Are Cheat Days Allowed????

dolphin21

Hey, I like to know if you can have cheat days while doing your journey???? If so how many can you have? Can it be one a day or once a week???? What do you guys do? Do everybody have cheat days?? I have cheat days:ohwell: :ohwell: :ohwell:

chevy88grl

I don't have cheat meals or cheat days. I eat what I want, when I want it. I've learned to eat all the things I enjoy - IN MODERATION. I feel, for me, knowing I can have whatever I want, whenever I want it has helped to control the binge eating I used to experience a lot of the time. I also feel like it makes this less of a "diet" and more of a "lifestyle change". I've learned to log what I eat, account for the calories and move on with my day.

av8rblond

I am with chevy....allowing myself whatever I want allows me to just live life. To me this isn't a diet, it is living a healthier life. Cheating is what bit my fat *kitten* in the first place..lol

JAllen32

Cheat days are incouraged!! I live by the 80/20 rule, 80% of the time you do everything right, but leave 20% for things you really want. In moderations, of course. You can't deprive yourself, or you will end up stuffing your face with that pizza you won't allow yourself to have! lol When I have those days, I still try to log as much as I can, so I can at least see whats going on. Thats how I learn. Then I don't beat myself up over it. I know that its just a small part of my life, and I live the rest of my life as clean as possible. Good Luck!!!

Deb2012

I don't have cheat meals or cheat days. I eat what I want, when I want it. I've learned to eat all the things I enjoy - IN MODERATION. I feel, for me, knowing I can have whatever I want, whenever I want it has helped to control the binge eating I used to experience a lot of the time. I also feel like it makes this less of a "diet" and more of a "lifestyle change". I've learned to log what I eat, account for the calories and move on with my day.

Agreed!! I think if you are too strict on youself most people end up caving. It is a lifestyle not a diet, and these "bad" foods are part of life.

JAllen32

I don't have cheat meals or cheat days. I eat what I want, when I want it. I've learned to eat all the things I enjoy - IN MODERATION. I feel, for me, knowing I can have whatever I want, whenever I want it has helped to control the binge eating I used to experience a lot of the time. I also feel like it makes this less of a "diet" and more of a "lifestyle change". I've learned to log what I eat, account for the calories and move on with my day.

Exactly!!!

Lauren38570

good thinking!

realrayne10

I agree. the guys at work are always asking me what I can eat and what I cant. I tell them, I can eat what I want as long as I plan for it in advance so it fits in the days budget.

sc1572

At my university during the year I allow myself two treats a week. All week, and on weekends, I ate as healthy as I could and exercised everyday. During the week, I allowed myself a small sweet each night. However, my friend and I did Frozen Yogurt Fridays and Sandwich/Smoothie Saturdays every weekend as our treats at our local favorite places.

skinnylove00

today i had a cheat day... endless scoops of chocolate protein powder

pudd1e

Chevy88grl has it 100% right on. When you have one cheat day, it turns into two cheat days, which turns into three. Instead, just enjoy what you want to enjoy, but do it in moderation and stick to your calorie limit. Binge eating is bad, bad, bad!

taso42_DELETED

I call it a "free day" (and I despise the term "cheat day"). One day a week, have at it. The rest of the week, strive for perfection.

It's really up to the individual, based on their goals and personal preference.

dolphin21

I don't have cheat meals or cheat days. I eat what I want, when I want it. I've learned to eat all the things I enjoy - IN MODERATION. I feel, for me, knowing I can have whatever I want, whenever I want it has helped to control the binge eating I used to experience a lot of the time. I also feel like it makes this less of a "diet" and more of a "lifestyle change". I've learned to log what I eat, account for the calories and move on with my day.

Exactly!!!

Thanks for the good infor!!!!! I will think like this for now on........so i can have what i want!!!!! I will portion my food so i can still have it

taso42_DELETED

When you have one cheat day, it turns into two cheat days, which turns into three.

No, that's called falling off the wagon. Quite a different thing from a planned free day. And free day doesn't necessarily mean a binge fest.

chillijam1

i agree with peoples comments ,i dont have cheat days i incorp food if i fancy it ,but i must admit i dont feel like im dieting in MFP i calorie count there is a difference ,which means yes you can have what you want has long has its within your calorie allowance ,im not saying go and have doughnuts or chocolate or fast food everyday etc because your body needs fruit and vegetables so has long has its balanced yes have a treat but count it in .I tend to keep my treat to fridays or saturdays where i will have a drink or treat but i dont drink during the week.hope you find this helpful :drinker:

Thriceshy

Hey, I like to know if you can have cheat days while doing your journey???? If so how many can you have? Can it be one a day or once a week???? What do you guys do? Do everybody have cheat days?? I have cheat days:ohwell: :ohwell: :ohwell:

It's your life, you can have what you want. For me, no cheat days--every diet that's ever failed in my life has failed because of cheat days, because of allowing myself the mindset of "these certain days I can eat like 'normal'." Bad, bad idea for me--I need to stop viewing gluttony and sloppy face-stuffing as my "normal." So I don't do that anymore--if I want something, I work around my calories and serving sizes until it fits into my day, and if it won't fit, I have it tomorrow instead.

That's just me--some folks swear by "cheats." But the mentality behind it sabotages me every time, and I can't screw this up.

