Cheat Meals/Days: Are they worth it?
KariOrtiz2014
Posts: 343 Member
My daily calorie goal is 1,500. The week before last, I had a cheat meal and it triggered bad habits. I went two days in a row eating bad, then I did well the 3rd day. But the 4th & 5th day, I did horrible.
This weekend I took one day off on Sunday and I exercised well mostly all week long and I didn't eat those calories back.
My point is that I feel terrible. I feel like all my hard work goes down the drain. Should I avoid cheat days/meals altogether? Should I just work it into my calorie goal? I know alot of people take those days off but maybe it's not for me?!
This weekend I took one day off on Sunday and I exercised well mostly all week long and I didn't eat those calories back.
My point is that I feel terrible. I feel like all my hard work goes down the drain. Should I avoid cheat days/meals altogether? Should I just work it into my calorie goal? I know alot of people take those days off but maybe it's not for me?!
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Replies
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It's a personal choice. I have friends who have a cheat meal every week (up to 4000 cal or so) and do fine. Personally, I find that a cheat meal sets off bad habits in me. I don't set aside a day to specifically cheat - if I want something, I have it and try to work it into my macros.0
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I think you answered your own question. If you could lose weight having cheat days then go for it. Otherwise, you are blowing your calorie deficiency and will not lose or continue to gain. I eat as I wish and fit it into my calories limits. Even if you go over, still log and track everything. It also wouldn't hurt to buy a food scale.0
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For me, I HAVE to have one day "off" which is usually Sunday.
Sometimes I try to save up exercise calories for the weekend, or do an intense workout on Saturday to cover some of it, sometimes I don't get to.
BUT on the weeks were I still to my goals the other 6 days and take Sunday off (without going over more than 900 calories) I consistently lose 1 lb a week.
You have to see what works for you.0 -
Personal preference I'm sure. I don't do them. I think for me it would be similar and lead to bad habits. The one time I did overdo it, I felt miserable afterwards, (physically) so not worth it.0
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It's not worth it if you let it derail you completely.
In another post, I suggested a strategy to include a cheat day if you wanted it. It's pretty simple.
One day a week, eat your maintain number instead of your deficit number. If your weight loss goal is one pound a week, this will give you 500 extra calories on that day. That's a good amount to enjoy a night out at a restaurant, a big bowl of ice cream, or a few beers with friends.
You'll still continue to see weekly progress, but you just do it in 8 days instead of 7. It'll take you 8 weeks to lose what you would have lost in 7.
Mentally, this won't be a 'cheat' either. It's still part of your overall plan, and you are following it. So it won't have the same risk of knocking you off the wagon.0 -
Well, I must say that I screwed up.... kind of. My husband and I had a planned anniversary get away to a place that's known for good food. It was for 2 days and nights. I planned on splurging but carefully. I watched my portions and we walked and walked and walked and I even went swimming. Still, I gained 4 pounds back in those 2 days. I cant believe how fast I gained it back. I must be super susceptible to gaining weight. So, I guess I will be digging my heals back in hard. BTW....our weekend was so fun and I think it was sort of worth it. 20 years with my husband is worth a pound or two
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Cheat meals have changed as I have changed. For the first several months I only had one if my weight seemed to stick and not go down. I read about "diet fatigue" and it made sense. I tried it, had Mexican (!), enjoyed it, and after the water weight disappeared my weight rolled downhill again.
Now I'm closer to maintenance, I take a cheat meal a little more often, but I think it's more psychologically based. Last night was one of those days- I did great alllll day long, then I went overboard at dinner, then I decided to snack while watching game of thrones. I don't feel bad about it, tho. I can't eat like I used to, and if I blow my budget once every 3 weeks or so on pretzels and fudge, I jump back into the game feeling determined than before.
I have read that the closer you get to maintenance the more a cheat meal is recommended, and I've also read the closer you get to maintenance, the tighter you need to control your diet. I don't know which is true (anybody?), but I do know that it's slow going either way so I think hard about blowing my deficit and If I still think it's a good idea, I go for it. I can't eat crazy like I used to anyway.0 -
I don't do "cheat days". They are too tempting to fall off of the wagon for good and I struggle to get back on. I feel better sticking to my plan. That being said, do what's working for you, and if it isn't working then change it up.
