"Cheat Day"

kritastic

So i've heard of many diets that allow a cheat day or a cheat meal or dessert etc. What is your take on this concept? Does anyone schedule a cheat day into their diet where you eat foods that wouldn't normally be diet friendly? Do you find that it helps keep you from feeling deprived or just leads you to crave more unhealthy choices?

Acg67

i think it can be beneficial for diet adherence purposes, and depending on how long you've been dieting, what type of diet and how large a deficit you've been running it can have other benefits. So to sum it up i don't think they are necessary if you have a lot of weight still to lose, but as you get leaner they provide more benefits

And you can eat "unhealthy" things every day if you fit it in your cals, i eat ben and jerry's almost everyday among other things

Catzwitch

I give myself weekends off - I have alcoholic beverages and less than stellar choices, but I am pretty faithful during the week. I'd probably lose faster but I am at a comfortable balance and not doing too bad. I just try and increase my activity level on weekends to make up for it.

hyrumshell

I used to... I don' t necessarily recommend it because it is hard for me to come back from it. Instead, if I want a treat, I work it into my regular weight loss calorie allowance. This has been a much better way for me to not feel deprived, and I can still lose weight. I also don't eat as much of the bad stuff this way....

not that it matters because you don't know me, but I just realized that I am posting this under my husband's profile instead of my own..haha

audram420

I don't look at it as a "cheat day"...If I choose to go over my calories, I enjoy and try to balance it with lots of water and extra exercise...I don't schedule those days, but i don't necessarly make myself miserable avoiding them either. I work them into my life!

SaundraU

I don't have a cheat day every week any longer but yep I build them in. If you deprive yourself totally then you'll not be motivated to keep at it. Also I don't think of this as a diet but a lifestyle change that I will always be doing but will be modified as life changes, with this thought I don't plan on never having a good rich meal. I generally reward myself when I hit certain goals with these cheat days.

I have found that I crave the "bad" things less and when I do have them they are not as fulfilling.

sc1572

I try not to have cheat days, but occasionally splurge. Once a week I allow myself one meal our that's semi-healthy or a frozen yogurt trip to my fav place. However, each night I allow a small treat so I won't be tempted to binge later by depriving myself. However, holidays and birthdays I always let myself enjoy the day and get right on track the next day.

geminirooster

Hmm.. I view it as a Hiroshima style bomb on your diet. Why do all that work all week and then muck it all up? Doesn't make much sense when you think about it. Hiroshima was beautiful, perfectly landscaped, people living at peace - and that was destroyed within a few minutes.

I often think about this, honestly - because I'd love to dive into a bag of chips again - but I think to myself "Why?" "The point isn't to reward myself for doing so well the whole week by giving myself food." Its frustrating, but a slippery slope.

I lost all my weight once - 210 lbs. I had made it to my goal weight. Then I said to myself - while on maint.... "Eh, one 3.25 bag of doritos isn't going to make me gain more than a pound! no big deal. But then that grew and grew and eventually so did I. Repeating bad habits gets us to where we are.

In sum - embrace the hard work you've done all week. Don't ruin it by adding sabotage foods! Take some pride in your work.

Fredrigo

I find a cheat day can help shoick my system into shedding a few extra pounds but I limit my cheat days. I'll basically allow myself an extra 500 calories if I've been approx the same weight for 4 or more days. of course my weight jumps up a bit the next day but the following day I often lose twice as much as I added and that seems to get the metaboliosm back in higher gear.

I also cheat on big family holidays by not sticking strictly to my calorie goals but I still record everything just so I can keep an awareness of how much I'm eating which helps motivate me to get back on track and stay consistent the following weeks.

Riverofbeauty

I allow myself something everyday (something small, like a chocolate, a biscuit, scoop of ice cream for dessert etc). But otherwise in the weekdays I eat really clean and am always in my calorie range.

Saturdays, I do what I want really. I still count calories, and try not to go to overboard, but I'll generally have some form of takeaways for tea, and maybe a cafe drink in the day.

I'm more likely to go back to bad habits if I don't allow myself things every now and then.

JRMcCaghren

Everyone is different, but personally I can barely stay on a diet without a free day. Most research I've seen indicates that it helps a lot in losing weight. For one thing, your body can get used to fewer calories and you will start losing weight slower if you don't occasionally indulge. Also, if you are a fan (worshiper?) of fast food (like me), it makes things much easier to know you can have junk food every once in a while.

denisegolden

i think it is doable, that is to fit in foods that you wouldnt consider "diet" or "healthy" foods into your planned meal. it helps you not feel deprieved or resentful, both feelings that can lead to giving up. but, dont fool yourself, dont do it often, dont overeat and plan it. i myself dont do "cheat" meals/days because i have had gastric bypass, it would be very harmful. i am vey limited to what i can eat.

