Thoughts on "Cheat Day"

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Replies

  • jenalderman
    jenalderman Posts: 411 Member
    Cheat meal here. Every Friday night is date night. I am very careful but usually go over a little. Also, When I plateau, I will do a "day off" to sort of reset. I don't go crazy (probably stay withing Maintenance range) but just loosen up a little.
  • seebeachrun
    seebeachrun Posts: 221 Member
    Answers are going to be all over the place. DO what works for you personally and what you know you can maintain in the long run.

    For me a cheat day is my way of motivating myself to stay on track the other 6 days of the week. Plus, it allows me to attend parties and dinners out with friends without feeling guilty or eating celery and green tea all day to save the calories. I have incorporated it into my lifestyle change and intend to continue having "cheat meals." I don't believe that one day out of seven will totally blow my calories so off skew that I will gain more than water weight.

    It allows me to say no to things that I crave when I know I'm not really hungry. I tell myself I can have whatever I want on my cheat day. By the time the cheat day comes around I usually forget my "list" of cravings for the week or I am no longer craving that item anymore.

    Again, you have to do what's right for you and what works for you personally.
  • eddycarr
    eddycarr Posts: 7
    For those who like a cheat day:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWgwJfbeCeU
  • mississippi_queen
    mississippi_queen Posts: 474 Member
    I really watch what I eat during the week...so yeah I have a "cheat meal" and when I see stuff i want during the week i weight till the cheat meal and have whatever I want.

    I think that some people's thinking against 'cheat day' is that you should'nt be depriving yourself so much that you need a cheat day. Personally I have to kinda of deprive myself- becuase if I mess up once during the week and its hard to come back from it. It preserves my sanity knowing that eventually i'll get to have those things.

    This is totally me too!! I try to eat really good all week knowing that if i'm good I can have that bacon cheeseburger i've been craving all week! But if I was to have it during the week in my mind, I've ruined my week. :ohwell:
  • sofitheteacup
    sofitheteacup Posts: 396 Member
    I don't believe in cheat days. I understand there's some sort of logic to zig zagging calories in order to shock your metabolism or something, but I'm an all or nothing person and it just isn't something that works for me. If I want something badly enough, I'll plan for it by exercising before and/or after that meal, or I think about it enough and realize it isn't wroth it to me.
  • TexanThom
    TexanThom Posts: 778
    I use it as an award. If I pass my goal for the week, I deserve to treat myself. I know some will not agree with this, but I am living for myself, not them. I say if you want to do it, DO IT....
  • lpkitty
    lpkitty Posts: 45
    I like cheat day, it's a reward for being good all week. Here's an interesting blog post about how a cheat day can help you lose more weight than not having one: http://fitnessblackandwhite.com/diet-cheat-day/
  • sofitheteacup
    sofitheteacup Posts: 396 Member
    If I have a good hard 2 hour workout, afterwards I can eat within reason anything I want. So instead of "cheat" I do "reward". :drinker:

    This better describes what I do.
  • BrayneZ
    BrayneZ Posts: 24 Member
    I do have a cheat weekend. Except I never call it a cheat weekend. I call it a carb-up. I'm currently cutting on Keto so I won't be found dead near sugars or starch. But come saturday and sunday - popcorn with the movies, M&M's, waffles, pancakes, McDonald's, Pizza, you name it, I'm on it - as long as I don't exceed maintenance calories, I'm a happy and sane bunny (and one with replenished glycogen stores for serious lifting and HIIT during the week)
  • rachellem86
    rachellem86 Posts: 62 Member
    I allow myself a treat here and there, but it still has to fit into my daily calorie intake.

    So, if I don't have enough calories left, I will work out to make up the difference. If I don't want to work out, I don't get the treat. It's a good way to keep yourself accountable while still allowing yourself a little bit of slack.
  • TinkrBelz
    TinkrBelz Posts: 866 Member
    I really watch what I eat during the week...so yeah I have a "cheat meal" and when I see stuff i want during the week i waitt till the cheat meal and have whatever I want.

