My Cheat Day always becomes a Cheat Weekend

semira6

I'm having a hard time sticking to my calorie allowance on the weekends. I've read that it's ok to have one cheat day so your body doesn't get used to a decreased number of calories and stop dropping pounds. However, instead of one cheat day I always have at least two and I know that can't be good for me. I just have a hard time because friends want to go out to dinner each night and get drinks and I don't want to deprive myself of those experiences.

Any advice on how to stick to one cheat day? Also, is there any trick to increase my calorie allowance on MFP for just that day so it doesn't look like I'm in the red? Any advice would be appreciated.

Lorleee

I know an entire cheat day would not work for me because it would last at least two (at least that's what happened over Christmas!) Would you be willing to forget the cheat day and strive for a weekly treat? Pick one awesome thing you're dying to eat, and enjoy it! I just ate two chocolate creme eggs. My weekly treat never exceeds 400 calories, and once I'm done eating it, it's back to business!


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

cloud2011

I think a weekly treat is a great idea. The other thing is, if you're really depriving yourself A LOT the rest of the week, you're going to feel so relieved when you get to the weekend, that it's only normal to want to "cheat."

Do you have both food and non-food things you look forward to during the week?

weezykid

This sounds a lot like me so you can either do 2 things:

Not do the cheat at all so you dont get the taste for it

or forward plan, if you know you are due to go out sat and sunday for example. eat less in the day, do more exercise. Most restaurants have menus online (and if your lucky the calories too) so you can roughly work out in advance what the meal, nightout etc is going to cost you calorie wise in advance so you plan not only how much you can get away having when you are out but also factor this in while planning what to eat and what exercise to do before (or after) the event

hope this helps

stevesavage09

best you can do is alow a cheat meal, not a whole day that keeps you happy and still on track

tbloor

Before Christmas, I logged M-F and took weekends off and still lost almost 40 pounds from May-December. A few things that I did to try and minimize the effect of the "cheat weekend":

1) stuck to my normal workout routine
2) tried to eat a healthy breakfast and lunch. If I knew I wanted to go out for dinner and a drink, at least the whole day wasn't a free for all.
3) switched from mixed drinks like rum or rye and coke to a glass of wine. Or, if I wanted to have a mixed drink, I used sparkling water with natural lemon/lime flavour instead of coke.

Post-Christmas, I want to try and move from the idea of a cheat weekend or day to, as another poster suggested, one treat.

Cassi1990

I don't suggest cheat DAYS. but perhaps a cheat meal.

If I "cheat" i still calculate it in and make sure I have the calories to have it. I also zig zag my calories so my body isnt getting too used to 1500 calories or whatever "magic" number.

moniqueb39

Thank you for this post I just finish blogging about the same thing. Its almost like self destructive I work so hard during the weekk with morning workouts and 1400 low fat calories per day and I feel successful. Ive lost about 15 lbs since January 1. However, when the weekend comes.....here comes the partying and the calories are out the window. I really needed this post. Thanks!!

chevy88grl

Honestly? I don't do cheat meals or cheat days. Instead, I work whatever it is I want into my daily calories. I find this way to be easier for me and less like a diet. I don't fall off the wagon on weekends because I can have what I want, when I want it. Perhaps something like this may work better for you? This would allow you what you want during the week too - so you are less likely to want to binge on the good stuff come the weekend?

If you don't think that will work for you, then I would suggest making sure you get in a good workout on the weekends in order to make room for the stuff you want to eat/drink in your daily calories.

sarabig2fit

i'd try to keep your cheat day for a day during the week. that way, you aren't tempted by the weekend. this use to happen to me and i make sure that my schedule is even mroe strict on the weekend so i don't mess up all my hard work during the week!

misssiri

I never plan for a cheat at all. It's too much of an invitation to go crazy. My intention for the weekends is to continue what I do during the week and if a cheat meal comes up then go with it. I would be too afraid that I was waiting and planning all week long for that particular day to eat all the stuff I turned down all week. And then for me it turns into a binge-fest. :-)

SouLThinking

I've learned through trial and error that cheat days just fuel our bad habits. Why call it a cheat when you can have anything you want in moderation?
I eat very clean all through the work week. Recently I've given up cheat weekends to just having any type of food I want on the weekends but this is what I do. I either take a saucer (smallest one in the house) and that is what I eat the "bad" food or whatever on. Or, I carefully figure out my calories for that meal and I eat that amount of calories for that meal and I walk away! That is it.
Moderation is the key.
Also, remember you can work out more so you can have more. It really is all about CHOICE.

good luck.