Kris

dolphin21

Chevy88grl has it 100% right on. When you have one cheat day, it turns into two cheat days, which turns into three. Instead, just enjoy what you want to enjoy, but do it in moderation and stick to your calorie limit. Binge eating is bad, bad, bad!
[/quote

Its vary true......cause it has happen to me!!!! Just got to portion my foods i want to eat more of!]

dolphin21

i agree with peoples comments ,i dont have cheat days i incorp food if i fancy it ,but i must admit i dont feel like im dieting in MFP i calorie count there is a difference ,which means yes you can have what you want has long has its within your calorie allowance ,im not saying go and have doughnuts or chocolate or fast food everyday etc because your body needs fruit and vegetables so has long has its balanced yes have a treat but count it in .I tend to keep my treat to fridays or saturdays where i will have a drink or treat but i dont drink during the week.hope you find this helpful :drinker:
[/quote

Lol!!!! I like my weekends too:flowerforyou: ]

chevy88grl

I don't have cheat meals or cheat days. I eat what I want, when I want it. I've learned to eat all the things I enjoy - IN MODERATION. I feel, for me, knowing I can have whatever I want, whenever I want it has helped to control the binge eating I used to experience a lot of the time. I also feel like it makes this less of a "diet" and more of a "lifestyle change". I've learned to log what I eat, account for the calories and move on with my day.

Exactly!!!

Thanks for the good infor!!!!! I will think like this for now on........so i can have what i want!!!!! I will portion my food so i can still have it

When I first started - I was VERY strict with myself. I told myself this or that or the other thing was "off limits". Unfortunately, I would find myself craving something that I had considered "off limits" and would then binge on it. After 6 weeks or so, I decided that wasn't working for me and I changed my total mindset. I decided that learning to eat a serving size of something (and working it into my daily calories) was probably going to work better for me than being so strict.

And it does work. I don't have intense, can't think of anything else cravings for ANYTHING anymore. If I'm at the store and I see something I want - I buy it (I have been known to pick something that gives me more bang for my buck calorie-wise. I'll choose something that gives me 1 cup for 120 calories than something that only gives me 1/2 cup for 150 calories... I use my calories wisely. LOL). I go home, I eat the serving size of it, I log it and I move on with life. I don't wallow in guilt. I don't make myself feel bad for eating it. I don't regret it.

chevy88grl

When you have one cheat day, it turns into two cheat days, which turns into three.

No, that's called falling off the wagon. Quite a different thing from a planned free day. And free day doesn't necessarily mean a binge fest.

I think for some people a free day CAN lead to a binge fest, unfortunately.

Lyadeia

Hey, I like to know if you can have cheat days while doing your journey???? If so how many can you have? Can it be one a day or once a week???? What do you guys do? Do everybody have cheat days?? I have cheat days:ohwell: :ohwell: :ohwell:

If you want to have your cheat day, go ahead and have your cheat day. Just make sure that you are mentally prepared and don't start any "I failed" threads on the support forum when you do. :flowerforyou:

That being said, I used to be super strict on my diet eating a certain amount of calories everyday and saving just 1 meal per week where I could flat out pig out. This was usually a pizza while watching football. :bigsmile: It worked for me for a while until that 1 meal became a 1 whole day thing and then the 1 whole day thing continued on to the next day and I stopped working out...

What I do now is calorie cycling and carb cycling. I eat only healthy foods on a daily basis, but I stick to around 1500 calories and lower carbs for 3 days and then 1 day of 1800 calories and higher carbs. This allows me to have some pasta or healthy pizza and still not "cheat" because I have healthy recipes. I have no guilt, and I don't even have cravings any more like I did previously having cheat meals or cheat days. It works for me this way.

ChantalGG

It i have a "cheat day" I eat less at calories for the two meals i am not eating badly and then I also exercise in the morning and i still dont go too much over on the calories for the day.

bhagavatilad1

Ask yourself how long have you been doing this? and is it really a cheat day if you are always aware of what it is that you are eating? think about it. I don't think you will personally put yourself at any risk deliberatly if you splurge now and again and a good way to burn it off is exercise always.

red01angel

I do cheat MEALS not entire free-for-all days. I find that whole days of whatever I want tend to let me give myself permission to be a complete moron and go over by an avg of 1500. At least when it's a singular meal, I only go over by 500 or so.

dolphin21

Ask yourself how long have you been doing this? and is it really a cheat day if you are always aware of what it is that you are eating? think about it. I don't think you will personally put yourself at any risk deliberatly if you splurge now and again and a good way to burn it off is exercise always.

Yes!!!!! Its so right u can have as long u exercises n portion yourself! !! Thax

hanna1210

I call it a "free day" (and I despise the term "cheat day"). One day a week, have at it. The rest of the week, strive for perfection.

It's really up to the individual, based on their goals and personal preference.

I do the same! And I make sure to log it, too. And really, it's usually not that far off my calorie goal. Which shows me that I'm starting to make healthier choices - the real goal.

FinallyFit28

I don't see anything wrong with having "cheat" day(s) but what I find works well with me is not putting myself on a strict diet. I'm practicing portion control with everything I enjoy eatting. Somedays I feel like eatting more of this than that but I do my best to balance those "cheat" days with more exercise. It looks like you are doing well. Keep it up. :happy:

FinallyFit28

Totally agreed with how you put it.

Obstinate07

I agree, I eat the meals that I want and suprising I am losing weight with that method and I don't feel deprieved. However, the key is to eat in moderation like you said.

FinallyFit28

lol...what brand do you use? I like the Lean Dessert Protein shake (Chocolate Coconut) Yummy!!

nickiben

If you get a good deficit every day, but then blow it all on a cheat day once a week, whats the point??? I work treats into my daily calorie allowance, so I can still have that bar of chocolate and not feel deprived, but then dont undo all my good work.