Cheat Day

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  • olong
    olong Posts: 255 Member
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    I'm not a month in yet; I haven't yet "allowed" myself a cheat day/meal. Somewhat envious, but not really because I eat whatever I want and whatever the family is eatting, just a limited portion size. Maybe in another month, I'll feel more brazen and just EAT!
  • JWolf7911
    JWolf7911 Posts: 63 Member
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    Once a week.. I eat double my bmr. Works like a charm.

    Me too. She's my mini me! ♥ ^ Oh and it's a full day, not one meal ☺


    Hmmm maybe I'll change my mind then! You both seem to be having a lot of success so maybe il try it out :)
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    once every 7-10 days...no more than once a week but at least 2x a month. usually it's only @ maintenance or a bit over...so 2200-2500 calories. I'm 4'11 and ~100 pounds, so that explains how that's a "cheat day" for me.
  • schmoozie26
    schmoozie26 Posts: 63 Member
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    I would love to incorporate a cheat day! But could someone tell me...say I want to lose 1 lb a week, need that 3500 calorie deficit in a week, if I have a cheat day, won't that wipe out oh say like a 3rd of my deficit? Which....there goes my lb a week? Maybe cheat days are for people that have a higher deficit?
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Sundays are my cheat day. I eat whatever i want and love every bite!
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
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    I could not progress without my cheat day, or as we prefer to say in the scientific community: "RE-FEED THERAPY"

    The science behind calorie spiking is about shocking your metabolism, stoking the fires so to speak.
    I set aside one day per week where I eat about twice my daily goal, and once a month I set a day for a total food orgy where I eat like a pig for 24 hours.
    This has both physiological and psychological benefits.
    It's nice knowing I am never more than 7 days from eating anything I desire in whatever quantity I want.

    I'd be miserable otherwise.

    The "food orgy" as you describe has nothing to do with refeed I'd say. Moreover, that famous "spike" you are talking about is purely related to carbohydrates. A sane refeed protocol consists in eating mostly carbs within a day, on maintenance. Thus you'd higher your leptin levels and lower the insulin-resistance the brains has (not to mention preventing thyroid shrinking) just to continue to loose weight (and preventing muscular catabolism).

    it makes sense if you are low on carbs, and high in deficit ; otherwise, it doesn't do anything physically.
    I read (need to look though) that reboosting the leptin with a day is not that efficient, since results are interesting after weeks.
    People who need "cheet days" means they are too restrictive most of the time - Lately I noticed (before I increased my intakes) that I was only waiting that mighty Saturday in order to crave on thousands calories (I'd say 3000-4000). Then what...
    I've also heard that "cheat days" shouldn't be logged )as if they were not normal days.

    Going that way means you (all the people who "cheat") operate an explicit split between two way of feeding yourself :
    1- Restriction during days
    2- Binges during a day

    That is where the vicious circle comes in, they are days when you'll eat less to binge even more ; or you'll have two "cheat" days per week. And few months later gain weight....

    To people who "cheat" :
    - Ask yourself why you need to do that
    - If you are on a diet, that won't work your whole life, the yoyo will be waiting for you
    - It's not sane, and you'll pretext a "cheat" to overcrave on food you don't even want to eat.
    - Looks like some eating disorders are hiding somewhere hehe

    In fact, you should not consider "cheats"at all, but once in a while, take pleasure by eating something you love, as a happy greedy :-)
    Some interesting readings :
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=EatingDisorders
  • robinogue
    robinogue Posts: 1,117 Member
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    I only have a cheat meal and it's usually one meal during the weekend. I used to do it every weekend but have cut back.
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
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    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/eating_disorder_struggles.htm
  • subigirl
    subigirl Posts: 53 Member
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    @Razique...that's why I don't have a "cheat" day...and probably why I had so many problems in the past with rollercoasters and yo-yos. That is why I now just eat what I want in small portions. I make that thing I'm craving fit into my day. If I know that there is a special event that night where I may want to eat something. I adjust during the day to allow myself extra room calorie-wise. If I know ahead of time the place we will be eating, I'll look up the menu online and run some numbers in MFP, so I basically walk into the restaurant knowing what I'm going to eat ahead of time. It has to be a lifestyle! You shouldn't have to cut out foods...just calories...which means smaller portions of foods, for the most part. I figure this way, when I'm done losing, all I have to do is slowly increase my portions, until I get to that point I'm neither losing or gaining...rather than thinking, "Okay, what can I allow myself to have now."
  • alex6971
    alex6971 Posts: 51 Member
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    I just dont understand these "cheat days". I am new to MFP so bear with me. My goal is 1200 cals a day so if i reach this goal and dont go over everyday am i allowed a "cheat day"?
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Razique/view/my-cut-day-85-90-from-a-cute-cheat-to-severe-eating-disorder-210073
  • mjbrenner
    mjbrenner Posts: 222 Member
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    @Razique I don't know that you meant it this way, but I do not appreciate the implication that those who use "cheat" days as part of their eating strategy have eating disorders. Your blog post gives an example of how using "cheat" days can lead to deviating from your diet plan, but that is in no way a guarantee. Many of us use cheat days as a method of sticking to our diet plans.

