Cheat day/meal?

d0gma

I'm curious as to what people mean when they refer to a "cheat day" or a "cheat meal." Do you not count the calories for that day or that meal?

Once (sometimes twice) a week I have a meal from Taco Bell that I know is more than I should be eating. =0/
I consider that my cheat meal, but I still log all the calories and adjust the rest of my day so that I don't go over. Am I defeating the purpose of a "cheat meal" or is this what everyone else is doing?

Lukazetta

Cheat day = eat whatever I feel like eating.

I tend to mostly eat stuff like bbq chicken, Italian food, or sushi though. Just stuff I've missed eating for a while, but once the cheat day is over - I'm stronger and ready to take on another 2 weeks of a strict diet.

Lukazetta

As for cheat meals, they are fine once in a while like you're doing as long as your macros work at the end of the day.

d0gma

Cheat day = eat whatever I feel like eating.

I tend to mostly eat stuff like bbq chicken, Italian food, or sushi though. Just stuff I've missed eating for a while, but once the cheat day is over - I'm stronger and ready to take on another 2 weeks of a strict diet.

So do you log your calories for that day or just skip it?

ingfit

I have a spike/cheat/off day once a week, usually Saturday, where I eat whatever I want within reason and do not log my food. Its a day to relax and not stress about everything I put in my mouth.

However, I don't go crazy and couldn't ,even of I wanted to, as my body would revolt against me if I did! Meaning I would feel very sick! I maintain 1800 cals Sun-Fri and workout 4 hours a week.

I lose 0.5 - 1 lb a week consistantly (last 8 weeks) and see this as a lifestyle not a sentence.

linnyrhea

I have a cheat meal once a week or so, and I log everything, whether I'm over or not.

mimieob

I count everything I eat, even if it is a cheat day/meal......

Lukazetta

Cheat day = eat whatever I feel like eating.

I tend to mostly eat stuff like bbq chicken, Italian food, or sushi though. Just stuff I've missed eating for a while, but once the cheat day is over - I'm stronger and ready to take on another 2 weeks of a strict diet.

So do you log your calories for that day or just skip it?

Sometimes I will just to check how many I went over but I stopped doing that for a while now after I realized it's actually not that bad... I would go around 500 cals over with 50g of carbs than my diet.

drich1989

I usually take one a day a week where I dont worry about what I'm eating. I do not log anything on that day. Its nice to take a break from it all. This is usually the day where I eat what I have been crazy all week like a slice of pizza or chocolate.

Blessedmommy_2x

For me I call it my Splurge meal ...Usually on Saturdays I have one; today was a Oreo/Mint milkshake.I don't restrict tons of foods mainly because I want this to be a lifelong journey and thats not realistic. But for me, my splurge meal is more about the "choices" I am making versus the calories spent. Sunday-Friday I tend to be more strict with my food choices, but on Saturdays I feed the cravings. That said, I do exercise it off to even it all out at the end of the day... So,is it really "cheating" I dont know, I just do what works for me...when it stops working, I change it up

Oh and YES I do log it..

Vyshness8699

I have a cheat meal once or maybe twice a week and I do log whether I'm over or not ... I like logging it keeps me on track

bethelcheryl

I call planned meals that I know I will consume excessive calories or snacks like ice cream "splurges."

"Cheat" meals are unplanned stops at restaurants or when I give into my PB&J cravings.

Yesterday we unexpectedly decided to go to Friendly's I consider myself lucky I managed to keep the calories down to 920 for that meal.

I log both splurges and cheat meals. Some days I just have to laugh.

