Cheat Meals vs Cheat Days

sambustem

I once had this super awesome sports nutritionist who always said have a "cheat day" once a week. I quit going because he was super awesome expensive too! Anyway. A lot of programs tell you to incorporate a cheat meal or a cheat day. Anyone doing this? Which? And do you feel like a failure when mfp broadcasts on your wall that you went OVER your calorie goal???

I'm thinking of doing the day - but instead of 3 meals in one day, maybe a meal a day on the weekend. Even when I lost over 100lbs, I NEVER did anything Fri. afternoon through Sunday. It was like a weird mental and physical vacation, and worked. But now, I'm scared. If I start off with 3, then I can back off once I get in the groove of this again - that's kinda what I'm thinking. Instead of going into major mental meltdown and TOTALLY craving stuff. Now, granted, I don't eat burgers and stuff like that in general - but maybe healthier versions of resturaunt meals.

Thoughts.....OH and I WON'T be taking of exercise

xraychick77

ugh..cheating.

if you are trying to lose weight. its best to stay away from the cheat days and meals. seriously because most of the time people end up going way over their calories for the week and end up ruining any work they've done that week..hence wont lose weight. plus lots of us dont have the will power to just stop at one meal or one day.

all in all its best to not cheat..and just fit in an indulgence here and there or every day, as long as you are still within your calorie goal.

brisondav

I was thinking about doing the exact same thing, but like you only one meal. I don't think it would hurt. The Body for Life books say you should do it.

aehartley

I just try and cheat smart... I eat relitivly low carb so when I cheat I try and do some kind of carb that my body does need. like thin crust pizza with a million veggies. or mac a cheese with whole wheat pasta and reduce fat cheese... it is like a small treat with health benifits

flowers4me

I think a cheat day helps me, but I usually don't cheat all day. Maybe I just get something I really want or go out to eat with my husband. I still don't go too crazy, but the key is to get right back on your healthy eating the very next day and don't allow yourself to cheat until your actually cheat day. I've lost 14 lbs so far. Yey!

Frappuzzino

If you have control, I see nothing wrong with a cheat day. I am a little more lenient on the weekends, but NEVER go over my calories.

rubyrenga

I don't know...I did a cheat dinner and dessert last night, and it was nice not to worry (I still tried not to go totally overboard), but I didn't feel good about it. I have debated whether to do it one day per month, or just a cheat meal when we go out every so often, but it's scary for me, because I find that once I've had a taste of something I've been missing, I start wanting it more regularly. When I first started this, I didn't eat any bread or pasta. Now, I do, but I stay within my calories most days. However, I feel like since I've introduced these things, I have become a little more lax in general. I guess it depends on the person and their level of willpower, too.

Larius

It's not quite cheating, but I'll let myself eat up to my maintenance Calories once per week. It's theorized to keep your BMR up.

tsaenz09

I don't do cheat days because if I did, then I would destroy all my hard work! However, on either Saturday or Sunday (Mostly Sunday because family day) I will have a cheat meal, but I don't go overboard and eat everything in site. If I do have a cheat meal I make sure first that I'm not going to go over my daily calorie goal first. Having a cheat meal is okay but if you are not a strong will person and you have a hard time saying no or knowing when to stop, then I wouldn't do it. Good Luck!

SarahofTwins

I tried doing both and I learned that a whole weekend of taking off just made me almost want to quit lol....but having a cheat meal once in awhile has kept me on track. However eating the bad foods made me want to crave it that much more. I try my best to make better choices but also keeping it in moderation:happy:

icandothistrish85

I think of my Caloric Allowance as a Food Budget and I ALWAYS save for a treat at the end of my day, be it red wine, dark chocolate, whatever. I do NOT deprive myself in anyways and I am losing great weight and toning very well.

BabyDuchess

I don't refer to it as a cheat......I have a day, Friday, and I eat a dessert of my choice but I do work it into my calories. I've been doing this for the last 7 months and it hasn't caused me to binge or lose focus. I don't think it's realistic to think you are never going to have something you really enjoy.....the key is to include it in your calories so you don't have to worry or feel guilty. :flowerforyou:

chevy88grl

I don't cheat... period.

I eat what I want, when I want. I eat the serving size of whatever I want to eat, I log it and I move on. For me, being able to eat whatever I want - whenever I want it is FAR better than having to wait for a certain day or meal.

bgeer34

For me, I chose from day one to not do that and save "cheating" for special events/times. So from Jan 1 till Jun 17 I only hate good healthy food. I am not on a "diet"... I just changed to eating whole grains, more fruits and veggies, little to no sugar, more water... the "good stuff"... then we went on vacation and designated 2 meals that we could eat whatever we wanted... going so long without white pasta, heavy creams, etc.. and I actually got sick from a very small serving of fettucini alfredo. I guess my body was saying "Hey stop that!"