Nichole

dee74

If I know I have a social event coming up that will increase my calories I start planning a few days ahead. I start "banking" a calorie deficit. In my mind you can look at your overall week also. I am not a dietician but it makes me feel better when I go over calories on one day but I can look and see I had them to spare a few days in a row. I also plan a workout on that day even if it was a rest day. As far as a planned weekly cheat day, I avoid that because it is hard enough to maintain my will power.

sizzlinoverthefat

I'm in this too! At first the weekend was one cheat then the following weekend 2 cheats, then well you know the rest...free for all wekkend! Well today I've decided no mor free for alls and record everything to make it honest and for real..I hope to see better results with the mindset of it's ok to cheat on a meal or a snack but no more ALL WEEKEND STUFF:noway:

CouleeRunner

I presonally don't get this whole "cheat" thing. If there are things you enjoy such as chips, chocolate, McDonalds, cheesecake, whatever...fit it into your macros once in a while. I have not given up anything. I had pizza last night and finished my day under my calorie goal.

And if I go over my calorie goals once in a while, it is never by much and I don't stress about it since my average for the week is a deficit.

ahealthy4u

I love the cheat day myself but it always gets me in the end especialy on the the weekends. I too need to just stick to a plan and up hold it. I also know that I have to do a revaluation sense July of last year and see where my body mass is and such sense I am working out 5-7days a week now. Good luck to you I hope you find a happy medium something that works for you. I know I have I just need to stop the late night snacking.!!!!!!

engineman312

i think i didn't have a cheat day for over three months when i started taking weight loss seriously. i didn't think it was a good thing to re-enforce bad habits while i was trying to develop new good habits.

i enjoy an occasional cheat meal or day once in a while now, but thats after being disciplined for a while. matter of fact, i started making changes in myself in August, and my first cheat day was on thanksgiving. and i ran 5 miles that morning. my next cheat days were christmas eve and day.

rower75

Boy, I am with you. I have made homemade cookies to weekends in a row. I love the raw cookie dough. I don't think cheating two days in row will sabotage your diet totally as long as you remain faithful to your diet Monday through Friday. Remember don't beat yourself up!

juniperfox

My cheat day was yesterday, but I actually only "cheated" for half a day. Since I'm on keto, I haven't been able to eat as much (less carb cravings → less calories in general), so I more or less cheated with carbs than calories. Just so I don't go crazy and have a HUGE carb binge in the middle of the week and can stick to my plan, and keep my metabolism out of starvation mode.

FriendsR4EverTreasures

Limit yourself to one day of going out with the friends. Why does it always have to be out to eat and drink? Invite them to do something exciting and different that doesn't require food and drinks so you can still enjoy your friends without jeopardizing your fitness and eating goals. If that isn't appealing, I would workout twice on those days, if you want to play hard, you have to work hard!

TTHdred

I know how social I am on the weekends. And it is even worse during football season. So I make my “cheat day” a weekday. Sounds weird, but I take a day off in the week when I know I won’t go as crazy. Then on the weekends, I kick my workouts into high gear first thing in the morning to prepare for the day. I think that tracking and counting during your most vulnerable time is the best way to get a handle on eating habits. Keeps you aware, which is what weight loss really boils down to in my opinion. I am more detailed with my logging on weekends, every little packet of sugar. Just to be sure I know exactly how something affects me.
best of luck

emmalene1984

'Cheat meals' (NOT WHAT I CALL THEM, I prefer the term, RELAX days) have helped me to loose around 20lbs in the past, I am now two weeks into following this routine again after over a year of stupid dieting that did not work, I find (for me, this is) that if i restrict myself too much endlessly, yes I might loose a few pounds quicker than my tried and tested way but, these pounds never stay off for long as I cannot stick to a diet that doesn't allow me to indulge every now and then on something i have a craving for or enjoying eating out with friends/ boyfriend so this is what I do (or did very well for approx 8months, which got me to my goal weight) and what I am slowly getting back in to now...

mon - fri calorie restricted diet (was on 1100 net cals a day, currently on 1200 or there abouts) almost no food was banned (except for pasta as I am gluten intollerant and pasta seems to be my enemy) but I planned for everything, and logged EVERYTHING I ate and DRANK, exercised 4 days a week then come saturday and sunday, would still have low cal healthy breakfast and lunch but at dinner (or lunch instead some days) I would be able to eat and drink whatever I wanted, in moderation (in moderation to me just means think sensibly) and this really works for me, yes monday morning the scales often claim i have 'gained' a pound or two, but come tuesday morning I have lost them and some extra! it means i am able to stick to my calorie goals in the week because I know that come the weekend I can have that dinner out I fancy or homemade curry (tonight's indulgence! :-) ) if its unavoidable to go over calories in the week, I plan for that too, so the following weekend, I have one relax day instead of two to make up for the indulgence in the week.

