Do Any Of You Have a Cheat Day?

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  • StaceyKeller71
    StaceyKeller71 Posts: 24
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    I choose to use "treat day" instead of "cheat day"...and yes I treat myself but in smaller portions--then back on track - Sunday is my treat meal... :drinker:

    I love the idea of calling it "treat day" instead of cheat day. I think I'll adapt that!
  • tonilizzy88
    tonilizzy88 Posts: 968 Member
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    mine is every sunday after weighing in the morning ill do good most of the day but i will treat myself to chocolate or dessert and maybe a glass of wine :) i look forward to sundays i also know that mondays its time to get back to it :) works for me
  • MelissaGraham7
    MelissaGraham7 Posts: 403 Member
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    I don't need "cheat" days because I don't restrict myself from any particular food or food group. On weekends, I may eat out or splurge but I start each day with an 8-10 mile walk/run to take up the extra calories. I don't like the term cheating. I don't like the term dieting. I've been at this for 2 years and for me it is a lifestyle change, so I don't need to cheat at living. :wink: I just make sure I offset any extra calories I may consume with extra activity!
  • havalinaaa
    havalinaaa Posts: 333 Member
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    On the weekends I'm more lax about staying under my 500 calorie deficit, but I never go over my maintenance. Usually I wind up with a 300 calorie deficit instead of a 500, some people would think of this as zig-zagging I suppose. I weigh in on Mondays and always see a drop even after my slightly higher calorie weekend.

    And about once a month I just don't log for a day. I still make healthy choices on those days, I just don't sweat the #'s. If I want a 'cheat' food, I'd rather work it into my daily allowance than make it blow my day. Or take a longer walk with the dog to have some exercise calories to eat.

    I do intend to eat whatever the hell I want on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Fourth of July. Those are cheat days I suppose, but more like enjoying what life has to offer days. I haven't decided if I'll try to log them or not, though probably not.
  • havalinaaa
    havalinaaa Posts: 333 Member
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    I don't need "cheat" days because I don't restrict myself from any particular food or food group. On weekends, I may eat out or splurge but I start each day with an 8-10 mile walk/run to take up the extra calories. I don't like the term cheating. I don't like the term dieting. I've been at this for 2 years and for me it is a lifestyle change, so I don't need to cheat at living. :wink: I just make sure I offset any extra calories I may consume with extra activity!

    ^^^This is excellent, imo^^^
  • JamieRomig
    JamieRomig Posts: 6
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    I try not to have a cheat day, but if I'm craving something fierce, I will give it to myself, in smaller portions. Like right now, I'm indulging in a Vanilla Latte from Biggby's, but with skim milk instead of regular. I try to maintain good eating throughout the week, and on weekends, if I have been craving something SOOOO much, I will give it to myself. I'd rather be happy and lose weight slower, than miserable and skinny. However, I do keep track of it on my counter. I don't want to pretend like it never happened. That also helps me make better decisions during the week, when I'm craving Taco Bell, I can look back and say, "No, you had Panera Bread over the weekend, maybe later."
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Just wondering how many dieters out there schedule a regular "cheat" day. There are programs out there that actually suggest it - Body for Life for example. Even Weight Watchers gives you "extra points" that could very well be used towards a cheat day. On top of that, I have heard that the Biggest Loser also gives contestants a cheat day once a week.

    In the past, when dieting, I have given myself a cheat meal but eventually, that lead to a cheat day, and then a cheat weekend. I need to figure out how to bring balance to my way of eating. Because I need to kick start my weight loss, I am going to avoid cheat meals for right now. However, I believe that if I completely eliminate foods from my life, I will eventually cave and instead of eating one slice of cake, I'll eat the whole thing.

    I'd love to know your thoughts on this!

