Day off / Cheat day

emmamolly

Does anyone have a day off/cheat day?

I am not strict at weekends and never record calories but seeing as i am gaining and not losing as much i think i need to rethink this and maybe just have the 1 day off and be more strict at the weekends?

Thoughts??

AngieM76

I am trying my best to not have any cheat days. Maybe a cheat meal but still in moderation. I am only 2 weeks in and havent had any cheats so far but I have a feeling this weekend, the carnival food will get the best of me.

AngieM76

And I think having a cheat meal here and there helps you because you arent denying your body the cravings its having. I think moderation and portion control is the key.

lucky1ns

I just had a cheat 3 months.

beccala18

I don't take a day off from logging, even when I don't stay within my calories. I would start by tracking your "day off" just to see - it might be that you are consuming a ton of sodium or going over by more than you think and that could be hindering your weight loss.

Scarlett_S

For me, its best two have two cheat "occasions" and not days. Like, Friday night (dinner out, usually and a drink) and Saturday night - we might bbq or go out with friends. I still try to eat healthy all day long prior and minimize my calories during the day for the night out.

mckshowie

this just made me laugh out loud. no to laugh at your misfortunes or anything...

I just had a cheat 3 months.

iamMaLisa

i dont allow myself a cheat day, i would go overboards. So i try to have a small portion of something i totaly love every once in awhile, so that i dont feel deprived of my favorites.

Teeladog

I don't have a cheat day because I know that it is entirely possible for me to eat my entire week's calorie deficit in one day. However, my family does mexican food every Sunday night and I make myself a big plate of nachos and eat it without guilt that night. I always go over on my calorie goal that day but I try to keep it within what maintenance levels would be. So far, so good.

Sharont213

I don't take a day off from logging, even when I don't stay within my calories. I would start by tracking your "day off" just to see - it might be that you are consuming a ton of sodium or going over by more than you think and that could be hindering your weight loss.

I agree.. I log everyday - if I go over, at least it is with awareness. That is what makes this a lifestyle change and not a diet.

sesecat

I don't have full cheats. I just rearrange my day or add more exercise. For example, every other Friday is donut day at work. I already have my donut entered, as well as a bagel for lunch. Now I know what my goals are for the remaining food I consume.

Lizshouse88

I don't have cheat days or meals because I don't keep myself from the foods I like. If I want to go out and have pizza, I go out and have pizza. If I want a big lunch, I have a big lunch. I have found that this keeps me from WANTING to cheat and pig out because i'm not depriving myself. On days I eat my fav. foods I make up for it by not eating as much the rest of the day and eating healthier meals the rest of the day. I've lost 14lbs so far so I guess it's working!

thisismynewmindset

There are some studies that say a cheat day is good for your metabolism and getting out of plateaus!

melsinct

Never a whole day. A meal? Yes. Kind of.

I log everything, the good, bad and ugly. While some meals I let myself eat/drink and get loose with the calories (see my Saturday night), I still don't go too crazy. Allowing yourself to eat unlimited food all day is a slippery slope, for me anyway. You can only do so much damage in one meal. But a whole day? Yikes. I am not willing to undo what I did all week.

Mekob25

I've been doing the MFP since January and no, I don't allow myself a "cheat day". I feel like I'm trying to make this a lifestyle change and not just a diet. I think if I gave myself a "cheat day", it would be as if I'm on a diet and I probably would go hog-wild on that day! I do allow myself 2 days a week that I don't workout, but I still stay under my calories on those days.

Kristhin

Sometimes I have a 'cheat day' as in I go over my calories because I was hungry and got a little out of control of myself and ate too much. Never a planned cheat day or never the mentality of, "oh this day is ________ i'll just eat whatever" I think its importan not to give yourself those allowances or you'll just end up regularly making up for any good you did on the days where you did watch your diet.

albayin

I just had a cheat 3 months.

too funny. can't help it...

ubabe1

I don't have cheat days but if I want to eat something "bad" like a slice of Oreo cookies ice cream cake, I will make sure I stay low on other meals. And I don't feel guilty. I won't do an entire day of "crazy". You should treat yourself once in awhile so you won't binge on stuff.

rowdymcrowdy

Good luck with that--lol Personally, I am a strict routine person and I can't have a cheat day or a no exercise day because if I do I find it too too easy to fall into some bad habits---so I try not to think about it. I envy those that can get off the horse for one day.

27strange

I don't take a specific day off. I have found over the last few years of roller coaster dieting/exercising (this time its a lifestyle change and its working! :-) that if I take a specific day off each week, say Sunday, then my Mondays are so much harder to stick to my plan and goals. One full day off ruins my mental progress and eats at my motivation. Rather, here or there I will treat myself to something sporadically (i.e. this weekend we will have an anniversary dinner, but I will increase my work-out that same day)

albayin

From what I have heard and read, a day off once in a while could actually estimulate the system and speed up the weight loss. But I still haven't found out what the tricks are and how to cheat to make it work on my benefit. every time I cheat, my scale becomes so disagreeable.