How often does everyone "cheat"?

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sarahness
sarahness Posts: 80 Member
in Food and Nutrition
How often does everyone "cheat" on their diets or "treat" themselves? Once a week....bi weekly......once a month....never? Someone told me at work that I should treat myself atleast once a week to shock my body and not get in the same routine and then plateau. Is this true?
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Replies

  • jody664
    jody664 Posts: 397 Member
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    Funny, I just posted basically the same question on here! My first responder says never, but that seems pretty unrealistic. If I need to resign myself to NEVER slipping, ever, then I might as well give up now because it's gonna happen. Look forward to seeing the responses you get as well.
  • angela72023
    angela72023 Posts: 25
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    Once a week! But I eat my exercise calories so I can have regular food sometimes ---is that cheating?
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
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    Once per week I allow myself a 'cheat'. It is never a huge cheat...but sometimes I convince myself that I am cheating and it makes the food more enjoyable! haha I usually save my cheat for a Friday or Saturday night...sometimes it only means having a couple of drinks with my friends...
  • scannon4
    scannon4 Posts: 2
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    Saturday and Sunday, I just can't bring myself to stick to it on the weekends. I wish I could!
  • ComeAroundSundown
    ComeAroundSundown Posts: 69 Member
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    I don't have a set day/schedule. I just allow my "cheats" for social events. It could be once a month, or twice a week. I feel like it's easier to maintain this way.
  • spectralmoon
    spectralmoon Posts: 1,230 Member
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    Work on Monday counted as my unintentional cheat, since I couldn't find calories on unmarked muffins and was there without internet for 13 hours. Otherwise I've been on track for my first MFP week.
  • susanb573
    susanb573 Posts: 111 Member
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    What do you mean by cheat? Just a "no no" food but not going over your calorie count for the day? Or do you mean blowing it calorie wise?

    I have chocolate every day but just a tiny bit. So I guess I cheat daily. But I never go over my calories and have a big cheat (or at least I haven't so far).
  • xlpavenged7x
    xlpavenged7x Posts: 60
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    Once a week I'll cheat!! But hey, gotta give yourself a pat on the back for doing so good! I just cheat on one meal, either on saturday or sunday :smile: Well worth it!!
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    cheating is cheating. if you want to stray from the path then plan for it. you are only cheating yourself.
  • meshelman
    meshelman Posts: 12
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    I seem to give myself either Friday or Saturday evening to "cheat". I try to bank some calories during the day with smaller meals and I can stay within a reasonable range of my calorie target. It's generally the sodium that suffers for me because, schwoo, pizza and cheesesteaks are sodium city, so I'm sure to increase my water intake. Even with this cheat I still hit my weekly goals and have not felt deprived. I gotta do it, keeps me from going crazy...er.
  • ShapingAgnes
    ShapingAgnes Posts: 45 Member
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    I do when I want something really bad. Its not a weekly or bi weekly thing, its when I need it. I have heard that it is good to :shock" your body so that it does not get use to the same calorie intake day in and day out. Our bodys want to use as little energy as possible, it is the way that it is programed. So once that it realizes that it will be recieving the same amount of nutrition daily it learns how to start saving for a "rainy day".
  • sweet110
    sweet110 Posts: 332 Member
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    As someone with a lengthy weight loss journey, I will say 'it depends.' Depends on what my goals are at the time, and what else is going on.

    Sometimes, losing weight is my hobby (which is often the case when you first get started). Then, I never cheat. Or, as others put it...I 'plan' for occasional foods in my calorie count.

    Other times, I'm still on the path, but my mind is focused on other things. Then I typically let myself have regular cheats. How regular, depends on how big the cheat is. For a while, I was eating a snickers bar every other day. Slowed things down, but didn't stop it. If you're talking about a 'big' cheat, like a typical restaurant meal, every 10 days.
  • JenabeeRose
    JenabeeRose Posts: 73 Member
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    Normally every Saturday... my weekend is so sporadic, so it just works out that way. Oh well. =)
  • sarahness
    sarahness Posts: 80 Member
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    I mean like a day where your not counting calories and splurging. not binging but like say on a sunday night you order pizza and happen to eat like 5 slices lol and then go out for icecream.
  • alltalk199
    alltalk199 Posts: 275
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    Balance, Balance, Balance Baby! Why cheat? Plan it in your diary, sometimes you will have up and down days, remember it's a journey to lifestyle changes for me. You'll find out what works for you, each to their own, everyone's different. Work it Baby!
  • evansproudmama
    evansproudmama Posts: 496
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    Once a week :-) Usually Saturday so I can get back on track for my week on Sunday, I try to stick to a strict routine all week at work so when Sat. rolls around I can enjoy :-) Never seems pretty crazy since to me anyway I would look at it like a jail.. hello the start of diet is die lol
  • dolphin21
    dolphin21 Posts: 301 Member
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    Mine are the weekends baby!!!!!
  • Dawn_is_getting_healthy
    Dawn_is_getting_healthy Posts: 245
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    I weigh in on Saturday mornings, and then usually eat at maintenance on Saturday and Sunday. So, it's more calories, but in a way that won't undo my progress.
  • kttnply9
    kttnply9 Posts: 9
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    It's a "reward", not a cheat :smile:

    If I did really well with eating healthy and meeting my exercise goal, my reward is on Sunday. I pick something that I've been craving all week and eat it! Just a portion though.
  • thatsnumberwang
    thatsnumberwang Posts: 398 Member
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    On average about once a week -- but it's a "treat," not a "cheat." I don't plan in advance, though - if there's some kind of social event going on, dinner at a friend's house, or a date night, that will be my treat meal for the week.

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