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

ECA67

I'd rather call it a treat day. Cheating is such an ugly word.

xplosion80

I dont beleive in "Cheat Day". Control your calories. If I eat more, I burn more. Sweat like a pig.

LeashaLeash

I do a "refeed day". This is where I track my calories, but I eat at maintenance for a day instead of my dieting calories. So for example, maybe 6 days out of the week I'm eating 1400 calories, but on the 7th day I eat 1900. This way I have a chance to have more food for a day but I don't go overboard. I also don't restrict the types of foods on this day, so I work in whatever I've been really craving all week (a meal out, a chocolate bar, etc). I've lost over 50lb this way and I find it keeps me sane.

zivasak

Like an AA who is trying to sober up by getting drunk once a week. Seriously though, no cheat day, no cheat meals. Go over you daily goal once in a while (up to your maintenance) but make sure you make healthy choices when you do this and it is part of weekly balance. No binge!

EDIT: it is a healthy lifestyle we are all after like so this new way of eat is some sort of reprograming the same way an addict goes to rehab.

I don't think comparing controlled cheat or treat meals/occasions is the same as recovering alcoholics or drug addicts at all.

I think that comparison Is as irrelevant as the poster comparing the human body to a car.

Moderation is the key - and this can include moderate amounts of treats ( much prefer that emphasis than cheats as it implies controlled extras)
Just like a person with a healthy relationship to alcohol can drink in moderation.

If you are a binge eater who can't do treats in moderation - sure, don't do them at all. Just like a recovering alcoholic may not be able to drink alcohol at all

But fir most people, incorporating treats in a moderate sensible way will help their lifestyle change to be sustainable long term. Treats do not have to be 'healthy choices' - that kind of defeats the treat purpose .
But they do have to be in moderation, in terms of frequency and amount.

Why would anyone who looks to push their fitness further and get healthier, choose to make unhealthy choices in moderation? What purpose does that defeat? You lost me, even more with your parallelism of healthy relationship to alcohol/ healthy junk food, refined sugary treats.

It is also disturbing that this type of food becomes a reward after a "hard" week of healthy eating. My bad for only thinking that treats were only for dogs.

BTW, I like the the analogy body/ car with food as fuel. Reminds me of what Marcus Aurelius said:" to do harm is to do yourself harm. To do an injustice is to do yourself an injustice – it degrades you".

GummyBears7779

I might do a fortnightly cheat day once i start getting used to eating clean

paperpudding

Like an AA who is trying to sober up by getting drunk once a week. Seriously though, no cheat day, no cheat meals. Go over you daily goal once in a while (up to your maintenance) but make sure you make healthy choices when you do this and it is part of weekly balance. No binge!

EDIT: it is a healthy lifestyle we are all after like so this new way of eat is some sort of reprograming the same way an addict goes to rehab.

I don't think comparing controlled cheat or treat meals/occasions is the same as recovering alcoholics or drug addicts at all.

I think that comparison Is as irrelevant as the poster comparing the human body to a car.

Moderation is the key - and this can include moderate amounts of treats ( much prefer that emphasis than cheats as it implies controlled extras)
Just like a person with a healthy relationship to alcohol can drink in moderation.

If you are a binge eater who can't do treats in moderation - sure, don't do them at all. Just like a recovering alcoholic may not be able to drink alcohol at all

But fir most people, incorporating treats in a moderate sensible way will help their lifestyle change to be sustainable long term. Treats do not have to be 'healthy choices' - that kind of defeats the treat purpose .
But they do have to be in moderation, in terms of frequency and amount.

Why would anyone who looks to push their fitness further and get healthier, choose to make unhealthy choices in moderation? What purpose does that defeat? You lost me, even more with your parallelism of healthy relationship to alcohol/ healthy junk food, refined sugary treats.

It is also disturbing that this type of food becomes a reward after a "hard" week of healthy eating. My bad for only thinking that treats were only for dogs.

BTW, I like the the analogy body/ car with food as fuel. Reminds me of what Marcus Aurelius said:" to do harm is to do yourself harm. To do an injustice is to do yourself an injustice – it degrades you".

Because part of food is enjoyment and eating healthily or losing weight doesn't have to mean no treats at all. And because no treats at all is not a sustainable method long term for most people.
If it is for you, that's great - but sensible moderation works much better for most people in the long term.

A treat in moderation is not harming yourself or doing yourself an injustice - fir most people, trying to adhere to a too strict deprivation is probably more of an injustice as it is less likely to be sustainable long term and therefore more likely to fail.

I didn't say food is a reward after a hard week of working out ( although that mindset works well for some people as long as the reward is small and doesn't undo the good work done.)

The comparison to treats for dogs is just silly - treats, rewards, incentives, whatever you want to call them, work for people and dogs.
I can reward my dog with a treat, I can reward myself with a treat - either a food treat or a treat like a new dress or a new book or a bubble bath or whatever.
Or I can have a treat just because I feel like it.
Not a problem in moderation.

Not sure where I have lost you, this all seems straightforward to me.

Hondo_Man

Tora, we all get your point. I think where people objected is when you kind of appointed yourself as the arbiter of what people deserve. I would just be a little more careful with your wording...unless you like working people up. In that case carry on.

I understand, but I honestly feel that way.

When I look in the mirror at my body, I dont like what I see. Thats why I've made changes to improve that image. When I see foods such as fries, burgers, ice cream, and others, I stay away from them because those same foods are what got me in this position of not liking what I see and not being as healthy as possible.

Now that I have stopped eating those and started eating the right things, why should I go back to what I used to eat which hurt my body in the first place?

A recovering drug addict or someone who stops smoking dont have "cheat days" where they go back to what they used to do, and I view junk food in the same way.

