rest days & cheat days

danibee41989

Is your cheat day also your rest day? Or do you workout on your cheat day? Just wondering...

tinkytootie

I'm also wondering the same thing. Also, on a "cheat day" do you just have one cheat meal on that day or do you treat yourself to goodies all day long?

spicegeek

I have a cheat meal not a whole day and it`s at the end of my heaviest work out day

tamiller93

Been doing this since March 4th and haven't head an honest-to-goodness cheat day yet. But since I rarely have a day off of exercising, I am sure I'll be working out on my cheat day whenever that comes. I think it will make me feel a little better about cheating.

pineappleroo

My cheat meal is always on a heavy work out day.

futureflaka

I usually have them on separate days... Personally, I'm scared of going back for even a day because I feel like one day is going to turn into a week and I'm going to gain it all back, but If you feel you have the discipline to do it for one day, by all means have your day. I don't think it should be a problem as long as you are still conscious about what you're doing.

SoldierDad

I rest from working out 2 days a week. I never really have a cheat day. I think a "cheat" meal would be ok occasionally. But you can have something you really like and watch what you eat the rest of the day and still be under. I am lucky that all my fave foods are like baked chicken and baked fish.

chris808

I don't like the concept of calling such times "cheat days" because it implies acknowledging how you feel is wrong and to be avoided. Most of that desire to "cheat" is psychological and the feel good factor of getting a particular food hit, like a drug. If you feel like having a cake, have it slowly and enjoy every moment of it. Chances are you won't find it as satisfying as you expected because you're used to less sweetness, but the psychological desire will have gone and you'll happy with the way you approached it rather than blindly cram food down to get that same hit.

Instead I stick to the MFP plan as much as I can, go over on cals / under on exercise when I feel I want to, and just be honest and happy with myself. As long as you stick generally to the plan - more so as you become leaner - then you can, and in my opinion should, eat and exercise according to how you feel, and be sensible about it as you go. That means the concept of cheat days disppears and instead you just have a newer, cleaner way of living which will include excercise and everything else.

Chris

stitcherbeth

I do not plan on either one. I don't want to set myself up for it to be a habit. However, I usually miss one workout every 10-14 days and it seems I am averaging one day a week of pretty much using up every available calorie and possibly going over on sugar and sodium. (trying to knock that back to once every 2 weeks or so) I do not plan on these things, but I do know they happen once in a while and do not beat myself up when they do. If you are planning them, it might be good to make them separate days. That way, if you are WAY off on your eating, you can exercise some to make up for it.

taso42_DELETED

My free day (food-wise) and rest day are both on Sunday. But due to the random events that can happen on the weekend, sometimes Saturday ends up being the free day. I usually play it by ear when deciding whether the whole day is a splurge or just splurging on 1 or 2 meals. In any event, I'm 100% pro rest-day and pro free-day.

This weekend is a bad example for me, indulged a bit last night and have some plans already made for today and tomorrow. This weekend is going to be a disaster, calorie-wise. This is not an example of a free day (or 3), but an example of going off-course. On top of that, I have an injury so cardio may be difficult-to-impossible. Not thrilled about it, but not going to beat myself up about it either. Need to spend some quality time with friends & food & drink after months of staying the course.

scatmaster

Saturday I do a pretty intense workout about 90 minutes and then have my cheat meal at night with a few drinks as well. I found after a few weeks I was not ingesting as much food as my stomach cavity was getting smaller. Tonight for dinner some pizza, chicken wings, a couple of low carb beers, and a few shots of tequila watching the game.

crazymama2two

I like what chris said - that calling them cheat days makes it feel like we're doing something wrong. i say my weekend can have or not have cheat days - and by days that usually means my afternoon/nighttime meal because i can always, always start the day off right (for me) with a good breakfast and a good lunch and if i have time to exercise between mommy-duties and household duties then yay me, but if not, i dont freak out. i just remember that AT THE VERY LEAST i am aware now as i wasnt before february and this, in itself, is an amazing feat for anyone .. because when you are aware, you tend to make better choices, and if all hell gets loose and you go 182034802 calories over, hey, youre aweare of it and you work harder the next exercise session (or at least try to)

does ANY of that make sense?

in the end, do what is right for YOU, your body and your mind and under NO CIRCUMSTANCES WHATSOEVER feel guilty about it - this is LIFE. you are to ENJOY IT - not be guilty of it. this is not a diet. this is your life.

you got this. I REPEAT - you got this!!!

ImperfektAngel

I cheat every 21 days, which does end up being a rest day for me as well. According to my diet, it helps with the weight loss and my results have prove it!