Are cheat/spike days a mistake? Scared to try it

mollieMoo06

ive lost 3st over a year and for the first 3months did well then bam hit a wall. i was only on 1200 cals and training 3-5days a week. started to up my cals on 1-2 days and have a 'naughty' night on one of those nights and i have consistantly lost ever since it helps you not crave and slip up on the 'good' days aswel. good luck x

rmsturdy

I do my cheat day on Saturday because it's also my relax day. It's my all around cheat day. I get to sit on the couch with the pup, watch movies, NOT clean or stress and cook a really tasty dinner. I just keep my "cheat" food in moderation. If I want ice cream, I can have it, but only a serving size or two, not the gigantic bowl my mind thinks it needs. Corn dogs for breakfast? Definitely. haha They're my favorite junk food

wboswell88

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wboswell88

The way to have a spike day is to manage your calories over a week, so that your deficit for the week stays where you want it.

My weekly loss goal is half a pound (1750 weekly deficit). The way I manage my calories is to eat 6 days as if at a 1 lb weekly loss goal (500 daily deficit x 6 = 3000) PLUS all exercise calories), and then 1 day a week, my rest day, I eat appx. 1250 extra calories. This works out to be a weekly deficit of 3000 - 1250 = 1750 calories. Half a pound.

Works like a charm and refuels my body on rest day for the hard workout week ahead.

blessings.

I know you've explained this to death, but do you eat all your recommened calories plus exercise calories? My recommended calories are about 1500 and when I exercise I burn from 200-600. So should I be eating all 1500 and the exercise calories? And on a spike day would I just add 1250 to the 1500? lol sorry i am just so used to doing the typical starve yourself diet that this whole eating more to lose weight blows my mind!

shana_phoenix83

Only you are going to know what's right for you in regards to "cheat days." If I feel like I'm in a strong place, I'm able to do a meal on occasion. However, sometimes my "cheat days" or "cheat meals" turn into "cheat weekends" or even "cheat weeks," because I have a hard time getting back on the wagon. I feel like I'm dealing with food addictions, though, so overeating, even if for one meal, is incredibly difficult for me. It mentally takes me back to where I've been. Everyone's different, though, and if you are someone who can go crazy for one meal and jump right back on the program, go for it.

ohrebecca

I'm really only about a week and a half into my weight loss journey, but I had a cheat day last week and still lost 5.6 lbs my first week. Yesterday I had a cheat/no exercise day and I'm still on pace to lose this week. Coming back from yesterday, I actually did the most cardio I've done at once (97 min) without faltering, and lower-body strength. Having the cheat day definitely gave me the extra push today!

Russellb97

Cheat days are a mistake. they are a binge waiting to happen. They key is to act in moderation over all. If you are craving some chocolate, its better to have a little bit when you want it than to wait till your cheat day. Healthy eating and weight loss is a lifestyle makeover not a fad diet or a diet at all.

If you know your going to have some unhealthy food during a day, exp your friends want to go out for pizza, your better off to plan around it and eat healthier or workout longer the rest of the day than to just take a day off and binge.

I completely disagree, it may not work for some but if your trying to lose weight there is a large hormonal advantage to having one weekly. Also your assuming that a cheat day is a binge and it's not at all. Mine are planned and well executed.

The biggest issue isn't just losing weight, it's keeping it off.
Dieting is a problem because we need to restrict calories to create a calorie deficit so our body uses stored energy to make up the difference. Restricting calories cause or hormones to go out of whack and eventually slows metabolism and increases our physical cravings. It doesn't work, evidence is in the fact that 95% of the people who lose weight end up gaining it back.

People who spike have a physiological and psychological edge over those that don't. I'm not saying you have to do it to lose weight and keep it off but it helps. According to the National Weight Control Registry, the majority of people who have maintained weight loss for over a year, exercise an average of 1-1.5 hours a day. I've lost 100lbs, it's been almost 8 years, and I exercise 1-1.5 hours a week, and I spike weekly.

Also if you are keeping to a low calorie goal to lose weight, say 1,500 calories. Those 1,500 calories should be from the best food sources you can find. Foods that give your body what it needs and ones that help you not be hungry all day long. If you tried to fit in a small blizzard, say 500 calories, you've just wasted a 1/3 of your daily calories, didn't get any nutritional benefits, and you'll be hungry right after.
Now if you spike at 3,000 calories, this is the day you can fit in the calorie dense foods you've been craving. Plus then your mind starts to make the connection and it becomes almost habit. A blizzard is ok on spike day but not the other days.

logicandlove

I've found that they do nothing but help me...it all depends where the calories are coming from, of course. Spending an entire day eating unhealthy, fatty foods isn't the best way to spend it, but eating more of your regular foods plus a few high cal things you wouldn't normally eat or have been craving is good, plus I've noticed that it helps restart my weight loss if I haven't lost anything during the week.

