Taking a day off from dieting

LibbyF65

Hello:

So I haven't been dieting long--at least this time--and yet I have "cheated" already. I know that some people take days off where they can eat what they want and not calorie count. Does it work? Can you take a day off your diet--within reason--and still lose weight? I would love to hear what people say.

Thanks.

Libby

abbysum

I went over my calories this week one day and I still lost 2 lbs. I didn't go crazy, but I ate more then usual.

Zara11

yup. keeps you sane, too.

kwrecks

The way that I've always been taught is that you should generally take a day, and have a cheat day. When I did Weight Watchers, they said that having a cheat day once a week was a good idea. When they say cheat day, though, they don't mean go crazy, they just mean have a day that you don't count calories. IT's a day where, if you are craving a hamburger, have a burger, but don't have a burger and 3 candy bars and a huge bowl of ice cream and a bag of chips, etc. Cheat within reason. This will shock your body into burning the calories, so it's sometimes good to do when you are having a hard time losing.

tammydspice

I can and do. Every Friday is Nacho Night at my house!! We have a plate of nachos piled high with meat, peppers, onions, salsa and guac and either a beer or a diet pepsi and finish it off, sometimes, with a little chocolate. Oh and a little cheese on there too!! Love it and it keeps me sane for the rest of the week!!

ramseyrose

Some people can cheat and still lose some people cant. Everyone deserves a day off, just dont let it become 2 then 3 then 4 etc. Just log everything which will stop you from going too mad. Even if you go over in calories by a small amount there is still a built in deficit. Take measurements too, inches can go down even if weight doesnt.

taso42_DELETED

Once a week free-day advocate here. It does work. And there are benefits, metabolic and psychological.

Note, if you happen to look at my food diary, this weekend is a poor example. I'm sort of flying off off the handle this Friday, Sat, Sun, due to various social engagements. This is after several months of discipline. One free day a week is great. More than that is lack of discipline, and I'm NOT recommending that.

Losing2Live69

I am reading a book right now called Bod4God. In it the author lost over 100 pounds. He says he would choose one meal a week that he would eat what he wanted to. I don't think a whole day is a good idea. It would be too easy to continue eating what you want into the next day. The more you start eating healthy the easier it is. I used to think nothing of ordering a 10 piece nugget meal (large) at McDonald's. Now...I know that meal has over 1300 calories! I would never eat that way. This is a lifestyle change, not a DIEt. Look at the 1st 3 letters of that word D-I-E. I think of a diet as something that deprives me and leaves me feeling hungry. Once you learn to eat healthier foods...hopefully it becomes habit. So...I think it is ok to cheat every once in awhile on 1 meal, but not for a whole day.

spcopps

I have only been doing this for 2 months and I have taken like 2 cheat days. I do have 1 day a week where I will eat chick fil a or a steak and potatoe with veggie at a steak house but I STILL watch my calories when doing so. I know the sodium is out the window but I drink extra water those days. I don't go crazy either..I have a baked potatoe plain (and ask to hold the salt), only 1 roll without the honey butter and ask for lowfat dressing for my salad. I consider this a lifestyle change not a diet so cheat days I use to challenge myself without really "counting calories" until the end of the day to evaluate my ability to "know" what to eat without having to think to hard about it

rthompson81

Ditto to what everyone else has said: Free days keep me sane, and they have kept me counting calories and exercising way longer than any other "diet" I've tried, which translates to me actually losing weight and not getting frustrated with myself.

However, I do log everything, even on my "free" days. You'll notice that if you check out my diary. For me, it's a way of keeping in mind just how many calories that delicious Blue Moon was the other night for example, or that yummy piece of pizza. That way I'll have 2 pieces of pizza instead of four, and two beers instead of lord know how many, like I used to.

Good luck to you!

anubis609

I'll restate my motto of the word "cheating" in regards to diet:

I don't consider it cheating when really, it's just a day of increased calorie intake. "Cheating" denotes a negative connotation that usually harbors some sort of guilt. For those who advocate it, like I do, I consider it a "spike" day, where you have a significant amount of calories, guilt-free, for a day in order to keep your metabolism jumping around. Then once that day is done, you spike the discipline back into your diet. Go right back to eating the clean, healthy alternatives with a controlled calorie count. You can even spike your day full of healthy alternatives if you choose. It's just literally more than you would normally take in. If you look at it that way, it doesn't seem as psychologically negative in terms of a weight loss goal.

I do it all the time, and as some have stated, to a degree of lacked discipline, but those days I'm out of town and in buffet mania. If I have the opportunity, I'll work my *kitten* off at the hotel gym if there is one provided in order to put those massive calories I ate to some use. Keep a positive attitude about it, and positive results will show.

niknik43

I certainly do. One day a week on the weekend I eat whatever I want. It kept me sane in the beginning, knowing that I couldn't have that cheeseburger today...but I could on Saturday. I talked myself out of a LOT of bad days because I convinced myself that I could do it ALL on Saturday. I didn't used to count my calories from my "spike" day but still have managed to lose consistently 1.5 to 2 pounds per week. (I do have quite a bit to lose.) A funny thing happened on the way, though, I started making better choices on my "cheat" day and now I DO log my cheat day calories and think long and hard if I really, really, REALLY want that food item. Strange how my good behaviors all week long, week after week, are starting to affect my cheat day.

hofdog

"Cheat days" are essential, or "Cheat meals". It's totally a reward for being good all week, and also satiates your mind as well as your cravings

Crystals422

Once a week, usually Sat, I have a high calorie day. It does work for me as well. Last night I went out for dinner and drinks with friends and did not worry about going over my calories. I am back on track today.

khrys1

I have about one "free" day a week- I eat what I like (to a point), but STILL log my calories- you'd be shocked at how fast calories can build up, so if you do have a splurge day, still be sure to log in your calories- then if you're having issues with not losing weight as fast as you want, you can look back at the reports and figure out why. I'm still losing 1-2 pounds a week while having a free day- I think it keeps the body guessing.

