Who are Cheat Days For?

LareishaH

It really depends on what you consider cheating! I eat ice cream at least once a week. I also eat pizza at least once a week. I used to designate one day per week to have all of the "unclean" food I had desired during the week. Now I just work in whatever I want throughout the week.

phol54

Some days I go over and cut myself some slack. My biggest problem before was eating out. Between MFP and my new budget (trying to trim the fat there as well) I hardly ever get fast food and try to take the better option at restaurants when I do go.

I need to enjoy myself and indulge from time to time. MFP has helped me find new ways to do this (without going over my limit), which means that I go over FAR less and still have a good time.

I just needed to stop making bad decisions all at the same time.

CuteAndCurvy83

My cheat day keeps me sane, though I don't call it a cheat day,more of a "free day" most of the time it's just a "free meal" like dinner and dessert it's the one day a week I still try to maintain my calories, but I allow myself a more calorie ridden dinner and dessert. If there is a food I find myself craving that is less the healthy I tell myself "wait til sunday,if you still want it sunday, then you can have it" most of the time the craving disappears,and if it hasn't I allow myself to give in..

emchamberlain

I try and eat healthy, even on my more relaxed days, but I do take one "cheat" day off from tracking. I might have the same food that I have during the week, but not counting every little bite does a lot for my sanity.

cng1117

I am limiting myself to a cheat meal once a week... mainly because I can really wolf down some food and will (and have) screwed up a whole weeks worth of diligent meals with one day of cheating (stinking pecan pie and bbq....:grumble: ). It really chaps my nuggets when I have to waste the next three days working off that one day.

Lexie71

In my opinion "cheat days" are for those who are dieting. When I compare what I used to try to do to lose weight with what I am doing with my life today I know that every day is like my dieting "cheat days" because every day, every time I eat, I choose whatever I want. All foods fit. There are consequences to each choice I make. Most choices have both positive and negative consequences. I don't feel the need to binge or over eat the "bad" foods because I choose what I want every time I eat and nothing is off limits.

radgurl08

Studies show that an OCCASIONAL cheat day like once a week or every other week is actually good for your weight loss. It causes your body to work harder to get rid of the extra calories and in turn causes your metabolism to increase!!! It also helps your mood and from being deprived from foods. Most weight loss plans like weight watchers, jenny craig and others give you extra points of free foods so you can have those cheat days. It becomes an issue when you want to keep cheating and you lose self control. I actually had a cheat day recently last week and i woke up the next morning starving.. that is how I knew it worked. It's okay with self control and not all the time.

EbonyBliss....I think you are dead on. This is what I always try to tune others into, but nobody ever wants to believe me. I undercut my calories most of the week. I will do cardio, not eat my calories, and try to skim by at a low intake. I like the idea of shrinking my stomach all week long. Then on a Saturday, depending on my motivation, I might eat a larger breakfast, or something carby like a bagel, drink some juice, take in all of this stuff I dont normally take in, for lunch I will eat whatever I want, but again it is usually not high quantity because my stomach doesnt want a ton of food anymore and then for dinner I don't limit myself...this weekend I want to try to get some Dominoe's and those new wing thingers for like $5.99 each. I will eat a couple of slices, eat some wings, and then feel like poop. The next day I will feel gross for a good portion of the morning, but that makes me work out harder because I feel not so good. Any bad food cravings are gone, my body can replenish whatever it has been missing all week, and I can workout harder because of all of my extra calories.

I agree though I tend to have one cheat meal per week where I don't binge but I just eat what I am craving. No extra dessert or anything like that but I will have a normal size meal of whatever I'm feeling, I tend to eat decently healthy anyway, and maybe an alcoholic drink with it, no dessert. I tend to undercut my calories from 50 to 400 cal somedays so I feel one cheat meal is good to let yourself enjoy a night off... My supervisor for my b-day gave me a box of chocolates that are 53 cal each so if I am under my cal goal by at least 100 cals I reward myself with one chocolate.... It's a good way to relax a bit and I've really been craving some chicken strips and fries lately so that will be my next weeks cheat meal....