But with that said, there is a very unhealthy mexican place that we used to go to a lot... I decided that when I lose 100 pounds I am going to go there and choose wisely and try again to have a meal that isn't as healthy (don't like to call it cheating since it's not a diet). But honestly, I substitute and I am completely satisfied with eating healthy... I make homemade pizzas with fat free cheese and whole wheat pitas so I don't miss out on pizza... most things we crave can be made at home in a healthier way so we don't feel like we are doing without.

And if I want chocolate.. Dove makes a sugar free chocolate with creme in the middle... 38 calories but rich and fixes the craving without me going crazy on a pan of brownies.... and eating healthy and seeing my success makes me want the old type of food less and less

Good luck with whatever you decide to try... each person has to do what works for them

Cdcaldwe

I have been on mf p since the first of may,i have now had two cheat meals and they were good. I am on vacation at the beach and couldn't resist some seafood. I woke up this morning and walked about eight mikes to make up for last nights fried shrimp. The other meal was clams and linguine in a white wine sauce. It bothers me that I did it but I figure if I burn a bunch of calories the next day it will be alright.. If I did it every day. I would be in trouble.

SheilaSisco

I find myself less likely to go on an all-out BINGE if I have a cheat meal or not so healthy dessert once in a while. I only do a MEAL, because I feel like if I did a whole day it might be harder to get with the program the next day. Today, for instance, I had a chocolate chip ice cream sandwich after lunch. Not something I do anywhere near regularly, BUT... it fit into my calories and my lunch was pretty healthy (and I was having a serious sugar craving), so I figure it kind of balances out. I don't think a cheat meal will hinder anything, if fact, MANY people do it and praise it and it works for them. I've lost 36 pounds in 5 months with random cheat meals thrown in... it hasn't hindered me one bit. So... if that is what you want to do I say go for it!

VeganGal84

This is where the "diet vs. lifestyle change" thing comes in handy for me. If I'm truly changing the way that I eat, then there is no way to cheat.

That being said, I have started to have one day a week that I don't track. I don't go overboard or eat anything different on that day, I just take a mental break from tracking one day a week.

mohawk1971

I found once I started losing weight it became harder to want to do a cheat day. Seeing your body change and the pounds and inches come off is more rewarding to me than a cheat day. Now, I will on occasion eat something at one meal that is "bad" for me, but I limit the portion size of it.

bcattoes

Since I'm not really on a 'diet' I don't consider the occasional bad food/meal a "cheat", instead it's a slurge. And yes MFP does tell me I'm over and "if every day were like today..." I'd be a big fat cow in no time. But I know that every day won't be like today, so it's no big deal. I don't schedule these splurges though. I may be good as gold for weeks, but then again I may go several weeks in a row where I've splurged at least one day. As long as I don't let the splurges become the norm, it'll all even out in the end.

lb7970

Back in 2003 I did the Body for Life diet and exercise program. They advocate for a cheat day where you don't exercise. The first few weeks I lived for those days. The key here was that after a week of totally clean eating when I did eat whatever I wanted like pizza or fast food, I literally felt physically ill the rest of the day. The next day I felt better eating healthy again. It really cut down how the amount of cheating I did on those days. I cut it back to small cheats on my cheat days instead of all out eat whatever I wanted. So I think the idea of a cheat meal on your day of rest is good. Then you won't overdo it and won't feel sick. Also you won't feel as deprived the rest of the week while you are maintaining a strict diet or calorie limit.

Chrysti3

I used to do low-carb; it worked really well, I lost 70something pounds in 6 months and didn't exercise ONCE. I was also still drinking (vodka and sugar-free red bull, rum and diet coke), and didn't have kids at the time so I could just go to bed at 5:30 when I got home from work and skip dinner. I am now low-cal-ing and exercising, and my lifestyle no longer permits the same unhealthy habits. BUT back to your question; when I was low-carbing, I would have a cookie for dessert, or save the usually discarded tortilla, or have a sandwich (GASP) *with bread* every 10th meal. It gave me something to work towards and it seemed to give my metabolism a kick. Now that I am exercising (which I didn't do when i was low-carbing; ), I almost have a mental block on cheating like that because I work really hard to gain that 500-1000 calorie deficit every day (what MFP displays as "calories remaining" - I shoot for about 700 per day after exercising to lose 1.5lbs per week) to blow it all on a 'bad' meal.

I do, however, have a light at the end of the tunnel.

I am getting married on 11-11-11 and I have promised myself that if I can be at my goal weight (130 - I was 211 when I gave birth to my daughter 5 months ago) on wedding day, I don't have to exercise or count a single calorie on our honeymoon. I did, however make sure that we registered for a nice bathroom scale, a food scale, and a salad spinner to make sure we don't fall into permanent unhealthy habits.

I would recommend setting a very particular period of cheat time once you reach a goal - be it one whole day for every 10 lbs (I didn't read your profile, so I don't know what your goals/progress are), or a weekend for every 30... do what feels right... don't torture yourself, and the BEST diet tool is a dieting friend to split a cookie with.

Best of luck!!!