Cheat Days

SexyCook

I don't do cheat Day's...I believe in balance....if you want something....balance your day around when you will have it...

MaryPhillips90

My favorite quote: "Do not reward yourself with food. You are not a dog." I pretty much eat what I want and stay within my limit.

DeanneLea

I have a weekly bonus calorie allowance that I use mostly on the weekend and then spread the remainder of them throughout the rest of the week. My daily average usually ends up around 1300 calories. By having a set amount of weekly bonus calories, I can splurge when i want to but still be at a healthy losing rate. It's the same idea as weight watchers weekly flex points.

chairperson

"Cheat" and "guilt" are words I try not to associate with food. There is a place in my diet for anything I might want, so if I want to have three slices of pizza for dinner one night, I just track the calories and move on. I'm down about 100 pounds, so it's working well for me.

Exactly this, and everyone else that said something similar.

DeanneLea

I think that this if this is a lifestyle change then we need to become the controller of our food intake. I don't really like the term 'cheat day' myself. This is life. Some days are going to better than others. Some days are going to be easier than others. Some days we feel strong and in control. Some days...not so much. It is unrealistic to expect yourself to NEVER have an unplanned meal, or a day when you can't get all your fresh fruit and veggies in. If we end up feeling guilty and beat ourselves up about it, then our relationship with food is not where it should be yet. One day is not going to make or break you. It's a cumulative effect. You definitely need to have way more 'in control' days than 'out of control' days', but all in all, one day or two in a month where you go over your calorie goals or eat something 'unhealthy' (I'm thinking deep fried fish and chips here, omnomnom.) is not going to derail your entire healthy lifestyle. That's just what I've been thinking lately. I mean, eventually I'm going to get to my goal weight and then I won't be trying to lose anymore. I'll still want to stay healthy and keep up the exercise but I don't want food to take up as much of my life as it does now while I am actually losing. This journey for me is about getting control over the food in my life. Being afraid of a particular food or always being afraid of going over a certain set calorie limit does not seem like control to me. Sorry I went on so long. Thanks for 'listening' if you took the time to get to the end. :flowerforyou:

Very well said. I don't like the term either. "cheating" implies that you should feel guilty...I dont really think that's a healthy way to look at food.

angel79202

no cheat days..I eat what I want in moderation

WinWinGo

I wouldn't know if it helps or not (I haven't been dieting long enough) but I think it would be a nice treat, and I don't think it would hurt anything. (within reason) I keep meaning to have one, then screwing up and eating under my calorie limit.
I don't even know how that happens, but I guess it's for the best.

Weighinginwithmy02

"Cheat" and "guilt" are words I try not to associate with food. There is a place in my diet for anything I might want, so if I want to have three slices of pizza for dinner one night, I just track the calories and move on. I'm down about 100 pounds, so it's working well for me.

This is so spot on for me!!! I hate the phrase "cheat meal".

tarak83

The only way I can stay sane and keep with it is if I allow myself to live a little. I don't like to call it cheating.

I've lost 9 lbs. in 3 weeks... I've gone out with friends for drinks a couple of times.. went out to eat... ate chocolate.

There is absolutely no reason to punish yourself.

Lab2809

"Cheat" days makes trying to transition into healthy eating habits seem so dirty lol. I try not to go overboard on the amount that I eat. If I'm craving it, I'm eating it in moderation. That works for me anyway...

lambertj

Saturday is my designated "cheat day" but I prefer to call it an "earned day", I hit the gym hard in the morning and don't eat my exercise calories throughout the week and use them on Saturday. The way I look at it is that I have to be able to maintain this type of lifestyle forever and to do that I need to know that all those crazy cravings have a place (on Saturdays).


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zyxst

Eating whatever I want is what got me so fat to begin with. That's what a cheat day/meal is, right? I don't know. I understand it's infrequent, but if the whole point is to get me to change my eating habits to something better, then why go back to eating the way I did?

I'm not saying it's wrong for everyone, just for me.

ldrosophila

I appreciate everyone's thoughts. I think for me, for now, an occasional meal indulgence during special occasions. Less than one meal a week is what I need to satiate myself so that those old feelings of depravation and anger dont come up. The problem is what is defined as a special occasion to me and what if I have several "special occasions" back to back. How do I determine which one is that special occasion. I guess those are questions I'll get to find out during this looonnngggg journey. Some one on here said that weight loss is not a science it is an art, and I think that it ultimately what will lead to success. Of course, there is a basic science calories in calories out, but I think that we all have to struggle w/ the art of balance and moderation. How much paint do we want to put on or take off on this canvas we call our body.

WaterBunnie

I don't have 'cheat days' as such but we are less strict at the weekends otherwise we'd never go out and do stuff/eat out/eat with friends etc.

Now, I realise this is going to result in a slightly slower loss, but compared to how I used to eat I'm still doing fantastically well and have introduced exercise into my life and am finding a more healthy me in a way I can sustain long term without feeling deprived or that the length of the journey makes it hopeless.

I had a choc ice this weekend.... but I didn't eat the whole box of 3 in one day as I might have done once! :-)

emmiee921

i have a binge day like once a week but thats not planned and i always go over board..

i had a mini one yesterday and i swore i would gain weight but i actually didn't at all relief !

kbmnurse

I usually indulge in a cheat day over the weekend. One day of drinking and eating whatever I want. I do work out theses days.

kenny_johnson

"Cheat" and "guilt" are words I try not to associate with food. There is a place in my diet for anything I might want, so if I want to have three slices of pizza for dinner one night, I just track the calories and move on. I'm down about 100 pounds, so it's working well for me.

This is the mentality I'm trying to have. I'm watching calories more than I'm watching what I eat. That's not to say I'm not eating healthier options (they tend to have fewer calories!), but that if I have a hamburger -- it's not a cheat.

With that said, I do try to take it easy. So, when I had pizza, I had one slice with salad and veggies on the side. When I had Easter dinner last night, I tried to chill on the bread and potato salad -- but I still ate it. And I counted the number of chips I ate when I had the chips and salsa at my sister's house.

RachelVon

Instead of calling it Cheat Day how about Treat Day I think its good to treat yourself every once in a while like on Holidays or a fancy restaurant or something

MommyBea

I have one cheat/ rest day a week..but i dont go crazy with it..im sure ive had "cheat days" when i didnt even go over my calorie limit!

jaxxie

Chris Powell from the Biggest Loser has a book called "CHOOSE TO LOSE." He explains it very clearly as to how 'spike/cheat' meals or days (whatever you call it) is beneficial.

I think it is really a personal choice and you have to decide what will work best for you. Trial and Error is simply how we learn. Good Luck!

deedaltz

I have a "cheat day" once a week, on Fridays. It doesnt mean that I will stop logging my calories, I eat healthy as I normally would but I also allow myself a dessert or snack I wouldnt normally eat. These are also the days I don't have time to go to the gym, so I make sure that I am still within my calorie goal but its something to really look forward to and not feel too guilty about.

DFWTT

I do it because I want to. It hasn't hindered my weight loss. I don't care about spike days or kickstarting my metabolism or any of that other bro-science. Live your life while you can.

MrsLong1980

I'd burn out if I didn't have a cheat day, from my personal experience in the past I'm more likely to continue my journey with set rest days and cheat days