cheat days

sexyminxinthemaking

do you have a cheat day????
if so do you find it helps you to keep going??
and how does it affect your weight loss if you have a cheat day once a week ???

CarolineSpence

Sunday is usually my cheat day. I try to not totally overdo it , I just don't really count my calories and eat more than I normally do. I have found that as long as I don't binge and eat waaay too much, I don't gain from it and continue to lose if I get right back on track the next day. It helps me out a TON because I look forward to it during the week. Times before when I didn't have a set cheat day, I'd find myself binge eating way too often and it would completely sabotage my diet.

aSunflower

I NEVER cheat!:laugh:

Ok, so here is the real story....

I realized after years and years and years (you get the idea) that dieting with or without cheating really doesn't work for me, I would eventually just give up- so I stopped. Do I log my food- yes. Do I eat healthy- yes. Do I sometimes share a dessert- YES. Did I eat an ounce of my Dad's homemade peanut brittle last night -yes.

Did I consider it cheating?- no. Its just part of my life now. No more guilt- no more feeling like a failure, I don't have to me perfect. Just keep working at!

I know its just semantics but the word cheat brings to mind adultery, robbery and major tax invasion- not a little peanut brittle!:laugh:

MrsKosal

I do NOT do cheat days. I just try to do everything in moderation. But, everyone is different. If I allow myself a full cheat day, I would spiral out of control.

UponThisRock

Benefits:
-psychological break from dieting
-temporary rise in leptin might make you drop some water

Negatives:
-could hurt your progress if you go overboard (especially if you have an epic appetite like me)

Carolyn_79

I have a cheat meal, but I don't go crazy. My lunch today is my cheat meal and some friends and I are going to a pizza place that we've heard a lot about. I don't stress about it and I've never had negative repercussions as a result. In fact, sometimes I see the biggest drop in weight the day after a cheat meal.

vettle

Tough call. When I first started out I was super against these so called cheat days. But when I got to a plateau halfway through I started zig zagging and I dropped my weight after a 5 week hiatus. Your body sometimes needs a jump and a slap in the metabolism.

So the concept of cheat days shouldn't be that you eat like a pig and gorge yourself on one day (because that could lead to weight gain and could be hard to control) - but your cheat day should consist of one extra meal to spike your calories for one day or two. 300 calories or so more. Not 1600 lol.

PunkRockDad

I had my cheat day last Friday and I haven't stopped yet!!!! Everyday since then has been a cheat day. Gained 4 lbs. of the 5 I lost from last week. So I am pretty bummed right now, but what do I expect eating at pizza buffets and 14 ounce ribeye steaks??? I am getting back on track tomorrow after my son's birthday party.

Shariet0630

yes, every other Sunday is my free day. I eat whatever I want. I find this great because I do not deprive myself from food I really want. Keeps me focused. I cannot do this without this day, I would cheat all the time and this way I can have a day and get back on it. I have not gained from this so I will continue it.

Sambo004

I agree. Have a cheat meal, not a cheat day. And if you workout hard, then you can indulge a little more It's crazy how quickly it can add up, but I find I work so hard, that I don't feel guilty about a cheat meal / treat. What the hell am I working out so hard for then? :bigsmile:

hope516

I totally cheat!!! Can't wait for my day tomorrow...already have my meals planned

It works...see below :blushing:

ps.. make your cheat day at least 1-2 days away from your official weigh in day. Mine is Monday, so my cheat day is Saturday. Sunday I get back on track and by Monday most of the extra water weight has leveled off and I MOSTLY always am seeing a 2 pound loss :flowerforyou:

KLavallee322

I try to stay on track Mon-Fri because on the weekends my husband & I are running around a lot and there are at least 2 meals we are eating out. On weekends I try to eat a healthy breakfast and pack healthy snacks in my purse so I won't become starving and cave into McDonalds. If I know the place we are going we are going to dinner I will look up the calories before hand and log them into my diary before hand so I know how to eat the rest of the day without blowing my calories. I still feel like I'm "cheating" because I'm eating a good meal out but I am also staying on track so I feel good about my decisions.

beckihadfield87

I have the odd day where I eat a little more than usual, I don't tend to plan the day I'm going to have but I know if I am going out for a meal I will have those chips or maybe something that isn't as healthy as what I would eat at home. I might have a packet of crisps one day or some cheese that i wouldn't normally have! You can't punish yourself by denying the foods you love every now and again and it is good (in my experience) for your metabolism to be kept on it's toes!

sexyminxinthemaking

thanks everyone for your responses xx

ErinBeth7

I don't have a cheat day, although Saturdays are usually lacking some. I give myself a couple meals a week to cheat. Thats what has been working best for me.

brittnicoledav

I got a box, and on the side i put sticky notes with a bunch of mini weight loss goals on it (for example, i have lose three pounds on 6 of them) . in the box a wrote down a bunch of treats, like go on a dessert only date, go on a dinner date, go get a piece of pizza, and treats like that. not a cheat DAY, i used to do that but i found it threw me right off track, so i have a little treat to reward myself. everyone is different but this really works for me and its like a little present to look forward to when you meet a goal good luck!

