10 Reasons why you should not have a cheat day... hmmm

Lrt4uk

I always have a cheat day, but stay under my calorie limits. My cheat days usually consist of Starbuck or ice cream and I don't work out. For me, that's enough!

How's that really a cheat day? other than moving from healthy to not quite so healthy, but still within your limits?

CaptainMFP

In short, it's a behavioral issue. If it works for you, great. For some, using them works better.

This is it in black-and-white. Changing eating and fitness habits is about behavioral modification and simple declarations of any kind about changing behavior are rarely universally accurate or binding.

pslwalker

If I want to have something "not healthy" I'm going to. It's my choice. If I find that it hurts me, I'll back off. If I'm fine with my serving of potato chips (this morning) then so be it. I record everything I eat. Deprivation is far worse than an occasional slip up. But that's me, everyone is different.

BrettPGH

The reason MFP has worked for me is because I can eat what I want so long as I stay within the limits and the occaisonal cheat day is allowed and even encouraged.

If the plan instead was "Salads and clean eating for life! You can't ever have anything unhealthy!" I would not have succeeded. Hell I wouldn't have even tried.

Plus anyone who's been on a diet for a few weeks and says "I'm never putting that garbage in my body again for the rest of my life!!" is usually the person eating fast food in their car 3 weeks later.

You gotta live. Moderation. It really does work!

Lrt4uk

I have a confession and I don't necessarily feel guilty:

My 3 kids (6, 6, & 8) birthday party is Saturday evening at a pizza place. I plan to eat pizza and have cake. I may not binge on the pizza like I once would have, but I will eat as much as I want of it.

I also have a church luncheon Sunday. Let me just say, most Southern Baptist church ladies don't bring diet food. I will be eating there as well.

That said, I will be trying to add in some extra work out time this weekend, but if I don't manage it, the world will not end.

thanks,
Leslie

infamousmk

This is a really long article, so I'm going to get a piece of cake out of the fridge to eat while I read it.

onedayillbamilf

Just this title makes me want to scream!!!!!!!!


GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

onedayillbamilf

This is a really long article, so I'm going to get a piece of cake out of the fridge to eat while I read it.

Yep, way too long. I will read it as I eat my shrimp quesadillas......maybe....I'll think about it.

IronmanPanda

Meh...

foremant86

I only need one reason to have a cheat day. It works.

Yep, that'll do.

taso42

Have fun with your fear of food. I'll continue having a once a week splurge. And by the way, that doesn't necessarily mean "junk food". It's just a day off of logging and calorie counting.

SmartAlec03211988

I go all out every single Sunday, have lost 75 lbs so far, and continue to lose .5 lbs a week. I will not stop a cheat day because it works for me.

MikeSEA

At best this mostly just personal preference, which is fine, but it's no reason why *I* shouldn't have a cheat day. And really it depends on what we consider cheating. Some people might consider a junk food binge cheating. For me, a binge isn't so much of a cheat day as it is falling off the wagon.

If your perspective works for you then great, but it's definitely not something I'd generalize about.

LorinaLynn

<--- Been "cheating" (not necessarily binging, but not logging and not caring about calories) every weekend since June.

sylvuz323

I don't believe cheat days hurt overall weight loss but I suppose it all depends on the person. I have co-workers that are the "all or nothing" type of personalities. When they "diet" I dislike the word but it works for them cause they don't understand the healthy life style concept, so for them they avoid "all" foods that are bad for them. Once they have a taste of something bad then they are done, its all bad food all the time, so the healthy is out the door.

If not cheating works for you, then stick to it. I for one would rather enjoy some creamy alfredo chicken pasta once in a while or a beer or two. All in moderation.

mooglysmom

Well... my 'diet' is entirely about losing weight. My exercising is.

I eat what I want, in moderation. I have to retrain my brain (and stomach!) to what a real portion is. Therefore, I don't deny myself anything. If I want pizza, I have pizza - but I make it in such a way that I'll stay within or close to my calorie limit for the day.

One day a week (usually Friday) I don't care about calories. I need to make sure I'm still making healthy choices. I might eat a little more, but I'm still eating in moderation. I'm not going crazy and eating a large pizza by myself, know what I mean? I'm not going to gorge myself and eat 5000 calories for the day (I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to move I'd be so stuffed, lol), but if I happen to hit 2000? Whoop-de-doo.