NoAdditives

When I was losing weight (I'm pregnant now) I gave myself weekends off from exercise and counting calories. At first I indulged in junk foods and sweets but as I went along and made healthy changes to my diet I found I did that less and less. Before I got pregnant I wasn't going crazy on junk food, I was just enjoying two days off of not worrying too much about everything. If we went out to a restaurant I'd order what I wanted, not what would fit into my calorie goal. The freedom was something I enjoyed.

willdbill0712

I usually use Sunday lunch as my cheat time. Usually by Thursday I am craving something, so, I try to satisfy my craving by eating it for Sunday lunch. I try to keep in mind that lifestyle changes are to make life better. If I feel my new lifestyle is nothing but negative ALL the time, then what joy is in it?
To me, the big key is to be mindful of what you put in your mouth to eat. I know when I am 'cheating' that it is a reward for a great week, and not something I am going to eat every day like in the past.

engineman312

its football season, so that means sunday is a cheat day for me and many men and women dieting here. however i plan on doing a big work out sunday mornings, and do my best to have healthy snacks throughout the day. multigrain chips, carrots and hummus, toasted pita bread. i won't switch to the light beer. i like the regular stuff too much. but i will limit myself to 4 beers throughout the day.

Acg67

Hmm.. I view it as a Hiroshima style bomb on your diet. Why do all that work all week and then muck it all up? Doesn't make much sense when you think about it. Hiroshima was beautiful, perfectly landscaped, people living at peace - and that was destroyed within a few minutes.

I often think about this, honestly - because I'd love to dive into a bag of chips again - but I think to myself "Why?" "The point isn't to reward myself for doing so well the whole week by giving myself food." Its frustrating, but a slippery slope.

I lost all my weight once - 210 lbs. I had made it to my goal weight. Then I said to myself - while on maint.... "Eh, one 3.25 bag of doritos isn't going to make me gain more than a pound! no big deal. But then that grew and grew and eventually so did I. Repeating bad habits gets us to where we are.

In sum - embrace the hard work you've done all week. Don't ruin it by adding sabotage foods! Take some pride in your work.

no single food makes you fat, overeating does. assuming adequate protein intake, food choices make little difference in terms of weight loss. a "bad" food doesn't sabotage one's diet, lack of will power to eat it in moderation does

geminirooster

Hmm.. I view it as a Hiroshima style bomb on your diet. Why do all that work all week and then muck it all up? Doesn't make much sense when you think about it. Hiroshima was beautiful, perfectly landscaped, people living at peace - and that was destroyed within a few minutes.

I often think about this, honestly - because I'd love to dive into a bag of chips again - but I think to myself "Why?" "The point isn't to reward myself for doing so well the whole week by giving myself food." Its frustrating, but a slippery slope.

I lost all my weight once - 210 lbs. I had made it to my goal weight. Then I said to myself - while on maint.... "Eh, one 3.25 bag of doritos isn't going to make me gain more than a pound! no big deal. But then that grew and grew and eventually so did I. Repeating bad habits gets us to where we are.

In sum - embrace the hard work you've done all week. Don't ruin it by adding sabotage foods! Take some pride in your work.

no single food makes you fat, overeating does. assuming adequate protein intake, food choices make little difference in terms of weight loss. a "bad" food doesn't sabotage one's diet, lack of will power to eat it in moderation does

Agreed - but there's an assumption made there that should not be made. Most people in our collective position don't do moderation. Its like telling an alcoholic to drink only one or two beers... and its ok because its in moderation. Food is an addiction, plain and simple.

Merlsy

I definitely have a cheat day, Saturdays! BUT, I incorporate it into my daily calorie count, and if I want that Milky Way but it takes me over then I do what exercise is needed to get it.

Having done this trip already and losing (37kg) 83.6lb (and putting it all back on after my Dad died), I can honestly say that I deprived myself of the bad stuff and it made it so much easier to lose focus. I'm having the bad stuff this time around to quash any cravings I may get, and I'm feeling very confident about it!!

Good luck on your journey, and remember - WILLPOWER!!

geminirooster

I definitely have a cheat day, Saturdays! BUT, I incorporate it into my daily calorie count, and if I want that Milky Way but it takes me over then I do what exercise is needed to get it.

Having done this trip already and losing (37kg) 83.6lb (and putting it all back on after my Dad died), I can honestly say that I deprived myself of the bad stuff and it made it so much easier to lose focus. I'm having the bad stuff this time around to quash any cravings I may get, and I'm feeling very confident about it!!

Good luck on your journey, and remember - WILLPOWER!!

THUMBS UP TO YOU! That's the way to do it if you ARE going to do it!

Bluestar083

When I am my usual weight (52-53kg) I eat healthy during the week but have a more relaxed view (ie dessert, going out for dinner, restaurants etc-NOT a binge!) on the weekends (fri eve to sun eve) and maintain my weight but when i need to lose weight I have a cheat meal, on a weekend night (fri or sat) when I am out with my friends or fiancee. Not a whole day, not a whole weekend but a meal (dinner, drinks and DESSERT-I have a sweet tooth)
However I don't feel deprived the rest of the time as I have 5 squares of dark chocolate for dessert every evening. 100 calories that I savor and make last for an hour-so feel I have been eating chocolate for an hour.
Works for me.

sugarbone

I like to slip in a treat on Friday or Saturday. I will almost always fit it into my macro goals though, maaaybe going over sugar of fat a bit, and always in calorie range. If you have this treat to look forward to, eating healthy is not drudgery nor the end of the world! I also enjoy eating healthy now, lol.