Why a Cheat Day is a misnomer
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callmeBAM
Posts: 450 Member
I am pretty tired of seeing the term cheat day. People act like throwing out that term magically justifies, well, anything! I drank a fifth of vodka last night, cheat day! I ate 2 bowls of ice cream, cheat day! And everyone is like "Yeah, that's awesome!" or "LOLZ".
"Cheat day" should not even be a term used here. I mean, do you even know what it means? Or is the herd just falling in line.
From my 35 years of experience, cheat usually means taking a shortcut to win or finish first. It means doing something you shouldn't. It means you don't brag about it, you hide it hoping to not get caught. It means you lack the knowledge or will to complete a task with integrity.
But when you cheat on your diet, you only fall further behind.
It should be called a "regress day" or "lapse day".
Regress:
1. To go back; move backward.
2. To return to a previous, usually worse or less developed state.
Laspe:
1. To fall from a previous level or standard, as of accomplishment, quality, or conduct
Perhaps we would be less cavalier about our cheating if we acknowledged what we were saying.
"Cheat day" should not even be a term used here. I mean, do you even know what it means? Or is the herd just falling in line.
From my 35 years of experience, cheat usually means taking a shortcut to win or finish first. It means doing something you shouldn't. It means you don't brag about it, you hide it hoping to not get caught. It means you lack the knowledge or will to complete a task with integrity.
But when you cheat on your diet, you only fall further behind.
It should be called a "regress day" or "lapse day".
Regress:
1. To go back; move backward.
2. To return to a previous, usually worse or less developed state.
Laspe:
1. To fall from a previous level or standard, as of accomplishment, quality, or conduct
Perhaps we would be less cavalier about our cheating if we acknowledged what we were saying.
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Replies
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:flowerforyou:0
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Well said!0
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I agree. I know a lot of people on these boards have not done any "external" research and so when they hear the term "cheat day" they think "great, I get a whole day to eat whatever I want!"
I don't like the terminology either. It makes it seem like there's some forbidden fruit that can be gorged on regularly and you shouldn't feel guilty for planning to pig out for a whole day once a week.
How about just exercise good eating habits most of the time, and then when you DO inevitably lapse or regress, it's not such a big deal because you don't make a habit of gorging?0 -
True the only person you are cheating is you. eat what you want within reason I do but I log everything so I know if I'm going off track.0
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To call it a "regress" or a "lapse" would be to say that there is never any benefit of raising calories when you're in a chronic calorie deficit, which simply isn't true.0
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To call it a "regress" or a "lapse" would be to say that there is never any benefit of raising calories, which simply isn't true.
Maybe he's not just talking about calories... When someone says "cheat day" I personally hear "day when I eat everything I look at", not just raising calories because you're educated enough about your body to understand the benefit of it0 -
I agree its not a "cheat day", however I don't call it relapsing. Being on MFP has changed the way I look at food. I treat my meals and most of my snacks as fuel for my body. When I do that, I eat "clean", as some people call it, most of the time. However, if I eat some home made cookies, or a piece of cake, etc now and then i am ok with it. I log it, I fit it into my calories and move on. I am not cheating, I am budgeting in something I enjoy, then I NEVER feel the need to binge when I get the chance.
Think of it in terms of personal finance, sure I can be a "good boy" and save every single bit of money and never "waste" a single penny. That means I don't go to movies, I never travel, I never eat out, I can't go on a Sunday drive, I can't take my kids for ice cream, etc etc. What kind of life is that?
If I am taking good care of myself, watching my diet, exercising, etc, then what is WRONG with occasionally eating something "fun" or not healthy. Remember: Changing the way you eat is a marathon, not a sprint. Don't become so obsessed with eating 100% clean that you miss out on little things can bring you daily joy.0 -
I agree its not a "cheat day", however I don't call it relapsing. Being on MFP has changed the way I look at food. I treat my meals and most of my snacks as fuel for my body. When I do that, I eat "clean", as some people call it, most of the time. However, if I eat some home made cookies, or a piece of cake, etc now and then i am ok with it. I log it, I fit it into my calories and move on. I am not cheating, I am budgeting in something I enjoy, then I NEVER feel the need to binge when I get the chance.