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Thanks everyone!! I just wondered what others thought. I appreciate everyone's help. This is definitely a learning progress!0
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I think it depends on how you define cheat meal or cheat day. I sometimes let myself eat up to my TDEE. My diary goal is set to my sedentary TDEE at 1902 calories, but with exercise I actually burn around 2500 cals per day. I try to stick with my 1902 goal because that should give me about a pound lost per week but every once in a while I need a mental health day where I dont have to watch my intake as closely. Technically if I dont consume more than I burn I am still winning. My choices tend to mean that I am eating more salt and sugar so my scale takes a hit for a few days but its only water retention. No cause for panic.
Knowing your data will help. How much can you eat before you start to store it as fat? Cheat up to that amount and it should be fine.0 -
i follow my TDEE which allows me 1700cals i tend to have my "cheat day" on Saturday i have breakfast then save calories for a nice tea and wine ect my first week using MFP Saturday i sued 2100cals on my "cheat day" and this was more then enough treats but i have said if i do want to go over more on my treat day then i will not exceed 2400 which is my TDEE maintenance amount. its all about what works for you as others have said 0
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Well, I must say that I screwed up.... kind of. My husband and I had a planned anniversary get away to a place that's known for good food. It was for 2 days and nights. I planned on splurging but carefully. I watched my portions and we walked and walked and walked and I even went swimming. Still, I gained 4 pounds back in those 2 days. I cant believe how fast I gained it back. I must be super susceptible to gaining weight. So, I guess I will be digging my heals back in hard. BTW....our weekend was so fun and I think it was sort of worth it. 20 years with my husband is worth a pound or two
Don't get so down on yourself. You did not gain 4 pounds of fat in two days of breaking your diet. The changes in volume and activity level have most likely forced your body to retain more water. Although fat loss is linear over time, weight loss is highly erratic, especially over small amounts of time. Yes, you should get back on your healthy regiment right away, but don't think that you have to make up for a couple days of leisure.
As far as the main topic goes, a cheat meal can be good for your sanity but obviously it has its pitfalls. I recommend planning out the meals you are going to eat afterwards before you cheat. If you have those meals set aside already, you are more likely to stick to the diet and quickly get back on track.
But this also brings up a bigger problem. Strict dieting is good for weight loss over short periods of time or when you've lost control of your weight and need to get back on top of it. But most people should concentrate on eating healthier and working out more, but still creating a diet that allows them to enjoy the foods they love. Becoming a healthier person will only work long term if you create a sustainable pattern. If you feel like your diet is torturing you, then you are far more likely to rebound and put the weight back on. Don't be so concerned with the pace of weight loss. Worry more about overall progress. Move in the right direction and teach yourself better habits. Don't feel bad about eating delicious foods because those foods should already be built into your lifestyle.0 -
I have a problem with this too, I like to have drinks on the weekend not really about the food for me, but everytime I have a few coctails, mind you I make them my self with vodka and some kind of fresh juice a splash of 7up..it days 3 or so to bounce back before my body feels fresh again.0
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Well, I must say that I screwed up.... kind of. My husband and I had a planned anniversary get away to a place that's known for good food. It was for 2 days and nights. I planned on splurging but carefully. I watched my portions and we walked and walked and walked and I even went swimming. Still, I gained 4 pounds back in those 2 days. I cant believe how fast I gained it back. I must be super susceptible to gaining weight. So, I guess I will be digging my heals back in hard. BTW....our weekend was so fun and I think it was sort of worth it. 20 years with my husband is worth a pound or two
You can't put on four Lbs of fat in two days....0 -
But this also brings up a bigger problem. Strict dieting is good for weight loss over short periods of time or when you've lost control of your weight and need to get back on top of it. But most people should concentrate on eating healthier and working out more, but still creating a diet that allows them to enjoy the foods they love. Becoming a healthier person will only work long term if you create a sustainable pattern. If you feel like your diet is torturing you, then you are far more likely to rebound and put the weight back on. Don't be so concerned with the pace of weight loss. Worry more about overall progress. Move in the right direction and teach yourself better habits. Don't feel bad about eating delicious foods because those foods should already be built into your lifestyle.
