How often do you cheat?

Brittypop

MFP friends and members,

How often do you cheat and go over your calories / nutrition for the day?
Is it just one meal or do you cheat the whole day?

How does it affect your overall progress?

I strongly believe that you need at least one cheat meal a week. Back in the day when I did the Body For Life program, we were allowed one entire "free" day as long as the other six days were strict within the program. It worked!

I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on this controversial topic.

Thanks!
Britty

missikay1970

one day per week, usually only one meal. it's helped me so much, i can't imagine i would have done as well as i have w/o allowing myself a few things that i love. it also helps me stay on track all week...if i see a cupcake, i think, "wait 6 more days and you can have one!" if i thought i could NEVER have one again, i would probably go nuts! typically i take sundays off completely, no gym, no MFP, no logging-in food and no counting calories.

swilkie1961

I usually have 1 cheat meal per week. It wasn't planned this way. I cook mostly Monday through Friday and don't cook on the weekend. Depending on what is going on, I seem to have one cheat meal. My cheat meal usually means couple of drinks when we go out, but still eat healthy. And I don't eat the regular 3 meals per day on the weekend either. Knock on wood, so far it seems to be working.

rockerbabyy

once a week at least - sometimes its a meal, sometimes its all day depending on cravings.

megaron01

What's cheating? When I know that a calorie bomb of a meal is coming along, I make plans to get some exercise in to get more calories so that I can fully enjoy the 'cheat' meal.............also this meal has to be done in moderation as well..............

sleepytexan

I never cheat. Cheating is negative.

I manage my eating, my workouts, and my spike day. Everything fits within my planned weekly deficit. Red numbers are fine; the end of the day is not the end of the journey. Look at the big picture; balance it out with a workout.

Positive thinking = success.

blessings.

ebahde

I personally don't have a set amount of cheat day(s) within the week or month. I really try to save them for when I really want them (special occasions, going out to dinner, or something along those lines). I had more in the month of December (4-5 days) because of holidays than I usually have (1-3 days a month typically). But I think its really about your personal lifestyle. If you need 1 a week than take it, if you need 1 a month than do that. I do know that I always have 1 day during that TOM, but thats the only one I bank on during the month!

taso42

I came from Body for Life as well, and have always embraced the free day concept. I also prefer his terminology of "free day" as opposed to "cheat".

msjamartin

I don't believe in cheat days at all. It is simply life. Everything can fit in your day, even cupcakes. I do not look at any food as off limits and find it unrealistic to try an live with these type of rules. Once I hit my goal the only thing about my food that will change is the calorie amount. I still eat cake on birthdays. I eat pie at holidays. I have popcorn at movies. I even go to Coldstone if I'm in the mood. I have pasta. I have potatoes. I have red meat. I eat everything I like, I just keep the portion in control and within my calorie range for the day.

I know this doesn't work for everyone but I really feel that if this is a true lifestyle change for life that you can't restrict and elminate the foods you love. Rather you have to learn to incorporate them in a healthy way to your life everyday.

This is my opinion.

clairer2282

I don't ever plan to cheat, in the past I have fallen off the wagon a few times and got back on though if that counts, so far so good!

Speedtrap

If I go over it is usually because I have gone out for dinner.
I do not do it very often so I try not to worry about it.
If I do go over and I know I will, I do not give up on the whole day. Just keep going and it has been working so far.

dictations

About once a week.

Sidesteal

I also incorporate foods that I enjoy into my diet, daily.

When I was eating at a deficit I would cheat on average once per week. I find it can be very beneficial, but it's not for everyone. There are physiological benefits and psychological ones, but again, not a strategy that everyone can or should utilize successfully.

At a surplus (my intake is at 3200 currently) I don't really cheat. I'll occasionally not track food just to give myself a break, but on those days I'm probably ending between maintenance and 3200.

skywa

i eat a little bit of what im craving as the cravings come.
so like 3 times a week.

grapenutSF

I don't have a specific structure in place, but do think having treats periodically is important so I don't feel deprived and can eat healthy long term. It probably averages to having a special dessert or going over planned cals (1500-1800 cals, depending on if I worked out that day) 1x week. One thing that's important to me is that I log all those foods. So the treat is indulging in the special item rather than mindlessly eating. THAT could get me in trouble.

cnotefwb

I have what I call a Treat Day once a week - Sundays. If I've stayed on course all week and have gotten all my exercise in - I won't be as vigilant on Sunday's and have a little more of what I want. But I still log it so I don't go overboard.

flisafakto

About once a week, depending on the week. Over the holidays it was much more frequent, but in my regular life, it usually happens on weekends when I go out with my friends. I dont stress much over it, I'm usually within my weekly goal anyway. Sometimes its a cheat meal, sometimes a whole cheat day.

ngags

My husband and I like to go out to dinner so we take one meal on the weekend (usually Saturday night) and we go out to dinner. Years ago after I had my son I went to a weight doctor. He told me to take one day a week to eat something I really want. It works and keeps me from cheating the rest of the week. I do not pic out though. I like seafood so I usually have shrimp or lobster. Don't forget to exercise!

rayleansout

I never cheat. Cheating is negative.