Also, it helps mentally, because if I'm craving something on a non-"cheat" day and I tell myself I can't have it, I'll just want it more and am tempted to binge. If, instead, I tell myself that I'll be able to eat it if I wait just a few days, I'm more motivated to stick to my healthier, lower-cal foods that day.

Russellb97

The way to have a spike day is to manage your calories over a week, so that your deficit for the week stays where you want it.

My weekly loss goal is half a pound (1750 weekly deficit). The way I manage my calories is to eat 6 days as if at a 1 lb weekly loss goal (500 daily deficit x 6 = 3000) PLUS all exercise calories), and then 1 day a week, my rest day, I eat appx. 1250 extra calories. This works out to be a weekly deficit of 3000 - 1250 = 1750 calories. Half a pound.

Works like a charm and refuels my body on rest day for the hard workout week ahead.

blessings.

I know you've explained this to death, but do you eat all your recommened calories plus exercise calories? My recommended calories are about 1500 and when I exercise I burn from 200-600. So should I be eating all 1500 and the exercise calories? And on a spike day would I just add 1250 to the 1500? lol sorry i am just so used to doing the typical starve yourself diet that this whole eating more to lose weight blows my mind!

What I do is have a calorie range daily, (BMR -500) to BMR.
So for me it's 1,800-2,300
I know that if I eat anywhere in that range I will lose weight, I lose faster lower, and slower higher. This does give me the freedom to eat more on the days I feel I need to. I don't really want to eat my extra exercise calories because I want the calories I worked hard to burn to help me lose more fat. If I just eat them back and replace them, my workout was a wash.

Spike Day I eat 2X(BMR)
This day I don't exercise, I just take a full day break form the dieting life and have a day to enjoy.

NikkieLite

I can't do cheat days, at least not yet. I'm a compulsive binge eater and in the past I've done a lot of very unhealthy things to lose weight. I am trying to leave those habits behind but even going over my calories by a little sends me into a panic. When I feel as though I've failed I spiral out of control and when I eat something I feel is not good for me or too much I have a difficult time stopping.

So for now I won't do cheat days. If I ever do I won't be calling them cheat days because that just makes it sound like a bad thing when I know that logically it's not bad for you to give the strictness in your diet a rest every once and a while. Just not for me, not quite yet!

MaximalLife

I do cheat days or spike days from time to time but I'm not a big fan of doing it for a whole day. I like to give myself a cheat meal. It actually makes me plan the rest of the day pretty careful so the cheat meal doesn't impact me as bad plus it makes it easier the next day to get back into the swing of things.

Try a window free for all!!!! I eat from 8-12 and stuff about 4000 calories in there. Of course thats what I cal my reefeed windows asI crush the gym in the AM and then just eat and drink and watch footballllllllllll!

Who would have thought. CHEATERS WIN!

That's kind of what I do - a total food orgy.

It's FUN, and I know when I deny myself during the week, I never have more than a few days before I know I'll be eating like a welfare bum. LOVE IT!

missiontofitness

Honestly, I cheat all the time.
This is just my opinion and what works for me.
I indulge in moderation. Yesterday, I had a big chocolate chunk cookie.
Today, I let myself have a mini cupcake.

It only takes a small amount to indulge a craving. What you should do is learn to control those urges, and force yourself to learn to eat in moderation. Cheat days have the ability to spiral out of control. Yes, it isn't going to kill you to indulge in something, but if you're dedicating an entire day to eating badly, it could de-rail you from your goals.

Instead of restricting yourself like that, keep track of your calories, and come up with a plan that allows you to indulge but still keeps you on track with your weight loss goals.

tappae

Cheat days are a mistake. they are a binge waiting to happen. They key is to act in moderation over all. If you are craving some chocolate, its better to have a little bit when you want it than to wait till your cheat day. Healthy eating and weight loss is a lifestyle makeover not a fad diet or a diet at all.

If you know your going to have some unhealthy food during a day, exp your friends want to go out for pizza, your better off to plan around it and eat healthier or workout longer the rest of the day than to just take a day off and binge.

I completely disagree, it may not work for some but if your trying to lose weight there is a large hormonal advantage to having one weekly. Also your assuming that a cheat day is a binge and it's not at all. Mine are planned and well executed.

