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

Stacyanne324

To each their own. I am following the spike diet which has a "cheat' day built in by design and I love it. If you do the math overall you wind up in a calorie defecit for the week so that is how you still lose (even if you don't believe in the metabolism boost) and I find it really helps me to know I have a day each week to eat what I've been craving. But, that said I'm also not a completely clean eater during my non-spike days so junk is still part of my diet here and there anyway. I eat at 1200 calories 3 days a week, to bmr (1500 for me) 3 days a week, and spike day I do twice bmr which is 3000 calories for me. I log it because as mentioned I could totally overeat and have 6000 caloriees without thinking much about it but 3000 still gives me plenty of leway to enjoy myself. I never feel guilty because it's planned and a necessary part of the diet plan. And I actually enjoy getting back to healthier or lower calorie eating after and don't find it increases my cravings or causes problems the 6 days I'm not spiking.

Stacyanne324

1. Feeding the Junk Food Addiction - Not everyone is a junk food addict. This is a reason JUNK FOOD ADDICTS should not have a cheat day. "You" is pretty general.
2. Doesn’t help reduce cravings - Yes it does. I've been spiking every week for over a year. Anything I crave during the week gets worked out on Spike Day & I'm more than ready to get back to another 6 days of healthy eating.
3. Eating way too much - This is most likely to be an issue for people with eating disorders...& the vast majority of people trying to lose weight don't.
4. Guilt afterwards - There's no guilt if it's planned & done responsibly. If I've managed my intake the entire week & allowed myself 4000 calories for Saturday & can still end up with enough of a weekly deficit to lose weight, what's to feel guilty about?
5. Doesn’t raise your metabolism - Read up on leptin.
Also, do you think that when scientists are doing research studies on diet plans, that they allow people to cheat once per week? Of course not! - Yes they are. Read up on leptin.
6. Junk food is unhealthy - Lots of things are unhealthy. There's nothing wrong with enjoying food that isn't "clean" in moderation because you like it. And yes, a gigantic portion (if you like) once a week is moderation.
7. Some things take a while to leave your system - What does this have to do with a cheat day? People can eat crap on a regular day & still be in a calorie deficit.
8. Taste sensation doesn’t manage to adapt - I still enjoy the taste of healthy, clean foods. As well as junky processed ones, once in a while.
9. Body doesn’t manage to adapt to the new fuel - Read up on leptin...& glycogen storage.
10. Knowing that cheating is not an option makes things easier - The opposite is true. Knowing I only have to wait 6 days at the most to eat something decadent makes it easier to resist it during the week.

After all, what we should be after is not try to go on a “diet”, but to actually make a lifestyle change in order to live a healthier, happier life.

Real life is not "dieting" 100% of the time. My lifestyle is eating healthy & exercising 6 days a week, & allowing myself to let loose & have fun (which includes eating crap food sometimes) on the 7th day. It's realistic, flexible, & it works for me.

I heart you.

rlpalomino

Guilt increases cortizone, better to let it go! ...And keep going.

Balice57

I do sometimes include a "cheat day" in my week, a day when I allow myself not to track my calories. I think it is lovely to give myself a rest. I believe if you are eating healthier most days you won't go entirely crazy on your rest day. My body is getting used to eating in a healthier manner, and junk food just wouldn't taste good. I may have a slice of pie, or a great burger and a cocktail, but as I'm finding it hard to eat the MFP recommended calories on a daily basis there is no way I am going to consume 5000 calories in a day when I'm not logging calories. It's what you do most of the time that counts and frankly, I'm not going to live the rest of my life without having a good burger or meal out in a great restaurant. It's all about the balance, and it's about what will work for a lifetime.


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

3dogsrunning

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.

That is the other thing, I am simply not able to eat a large amount of food when I am "cheating". I usually only get to eat a small portion of the few things I selected.

StephEwell

If I wanted to (and sometimes I do) I could hit my macros eating so-called "unhealthy" junk foods. Bottom line, don't deprive yourself and don't feel superior while you're depriving yourself. Cheers :drinker:

LOVE.

stubbysticks

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.

In January I logged a >7,000 day & lost almost a whole pound the following week. Enjoy: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/stubbysticks?date=2012-01-14

here_I_go_again

1. Feeding the Junk Food Addiction

I believe that junk food addiction is real, and that many people can not succeed in eating healthy because of it. Having a cheat meal every week basically feeds that addiction, and may lead to full-blown relapse.

Now, you wouldn’t tell a nicotine addict only to have cigarettes on Saturdays?

2. Doesn’t help reduce cravings

This is kind of similar to tip 1 above. If you are physically or psychologically dependant on something, having it every now and then will not reduce cravings, but actually keep them coming back again and again.

3. Eating way too much

It is common when people cheat, that they completely lose control and destroy a week’s worth of dieting. I might be unusual, but I’ve eaten 5000 calories in a single meal. That’s TWO DAYS of calories.

4. Guilt afterwards

After doing really well on a diet for a few days, it can cause a lot of guilt to have that cheat meal, unless maybe if the person manages to keep self control and not completely overeat.

5. Doesn’t raise your metabolism

I’ve read it countless times that eating a cheat meal will raise metabolism and should therefore help with weight loss. I haven’t seen any evidence to support this and I don’t really believe in it.