Rollingstone74

I don't see the point in cheat meals/days. If people are restricting themselves to the point where they feel they have earnt the right to splurge/overeat like its a reward, doesnt make sense to me. You eat more because you have eaten less, LOL. I see weight loss as a step by step lifestyle change, it has to be sustainable. I certainly wouldn't want to be stressed out about meals/calories for the rest of my life. Sensible eating means I can eat pizza, chocolate, drink alcohol as long as my serving size/amount consumed is reasonable. Lifestyle is why I am here, poor choices, over eating and lack of exercise and too many cheat meals.

tml224

I eat cheat meals whenever. You should never try to eliminate anything, just eat in moderation and work your *kitten* off to offset. After a while, I don't miss all of the delights I use to eat, except pizza! If you are being consistent and doing what you are supposed to do, eating what you want in moderation shouldn't hurt.

d0gma

I don't see the point in cheat meals/days. If people are restricting themselves to the point where they feel they have earnt the right to splurge/overeat like its a reward, doesnt make sense to me. You eat more because you have eaten less, LOL. I see weight loss as a step by step lifestyle change, it has to be sustainable. I certainly wouldn't want to be stressed out about meals/calories for the rest of my life. Sensible eating means I can eat pizza, chocolate, drink alcohol as long as my serving size/amount consumed is reasonable. Lifestyle is why I am here, poor choices, over eating and lack of exercise and too many cheat meals.

I was asking because I wanted to see what other people consider a cheat meal or day. What I'm doing is working for me. I know that I'm not going to go the rest of my life not eating fast food, so instead of feeling like I've sabotaged myself when I do have it, I plan for it. It's not a reward, it's how I eat. Some people eat two big meals a day, others eat 6 small ones, if that's how they do it and it works for them, then they're not wrong, they're just different. I might jus be taking this response the wrong way, but it seemed so condescending to me. My apologies if you didn't mean it that way.

Rollingstone74

I don't see the point in cheat meals/days. If people are restricting themselves to the point where they feel they have earnt the right to splurge/overeat like its a reward, doesnt make sense to me. You eat more because you have eaten less, LOL. I see weight loss as a step by step lifestyle change, it has to be sustainable. I certainly wouldn't want to be stressed out about meals/calories for the rest of my life. Sensible eating means I can eat pizza, chocolate, drink alcohol as long as my serving size/amount consumed is reasonable. Lifestyle is why I am here, poor choices, over eating and lack of exercise and too many cheat meals.

I was asking because I wanted to see what other people consider a cheat meal or day. What I'm doing is working for me. I know that I'm not going to go the rest of my life not eating fast food, so instead of feeling like I've sabotaged myself when I do have it, I plan for it. It's not a reward, it's how I eat. Some people eat two big meals a day, others eat 6 small ones, if that's how they do it and it works for them, then they're not wrong, they're just different. I might jus be taking this response the wrong way, but it seemed so condescending to me. My apologies if you didn't mean it that way.

Sorry didn't mean to offend, is just my opinion. I eat what I want within reason, sensible serves, so can not understand or define cheat meals. My only definition of cheat is drawn from some posts above, where people do indeed feel they need to reward and in some cases do not log entries, etc, That is the point I don't see. Restriction seems to encourage crave and reward, YoYo. I'm not saying what will or won,t work, everybody is different, so many variables, so many opinions and that is mine. Congrats on your 45 lost, I hope I see numbers like that too.

jmonique27

my cheat meal is all you can eat sushi!!

frankiesats

I don't personally agree with 'cheat meals'. If you're doing this and want to lose weight for good you need to consider this to be a lifestyle change not a 'diet'. When you get to your goal weight you can't eat 'cheat' foods every day you need to keep up the good eating and the exercise etc.

I think that planning unhealthy meals will have a negative impact on the rest of the day and often after you've eaten it you'll feel awful. By all means have a treat, take a look at my diary i'll eat something i really enjoy eating most days but i ensure its within my calorie/fat/carb limit.

Don't deprive yourself of the things you love - everything in moderation! To maintain this you need to ensure you're changing your ways for good!

Matt_Wild

I totally agree with cheat meals (or refeeds as I call them). I do them once a week on a Saturday or Sunday for a couple of hours. I eat rigidly the same foods each and every day to achieve my goals and once a week I take a meal off (1 in 56 meals) and have up to a few thousand calories of what I like. This is the same whether its the off season or cutting. Typically, I aim for more carby foods to refill my glycogen stores which will give me more energy for the next few days and not be stored as fat. It works and it works for the guys I coach. One meal in a week, will not destroy a weeks progress unless you literally sit there for several hours and binge.