Think of it in terms of personal finance, sure I can be a "good boy" and save every single bit of money and never "waste" a single penny. That means I don't go to movies, I never travel, I never eat out, I can't go on a Sunday drive, I can't take my kids for ice cream, etc etc. What kind of life is that?
If I am taking good care of myself, watching my diet, exercising, etc, then what is WRONG with occasionally eating something "fun" or not healthy. Remember: Changing the way you eat is a marathon, not a sprint. Don't become so obsessed with eating 100% clean that you miss out on little things can bring you daily joy.
Well, if you ate it intentionally with no regret, don't call it anything! Just log it and move on instead of proclaiming to the world like most people do.0 -
To call it a "regress" or a "lapse" would be to say that there is never any benefit of raising calories when you're in a chronic calorie deficit, which simply isn't true.
Again, if it's planned, it's not a cheat is it? So, that situation is not what I am talking about.0 -
Well, if you ate it intentionally with no regret, don't call it anything! Just log it and move on instead of proclaiming to the world like most people do.
That's usually people trying to justify pigging out on junk food :P The results speak for themselves.0 -
Good thing I'm not on a 'diet'0
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Good thing I'm not on a 'diet'
Diet is the sum of food consumed by a person or other organism. Everyone has a diet. Whatever you eat is your diet.0 -
THIS!Good thing I'm not on a 'diet'0 -
I am pretty tired of seeing the term cheat day. People act like throwing out that term magically justifies, well, anything! I drank a fifth of vodka last night, cheat day! I ate 2 bowls of ice cream, cheat day! And everyone is like "Yeah, that's awesome!" or "LOLZ".
"Cheat day" should not even be a term used here. I mean, do you even know what it means? Or is the herd just falling in line.
From my 35 years of experience, cheat usually means taking a shortcut to win or finish first. It means doing something you shouldn't. It means you don't brag about it, you hide it hoping to not get caught. It means you lack the knowledge or will to complete a task with integrity.
But when you cheat on your diet, you only fall further behind.
It should be called a "regress day" or "lapse day".
Regress:
1. To go back; move backward.
2. To return to a previous, usually worse or less developed state.
Laspe:
1. To fall from a previous level or standard, as of accomplishment, quality, or conduct
Perhaps we would be less cavalier about our cheating if we acknowledged what we were saying.
Everyone has pet peeves. I call it a cheat and will continue to do so because I don't like the sound of 'scheduled refeed'.0 -
To call it a "regress" or a "lapse" would be to say that there is never any benefit of raising calories when you're in a chronic calorie deficit, which simply isn't true.
Again, if it's planned, it's not a cheat is it? So, that situation is not what I am talking about.
Planned or not, raising calories can have benefits.0 -
I have days where I don't worry about or count calories, but I don't call them cheat days. I call them occasions, as in Easter or other holidays, birthdays, family/friends gatherings. They are not cheating, but neither are they failures or lapses. They are just part of life as I know it. They won't make me fat. Overeating on non-occasion days will.
But, I think some people might like the term "cheat day" because they like to break the rules once in a while. They like to think they are breaking a rule. It's fun to cheat on your diet sometimes.0 -
Why do you care what people call it? I say cheat or spike day. It's what I want to call it. It's my day, my body, my food choices. It doesn't have anything to do with you or anyone else, so why do you care so much what other people do or what terms they use?0
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To call it a "regress" or a "lapse" would be to say that there is never any benefit of raising calories, which simply isn't true.
Maybe he's not just talking about calories... When someone says "cheat day" I personally hear "day when I eat everything I look at", not just raising calories because you're educated enough about your body to understand the benefit of it
And when I hear the term "cheat day" i think of it as a day where you allow yourself a treat. I'll have "cheat days" where I will let myself have something that I don't normally eat however I also take into account the fact that I am going to do this and eat/exercise accordingly that day. On the off chance that I have a day where I have the munchies and make poor choices for whatever reason that's my "lapse" day and I get back on track the next day.
I don't see how I'm cheating myself if I allow myself to have something that's not the norm for me like potato chips or something sweet.0 -
love. this. post.0
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Why do you care what people call it? I say cheat or spike day. It's what I want to call it. It's my day, my body, my food choices. It doesn't have anything to do with you or anyone else, so why do you care so much what other people do or what terms they use?
Why do you care that I care? :P Contradicting yourself...0
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