Also, do you think that when scientists are doing research studies on diet plans, that they allow people to cheat once per week? Of course not!

6. Junk food is unhealthy

Junk food is unhealthy. That is probably the reason why you quit eating it in the first place (duh). Having it once a week is clearly worse than having none at all.

7. Some things take a while to leave your system

There are many nasty things in junk food, such as trans fats. They can take a long time to disappear from your system, and if you keep eating them every now and then, they will never completely leave your body.

8. Taste sensation doesn’t manage to adapt

When you stop eating junk food, one of the things that happens is that with time your taste sensation adapts, and food that isn’t overly processed starts to taste good. Cheating once a week interrupts this.

9. Body doesn’t manage to adapt to the new fuel

When changing the diet, one thing the body does is ramp up enzyme production in order to start using a different fuel. This is especially important for eating plans that don’t allow sugar and grains.

If you keep cheating once in a while, the adaptation won’t fully complete.

10. Knowing that cheating is not an option makes things easier

Trust me on this.. when a cheat meal is not an option, it makes sticking to a diet much, much, much easier.

Anything else?

If your cheat days/meals have been causing you problems, or downright preventing you from being successful in the long-term, then these tips above should really do you good.

After all, what we should be after is not try to go on a “diet”, but to actually make a lifestyle change in order to live a healthier, happier life.

If there are any other reasons you can think of why not to have a cheat meal, or reasons why you believe cheat meals are essential, please post them in the comments section below.


(BTW I DID NOT RIGHT THIS ARTICLE...just found it intresting since "the cheat day" controversy is big)

Love it, thank you!

DL121004

In January I logged a >7,000 day & lost almost a whole pound the following week. Enjoy: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/stubbysticks?date=2012-01-14

I think what saved you were those Reduced Fat Cinnamon Rolls. :laugh:

I like your style; I attack my cheat day with vigor!!

stubbysticks

Hey...I don't do anything half-*kitten*. I was thinking it was the tequila that saved me. Perhaps I should switch to the Patron diet...:huh:

wally1uk

I don't have scheduled cheat days...but when were entertaining I'm not gonna sit there with half a lettuce leaf whilst my guests are sitting eating the yummy food I've spent all day preparing!! Beside, it puts them off too.

Same with kids birthdays, BBQ's etc...I'll eat what I want and won't worry...so long as I;m back on the plan when I'm not doing anything, I can't see the big problem. Life's about enjoying it...not worrying it away...moderate short or long term...that's the way to do it!

Cold_Steel

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!

Lol every time I said I was going to diet I ended up doing the car thing... that is so true.

This is a lifestyle thing... Today I am sick... Today I stayed home from work and gasp I consumed 8 Thin Mint cookies ...and I am ok with that.

This "article" just seems like it is the original posters opinion because they have had or not have had success with certain things.

I have success with spiking... In fact I usually end up losing my weekly goal the day after I spike... Does not work like that for every one... This is why it is unique to be human...

funkycamper

I refuse to have cheat meals/days. However, I splurge all the time. As long as I hit my weekly calorie target, I can have many little splurges throughout the week or a couple of big splurges, totally guilt-free, enjoying every bite, and still lose weight. Hey, sometimes I even go over my weekly calorie target. I don't feel deprived it doesn't derail me. In fact, it keeps me going. Sometimes my splurges are just more of healthy foods, sometimes they're total junk. As long as I'm eating nutritious food about 80-90% of the time, I don't think some pizza or ice cream or cookies or cake or chips or whatever are gonna hurt you.

If I thought I could never eat chocolate again, I would have quit 65# ago.

delilah47

bump

Smilejoelle1

Hahaha .. Idk I love pizza and ice cream so much I think I might steal them. lol.

cbush0315

I'm studying to be a dietitian and all of my teachers say they love eating their "guilty pleasure" foods. They just eat them in moderation. One of my teachers said she has a twinkie once a week- but she has half of it with lunch, and half with dinner. One twinkie a week obviously isn't going to make you obese. I mean... it's definitely all about personal opinion but scientifically speaking, this list is a load of crap. I don't feel like there's any scientific evidence to back it up.

Matt_Wild

Personally I kinda agree with the OP.

I have a large cheat meal once a week, when bulking or indeed cutting. A day for me would be unrequired and and awful lot of altered fats and cheap carbs rolled together.

But that works for me and keeps me lean even when bulking

1Timothy4v8

I completely agree, when I first started I was so good sticking to my calories I set, and I lost 21 pounds in about 1 month, and I didn't want a cheat day cause I wanted to be good, but when the super bowl came around, I thought "well I've earned it" so I ordered a pizza and a desert and a coke, and then every sense then I have had the hardest time sticking to my diet plan! =( so once I finally am able to get back on tack you can believe there will be no more cheat day, my hubby tried to warn me, but like always I realize afterward that I should have listened

Alexstrasza

Sorry if this has been repeated....

Who says that a "cheat day" has to consist of eating crappy food? When I cheat I may go over by eating some extra kashi lean or low-fat desserts or something. It's still healthy food, I just go over my limit.

I don't see a problem with doing that once a week.

Perisylpha

I see it as a TREAT not a CHEAT. A little of what you like does you good. In other words, it's good for morale and won't upset anything if you only have one treat a week. To deny yourself anything you love ever again is ludicrous.