend put a load of highly processed food in the oven... Potato waffles, garlic kievs, garlic pizza, breaded chicken, fish cakes, etc etc etc. With lots of ketchup and garlic sauce. Yah, we like garlic.

Then we had many crisps and I had a good few glasses of Baileys. :drinker:

That was Saturday. It's Tuesday, the water retention has vanished and I'm back to my pre-weekend weight. :flowerforyou:

JlovesAB

I would not have a cheat day...too easy to go overboard and mess up a whole weeks progress! I think a cheat snack once a week is better. I like to have a small ice lolly or a handful of M&M's...still get my sweet tooth satisfied but not enough to put me way over my calorie limit. And then once a month, a cheat meal.

beccadaniixox

I don't log the weekends. :happy:

Boxing987

I do one cheat day where I eat pizza or burgers I think its totally fine, its when those 1 cheat days turn to 4 cheat days then it becomes a problem lol

guinevere96

Like a lot of people, I do have a few cheat days but theyre usually special meals on holidays and whatnot. My birthday is coming up and I am 99% sure im going to eat more pizza than I should for dinner lol.

Eleonora91

I used to do this. I no longer do that because I don't need a cheat day once a week - I can go over if I absolutely feel like eating more, but I haven't been eating less than 1500 kcal during the last months at all, so I usually don't end up being that hungry. I cheat whenever I need to go out with friends and so on, but when I was at the beginning of my weightloss journey, I needed it more. Just don't turn it into a "eat-everything-in-sight" day and you should be fine. Logging all the foods might be better so that you know how those calories are going to affect your weekly deficit - for example, my mantainance calories is 1800, and I eat 1500 everyday, so I have 300 kcals deficit per day. If I do this for 6 days, my weekly deficit adds up to 1800 kcals. So on the 7th day I can eat up to 3600 and mantain my weight, but if I go over, I can actually gain weight. Weightloss isn't so linear but that's the concept... just don't let your cheat day ruin your progresses.

DeliaTyson

I used to do 1 cheat day a month, but it was stalling my progress and my stomach really couldn't handle the abrupt changes. I do cheat foods? on holidays/special occasions which is about once every two months or so. For example: I'll eat what I normally would for a meal but I'll have some bread with it or I'll eat some dessert afterwards, or sometimes it just means I've had an iced mocha in the morning. I don't do a whole meal or a whole day, but I'll add a cheat food to a regular meal and my stomach doesn't hurt from that and I still stay on track with my goals.

NeesaDaly

I have a bit of something nice at the weekends, maybe a hot dog, but I still log it. I get a big bar of chocolate once a week and eat it over the weekend. I usually fit it under my calorie goal, or only go over a little.

stevesgirl824

For me, since I'm trying to change my lifestyle, I don't feel comfortable having a cheat day. I don't mind having a meal I really want once or twice a week, however I make sure to log it in my diary.

qifitness

Rather than think about a 'cheat day', think about this as a 'reward day', for all the positive effort you've been making.
What's lacking in these forum posts is the understanding of the psychological aspect of weight (fat) loss.
Rather than thinking about 'denial', consider positive progress, and reward yourself (in moderation) once a week.
(I'm a professionally qualified nutritionist and counselor)

Guns_N_Buns

I believe in foodless rewards and cheating even one day is just cheating yourself. If a pound is 3500 calories and you consume a lot, which is inevitable during BBQs or celebratory functions, you're really setting yourself back, especially if your intent is to only lose a pound a week.

astylla

Cheat days don't work for me because all I will do is try to justify why that one day can turn into many. Instead I don't completely deprive myself. I have things I love , but in moderation or in different options. Instead of traditional pizza , I'll opt to go to a nicer sit down place order a flatbread with veggies and still get my craving filled. I opt for frozen yogurt over a pint of Ben and Jerry's or buy Yasso frozen greek yogurt bars ( which are amazing btw).

If I want a burger I'll go to Fuddruckers and get an elk or bison burger without the bun and a side salad.

And then there are days where I just will have that fast food item or whatever I want. But I put it in regardless of how many calories and I make sure to at least workout once if not twice to remind myself this is what I am working for.

The reality is trying to follow a diet won't work long term but making lifestyle changes so your choices are better for you overall will stick with you always.

sarainiowa

Don't cheat on yourself. You are to special and beautiful. If you want a meal or a food, work it into your plan.

tycho_mx

I'm pragmatic. If it works for you, do it. I am good at eating within budget 90% of the time and blowing up spectacularly. I mean 2000+ calories of granola, nuts, and dried fruit. If I wasn't lactose intolerant I'd probably eat a gallon of ice cream.

I'll log my excesses. I also log my workout failures (as in - "holy hell, I was supposed to do 5 of those and I was falling apart after two"). That way I have an accurate retrospective.

So no, doesn't work for me. But everyone's journey is different. If your "cheat" is modest and you're managing your weight to your satisfaction, why not?

candidcamster

I used to love them, now I prefer to as mentioned "work it in to my calories". It's whatever works for you really, if you handle a cheat day better than just having the portion-control slice of pizza then go with it. For me personally though... total deprivation leads to total loss of control, I think the main reason why I have been having a fairly easy time resisting overeating (except during my PMS time) is because I get a good amount of calories everyday and I do allow myself the occasional junk food here and there.

ETA - Supposedly having an occasional "bad day" can increase your metabolism, just as cutting calories decreases it, so I definitely think as long as you don't go insane (3,000 or more calories a day) it may actually help w/weight loss.

PlunderBunneh

I don't like the term "cheat." Makes a healthier lifestyle sound like a test. I suppose it depends on how you look at food logging and why you are logging. I'm here for me, and to feel better about me. Being miserable about food choices all of the time doesn't feel better. Most of the time, I love eating healthier and within my limits, but every now and then, I want an ice cream cone. Or cheesy bacon fries. And if I allow myself a day (or yes, sometimes two) I'm more likely to stay on track and under my goals the rest of the time. I don't binge, but I also don't stress, and I usually don't log.

It's what works for you. Fitness goals are personal, there is no one size fits all.

justbecause2014

I personally prefer letting myself have a small treat daily. If I have a cheat day it all goes down hill from there!

tech_kitten

It's all about your choices. If you need a cheat meal/day/weekend to get you through this period, then go for it. Whatever you do will affect how long you have to reduce calories to hit your goal, but if that is what you need to succeed, do it. Is it ideal? Meh. Who cares? You are the one that you are answering to regarding your progress, and if it makes you happy, then do it. But please, Please, PLEASE don't be the one that does that and then asks why they can't lose 2 lbs/week, just factor in your weekly "cheat" with your calorie goals.