Is having a cheat day going to help kickstart my weight loss

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  • Stylistntenn
    Stylistntenn Posts: 58
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    I was stuck last week and had 1 cheat day where I consumed an extra 500 calories and I ended up losing 6 lbs this week. I don't know if it works for everyone but it seemed to help me. You will still lose if you eat a little extra one day a week. I think it's good, that way your body doesn't get used to you doing the exact same thing day-in and day-out.:smile: Good luck!
  • Stacyanne324
    Stacyanne324 Posts: 780 Member
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    You will get a lot of different answers to this and it works differently for everyone (it even works diferently for the same people during different periods of time). But, personally for me I have started having a weekly cheat day. I was finding that the weeks I didn't have a cheat day and just watching my cals and exercising I was losing maybe a half pound a week or not at all. Then when I would have a cheat day (either planned or just because I fell off the wagon for a day) I'd lose a pound and a half or more that week following. I don't know if it will always continue this way but for as long as it will it's been really speeding up my loss and making it so much easier to stick to staying under calories and exercising during the rest of the week knowing I have a fun day coming up. And I still log that cheat day so I don't go completely and totally crazy but I will eat and drink what I want that day.
  • Stylistntenn
    Stylistntenn Posts: 58
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    Oh, and in reading your previous post, I would have to say I wouldn't go below 1200 cals a day. That's what is recommended for a minimum by most physicians and even most weightloss websites/books. I don't think your body necessarily goes into "starvation" mode, I just think you may not be getting all the nutrients you need. I think I would up it to eat least 1200 and see what happens. It won't hurt and you will probably lose faster.
  • Stacyanne324
    Stacyanne324 Posts: 780 Member
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    I was stuck last week and had 1 cheat day where I consumed an extra 500 calories and I ended up losing 6 lbs this week. I don't know if it works for everyone but it seemed to help me. You will still lose if you eat a little extra one day a week. I think it's good, that way your body doesn't get used to you doing the exact same thing day-in and day-out.:smile: Good luck!

    This is what happened for me several times too. The first few were not planned like the week after Christmas where I ate badly a few days and then a two day stretch when we had family out for my son's birthday. I ate waaaaayyyyy over calories those times and that week after I was up the first day but within a day or two the gain fell off along with another couple pounds. So I started thinking that I'd try it and see if it was actually helping and planned a cheat day. I went about 1000 cals over for the day and same thing... the day after up. The next two days after that loss resulting in about 2 pounds less than where I started before the cheat day. And I've hung onto the loss each time so it's not temporary. Looking forward to another cheat day Sunday! I know this probably won't last and the moment it stops I'll drop the weekly cheat day but I'm riding it as long as it lasts. I've got about 13 pounds to go until my goal weight and would love for it to last that long... :)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Thank you for all the feedback, I think I may have worded my post wrong, when I say a cheat day I dont mean go and eat junk food etc, I meant going over my usual daily calories i.e instead of being allowed 1200 have 1500 one day which I have not done. I am not in anyway bothered by any cravings etc, I have found this diet so easy to stick to for the very reason that I dont feel like Im on a diet but rather making the right choices and feel fantastic for it. A long time ago I used to make the wrong food choices but lost that weight and maintained it and now the weight Im losing is post pregnancy weight.

    I appreciate the fact that it has not been long while the weight has not changed I think some of the frustration is that theres no loss in measurements either. I'm 5ft3 and weigh 134 with a gw of 117,my calories allowance is 1200 but often find I use about 1000,so am not sure if I need to up my calories,but am hoping the increase in exercise will help me get past this. I am not giving up on this and will persevere because I feel better and my skin is looking better and exercising is giving me such a buzz, you all provide such fantastic support when I am having a wobble for no reason,thank you so much.


    How active are you? Do you work out? Also, how active is your daily lifestyle? Do you have a desk job or a job that you are walking/moving a lot?


    Keep in mind your lost per week should be around .5 lbs per week now. The closer to your goal, the smaller the deficit needs to be and the more important it is to feed the system.
  • lornalozza83
    lornalozza83 Posts: 11
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    I don't think a whole cheat DAY is a good idea, but a cheat MEAL would probably be acceptable. The word cheat just sounds like you're giving up. I wish there was a better word for it.

    I think an indulgence meal sounds much better :laugh:

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