Cheat Day - what are everyones thoughts?

thefishers4

ladybg81

I prefer a cheat meal. But I do not do it very often. Once a month maybe.

kasmir8199

I usually allow myself a day a week when I don't log my meals. I do this because it's difficult to try to figure out the cal content of down-home Southern cooking. Instead, I eat small portions and choose not to eat the things that are obviously high in fat. I hardly ever go over my cals during the week (often, I'll have hundreds left over), so I figured I have some freedom to have a "cheat day".

kathyw731

Body for Life tells you to have a cheat day on their plan. For me it is easy to diet and be careful through the week while work and things are happening. I think having a meal to look forward to each week that allows you to splurge is great movtivation and worth working for.

ladybug91254

I don't normally have a cheat day. I've done this for over a year...I think about 410 days and have only gone over my calories a hand full of times...went for about 9 months before I went over at all. But that's because I know it takes very very little for me to gain back my hard work. I WILL occasionally have a cheat meal and of course there are times when my willpower is gone and I am over my calories. But I don't PLAN to do so. Saying that, everyone is different. I know I have read posts where people plan a cheat meal/day on a regular basis and still lose. You just have to find what works for you. There is no "right" or "wrong" way. That's why this site is great!

crystal_sapphire

i am in all r nothing. having an indulgence food day just never works out for me and now i've had 2 weeks nearly of crap food. on track again today but i'm just one of those types that can't have a treat day

crystal_sapphire

Food addiction is the only addiction where as a reward for getting your habit under control, you eat more! Drug addicts, alcoholics, and other addicts do not celebrate kicking the habit by indulging in the behavior that made them addicts. I don't mean to sound harsh, but the idea of a day of going over your calories sounds counterproductive to me. There are days when I eat a little more, special occasions, parties, etc., but overall I stick to my calorie goals. My plan is for this to be a lifetime habit, and the last thing I want to develop is a habit of cheating on myself! Just my opinion.

but not everyone who is overweight has a food addiction.

StevLL

We were doing Gluten cheat days and realized it just messed with us and now we go over every now and then, but don't deprive ourselves which makes it easier to change our habits and still be sane. Well thats relative, so at least we stay focused. If you need support feel free to friend us. Good luck and stay healthy.

realrayne10

To me it depend on WHY you are doing it. I had a cheat meal today because I was feeling stuck and had not hit my "net" of 1290 in way too long. It was yummy and I hope it helps. If you are a binge or emotional eater though, I think cheat days/meals are too dangerous especially at the begining of the journey.

DisneyAddictRW

I have saturdays as my cheat day. I don't cheat all day. I allow myself to have something I don't during the week. I will allow myself a pop with my meal on a saturday but don't during the week. I call it my cheat day but still try to track things. I still stay under my calories I just allow myself my foods/drinks I don't take in during the week. I don't know if you'd consider a cheat day but thats how I look at it. I never allow myself to go over board with things but it helps me say no during the week.

westcoastSW

I HATE the term "cheat." HATE IT. :grumble: This isn't a game and you're not "cheating" anyone besides yourself.

That little rant out of the way, I have a standing date with my roommate every week: Thursday night is pizza & beer night in our apartment. It keeps us sane during grad school. If I have the time, I sometimes work out a little extra earlier that day, but if I don't, no sweat (sorry, no pun intended). As others have said though, pizza/beer night still generally keeps me around maintenance calories, so I figure I'm not losing or gaining for that 24-hour span.