M_lifts

i would say its ok, it'll keep u sane! ive had a couple of weddings/parties this past few weeks and ive had a cheat evening but the key is not to go nuts, portion control if you can. if you crave something, have it but dont go binging. i find that it helps me to focus as if this is to be a lifestyle change i have to account for days when i wont be able to stick to sticking to my target cals.

LibbyF65

Thanks all for your comments. I really appreciated the different perspectives. This is a great web community.

Libby

michelec64

Sunday is my designated cheat day. I don't go crazy eating a whole pint of ice cream or any thing like that but I will treat myself a bacon/egg or pancake brunch, and a dinner of whatever I'm in the mood for. I find that is a good incentive for me to stay on track for the rest of the week, because I have that day to look forward to satisfy any cravings I have. It's still early on but so far, so good. I'm still managing to lose a least a pound a week, which is part of my goal for a slow but steady weight loss.

Bootzey

A cheat day it just too tempting for me. I do a cheat meal every now and then. That makes it easier. If I took a cheat day, I'd eat a whole cake, several bottles of soda and a whole pizza

robertf57

I wish I didn't cheat; but, occassionally I do. Now yesterday I went WAY overboard and I am feeling guilty. It will take me the week to get back to where I should be. I couldn't possibly be bad every week and I am of the mind that a cheat meal might be a better approach.

feelthelove1964

I have started having a day off a Sunday, i am still losing weight so its working for me

lcfairbairn74

I don't have a cheat day, per se, but on Saturdays I allow myself a bit more freedom. I do make sure the calories come in around my target though. I know myself well enough that a cheat day would involve me eating thousands of calories and I would find it difficult to get back on track the next day. But many people successfully have cheat days and swear by them!

I think it really depends on knowing whether it would be possible for you to limit yourself to that one day!

katy_trail

no, much better to be less strict overall, including small amounts of 'treats' you enjoy and making the healthy food you eat really tasty. how often those treats happen would depend on your calorie needs, medical conditions if there are any, your reactions to eating something that's not perfectly on plan, and more. It varies with the individual, and with time, most people can learn to take a more moderate approach to eating healthier. Small peice of what you really want which fits in your calories for the day, while still meeting your macros.

whierd

Why not continue to log your "off days"? Be honest with yourself.

Nicolee_2014

Last week I let myself have a cheat dinner on the Friday which led to me being careless the whole weekend with no tracking. Back to it on the Monday, my weigh in day is on Friday. I lost 2.2lbs. Given it doesn't always happen but I think sometimes you just have to live & for me personally I think if I didn't have my carefree days I'd probably totally go off track. I know it might put me back a week or two getting to my ultimate goal weight but meh! YOLO! :laugh:

onwarddownward

I have not taken a day off from eating right or exercise. I am still forming habits. But, if I want something, I make a plan to have it rationally.

It's all in the planning.

Francl27

I had my first day off in 4 months. And I was probably very close still, I just have no idea how much what I ate was... but it wasn't total overkill at all. Salad, black bean soup, a mini pastry (I just know it was less than 300 calories) and lobster quiche. The quiche is the annoying part but the piece wasn't huge so I estimated at 500 calories. And I did two workouts today (well one walk and one workout).

I think taking a day off is fine, but if you end up eating so much that you're going over by 1000 or something, I don't see how it teaches you good eating habits. I typically just make room in my calories for a small treat.

gracetillman

I think the way you approach the lifestyle change is the first key. If you can "cheat" it implies that you are doing something you consider restrictive or temporary. It is not a commitment and it will be harder to maintain the weight loss long term. (Trust me I speak from experience -- lost 70 pounds and gained it all back PLUS)

I prefer the idea of higher calorie days which are planned as part of your new lifestyle. How often you do it or how high you will allow your calorie intake for the day to do depends on what works for you. For some people high calorie meals are sufficient and they do it twice a week -- others it is a bad day -- and others cannot do it at all without it being a trigger for a long detour from the life path they wish to be on.

So I think it it could work out well for most people, but it also depends on the circumstances.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I've never done cheat days. I do an 80/20 approach all the time instead (80% nutritious, 20% treats). If I'm going to have a higher calorie day I still log it, especially because I'm down to a very small deficit at this point and I could easily blow a week's worth of work in one day. Some things are worth blowing a week's worth of work over, but if I'm going to go way over like that I at least want to know that it was worth it. I have a tendency to just snack my deficit away if I don't log.

GeekAmour

no, much better to be less strict overall, including small amounts of 'treats' you enjoy and making the healthy food you eat really tasty. how often those treats happen would depend on your calorie needs, medical conditions if there are any, your reactions to eating something that's not perfectly on plan, and more. It varies with the individual, and with time, most people can learn to take a more moderate approach to eating healthier. Small peice of what you really want which fits in your calories for the day, while still meeting your macros.

This. Calling something a "cheat" implies you shouldn't be doing it, that it's wrong or bad; this could mean you get on a train of thought like "I've already been bad so I might as well keep going" or, it means you would normally be overly restrictive in order to binge on your cheat day, which, as someone who was bulimic for too many years I can tell you, is unhealthy behaviour & can lead to a dangerous place.

Instead, don't deprive yourself of what you want, make room for treats in your calories & don't treat this as a diet, just look at it as how you eat now, how a healthy person, how a healthier you, lives every single day.

Good luck.