in the end, you just have to do what is right for you, as long as the majority of the week calories in = less than calories out you will get there, remember slow and steady wins the race.

good luck to you :-)

lornathewizzard

I think the potential problem here is the mentality behind the 'cheat day'. I'm all for not restricting yourself, but I find when people talk about their cheat day, it is because they have been mega strict during the week and then gone crazy one or two days at the weekend. This in itself is not an easy habit to get rid of. So if you slip during the week, and then still go crazy at the weekend, you start to go backwards.

Two things. Exercise if you want to eat more. Do a good workout, and you'll want those extra calories anyway to fuel your body.

Second. All things in moderation. Not allowing yourself to ever have any Ben and Jerry's (or insert random temptation here) ever, means that you'll want it really bad, and then most likely gorge. So as previous posters have said, if you want a treat, have a small one and work it in to your calories. Its better to go over a little occasionally than a lot once a week.

Actually, 3 things. Going out for drinks / dinner at the weekend doesn't need to be a cheat day. Just eat / drink sensibly.

MollieMorgan

I can't speak for how anyone elses diet and exercise works for them, but I religiously log Monday-Thursday (try to on Fridays but it's hit or miss) work out 4-5 days a week, usually Monday-Thursday (sometimes Friday) and eat whatever I want on the weekends without feeling guilty. I haven't lost the weight quickly, but I didn't expect a quick fix. Since beginning to watch what I eat most of the time and joining MFP, I've lost 30 lbs. At first I wasn't losing as much because of the weekends, but over time the amount of food I could eat decreased so I'm not as bad on the weekends and I was to start with. That's what works for me and keeps me motivated to stay on track all week!

lexik09

i dont like to call it "cheating" i like to take whatever it is, a piece of chocolate, cake, burger...whatever it is and work it into my daily calories. its much easier that way and you dont have to have a "cheat" day or a "cheat" meal. its a healthy lifestyle change so take your daily life and revamp it into your new healthy lifestyle. if you call it a "diet" you are more likely to fall off the wagon! dont deprive yourself, everything is better in moderation!

realpure

I don't like the word "cheat", that being said. I've only been here a week.:happy: I am just getting used to logging my meals and being honest about what I'm eating.

I like the idea that I can have a cookie, just shouldn't waste my whole day of calories on empty calaries. Pay attention maybe to how you feel, physically. I have been surprised at how much better I've felt energy wise with lots more veggies and less sweets. I read a post this morning from the sucess boards that really hit me. She said she wouldn't let her self have junk until she had given her body 5 veggies and 2 fruits a day. Great strategy I thought. Good luck!!

ironanimal

Don't start it till Sunday

ibitezombies

I have one cheat meal a week. Usually a take-away( and a bag of sweets after!) on a Sat night.

NaomiWhite77

This sounds a lot like me so you can either do 2 things:

Not do the cheat at all so you dont get the taste for it

or forward plan, if you know you are due to go out sat and sunday for example. eat less in the day, do more exercise. Most restaurants have menus online (and if your lucky the calories too) so you can roughly work out in advance what the meal, nightout etc is going to cost you calorie wise in advance so you plan not only how much you can get away having when you are out but also factor this in while planning what to eat and what exercise to do before (or after) the event

hope this helps

Agreed!

kbmnurse

Try looking up menus of where you are dining and select a couple of meals that won't kill your diet. As far as cheating I allow myself one cheat day weekly no questions asked. Any more than that and I am with you it could easily lead into days of cheating. My day was yesterday and I feel like crap today. Oh well, we live and learn. Cheating NEVER good no matter what situation.

Crystal_Pistol

Honestly? I don't do cheat meals or cheat days. Instead, I work whatever it is I want into my daily calories. I find this way to be easier for me and less like a diet. I don't fall off the wagon on weekends because I can have what I want, when I want it. Perhaps something like this may work better for you? This would allow you what you want during the week too - so you are less likely to want to binge on the good stuff come the weekend?

If you don't think that will work for you, then I would suggest making sure you get in a good workout on the weekends in order to make room for the stuff you want to eat/drink in your daily calories.

^^This is how I roll too! I don't even say I cheat, I just say I eat as usual.