Very much this. It's not necessary to make yourself so miserable while trying to lose weight that you just have to have a cheat meal or day.0 -
I guess it all boils down to whatever works for you. Weekends used to be my cheat days--I ate more than my daily calorie limit, not logged what I ate, and sometimes took a break from working out--yet I still lost tons of weight. The downside was that Mondays always turned out to be a rough day in terms of going back to the swing of things. It's either you make it or you break it.
Now I went from cheat days to cheat meals once a week. What I do is that I save more or less 200 calories per day so I can "collect" at least 1,000 calories for a cheat meal every Sunday. I use MFP's mobile version to see my average weekly summary to see how much I saved from my daily deficit, and eat some of them on Sundays (or all if we're going out).
Cheat days/meals work for me just to take a break from limiting my calorie intake. I once had a relapse from having an extremely strict diet, so now I sort of have a little weekly reward for myself.0 -
I don't do cheat days. Cheat day = binge. Also implies that I am on a diet which I can cheat on when I am trying to look at this as a long term change of eating habits.0
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You're the only one who can answer that question. One cheat meal is not going to derail you, if you don't let it. It will slow things down, but it can be worth it for special occasions. If you're going to use it as an excuse to eat poorly for days though... don't.0
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Not worth it if one can't stick to just that one "cheat" meal once a week and continue on with their program. It's going to vary from person to person.
Personally for me I "cheat" everyday. Yesterday it was with some Jelly Belly Very Cherry, but only 120 calories worth.
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Yeah, this is definitely an individual thing but I think most of us can relate! I am currently in the middle of a bad streak, but honestly, I'm happy with my progress so far and the muscle I have built. I am not going absolutely crazy anymore because I can usually fit some pretty whacky stuff into my macros for the day instead of restricting myself until I lose all willpower and go crazy! I usually try to stick to a "cheat meal" instead of a whole day, and if feasible I try to load up on protein earlier in the day to make sure I get enough in because let's face it, most of us are gonna binge on sugary and fatty foods, not chicken breast, tuna and wheyMy daily calorie goal is 1,500. The week before last, I had a cheat meal and it triggered bad habits. I went two days in a row eating bad, then I did well the 3rd day. But the 4th & 5th day, I did horrible.
This weekend I took one day off on Sunday and I exercised well mostly all week long and I didn't eat those calories back.
My point is that I feel terrible. I feel like all my hard work goes down the drain. Should I avoid cheat days/meals altogether? Should I just work it into my calorie goal? I know alot of people take those days off but maybe it's not for me?! my wife's birthday was last week and mine is tomorrow so we are using our free meal coupons at the local restaurants, can't pass up free gains! 0 -
It's important to do what works for you. I don't really use the term "cheat days", because that implies that I'm doing something bad, and also that I'm on a "diet". But I do owe a huge part of my success to allowing myself to indulge on the weekends, but some people find it easier to avoid temptation all together.0
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My daily calorie goal is 1,500. The week before last, I had a cheat meal and it triggered bad habits. I went two days in a row eating bad, then I did well the 3rd day. But the 4th & 5th day, I did horrible.
This weekend I took one day off on Sunday and I exercised well mostly all week long and I didn't eat those calories back.
My point is that I feel terrible. I feel like all my hard work goes down the drain. Should I avoid cheat days/meals altogether? Should I just work it into my calorie goal? I know alot of people take those days off but maybe it's not for me?!