The biggest issue isn't just losing weight, it's keeping it off.
Dieting is a problem because we need to restrict calories to create a calorie deficit so our body uses stored energy to make up the difference. Restricting calories cause or hormones to go out of whack and eventually slows metabolism and increases our physical cravings. It doesn't work, evidence is in the fact that 95% of the people who lose weight end up gaining it back.

People who spike have a physiological and psychological edge over those that don't. I'm not saying you have to do it to lose weight and keep it off but it helps. According to the National Weight Control Registry, the majority of people who have maintained weight loss for over a year, exercise an average of 1-1.5 hours a day. I've lost 100lbs, it's been almost 8 years, and I exercise 1-1.5 hours a week, and I spike weekly.

Also if you are keeping to a low calorie goal to lose weight, say 1,500 calories. Those 1,500 calories should be from the best food sources you can find. Foods that give your body what it needs and ones that help you not be hungry all day long. If you tried to fit in a small blizzard, say 500 calories, you've just wasted a 1/3 of your daily calories, didn't get any nutritional benefits, and you'll be hungry right after.
Now if you spike at 3,000 calories, this is the day you can fit in the calorie dense foods you've been craving. Plus then your mind starts to make the connection and it becomes almost habit. A blizzard is ok on spike day but not the other days.

Thanks for this info. I'm going to try incorporating a spike day. Thanks for making a distinction between a spike and a binge. I can easily eat 3000 to 4000 calories in a sitting. That's a binge. Going out once a week with my wife and having a normal restaurant meal isn't, but it will put me over my calorie count for that day. Hopefully, it will give me something to look forward to and prevent a binge, as opposed to triggering one.

One question: is there any benefit to doubling your BMR on your spike day as opposed to exceeding it by just a little bit?

Russellb97

Numbers wise it's really difficult to ruin your goals from even a really bad Spike Day.

Say I went totally overboard and I had 8,000 calories!
My average TDEE is around 3,300

6 days, I averaged 2,000 calories, 12,000 total
Spike Day I went nuts and I had 8,000 calories

So I had 20,000 calories for the week
I burned 23,100 calories

So even on a horrible Spike Day I would have lost a pound. I could eat around 11,000 calories and break even.

Russellb97

Cheat days are a mistake. they are a binge waiting to happen. They key is to act in moderation over all. If you are craving some chocolate, its better to have a little bit when you want it than to wait till your cheat day. Healthy eating and weight loss is a lifestyle makeover not a fad diet or a diet at all.

If you know your going to have some unhealthy food during a day, exp your friends want to go out for pizza, your better off to plan around it and eat healthier or workout longer the rest of the day than to just take a day off and binge.

I completely disagree, it may not work for some but if your trying to lose weight there is a large hormonal advantage to having one weekly. Also your assuming that a cheat day is a binge and it's not at all. Mine are planned and well executed.

The biggest issue isn't just losing weight, it's keeping it off.
Dieting is a problem because we need to restrict calories to create a calorie deficit so our body uses stored energy to make up the difference. Restricting calories cause or hormones to go out of whack and eventually slows metabolism and increases our physical cravings. It doesn't work, evidence is in the fact that 95% of the people who lose weight end up gaining it back.

People who spike have a physiological and psychological edge over those that don't. I'm not saying you have to do it to lose weight and keep it off but it helps. According to the National Weight Control Registry, the majority of people who have maintained weight loss for over a year, exercise an average of 1-1.5 hours a day. I've lost 100lbs, it's been almost 8 years, and I exercise 1-1.5 hours a week, and I spike weekly.

Also if you are keeping to a low calorie goal to lose weight, say 1,500 calories. Those 1,500 calories should be from the best food sources you can find. Foods that give your body what it needs and ones that help you not be hungry all day long. If you tried to fit in a small blizzard, say 500 calories, you've just wasted a 1/3 of your daily calories, didn't get any nutritional benefits, and you'll be hungry right after.
Now if you spike at 3,000 calories, this is the day you can fit in the calorie dense foods you've been craving. Plus then your mind starts to make the connection and it becomes almost habit. A blizzard is ok on spike day but not the other days.

Thanks for this info. I'm going to try incorporating a spike day. Thanks for making a distinction between a spike and a binge. I can easily eat 3000 to 4000 calories in a sitting. That's a binge. Going out once a week with my wife and having a normal restaurant meal isn't, but it will put me over my calorie count for that day. Hopefully, it will give me something to look forward to and prevent a binge, as opposed to triggering one.

One question: is there any benefit to doubling your BMR on your spike day as opposed to exceeding it by just a little bit?

I want to make sure I have a surplus of calories for that one day. Doubling my BMR pretty much guarantees I will. I would rather go a bit over than under.

