Why a Cheat Day is a misnomer

andreanicole686

I had someone tell me it should be called a refuel day. I like that one.

andreanicole686

When people ask me if I am "on a diet', I always respond... isn't everyone? A diet is what you consume, no matter what that is. I tell them, I am changing my lifestyle.

I love that!

TexanThom

Lighten up!!!! Cheat also means to break the rules. It's our lives, let us live them the way WE want to...

lambertj

Shouldn't be more like a cheat meal not cheat day? Anyone who has entire cheat day is an idiot... that being said I had entire cheat weekend...

(raises hand) Idiot here, have a entire cheat day once a week and yet i'm still a loser :laugh:

rhichi

Huh wasn't expecting the topic to actually be a rant on semantics. Also, I don't use the term "cheat" day, I call it a "splurge" day.

TinkrBelz

Not sure if it matters what it is called. I call mine Cheat Friday. I do not log what I eat that day. It is my day to eat out with my family and not worry about it. I do this every Friday and it is wonderful. I eat clean 6 days a week (except for Easter, I killed it haha) But, it is nice to eat well all week and then just not worry about Friday. I know this will keep me on track for the rest of my life!

Now, at the moment, this has not messed up my weight loss or staying/getting fit.

So, I guess I could call it Skip Day Friday if that makes people happy!! Actually....that does sound cooler.....I might call it that! :bigsmile:

BaconMD

Lighten up!!!! Cheat also means to break the rules. It's our lives, let us live them the way WE want to...

In that case, let's call them "Breakin' the Law days"!

KFuerst27

I also call it a splurge day rather than a cheat day. I try to plan ahead for the splurges, and by calling it a splurge, I don't feel guilty. I enjoy it, recognize it for what it is and move on.

jetabear10

As an English major, I get it. I deal with misnomers all the time and it can be frustrating however, I see how some call it a cheat day because they feel they are cheating themselves. In that case, it might work being called a cheat day. (or perhaps, cheated day because you cheated). Either way, it has a negative connotation and cheat days are what they are - you had a bad day and no matter what excuse you use it doesn't justify falling off the so called wagon. Perhaps slack day or pig-out day would better suit the needs. (troff day?

JustJennie1

So, I guess I could call it Skip Day Friday if that makes people happy!! Actually....that does sound cooler.....I might call it that!

I like that!! I might have to steal this one from you.

callmeBAM

Huh wasn't expecting the topic to actually be a rant on semantics. Also, I don't use the term "cheat" day, I call it a "splurge" day.

A misnomer is a term which suggests an interpretation that is known to be untrue.
The title of the thread clearly states my intent to discuss the meaning of the word cheat day.

And, since semantics is the study of meaning...

andreanicole686

I found this article and thought it fit great into this topic:

For people unfamiliar with cheat days, the general concept is eating healthy 6 days of the week. On the 7th day, less-healthy choices are allowed. It’s not about eating everything in sight, but it is about maybe eating a piece of grandma’s famous fried chicken, or getting an order of fries with your sandwich.

To answer your question: I don’t have a cheat “day”, though I do something a bit similar. I follow the 80/20 rule. In a nutshell, the 80/20 rule is about eating healthy 80% of the time. During the 80%, I eat lean meats, berries, unsalted nuts, fruits, etc., etc. But every fifth meal falls into the 20% category. This is when I allow myself to “cheat”, though I prefer to call it balance. I don’t appreciate the guilt associated with the term “cheat” – it implies that you’re doing something wrong. At any rate, I’m not religious about practicing the 80/20 rule, but I do try to keep a mental note of the healthiness of recent meals.

I have read numerous articles and pieces of research that conclude cheat days do help boost metabolism, thus staving off weight-loss plateaus. And for a lot of people, cheat days give relief in an otherwise restrictive diet. So there can be some real benefits.

But I also think there’s a psychological downside to cheat days, and I don’t think they’re for everyone. I think cheat days can create a mentality of 6 days of suffering through dieting and 1 day of satisfaction. In actuality, eating healthy and satisfaction need not be mutually exclusive. Rather than focusing on what you can eat, I think it’s much wiser to focus on all the healthy, delicious and enjoyable options available. Moreover, by bringing attention to the way your body reacts to your food choices (healthy foods make the body feel good!), loading up on cheese fries starts to lose its appeal.

I hope that helps!
http://www.daveywaveyfitness.com/nutrition/losing-weight-with-cheat-days-does-it-work/

fattykenny

um...okay dont call it a cheat day. Call it a diet day. everyones a winner!

Alpine005

This is true, but that doesnt mean is has only one meaning.