Then how would you classify a Hershey's Symphony Bar? As you ate that for dinner on Wednesday according to your Food Diary.

Any respect I had for you losing weight is gone.

mymodernbabylon

It's a shame that some people on here feel the need to put others down for their food choices. I like beer. Is it necessarily good for my body to drink it all the time? No. But I do enjoy one or two every so often. Am I hoping that I will have 18% body fat or less? NO FRICKIN WAY. It's not my goal, as the only time I had that I also had an eating disorder and restricted my diet way too much. I believe in moderation and I'm living my life that way. I may be only slowly losing weight, but I've also been playing sport forever - I'm still able to play at a high level of field hockey (goalie) in England at 45. I may not be one person's ideal and my 'final body' may be some people's idea of not fit enough...but I'd rather have a body that will be reasonably healthy, keep me playing the sports I like and eating the food that I enjoy. If that means I don't 'deserve' to be fit, then so be it...but I think you are wrong. Why is there only 'one way to be' (and that's insanely thin and never eating/drinking anything that many people feel is enjoyable).

The_1_Who_Knocks

It's a shame that some people on here feel the need to put others down for their food choices. I like beer. Is it necessarily good for my body to drink it all the time? No. But I do enjoy one or two every so often. Am I hoping that I will have 18% body fat or less? NO FRICKIN WAY. It's not my goal, as the only time I had that I also had an eating disorder and restricted my diet way too much. I believe in moderation and I'm living my life that way. I may be only slowly losing weight, but I've also been playing sport forever - I'm still able to play at a high level of field hockey (goalie) in England at 45. I may not be one person's ideal and my 'final body' may be some people's idea of not fit enough...but I'd rather have a body that will be reasonably healthy, keep me playing the sports I like and eating the food that I enjoy. If that means I don't 'deserve' to be fit, then so be it...but I think you are wrong. Why is there only 'one way to be' (and that's insanely thin and never eating/drinking anything that many people feel is enjoyable).

Seriously. This site has a bunch of super cool nice people, but it also has more than its fair share of sanctimonious know-it-alls.

smc0170

I've been trying not to go off the rails for an entire day, but maybe a meal or two a week. I try to eat well the rest of the day so I still stay within my limits or just go barely over. For me, it's a way to not get burned out...I like the foods and I like, and I'm still going to eat them...just not nearly as often or as much.

There are tons of skinny people out there who eat bad things and are still healthy. Just do it in moderation.

GertrudeHorse

I've heard that a cheat meal is good for your metabolism as it keeps it confused and prevents homeostasis in your body's weight.

I've also heard that your metabolism isn't a sentient being so therefore can never be "confused" or otherwise.

missiontofitness

I eat what I want, as long as it's within my macros.

Some days I may forgo tracking, but I'm always mindful on those days that it's not an invite to eat to excess.

I'm trying to step away from the word "cheating". I'm not cheating, I'm learning moderation, and that foods shouldn't be labeled as "good" or "bad". I can enjoy a cookie, or two slices of pizza, and not feel guilt.

It's a slow process, but I've been so much happier and motivated doing so.

elphie754

I can not do cheat days because then my cheat days turn into cheat weeks which turn into cheat months.

Dorio11

False, over indulging in a day can not do any damage besides add water weight for a few days. Just gives extra calories for extra energy at the gym. As long as it's only a one day thing, not several in a row

Grumpellina

Not done it, highly considering.

luadams2

I fell off the wagon for the first time yesterday since I started on this diet. My sister went into the hospital with renal failure and will need dialysis until she can get a kidney. I was a stressed out watery mess. Stress appears to be a big trigger for me, there was food everywhere and donuts and I binged. "I deserve this" I told myself. I drank a whole bottle of wine throughout the day with the whole "woe is me" attitude. No exercise. Just laid about like a drunken fat slug. Just... ugh.... yuck and completely disgusting.

So if that is a cheat day for me, all it did was make me feel like crap and ruin my sleep. I woke up this morning feeling like a hung over fat pig with boiled red onions for eyes.

I'm back on track again, hauled my hung over behind over to the gym and to yoga class, went light on the calories and did well today.
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Suffice it to say that I'm in the no cheat day camp. Not worth it for me. I would turn a cheat day into a total mindless binge.

mbitely2004

I have my calorie goals set on 2lbs a week, and I let myself go over my goal on Tuesdays, why? Because its taco tuesday and I want to sit down have 3 taco's and a beer with my family and friends. Honestly the little bit I go over doesnt mean much because the few hundred calories still leaves me in the range if I wanted to lose 1 lb a week.

ChrysalisCove

I allow myself one "free" meal no more than 1x/mo, for a holiday or special occasion. I log just as I would any other day & do not exceed maintenance. This has been plenty of a treat for me, as I work to fit all of the foods I love into my normal eating anyhow - on these days I just get a bit more of it, or something that really wouldn't fit into a typical day well.

lise_stedman

I allow myself to have a few drinks at the weekend and eat out but I still normally end up about even on my calories as I just exercise lots and build up enough calories. During the week I never eat back my exercise calories as I just don't lose any weight if I do that. Although I want to look like a supermodel, I am not built like one, enjoy food and drink and know that life is too short to not allow myself the small treats I crave. I could be dead tomorrow and I don't want to be up there thinking 'I wish I'd had that piece of chocolate!'

asdowe13

I eat food, all day, every day.

Whatever I want. I make it fit.

Last night I wanted a Cadbury Cream Egg McFlurry all 790 Calories of it.
I hammered out a 5km run so I had the extra room for it.

Do i do that everyday no, but i do eat chocolate everyday, and that will never stop.