Does anyone do a cheat day?

keeponkickin

I have a spike day once a week :-)

BadgerSensei

I let myself eat normally when I'm out with friends (Typically once every week, maybe every two weeks.)

nyd_12

I don't necessarily have cheat days... but I work out extra if I'm craving something really good with lots of calories

bunnylvr

I don't really have cheat days but I have days where I don't workout as hard or take a day off from exercising, but I always make sure I have a deficit of right around 500.

moholly

:drinker: I do. But I am not sure others would consider it cheating. I try and stay healthy yet go over on my calorie intake a bit .
It can be used for times when you are out or for special occasions. I find it dead helpful. it is almost like a pressure relief valve. My son is a "food nazi" and paleo and even he has a cheat day. It is great to see my14 year old walk out of a 7/11 and he is carrying a large bottle of water because it is not his cheat day and his friends are carrying junk.
Good Luck!

neverstray

In the past, I haven't logged my cheat days, but I'm going to start. That way, I can have a record of how bad it was.

HonkyTonks

Sunday is my "cheat" day. And by "cheat" I mean I get to have an extra piece of dessert or something of that nature at Sunday dinner. Do I go double my allotted calories? No, I still track what i eat and try to stay roughly around my allotted calories but on Sunday I'm just a little more liberal with my calorie intake and make sure to work a little extra harder on Monday to kick my butt into gear for the week and start off the week with a really good workout.

It's not really a CHEAT meal if you don't go over your calories, it's just a meal :P

suziecue66

Cheat days are recommended. You just have to be careful with how you cheat. What you have to understand is that even when you diet, your body gets used to it. Essentially your metabolism slows down. Eating cheat meal (once a week or once every 2 weeks) kick-starts that metabolism again. I know for some people its hard to watch their cheat meals but its all mental.

I have a cheat meal. I need them beacuse of the way I diet and because of the way I work out. Some people might not need them depending on their diet and on their workout routines.

If you are just getting into all this dieting and exercising it would be best to give your body 2-3 weeks and "experiment". See what works for you. Everybody is different.

When you say you need a cheat meal is it because you are quite low calorie during the week?

hedwighigh

I cheat for about 2-3 days in a row once a month.
That way I can get all the foods I want without making myself sick or something.
This way I can go out and enjoy food with different people in those days too.
For instance, me and my boyfriend are getting Olive Garden on Tuesday and then I'm going out with my girlfriends on Wednesday.
Then I won't cheat again until Easter, then I probably won't cheat until graduation in May.
... I may actually have to cheat twice this month but it evens out since I never did in February.

meredithmom

I have Saturday as a day of light workout and eating whatever I want (within reason). Since I joined only a few weeks ago, I have been baking something with my daughter, then we have a piece after dinner, then throw it away. As someone who loves sweets, it was hard for me yesterday to put 3/4's of a fresh Hershey's Chocolate Cake down the garbage disposel. But I did it, I was happier throwing it away then putting in my mouth and ultimately on my hips.
Now when I want something I remind myself Saturday is coming.

MGibbs46

I work out 6 days a week and I eat clean those days, tracking everything I put in my mouth. On saturdays I don't workout so I use that as my cheat day! If I'm craving something during the week, I'll make a list and if I still want it on Saturday, I eat it! It works great for me!