Thus the exisence of what we call "figures of speech"

This is comical......

CallmeBam has a point... words have specific definitions......we should be careful how and when we use them

What I don't understand is......... Why is this such a big deal?

Alpine005

and we have a winner....

I found this article and thought it fit great into this topic:

For people unfamiliar with cheat days, the general concept is eating healthy 6 days of the week. On the 7th day, less-healthy choices are allowed. It’s not about eating everything in sight, but it is about maybe eating a piece of grandma’s famous fried chicken, or getting an order of fries with your sandwich.

To answer your question: I don’t have a cheat “day”, though I do something a bit similar. I follow the 80/20 rule. In a nutshell, the 80/20 rule is about eating healthy 80% of the time. During the 80%, I eat lean meats, berries, unsalted nuts, fruits, etc., etc. But every fifth meal falls into the 20% category. This is when I allow myself to “cheat”, though I prefer to call it balance. I don’t appreciate the guilt associated with the term “cheat” – it implies that you’re doing something wrong. At any rate, I’m not religious about practicing the 80/20 rule, but I do try to keep a mental note of the healthiness of recent meals.

I have read numerous articles and pieces of research that conclude cheat days do help boost metabolism, thus staving off weight-loss plateaus. And for a lot of people, cheat days give relief in an otherwise restrictive diet. So there can be some real benefits.

But I also think there’s a psychological downside to cheat days, and I don’t think they’re for everyone. I think cheat days can create a mentality of 6 days of suffering through dieting and 1 day of satisfaction. In actuality, eating healthy and satisfaction need not be mutually exclusive. Rather than focusing on what you can eat, I think it’s much wiser to focus on all the healthy, delicious and enjoyable options available. Moreover, by bringing attention to the way your body reacts to your food choices (healthy foods make the body feel good!), loading up on cheese fries starts to lose its appeal.

I hope that helps!
http://www.daveywaveyfitness.com/nutrition/losing-weight-with-cheat-days-does-it-work/

MelissR75

I think many of you didn't even read my original post. Or perhaps you don't know what the word "misnomer" means.

Wow. Harsh much?

I read your post.

I know what misnomer means.

I still call it a cheat day.

He's a smug fellow, isn't he?

^^ this & I had to look it up ..lol
Misnomer (plural misnomers)
A use of a term asserted to be misleading.
Calling it a driveway is a bit of a misnomer, since you don't drive on it, you park on it.
A term asserted to be widely used incorrectly.
Chinese checkers is a misnomer since the game has nothing to do with China.
A term whose sense in common usage conflicts with a technical sense.

dinosnopro

I call it anti "starvation mode" day

iuangina

Me too! I don't care what you call it. It works for me.

Shouldn't be more like a cheat meal not cheat day? Anyone who has entire cheat day is an idiot... that being said I had entire cheat weekend...

(raises hand) Idiot here, have a entire cheat day once a week and yet i'm still a loser :laugh:

kdeaux1959

In general, I tend to agree with what you are saying here. My biggest concern about "cheat day" is that the mindset of the person has not changed toward food... There is this idea that food is the answer to happiness and that if I can just get to Saturday (or whatever day), I can have a day off from this infernal diet and get to eat like I really WANT to eat... In that sense when the going gets tough, we will tend to give up and return to the lifestyle we had before and throw caution to the end... because in effect... nothing has changed. We still view food the same way we always have... And what IF we actually get to our goal weight... Well, finally we hav made it and we can get off this infernal diet and eat till our heart's content... (with the same results we had before)... No, I think we have to have a true lifestyle change that will stay with us forever...

All that being said, I also don't have a problem with somebody having a measured off day of sorts... Let's say it is a day that family has come to visit and you have that great pasta dish that you have been famous for followed by that great super sweet dessert that your grandmother passed down... By all means DO IT.. and don't feel guilty. But do it in a measured and sensible way.. And if your daily intake goes a little over your goal... so what... It is really no big deal. Your efforts on the other days will counter that.

I guess it goes to say what I have said all along.. Balance in all things.... Throwing caution to the wind one day per week will get you nowhere but if your situation in life causes you to have to bend the rules a bit for a day all is not lost.. Don't feel guilty... That is just one more hurdle that we have to learn how to cross in our journey to change our lifestyle to a more healthy and ultimately rewarding one that we can MAINTAIN long term.

BALANCE IN ALL THINGS.

secretlobster

I call it anti "starvation mode" day

Why are you starving yourself the rest of the week? Is it so you can justify eating a bucket of fried chicken every Saturday?