NikkiPsuedoDupuis

Every Saturday I have wine with my sister and we split a small a veggie pizza with a multigrain crust for dinner. Over in calories, but not hugely so and having that one day a week makes the rest of the week easier. I have a friend (hehe, everyone has that infamous friend) who's a certified personal trainer and about halfway through studying to become a nutritionist. She says that occassionally eating over keeps your body from adjusting to your limited caloric intake and "resets" to avoid the plateau. I'm sure she used more convincing words than that, but it seems to be working for me so far lol.

CMmrsfloyd

I do 'cheat' days about 1-4 times per month just depending on how life shapes up. Sometimes it just happens b/c I 'go back home' for the weekend and do not have as much control over the food I'm eating, sometimes it happens b/c I get to have a rare date night w/ my husband or girls' night out. Historically, as long as I maintain my deficit the rest of the time, cheat days have not hurt my progress and in fact I often drop a little extra unexpected wait a day or two later. Plus they totally keep me sane.

kateroot

I don't really do a cheat "day," I have a couple little cheats throughout the week. It's tough for me to plan a cheat day, because most of my cheats are treats my fiance surprises me with (like a dinner out, or he'll bring home some ice cream or a nice bottle of wine). If I go over one day, I'll adjust my calories a little lower for the next day or two, and throw in an extra workout. I just try to keep everything balanced throughout the week.

jyow01

I don't have a cheat day but a free meal each week. (free doesen't sound as bad a cheat) This free meal has not affected my weightloss. I am making a life change not just a diet, I need to be realistic in the fact that I know I will want certain foods so I allow that in one meal a week. I don't blow my calories by going crazy by eating 1000 calories in that one meal but if I want to eat a very small portion of cheese fries with my steak I will do that. I feel it is all about a life change and you have to be able to adjust to fit what is right for you.

tkay1949

I don't particularly care for the word cheat although I have exceeded my desired intake. I think as long as we can stay motivated and keep going an occssional martini (in my case) won't hurt. I did record this transgresion and boy was I surprised what it did for my calorie intake. Over 300. There will be fewer in my future. Stay on track and don't be afraid to "reward" yourself once in a while. Feel free to add me as a friend. You would be the first.

tk :drinker:

neverstray

I started cheat days after reading a book called "Body For Life" by Bill Phillips. This book is extraordinary, and it's the basic building blocks for what later became P90X and all it's different variants. He strongly encourages a cheat day, as long as you stick to your diet and exercise routine 6 days a week. it's the first I had heard of this and I love the idea. It works too because you don't feel like a tight *kitten* all the time. You can cut loose once in a while. I like to use my cheat days for summer bbq's and things like that. Typically, during summer when I'm more socially active, my cheat day will be Saturday. But, if not, then it's Sunday.

The key to success here is to not be ridiculous about it. Just be cool and normal. If you want pizza, have a slice or two and don't worry about it. But, don't eat an entire pizza. If you want ice cream, have a scoop, but don't get a giant banana fudge Carmel swirl double chocolate explosion. Just be cool about it, but enjoy it.

steffihoney

I have a cheat meal on Fridays. It is my son's day to pick dinner, and not a healthy choices from him. lol But occasionally I allow myself what I want. Noone is perfect.

But I like what I am hearing about plateaus because I am stuck on one. Hopefully today's cheat meal is what I need to boost start the metabolism.

lizzybethclaire

For me, cheat days were my downfall. I try to have small indulgences each day within my calories or if I go over my calories I just let it go.

stuffinmuffin

I cheat once a week for a social meal/drinks out but I also tend to save my exercise cals through the week for my 'cheat' meal. I've done this for nearly a year and it's worked perfectly for me. Infact I'm having one tonight....wine and curry here I come! : ) xx

I never exceed my weekly net cals though.

tlinval

I call mine "treat days". I weigh in on Tuesday mornings, and the rest of the day I eat whatever I want. I know that sounds gluttonous but actually it's getting to the point now where I no longer crave EVERYTHING bad. For example, this past Tues. I had my treat day, and by the end of the day I was feeling blah and discovered all I really wanted was a big sandwich and fruit! :noway: I do find that my treat day keeps me from binging throughout the week. I've even kept a list of foods I want to "save" for treat day. It all keeps me sane and it's working for me. I do know the scale goes up right after, but then it goes back down since I'm back on track by Wednesday. It works for me.