Again, don't "cheat." Make a conscious decision to do something (either way) and live with it!

elliecolorado

I'm not on a 'diet' I am changing my lifestyle to be more healthy and active. This is my life, it isn't cheating for me to eat cake or cookies, it isn't cheating if I go out to dinner and order my favorite meal even if it is high in calories, it isn't cheating if I go out drinking. I don't do those things as often as I once did, but I still do all of them. It isn't realistic to think that I will never do any of those things again. I try to fit them into my daily calorie goals, but I don't beat myself up if I go over. If I know ahead of time that I am going to be going out I try and make time to exercise a little more. Cheating has a negative connotation. If you are really making a lifestyle change you can't expect to never eat things you want ever again, so IMO there is no such thing as "cheating."

westcoastSW

I'm not on a 'diet' I am changing my lifestyle to be more healthy and active. This is my life, it isn't cheating for me to eat cake or cookies, it isn't cheating if I go out to dinner and order my favorite meal even if it is high in calories, it isn't cheating if I go out drinking. I don't do those things as often as I once did, but I still do all of them. It isn't realistic to think that I will never do any of those things again. I try to fit them into my daily calorie goals, but I don't beat myself up if I go over. If I know ahead of time that I am going to be going out I try and make time to exercise a little more. Cheating has a negative connotation. If you are really making a lifestyle change you can't expect to never eat things you want ever again, so IMO there is no such thing as "cheating."

Well said and I agree 100% (see above post). :flowerforyou:

Rodneymc4

I'm not sure what you are calling "CHEAT" but I think of cheating as adding extra SUGAR to my diet. I sacrifice protein and carbohydrate calories for sugar, but I never want to intentionally go over my recommended calorie allowance.

So I deprive myself of much needed protein or carbs for sugar--that's cheating to me.

Unfortunately, whenever I do that I usually punish myself the next day in the gym, so it's really not fun for me to cheat. I literally hate it when I'm enjoying sugar.

noltes2

I wouldn't say I "plan" "cheat" meals or days. But life happens sometimes - happy hour, dinner, birthdays, weddings where you can't count calories very accurately but want to indulge a little. This is a journey and I try to stay on track each and everyday but sometimes I work late and get stressed and cave on a donut! Or I decide to order a beer instead of water every few weeks.... Again, wouldn't call it cheating, it's just life. I am trying to keep this as my LIFESTYLE and something I can maintain for my entire life. If I cut out beer, cake, pizza, burgers forever I would be so sad! Every so often I love to live a little and indulge. Every few weeks or so.

I tried scheduling a cheat meal/day but I would go too crazy on poor choices and my weight would be up at least 2 pounds for several days. Lesson learned, it does not work for me. But a few weeks ago I had a few beers, and some buffalo wings and I still managed to lose 2 pounds that week. It's the big picture that matters!

pandafoo

personally i don't believe in planning cheat days or meals on a regular basis. i feel like planning a cheat day is making a priority and commitment to eat unhealthily, so i do not like the concept of it. that said, there will be days when you overeat because life happens or because of special occasions. however, enjoy the meal fully, get back on track the next day, and don't let guilt or shame affect you.

i see a lot of people on mfp feeling upset or guilty about making bad eating choices or having a cheat day, but it really is my hope that people can learn to experience freedom from food or exercise. improving our health, eating better, and getting more physical activity are lifelong endeavors. if we're in it for the long haul, i believe we should experience freedom in this journey, rather than be harangued by self-reproach or guilt when we make bad choices. regardless of whatever perspective you adopt regarding cheat meals or days, i hope you will be fully at ease with it.

jmjones66

I don't have "cheat" days. I don't want to deprive myself of things that I enjoy eating. I just make sure that I include the things that I want in my meal plan. I now eat sweets and take-out in moderation. If it doesn't fit in my plan, then I just don't eat it. I know that in the past, I have failed on other "diets" because of the deprivation. I do not consider this a diet, just a better way a living!

shalynna89

With me I have what I consider a "cheat day." Even on those days I usually don't even go over my calories, or if I do its not by much. I usually will try to save up my calories for dinner which is when I cheat. I never eat breakfast which I know to most is a big no-no. So for lunch I will usually just eat fruits or something small, and then for dinner eat whatever. My biggest weakness is PIZZA!! i love it and there isn;t a way I'm going to live without it. So I've learned to eat it in moderation, and know where to buy and what the healthiest choices are, which is usually what I have on my Cheat days. I also have days were I may have some sort of candy or chocolate and consider it cheating, when in all reality I need the calories because I haven't eatten enough that day- I don't see a problem with it as long I don't over eat it. If you don't trust yourself enough yet to be able to just have one cheat meal or cheat day I don't suggest doing it. If you to trust yourself enough it actually can confuse your body. I find this when I platue, I may go over by 100-200 calories one day with little-no exercise and then the next eat may regular calories or 100 less and exercise more and it usually breaks it. I hope this helps you!! Welcome to MFP!