Maybe that's not considered a cheat day. I don't really believe in 'cheat' days I suppose. I'm making a conscious effort to change my thoughts and feelings toward food.

And, I'll tell you now... I have to make a cake this weekend. I guarantee I will lick the spoon and that's OK!

grinch031

I personally find value in the cheat day. I think the psychological aspect of having something to look forward to makes a more restrictive diet easier to deal with. Most of what the OP says is pretty much personal preference and not backed by any science.

nerdyandilikeit

Kayla165

I am sure all of as have tried to loose weight by denying ourselves our favorite foods and failed miserably. I know I have. There is no way I could go the rest of my life without eating chocolate, pizza, burgers, french fries, onion rings, hot wings or any of the many other foods I love. This is about a lifestyle change. You can still eat the things you love sometimes it is just very bad when you do it on a daily basis. For example I crave chocolate when Aunt flo decides to come visit and today she did, and I ate a hershey's bar. I do not feel bad about it at all.

Bombbombgo

I was sooo stuck and the same weight for weeks, and finally broke it with some high calorie, or spike, days. Also, a cheat or spike day doen't have to be junk food. It just has to be a day where u eat signifigantly higher calories. Most junkfood personaly makes me feel crappy, so on spike days I still eat healthy, but eat moe, and choose more calorie dense foods. Also, my workout performance is always BOMB the next day!

jowings

I completely agree with DL. I will say that a cheat day isn't for everyone, but I find that it helps with my cravings, keeps be from being too obsessive and just all around makes me feel like I am still living my life and not constantly on a diet .

thcri

Farrell's Extreme Body Make over would disagree you. Their program requires you to have a Free Day once a week where you get to eat as much of or what you want. The plan is working for me.

No I don't go wild on candy or treats and try to stay in the clean foods but I don't worry about my calories at all. I enjoy that day.

ekz13

I 100% agree... I don't believe in cheat days/meals... because I did nothing wrong.


I believe in taking a relax day where at the end of the week, I eat what I want, I take the day off from running, I just unwind with my family and enjoy a good meal of what ever I feel like at the time.

it's personal for everyone, if you can't eb and flow with it, then by all means, don't have your "cheat day"

do what works for you.

andier1686

i love cheat days! i always look forward to it... and that's the WEEKEND for me... so as my workout day w/c is WEEKDAYS.. so having 5 outnumbered 2 would not feel guilty at all... and I take my calorie under 1200cal so i can have my cheat day. yey!

thcri

<--- Been "cheating" (not necessarily binging, but not logging and not caring about calories) every weekend since June.

Congratulations, job well done. Thumbs Up

kaybelmore

I have always had a cheat day (really it's 1.5 days). For me it REALLY does help the craving and my tastes have really changed. Yes i still love marshmallow fluff, but i also sub new, healthier. sticky sweets that i love (black strap molasses...yummmmmmm). And, things like Twinkies and 7 layer make me feel gross. My full cheat day rarely exceeds 2500 calories and run 10K that day to offset.

It's important to do what works for you, for me i need this day to replace my glycogen stores and to reduce sugar craving during the week. I'm pretty sure that everyone is a little different and there is no perfect way to eat. It's just a matter of individual balance.

Cris725

I guess I "cheat" everyday. I eat whatever I want. Its all about eating things in moderation. And newsflash: I have never gone over my calorie goals. Ever. I periodically go a little over in my carbs or sodium, but that doesnt happen very often. And I've lost 16 pounds in just under two months. So while I believe that you can have your own opinion, I personally think you're wrong. Maybe its right for you, but we arent all like you. Just sayin'.

yesthistime

bump

itsuki

I don't think it would be physically possible for me to eat 5000 calories in 1 meal, cheat day or not. That's like 2 entire large cheese pizzas. For just one meal. Even back when I ate like crap I couldn't eat that much!

When I have a cheat day I'm usually 400-500 consumed calories higher than a normal day, and I usually put in more time at the gym to balance it, so my net isn't that much higher at all.

sharonsjones

I have been maintaining for 10 years, I used to have a cheat day and eat whatever I wanted all day long. I would then be completly misrable by the end of the day. I quite doing that a few years ago and I now have a cheat meal every week. On Friday nights I eat whatever I want, hamburger, nachos, etc and I have desert. I don't feel guilty, I work my *kitten* off the rest of the week and eat healthy all the rest of the week. My cholesterol is awesome as is my Triglycerides (28).

THIS works for me!