    i had a 'treat' meal usually once per week when i was losing weight, and now i am maintaining i just go for an 'everything in moderation' approach and as long as i stick to my calories i eat what i like.
  • stubbysticks
    stubbysticks Posts: 1,275 Member
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    I don't "cheat" because that implies there's something wrong with it. I do, however, have a Spike Day every weekend where I intentionally eat whatever I want at a minimum of 3600 calories (oh yeah!). It is glorious. I limit it to 24 hours, & when it's over, it's over. It's an ingenious way to lose weight in my opinion...I can't wait forever to eat my Ben & Jerry's, but I can wait 6 days, & that's the longest I have to wait to eat anything I want.
  • tuffytuffy1
    tuffytuffy1 Posts: 920 Member
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    I had been avoiding cheat days most of the time, because frankly I'm hardly losing any weight even not cheating. But I was pleasantly suprised this morning when I woke up .5 pounds lighter than yesterday, and for dinner I had gone to a bar and had beer, tons of wings, and nachos. Yum!
  • woou
    woou Posts: 668 Member
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    only when i go out with my extended family which is just a handful of times (4-5 days) throughout the year. i've learned to make healthy versions of the foods i like and eat them whenever i want. :smile: also, eating small portions when friends and family order in a pizza or something helps as well.
  • chyloet
    chyloet Posts: 196 Member
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    I don't have a cheat day. However, I do have a day where I still eat a healthy diet but do not keep track of it and on that day I may have ice cream or a couple of beers, something that I wouldn't normally have. But, I don't consider it cheating. I just resolve not to log that day so that I don't feel bad about it, it's better if I don't know exactly how many empty calories were in that 16oz Tecate ... that I enjoyed thoroughly ;)
  • MaryAnn678
    MaryAnn678 Posts: 182 Member
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    Use any exercise calories from the week for your cheat day, just an idea.
  • MaryAnn678
    MaryAnn678 Posts: 182 Member
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    If you haven't been losing the weight have you been eating enough calories during the day?
  • Artemis726
    Artemis726 Posts: 587 Member
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    On the weekends I'm more lax about staying under my 500 calorie deficit, but I never go over my maintenance. Usually I wind up with a 300 calorie deficit instead of a 500, some people would think of this as zig-zagging I suppose.

    This sounds like me. Over the weekend I usually have at least one day where I just don't have as great of a deficit. I'm still at a deficit of 3-400. I'm under enough during the week so I don't sweat it. :)
  • wannababyH
    wannababyH Posts: 106
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    I have a scheduled cheat day too. On the 15th (my birthday) each month, I eat one candy bar. (Like a normal sized Hershey bar) I usually give the last two bites to my son, though.

    This would all be so much harder if I didn't get that one treat a month. This girl loves her chocolate. It's the main reason I'm as heavy as I am.
  • HeatherR930
    HeatherR930 Posts: 214 Member
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    I consider it a cheat meal when I go out to eat (once a week) because it's not as healthy as when I eat at home, but I research the menu & calories ahead of time to make a good choice. If its hard to do that, I at least go for thin crust, hold the fries, eat small portions, & never order appetizers. I have never gone over my maintenance calories since I started 3 months ago, & I have eaten out quite a few times since then! I know when I get to goal my maintenance will be lower & I may go over now & then, but I will just try to minimize it & make up for it with exercise :)
  • StaceyKeller71
    StaceyKeller71 Posts: 24
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    If you haven't been losing the weight have you been eating enough calories during the day?

    I actually weigh in on Mondays and just started. Today is the last day of my first week so I'll know how well I did tomorrow. I'm hoping for a good number.
  • Jambe
    Jambe Posts: 58 Member
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    Weekends. Holidays. Family get togethers. Never really go under a 1500 calorie deficit, regardless. Pretty good about counting and guestimating calories in certain foods, and I have my phone to look up stuff really quick if I'm not certain. Make it up with extra / preemptive exercise :)

    I guess it's not really splurging if you're still under :p
  • jazzalea
    jazzalea Posts: 412 Member
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    I tried planning cheat days, but I found for me it just didn't work.....instead of looking forward to them in a positive way I just resented the other blah days more.....

    I do have cheat days though, I just have them when I'm happy as a reward and l concentrate on the taste of the food instead of the amount :) This tells me that I'm not cutting myself off from food, just taking control of it :)

    I try really really hard to never cheat when I feel depressed..... remember this is how we got this way, comforting ourselves with food so it's a double blow to cheat on bad days..... you gain calories and lose ground mentally..........
  • lmelangley
    lmelangley Posts: 1,039 Member
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    Cheating is an interesting concept. I try to eat as healthy as possible, but if I want something non-nutritionally sound and it's within my calories, I have it. I know I can't succeed if I try to deny myself all the time. My basic thought pattern is that if it's within my calories and worth the calories, I have it. ( Just recently discovered that fun size candy bars are no longer worth it for me, which is good news at this time of the year.) I seriously ponder everything I put in my mouth.

    As to cheat days, I only have them for "occasions". I know I'll go over on Thanksgiving because the pecan pie is worth the calories for me, for example. But, I don't plan them regularly. There are months I have none, and months I have 2 - 3 because of different events.

    The bottom line is, we all have to find what works for us personally and be dedicated to following that path. You'll find conflicting recommendations wherever you go.

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