cbirdso

I think of a cheat day as just cheating myself. Like anyone else, I sometimes go over my calories, but it isn't a planned event and I try to even it out over the next day or two. I am trying to form new habits in regard to the quality and quantity I eat so I try every day to meet those goals. The thoughts I have about it is I must learn to EAT like a thin person in order to BE a thin person. I don't see thin people looking forward to a day or even a meal where they are PLANNING to eat more than they normally would. Thin people might eat more occasionally, but they treat it more like calorie zigzagging than an anticipation of calorie loading.

I suppose if you are severely restricting your eating (like netting 1200 calories or lower each day), your body probably needs the extra calories and the effect is similar to a more extreme form of calorie zigzagging. Again, my thoughts are that these extremes are not helpful.

TheBraveryLover

I have 'em weekly but I always feel so guilty so I end up either making up for them the day before or the day after. My most recent cheat day I made sure to work out a little and didn't eat anything except for my cheat food, wine, and water. I also made sure it stayed under/close to my normal calorie intake. So I cheated as far as eating something unhealthy (and delish!) but I'm not off track for my daily calorie intake.

cloth1dr

I just started last Tuesday so I'm lost on the whole "cheat meal/day" thing as well. I know while starting and still having all the cravings cheat meals may sound good but I'm staying away from them because I'm trying to get myself used to eating and snacking less. Good Luck!

Brett_Alan

I go with them about once a week or so it gives me a chance to hang out with a group if friends and not be totally anal about what I eat which to them can be annoying lol

MaryW1962

Hi, I'm new to MFP also. I started on Friday. I have a hard time with cheat days or meals. I seem to let it get out of hand. It's hard for me to get back on track so for me I think I will try my best not to cheat at all, at least for a while until I get used to the lower calories. It's going to be hard on Easter because we have a cookout with family and there will be lot's of good deserts. I usually start a diet on Monday and do okay until the weekend. This time I started on Friday and I made it through the weekend without messing up! Yeah!!! Good luck and you can add me as a friend if you want. Mary

k2d4p

I HATE THAT PHRASE, WORD, OR WAY OF THINKING WITH A PASSION!!!!! Sorry, but I feel very strongly about this. Cheat is a horrendous word that makes it seem like what you are doing is wrong. It is not wrong to eat sweets, sugar, desert, cookies, brownies, chocolate, or any other food that is considered unhealthy. For the most part, we are adults and can eat what we want. I do NOT "CHEAT" when I eat desert. I eat in in moderation and factor it into my daily calories. I will NEVER use the word "CHEAT" to describe anything that I choose to eat! It is a horrible way of thinking.

This is all just my opinion and I don't mean to jump on you since you were only asking, but these are my thoughts on "cheat days".

k2d4p

I'm not on a 'diet' I am changing my lifestyle to be more healthy and active. This is my life, it isn't cheating for me to eat cake or cookies, it isn't cheating if I go out to dinner and order my favorite meal even if it is high in calories, it isn't cheating if I go out drinking. I don't do those things as often as I once did, but I still do all of them. It isn't realistic to think that I will never do any of those things again. I try to fit them into my daily calorie goals, but I don't beat myself up if I go over. If I know ahead of time that I am going to be going out I try and make time to exercise a little more. Cheating has a negative connotation. If you are really making a lifestyle change you can't expect to never eat things you want ever again, so IMO there is no such thing as "cheating."

Well said and I agree 100% (see above post). :flowerforyou:

Hooyah!! (Navy in me)