I manage my eating, my workouts, and my spike day. Everything fits within my planned weekly deficit. Red numbers are fine; the end of the day is not the end of the journey. Look at the big picture; balance it out with a workout.

Positive thinking = success.

blessings.

^^^^^ YEP!

Jocelyn0415

Usually once a week and just one cheat meal.

fitjunk

I eat what ever I want but in moderation. I never feel as though Im denied anything or Im cheating this way. It may be just one bite of something "bad" or a cheat meal, but I will make up for it sometime in the week and burn it off. A spike day is usually a good thing once and awhile.

Queen_Christine

Well, my question to you is: what is cheating?
If it means eating something you shouldn't - then I would have to say I cheat daily.
If it means eating something you don't log - then I would have to say I cheat almost daily.
If it means going over on your calories - then I would have to say occasionally.

However, I don't consider any of this cheating. I am not on a diet. Diets are temporary. MFP is a tool to help me stay on track. I am not going to deny myself the things I love, I will portion it, eat it, enjoy it, log it and forget it. Make it fit. Portion control. Work it off. And do it everyday! Occasionally I will eat something that I don't log on MFP, but it's never anything over 100 calories, and if it doesn't change the outcome of putting me over my calories. On days that I do go over, it's not by much unless there's something going on like Christmas or Thanksgiving. Buy I have found that most of the time, restaurants, potlucks and parties don't hurt me much because I make wise choices and small portions.

HOWEVER, there is an exception - if there is a giant chocolate cake lingering around for days, then I would be in trouble! I have to force myself to stay away from things like that because I can't portion myself sensibly with that It's my drug! I'm fine with eating a piece at the party - but after that it has to go away!!!!! I can live with eating a piece then give the rest away!

I gotta be able to live with it or I will give up! :drinker:

kristidem

When I am presented with a treat/snack or a great meal, I'll eat and do not feel guilty. I guess it's probably once a week, one meal or one snack. I have found over the past few years if I completely reject what I crave or really really like (alfredo for example), I end up almost binging on other things to try to make up for what I really want. So now, I just have some. For meals, I may stop myself at half these days instead of chowing the entire plate. Also, it's a mental game. Gotta have it.

vypeters

Almost never.

However, I build planned relatively healthy treats into my eating plan. Planning them helps me keep them moderated and under control and helps me avoid feeling deprived and strongly tempted to "cheat".

At least for me, deprivation doesn't work. Cheating doesn't work. Planned treats taken into account in my overall eating plan on a regular basis...they work.

runnerchick69

Off and on I allow myself a meal where I don't worry about the calories. That said, if I know there is a day coming up where we'll be doing a lot of things and I'll be eating out, I go for a longer run or hit the Arc trainer for a couple of hours. I am a firm believer that you can eat your favorite foods and still either lose weight or maintain your weight loss. I pass up on the donuts and crap that floats around at work so I can live a little more on the weekends when we are out and about

Livetc

I don't. I have missed goal twice ever, and in both instances it was because I couldn't get home prior to midnight to run off the excess on the treadmill. If I eat over my target, that treadmill will be on until I am under. When you start "cheating" you only cheat your waistline.

Brittypop

Love it!

I don't believe in cheat days at all. It is simply life. Everything can fit in your day, even cupcakes. I do not look at any food as off limits and find it unrealistic to try an live with these type of rules. Once I hit my goal the only thing about my food that will change is the calorie amount. I still eat cake on birthdays. I eat pie at holidays. I have popcorn at movies. I even go to Coldstone if I'm in the mood. I have pasta. I have potatoes. I have red meat. I eat everything I like, I just keep the portion in control and within my calorie range for the day.

I know this doesn't work for everyone but I really feel that if this is a true lifestyle change for life that you can't restrict and elminate the foods you love. Rather you have to learn to incorporate them in a healthy way to your life everyday.

This is my opinion.

Brittypop

Thank you everyone for your input!

Personally, I think the best method for me will be incorporating treats into my caloric intake and just monitoring the portion.

Christinemary6

I don't cheat. At least, not now!

All cheating does is prevent you from totally embracing your new eating habits...you are instead reinforcing the notion that the "wrong" foods, the "cheating" foods, are actually the "right" food.

And all you are doing is telling yourself that actually, you are "not worth it"

I decided I am worth it.

Cheating is, for me, so over.

stormieweather

I don't "cheat". Sometimes I eat more than others. But if my goal is to eat at a deficit, then that's what I intend to do. I eat at maintenance for 1 week every 3 months, to give myself a break from reduced calories.

But I never "cheat".

Blodnie

Definitely one meal once a week for me. We usually like to go out for dinner Friday night after the long work week, and that's my treat. It helps keep me honest the rest of the time. I can resist temptation if I know there's a little something good coming in the not so distant future.