Pig Out Days?

2»

Replies

  • matchbox_girl
    matchbox_girl Posts: 535 Member
    Heck yeah. I pick one day of the week (usually Friday, Saturday, or Sunday) and eat what I want.
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    If you're fine with never losing weight, sure-- a pig out day is just fine (I'm assuming you mean ignoring all caloric goals for one day each week).

    Calories in/calories out. If you run, lets say, a 400 calorie daily deficit for six days and then eat an extra 2400 calories on top of your maintenance calories on the seventh day (which is not at all hard to do with junk food), you've just eaten at maintenance for the week.

    If your idea of a cheat day is to just eat whatever you want without regard to macros, while staying inside of your calorie limits, then it doesn't have to impede your progress at all. Or maybe you eat maintenance +400 on that day, and just trade one day's deficit. Whatever you want to do, it's all down to the arithmetic.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    how about you eat what you crave and still stay in a deficit for the day, or at maintenance? Works for me...
  • starrylioness
    starrylioness Posts: 543 Member
    I never have cheat days. I just have cheat meals or snacks occasionally and I always log them. I try not to have them too often though!
  • Stage14
    Stage14 Posts: 1,046 Member
    I don't like the idea that eating certain foods are bad or that I am living a life where I NEED to cheat. I wouldn't stay in a marriage where I felt the need or desire to cheat, so why on earth would I stick with an eating plan that requires it?
  • portpaw
    portpaw Posts: 19 Member
    Eat whatever you want, as long as you maintain a calorie deficit over the course of the week.

    This.

    Also, if I find I am eating over my calories due to a high cal meal or snack, I exercise to earn the calories that I spent.
  • kayjane92
    kayjane92 Posts: 12
    I just started a new lifestyle change and from past experiences, if I have one cheat meal I end up eating more than I expected to. So, for me I try to stick with my vegan foods only. I don't have enough strength to stop at one candy bar... yet !
  • chisomokafor
    chisomokafor Posts: 22 Member
    Please go ahead!!! As long as its just one day please go ahead! I have cheat days every sunday and I'm loving it!
  • inverseofmissy
    inverseofmissy Posts: 114 Member
    I had my first cheat day last weekend and I pretty much regret it. Mainly because when I checked my nutrition for the week I was over my net calories. I have no problem with being over one day and it evening out by the end of the week because that means I'm still within my 7000 calorie deficit to lose approx. 2 lbs/week. If I start eating into that 7000 calories deficit (literally) then I am not going to be on track to lose 2 lbs that week. It just makes me feel like I wasted all the hard work the other 6 days of the week to blow it in 1 day! Next time I may have a cheat meal or a cheat day but still keep it within reason to stay under my net cals for the week. Or maybe just plan better earlier in the week to have extra cals each day so by the time I get my cheat day I have a god bit of wiggle room. Hope all of that made sense :)
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    Nothing to cheat for me, I eat it all every day. E.g. ice cream daily ... Just not a lot of it. ;)

    Quantity-wise I know myself and to allow some pig out slack for the hell of it is the start of a slippery slope.

    I prefer to consistently hit the weekly deficit, build in some exercise naturally and trust the process.

    As usual, it depends on the individual, I can see the merit in the occasional "metabolic reset" day after a long period of restriction.
  • suziepoo1984
    suziepoo1984 Posts: 915 Member
    Thread from 2011 and user has deactivated :)
  • chisomokafor
    chisomokafor Posts: 22 Member
    loool
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
    You can have a cheat day once a week. Don't pig out though. I'd still stay under whatever calorie guide lines you need to still lose weight. What you'd probably want to do is just switch up the kind of foods that you're eating.

    But be very very careful of rewarding yourself with food.
  • justiceevers
    justiceevers Posts: 43
    IIFYM for the win? I eat whatever I want, just not as much as I want.
  • shaheenery
    shaheenery Posts: 6 Member
    I can think of 2 things to consider when making your decision to have a pig out day, and what a pig out day means to you.

    #1 Mental / Emotional


    For some people, having a cheat day could be seen as just that: cheating. An abomination, letting yourself down, giving up on your goal, or being weak. I'm not sure how many people think this way, but I used to. There would be some holiday or party and I'd just go to town on whatever fantastic tasting thing my relatives were trying to make me eat as if THEIR lives depended on it. No structure, no control, just "okay, not on my diet right now." This would invariably lead to be being off my diet for a few more days and in some cases ended it altogether.

    Now, I think part of the reason I couldn't stick with my diet is because I would feel like I was giving everything up. I would have great results from diet and exercise, but I would get 'burned out" My smart brain knows the feeling of fasting won't last forever, but my hungry brain really wants pasta.


    #2 Actually Purposefully Allowing Yourself to Gain Weight

    In my latest venture down healthy lifestyle lane, I decided that I wouldn't allow myself any cheat days...only "MAINTAIN DAYS." I went into the MFP settings (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided) and changed my goal from "Lose 2 pounds per week" to "Maintain my current weight." BOOM Now I have 1000 more calories OR roughly 9 ounces of potato chips. NOM On at least 3 of these 'maintain days' I've exercised as well giving me 1500 more ways to "responsibly" eat the foods I love.

    It's amazing how great it feels to feel like your 'pigging out' but are actually just pausing. Not gaining any more calories. Not taking a break from looking at what you eat (by still logging everything). You don't have to give up everything you like all the time, just plan for it.

    Another reason I like this approach is because it makes me think of the future: Hey, when I'm at a healthy weight, I'm going to have my goal set as "Maintain my current weight" for the rest of my life.
  • JourneyingJessica
    JourneyingJessica Posts: 261 Member
    I don't think cheat days are good. But "cheat meals" absolutely. For example tonight i had tortellini with garlic bread and real butter! ❤ About 400 calories over my average dinner. I never go over my weekly calorie allotment even if i do on Friday cheat night. I just save some cals during rest of week to average things out.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories