Diet "Cheat Day" truths... Advice/Suggestions?

heaventrull

So I have not "cheated" on my diet yet. However, I have read in a few places online that a cheat day is necessary for your body to continue to lose weight. Something about how your body adjusts to your new diet and stops losing weight.. I'm not sure about this at all. Any advice?

Edit: I hope this isn't already posted and I just overlooked it.

vettle

I'm not sure about that. I haven't cheated either, but I know people that do and still continue to lose weight. I haven't hit the wall yet in my weight loss but I'm sure it happens eventually. But ultimatley, you have to burn more than you eat in order to lose - just general science. So as long as this is still true, the weight will eventually come off.

HMonsterX

Its not always as simple as calories out > calories in. I had 3 weeks of zero loss, despite having a good deficit.

Cheat days can stop the body getting used to the reduced calories, and taking that as the norm. Just dont go crazy with it

missxchelly

Well first and foremost this is NOT a diet, it's a life style change. You need to treat yourself every now and then because it's unrealistic of you not too. As soon as I hit a mini goal I had for myself, (and every 6 weeks) My Husband and I agreed to go out and eat and splurge. We exercise before hand, so the caloric intake is not so bad but it's good to go out and do those things every once and awhile as long as they are not excessive. It helps you stay focused and on track because let's face it... we're humans. We crave things, it's okay.

Jorra

I "cheat" on special occasions. This is my life and my lifestyle change isn't going to ruin special days like my fiancee's birthday or my best friend's wedding!

There is some truth to benefits of cheat days. First of all, you don't go crazy and end up splurging in an unplanned way. You get your cravings taken care of. Second of all, having a high calorie day may jumpstart your metabolism. I like to think of it as reminding my body that there is food around and I'm choosing not to eat it for a reason!

heaventrull

Thank you all!! my "cheat" was Subway because I dont eat out. Haha.

SuperMoniMonk

I was good for a whole 6 weeks straight..lost about 2 pounds :ohwell: then due to soreness stopped exercising for 3 days, the next time I did workout my body felt the burn a lot more, This pass weekend I cheated felt moraly awful ..I had been really good for 6 weeks and there I go ruining everything :grumble: so I thought !!!! Had a a big lost almost 2 pounds by Thursday =D !!

It's good to shock the body!

vettle

Its not always as simple as calories out > calories in. I had 3 weeks of zero loss, despite having a good deficit.

Cheat days can stop the body getting used to the reduced calories, and taking that as the norm. Just dont go crazy with it

That's totally different. If you have a huge defecit in calories, your body will shut down to try and stay alive.

VeganGal84

I'm in the "this is a lifestyle change, and you can't cheat on a lifestyle change" group.

However, part of my new dieting lifestyle is to incorporate one non-tracking day a week. Usually I will choose Saturday, and will still make good choices, just not track my food or exercise on MFP that day. Just take a little vacation from tracking once a week.

I have had success with "cheat days" in the past, though. Now, my mindset is more "everything in moderation" and I just try to make healthy food decisions at least 80% of the time, allowing myself to indulge on favorite high-cal/high fat/really sweet/really salty treats daily, as long as I also eat all of my healthy foods that day.

HMonsterX

Its not always as simple as calories out > calories in. I had 3 weeks of zero loss, despite having a good deficit.

Cheat days can stop the body getting used to the reduced calories, and taking that as the norm. Just dont go crazy with it

That's totally different. If you have a huge defecit in calories, your body will shut down to try and stay alive.

My three weeks of 0 loss wasnt starvation mode. I had that mode when i was eating 1200 cals earlier in my lose, and it stopped. When i ate more, the weight starting coming off again. Your body does get used to a lower cal intake. Thats why they say change up your exercise routine every few weeks, or zigzag your calories, etc. Just something, anything, to stop the body getting complacent!

dad106

To me their not "cheat" days.. to me it's part of my life.

If my body wants ice cream, it's getting ice cream but not without a workout. If it wants a burger, same thing, gotta go get that workout in first.

So far I've lost 23 pounds that way... and haven't really stalled much.

dawnw30

Every Sunday is my cheat day. I eat what I want, in moderation ofcourse! All week long whenever I want something not so good for me I know I can have it on Sunday and it helps me stick with it. So far it has been working fine for me.

CARNAT22

I've never had a cheat day but I do have the occasional cheat evening (so it may just be one meal that I am not counting?)

To be honest I have been close to goal for ages now and I've stopped smoking so I don't think I benefit at all from cheat evenings - although in terms of morale it is good to have a night off.

I don't even go too overboard on my cheat night, it is more an excuse for me to not to cook (I cook the other 6 nights!) sometimes it may be a meal out sometimes it may be the OH cooking or I'll grab some low cal ready meals..

mrsrice86

I have a treat night on a Sunday. Either eating out or a take-away. I lost nearly 100lbs that way. Unfortunately, when i got pregnant i slipped back into old habbits and put a lot of the weight back on lol! But i've now got back on track after having my 2 children, and have lost almost 20lb up to now doing the same thing again (good all week, treat sunday night).

Katie3784

I agree, and this all plays into the idea of starvation mode. When on a calorie restricted diet, you will lose a lot at first. Then, your body starts to think it is starving and it begins holding onto your fat stores for dear life. Having a cheat day once or twice a week, or even upping you daily intake with healthy food tells your body that it is safe and then it starts releasing the fat. I went on vacation last month and ate like a pig. I had candy, ice cream , all you can eat seafood, and pizze- all things I would not dare to eat at home. Wehn I got back, I dreaded weighing myslef, but when I did, I saw that I had gained no weight. I was ecstatic because I thought I would have gained at least five. I know I did not lose, but that's because I was eating at least an extra 800 calories a day. If you up it by 200 calories, I think you will really see a difference in your weight.

joejccva71

Its not always as simple as calories out > calories in. I had 3 weeks of zero loss, despite having a good deficit.

Cheat days can stop the body getting used to the reduced calories, and taking that as the norm. Just dont go crazy with it

It is in fact as simple as calories in versus calories out to lose weight. It's just everyone hits slumps/plateaus as your body adjusts to dropping more weight. Thats why you will go through a plateau or a slump for 2-3 weeks and then you lose 5 lbs overnight. Your body goes through "mood swings" so to speak.

cheri0627

I don't call mine cheat days/meals, because I'm not cheating. I'm just occasionally having things that aren't as good for me. Usually I just have one evening out at the bar a week, and I try to make good choices while I'm there, but I also have a couple of beers. After those couple of beers and dinner, sometimes I'm a little more free with my choices and I'll add dessert or an appetizer that just sounded good. In general, I'm still losing, so I'm not worrying about it.