    I will use myself as an example. Here are the things I know about myself:
    1. If I consume refined carbs, I will have difficulty stopping. I simply do not have a hunger-based "off" switch for them. My doctor understands this, and he agrees that lowering my carb count is a good thing, especially since I do not metabolize carbs as healthily as I metabolize fat.
    2. While I enjoy my usual diet a great deal (mostly meat, veggies, and beans), I also want the sweet and starchy dishes I love.
    3. No matter what, I will not naturally eat more than ~4500 calories in a single day. No matter the food combination, this seems to hold true. (This makes sense, since 4500 calories is a LOT of food)
    4. I enjoy excess. Some people like to live like a monk; I do not. I understand that while I enjoy excess, I must enjoy it in moderation, since too much is just too much.

    Traditional dieting and calorie counting alone has never worked for me. It does nothing to curb the bottomless hunger I experience when I, "just have a reasonable serving of pasta." This is a physiological issue, confirmed by my doctor through a full metabolic blood panel.

    By counting my calories and limiting the foods I eat six days a week, I can enjoy an overall reasonable amount of all of the foods I enjoy in the long run. I can attend parties and not be, "The guy on a diet." I can enjoy every single food I love, and I can lose weight and become more healthy while I do it. I am eating less of the unhealthy foods I enjoy, but I am getting more enjoyment out of them because I can turn the day into a sort of special occasion.

    It's cool if cheat days do not work for you. No one method is correct for everyone. It is not cool, however, to imply that those of us who use them effectively as part of a comprehensive plan to increase health have eating disorders.
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
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    In fact you are right on that and I apologize if it has been perceived that way.
    Since I'm close to the BB world, I based my observations on that. I've seen those, and it's somehow sad. BB eat much more, and WAY more during cheat days, used for the ones I saw as a pretext for EDs. And I find it quite difficult to live with.
    Plus I don't kow why, but i never liked the word "cheat". we are all looking for an healthier way of living. Can cheat days sustainble the whole Life ?
    Sometimes I give the impression to be a bit rude, and I'm working to be less, but beneath, it's I think the fear to see people who are trying to succeed in their journey fail because of that. I know some people who are into ED for years (7-10 years)
    And I know how easy it is to fall into that.
    I hope I made myself clear :-)
  • _Shelley_
    _Shelley_ Posts: 206
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    How often do you have a cheat day? Once a week, twice month, once a month, never?

    Once a week.. I eat double my bmr. Works like a charm.

    Off topic but I LOVE your profile photo!
  • mrandolph69
    mrandolph69 Posts: 197 Member
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    Mjbrenner & Razique: I appreciate the civility each of you displayed in that exchange. It could have gotten childish, ugly and hurtful very quickly (like so many exchanges seem to do on the internet.) Thanks for that. I wish more people on this and other sites would do the same.

    In answer to the original poster: I have one cheat meal per week and it works for me. The key to this, I think, is to figure out what works for you and stick with it, neither of which are easy sometimes.
  • DragonflyF15
    DragonflyF15 Posts: 437 Member
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    I allow myself a cheat meal within reason twice a week. Usually I don't go to far over on the calories, its more of the type of food I'm eating isn't as healthy option. Cheat days are Thanksgiving and Christmas and Superbowl :)
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    During Christmas I went to the states and found it really hard to find restaurants that served healthy food. Plus, if there was something different around I tried it. Home is a different story, I'd just rather the healthier foods.

    However, when I went out for valentines and it ended up being about 2000 calories :P

    So I guess that makes it once every 2-3 months :P
  • littlebuddy84
    littlebuddy84 Posts: 1,000 Member
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    I have a cheat meal once a week.
  • Sophie983
    Sophie983 Posts: 119 Member
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    I don't have a planned cheat meal. There is no need for it. I am so happy that I feel this way, because I am (was?) such an emotional eater.
    I had a piece of chocolate cake for my friends 30th birthday about 2,3 weeks ago. That was it. I've been dieting for a month now though. Maybe I will need it eventually. I hope now though :)
  • Stacyanne324
    Stacyanne324 Posts: 780 Member
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    once every 7-10 days...no more than once a week but at least 2x a month. usually it's only @ maintenance or a bit over...so 2200-2500 calories. I'm 4'11 and ~100 pounds, so that explains how that's a "cheat day" for me.

    This is how I work my "cheat" days now. When I was just allowing myself a total eat what I want and however much I want I went about 3000 calories over my normal goal (or 2500 over maintenance). So now I have to limit myself. My day is Sunday and I try to either set to maintenance or 1000 over. So, for me it's 2060-2560 calories. I try to have it at maintenance for the average Sunday when we have no big plans and give myself the 1000 over if we have a party to go to or something fun planned. I am 5'11" and 163.

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