Gabby32675

I just started this week, but from what everyone has said I recommend a "cheat" day!!! I plan on having one also because I am afraid if I don't have 1 day a week where I can eat something thats really bad for my diet but makes me happy that I will slide back into my binging on junk thru the day! Let me know how it works for you, I am very curious to see if it works for u

SolidGoaled

Please, someone teach me how to figure out how many calories I should have on my "spike" day - I am on a 1200 cal/day diet. How do you use your own BMR to figure this out? And how does it all change as you lose weight? Also, I have a lot of weight to lose - 50+ lbs - is spiking a good thing for someone with this much to lose, or is it better for people who are closer to goal? Also - what does TDEE mean??

Also, are you supposed to work off those extra calories the day before or after a "spike" day? I have heard people say they are going to crush it all off on the treadmill or do a "refeed" or whatever - doesn't that defeat the purpose?

Thanks - Russel lost me there for a second with those last few posts - just when I thought I had it down pat. So confused... But happy to be learning!

Edit to add one more question: What happens on the scale when you do these spike days? I am a daily weigher - what can I expect the day after a spike day, and the following days after?

shreyaj

I do a cheat meal vs. a cheat day. I need to keep myself disciplined or I fall off the wagon easy. It's all about what works best for you. Even if you do a "cheat" day don't eat 20 cupcakes eat the things you like and don't normally eat while adhering to your diet but still within moderation.

LuckyAng

BUMP! Bumpity bump bump... bump.

rotnkat

I'm saving this for later.

Russellb97

Please, someone teach me how to figure out how many calories I should have on my "spike" day - I am on a 1200 cal/day diet. How do you use your own BMR to figure this out? And how does it all change as you lose weight? Also, I have a lot of weight to lose - 50+ lbs - is spiking a good thing for someone with this much to lose, or is it better for people who are closer to goal? Also - what does TDEE mean??

Also, are you supposed to work off those extra calories the day before or after a "spike" day? I have heard people say they are going to crush it all off on the treadmill or do a "refeed" or whatever - doesn't that defeat the purpose?

Thanks - Russel lost me there for a second with those last few posts - just when I thought I had it down pat. So confused... But happy to be learning!

I'm sorry, TDEE is total daily energy expenditure

It's a formula that estimates about how many calories you burn daily; including BMR, activities, and exercise. It's helpful when looking at a week at a time. You don't burn the same each day, but it's an average of them all. I was just trying to prove the point that if 6 days you eat well, one bad day won't hurt you.

Spike Day for me is simply 2X(BMR)
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

TDEE
http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

Russellb97

Also, are you supposed to work off those extra calories the day before or after a "spike" day? I have heard people say they are going to crush it all off on the treadmill or do a "refeed" or whatever - doesn't that defeat the purpose?

No actually this is great. If you do cardio before, you deplete your glycogen stores even more so when you spike or "refeed" your body actually adapts and begins increasing the amount of energy it can store there. Huge bonus! Glycogen is the buffer when you have excess calories before they are stored as fat!

The day after you spike is actually the best and usually most effective workout of the week. Strength and endurance are at their peak.

FITnFIRM4LIFE

Thanks for great info,Russell!

njean888

Love this thread, finally something I can use. Thanks OP for posting it.

ajfrench

bump

Russellb97

Thanks for great info,Russell!

Your welcome, but I love helping. My journey through obesity was my tribulation so I could I could share my story with those who want to hear it.
I'm not saying my method is the only way, I'm just trying show another option.

Spiking has totally changed my life, from 330lbs 8 years ago to having my bodyfat under 10%. Who would have thought that was possible?

ingfit

Bump! Liking this theory more and more!

Cr8tive_Ingenuity

i think a so called cheat day is very important as long as you dont go back to your regular lifestyle and a cheat day becomes almost daily.. the zigzag of caloric intake is very important..often i find myself losing more weight after a few days of having a cheat meal..for instance my caloric intake was 1200 calories, then i raisedit up to 1500 calories..once in a while i will consume 2500 calories but i only do that when I am feeling the urge to eat. i do not plan on having cheat days but when i have one, i dont feel guilty about it at all. That doesnt mean i go to five guys and order a burger with fries..it just means i might have eaten way too much cheese and whole wheat crackers lol...cheese is my god and i am powerless to it

elva929

My nutritionist once told me to follow my diet and excersise routing 6 days a week and reward myself with a cheat day... As long as you are concious of what you are eating and not binging you should be fine. I found that it really helped me, I did not over indulge on my cheat days I ate and continued to be concious of what I was eating... Everyone's body works differently, but I personally found that this worked for me. Good luck

roots1913

bumping to read later