i need Cheat Day advice and ideas

teenasbody · January 2012

I am planning a cheat day once a week. I am looking for advice and ideas I don't want to go over board and wonder if the cheat day is even worth it?

thanks for any help advices and recipes

kathykroeger1 · January 2012

cheat days are sometimes worth it to keep you sane.. I suggest just eating 3 or 4 hundred calories more than a typical weightloss day and sticking with low calorie versions of usual cheat foods.

If you love ice cream like me, try the blue bunny frozen yogurt. The strawberry banana flavor is 100 calories for a half cup and it's better than normal ice cream.

thinnerisstronger · January 2012

I would go with a "cheat" meal or a treat instead of a whole day. And I wouldn't use the word "cheat" because "cheating" implies you're on a diet that you are breaking. In a lifestyle change, nothing is off-limits. Moderation is the key.

I say, whatever your treat is, make it homemade as opposed to fast food or grocery store cake etc. Then you know what's going into it!

gp79 · January 2012

I'm starting Spike tomorrow and kicking it off with my spike (cheat) day. Feel free to look at tomorrows diary if you want.

mandycasey · January 2012

Hi everyone is different, for some cheat days work some they don't. I have a 'treat' day every saturday and it gives me something to look forward to every week, Good Luck xx

JennieAL · January 2012

Structure like that just didn't work for me. I don't like being told what to do... even by myself

Seriously, I tried a "cheat day" and it turned into a fast food pig out spree all weekend.

But really it just depends on what you eat like all the time... do you let yourself have treats here and there? If so, maybe you don't need a whole cheat day or meal.

Skeemer118 · January 2012

I agree with whoever said eat about 300 calories more than what you're used to. I wouldn't think of it as cheating so much as treating. When I lost my 10 lbs, we went to my favorite Asian Cusine place & I ordered what I normally order but I stopped when I got happily full. I took home half my plate. I indulged without feeling I had overdone it. Go to Coldstone & get a scoop of "forbidden" ice cream one day or something else you really enjoy. But like others said, I wouldn't do a whole day. Good luck!

chooseyou · January 2012

I often found that cheat days threw me off track. For me it was harder to get back to regular eating the next day. To avoid this, when I have a craving for something I'll either find a healthy version, exercise portion control or eat it and then compensate by being especially healthy at the very next meal or do a bit more exercise. Ironically, the more healthy I eat the less I want a lot of the old foods I craved.

breeanreyes · January 2012

I would recommend a meal or snack that is a little higher in calories but be sure to log them so you can track whether they're hurting your progress or not. I never eat so many calories that I would gain weight if I ate that way every day.

bahacca · January 2012

Instead of a set day, I just choose a few things I know I'll want or have that week and work around those things or just do smaller portions. Like pizza-I have 2 slices and a huge salad instead of 4-6 pieces of pizza. I buy REALLY GOOD quality chocolate and good wine and have a low calorie dinner-like fish and loads of veggies so I can indulge after dinner. So, about every other day or so I have a "cheat day", but I don't go over on my calories. I find this keeps all of my cravings at bay and I know if there is a day I go over, then it will even out over the week from days I go under slightly. If there is a day I KNOW I'll go well over(like next weekend I have a birthday party), I'll just go to the gym on a day I usually don't or the like.
If you can stay at or under calories and really want a day you are not tracking, I'd try tracking a few of those days just to see what you are REALLY doing. If you are eating Olive Garden Tour of Italy, cake, donuts and Double Doubles all in one day, it may set you up for gain or no loss later on. Maybe try a cheat meal instead of a full day if you find the day is too much.

mkmfrog · January 2012

In 2010 when I lost my 25 lbs, I did it with Fridays and Saturday as FREE DAYS. My thinking: This wasn't just about weight loss, it was also about creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I wanted to lose the weight in way I would maintain the lifestyle. And that included having one or two cheat days.

Now, I don't have Fridays and Saturdays completely free. I watch what I eat during the day, but at night...if I want to go to dinner, have cocktails and a dessert, I will. But then I get back on track Sunday through Thursday.

I want this time to be different than all the other times I lost the weight, because what I did in the past didn't work--I gained the weight back. Maybe I didn't lose the weight as quickly because of the Cheat Days, but I am still eating and exercising the same as I did when I began by journey in September 2009. I have been able to maintain the loss, heck I have even lost more in inches!

SaraTN · January 2012

Sometimes its as simple as making your own cheat foods more of a healthy option. Instead of a burger go with a lean turkey burger open faced... or make your own pizza that is light on cheese and heavy on veggies, bake sweet potatos cut into fry shape, have a taco salad instead of nachos... just search for healthy alternatives to the bad and you will be fine.

tanigrrrrr · January 2012

I agree with everyone saying a whole cheat DAY is too much, I personally have a treat meal. Last week I lost 3kg (around 7 pounds) and for my treat meal I went to Max Brenner Chocolate Bar and ate decadently - probably about 1000 calories in one sitting.
However, I worked out twice that day, and ate extremely light for the rest of the day and was well under my calorie goal for the day. Remember to drink pleanty of water to flush yourself out, and dont go too overboard. I really help that looking forward to my treat really helps cravings and prevention of binges and Im more careful not to waste my cheat meal on something thats not worth a weeks work like a chocolate biccie.

xxslvrxwngsxx · January 2012

My cheat days have been Fridays when I go out with the ladies after work for drinks, I let myself have some alcohol (usually a few light beers or a skinny maragrita) and a sensible appetizer. I don't deny myself the fun of going out and say I just not getting food or something, I let myself have fun and do what I want, in reason. Of course I would rather have a 1000 calorie mudslide, but the 2 beers I have for 200 cals feels so much better bacause there is no guilt

Good luck and be sensible

MaximalLife · January 2012

I love my cheat day, or as I prefer to say: "RE-FEED THERAPY"
I have a weekly day where I eat about twice my daily goal, and a monthly food orgy where I eat like a man going to the electric chair for 24 hours.

LOVE IT!
It's nice knowing I am never more than 7 days from eating anything I desire in whatever quantity I want.
I'd go nuts otherwise.

taso42 · January 2012

My suggestions would be
- go for it
- don't call it a cheat day (bad connotation)
- don't use it as an excuse to fall off the wagon

LuciaLongIsland · January 2012

I am planning a cheat day once a week. I am looking for advice and ideas I don't want to go over board and wonder if the cheat day is even worth it?

thanks for any help advices and recipes

Why the need to cheat, Do it or dont.

Zarebeth · January 2012

I don't have a set "Cheat day". I allow myself a little extra leeway on the days where there is a special occasion, and I make sure I consume few enough calories to have a treat waiting for me if I make it. My treats are a beer with dinner and a Skinny Cow truffle bar (100 calories) if I am a good girl. On special occasions I still track, I just omit the treats. Since I have almost 100 pounds to lose I can't afford a pig out.

4theking · January 2012

Not a cheat day, a spike day. 2 x bmr one day a week. Eat high carb, low fat. No guilt and right back on track the next day! It will help to boost fat burning hormones and keep you sane while losing fat.