Im having the same struggle. Went out with some friends for a few drinks on Saturday after an awesome week of eating well and busting a sweat at the gym all week! Weigh in day was a total disappointment! Feeling as though it isnt even worth it because I have to work 3x harder to get back to where I was and past it!0 -
Well, I must say that I screwed up.... kind of. My husband and I had a planned anniversary get away to a place that's known for good food. It was for 2 days and nights. I planned on splurging but carefully. I watched my portions and we walked and walked and walked and I even went swimming. Still, I gained 4 pounds back in those 2 days. I cant believe how fast I gained it back. I must be super susceptible to gaining weight. So, I guess I will be digging my heals back in hard. BTW....our weekend was so fun and I think it was sort of worth it. 20 years with my husband is worth a pound or two
To put on 4 pounds of fat, you would have had to have eaten 14000 extra calories in those 2 days.
What you are seeing is water and glycogen. Drink a healthy amount of water in the next couple of days, and those 4 pounds will disappear.
This happens to me almost every weekend. I'll jump up 2 or 3 pounds on Sunday, and then it all goes away (plus my 2 pounds to lose) by Friday. I eat saltier food and drink less water on the weekends, typically.0 -
Some times when my daughter and I go eat Mexican, I will have a Stomach ache and be sick. So a Cheat day is not for me
It is hard to eat healthy again.0 -
It may not be for you. Or it may not be for you NOW, but someday you'll be able to "cheat" without it derailing your efforts.
I think it's a mental thing. When I started logging my food here, I decided that at least one day a week I would eat closer to, or above, maintenance. I call it an "eating" or "treat" day/meal, which to me sounds less negative than "cheat." I'm not cheating. I'm making a conscious decision to do this. Yeah, I fit treats into my calories most of the time, but if I dine out or go to a family party or go away for the weekend, it's not always possible to estimate calories or I just need the break for my sanity.
Since doing this, I haven't fallen off the wagon after treating myself. I keep right on going, and maybe it's slowed my progress a little, but I want this to be a relatively easy-feeling process instead of a chore. Before doing this, cheats would derail me terribly. One "bad" meal on Friday night, and I'd be all, "Welp, might as well eat brunch and pizza nonstop until Monday."0 -
If you just can't fit your treats in your programme, yes it is better to eat badly once than give in and eat badly for a few days!0
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For me, it’s all about balance. I don’t want to completely derail my progress, but I also want to enjoy social events, eat foods that I love, and keep my sanity. If I know that I’m going out to dinner or to a party, I try to pre-plan what I’ll eat and work it into my day. That being said, occasionally I’ll go over a couple hundred calories – and that’s okay! I’m under most of the time, so it balances out. Indulging once in a while doesn’t hurt, and it keeps me from binging down the road.0
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Yeah, theyre worth it if you dont overdo it. & sometimes you need to take a cheat day so you dont cave in & binge all at once. That could have been your problem...& try to stay within your calorie goal when you do have a cheat meal.0
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I've found that I'm okay with a cheat meal once I'm WELL on my way. The first time I did the "get in shape" thing I started allowing myself 1 cheat meal per week once I'd lost 40 pounds.
This time I had a month of success so I gave myself a cheat meal. It spiraled and I ate poorly for 2 months. I knew it was wrong, but I didn't have the willpower to get back on track until a week ago.
At this point I'm not taking the risk until I'm nearing my goal.
***The other time a cheat meal has helped me is when I am stuck on a plateau for a couple weeks. I have a cheat meal and for some reason it allows my body to start losing weight again. *shrugs*0 -
Im having the same struggle. Went out with some friends for a few drinks on Saturday after an awesome week of eating well and busting a sweat at the gym all week! Weigh in day was a total disappointment! Feeling as though it isnt even worth it because I have to work 3x harder to get back to where I was and past it!
Just remember that some foods/drinks make you retain water. After I eat certain foods (even if they're within my calorie goal), I "gain weight." It sticks around for a couple of days, but after 2-3 days of higher water consumption, the water flushes out and I drop the weight again. (for me, popcorn = the biggest culprit).
The scale doesn't tell the whole story because of water issues. Also, sometimes, it has nothing to do with food and can be hormone/cycle related - so cut yourself some slack - don't obsess over the number on the scale, and know that (unless you've got some medical issue going on), if you eat at a deficit, you're going to lose weight over time.0
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