    I think that some people's thinking against 'cheat day' is that you should'nt be depriving yourself so much that you need a cheat day. Personally I have to kinda of deprive myself- becuase if I mess up once during the week and its hard to come back from it. It preserves my sanity knowing that eventually i'll get to have those things.

    I cheat every Friday. I was nervous at first. By my DH has done this for years. He eats great during the week and cheats on the weekends. He is still fit and muscular. So, I decided to cheat on Fridays. I love it because it does keep me on track. The thought of never having another milkshake would drive me crazy. But, to know that I just need to hold off until Friday, this keeps me strong through the week. I will even have some sugary cereal on Fridays too.

    This has not caused me to fall back into old habits, it actually keeps me motivated and on task knowing that I get one day off.

    This time, I am choosing a lifestyle and not a diet to to lose 10 lbs. So, to think that I will never have a sweet snack of McDonalds french fries for the rest of my life would drive me crazy. Cheat Fridays, I LOVE them!!
  • legnarevocrednu
    legnarevocrednu Posts: 467 Member
    The way I cheat is that I don't log what I'm eating on the weekends. I am really, really strict during the weekdays. However, even though I'm not logging on Sat and Sun, I always choose the better options but if I crave something, I have it. I just don't go over board. One weekend, I wanted a slice of cheesecake. I split it with someone so I only ate half. I don't feel guilty about it. It's been working for me and I don't feel deprived.
  • mejustsmaller316
    mejustsmaller316 Posts: 134 Member
    There's always going to be days you pig out. Holidays, a night out with the girls, ect. It's ok to have a cheat day, just keep a healthy diet, and don't let those days turn into weeks.
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    I've heard of having a "cheat day" or just a "cheat meal". What do you think of this? I understand that you need to curb your cravings, but are we being counter-productive by doing this? I just want to know what you think about having a cheat day. Do you have one? How often? Thanks!

    I don't like them. I think it is counter productive. in my opinion, it fosters the wrong mindset, it reinforces the "diet" or "Short Term" mentality rather than "Lifestyle". If you change your lifestyle, it should be for life and that means some things go away "forever". Sort of like an ex. ;) Or you if it is something you cannot live without, then you will have to work it into your plan.

    However, it is understandable that there are times in which one can not eat properly due to the immediate situation. In these situations, you just have to fly by the seat of your pants.

    I view it the exact opposite, I have a "cheat meal or day" every week because this is a lifestyle change and not a diet. If I say I will never eat another burger in my life...I know that's a lie! I like being able to eat whatever I want during the weekend because of how healthy I eat during the week. I know that I can continue to eat like this for the rest of my life because I am not limiting myself to what I can eat.

    It's worked for me so far, I started working out and eating like this in Janurary and I'm not bored of it because I get my comfort food fix, I know when I reach my goal weight I will need to eat 1000 more calories a day to maintain it so having an extra 1000 calories one day out of the week now will not make me gain weight, I may not lose 2 lbs a week and only 1.8 lbs per week but it's worth it.
  • lhelgren
    lhelgren Posts: 5
    I believe that if you really want something you should have it, but don't think of it as cheating just work it into your plan. Sometimes if you don't have it you will just eat everything in sight.
  • omanitshann
    omanitshann Posts: 179
    I have rest days from working out 2 times per week, and on those days I let myself have a treat, like a cookie or something i've been craving. I think having a full on cheat day is a little over board.
  • Lovely_Doll
    Lovely_Doll Posts: 72
    Cheat days will only set you back. Because you'll be more and more lenient every time you have one. The only way to reach your goal is by working hard for it, no breaks allowed. Because when you reach it, you'll be even happier with yourself, that you were able to last without breaks in between.
  • Meg177
    Meg177 Posts: 215 Member
    I personally don't believe there is a scientific justification for it.

    However I do think it's very important to cut yourself some slack now and then.

    That said I wouldn't advocate transforming yourself into a human dustbin for the day either.
    ^^ This
    I think it very much depends on how you define cheat. If you are trying to eat clean and trying to lose weight (they aren't the same thing) then I think it's great to have a clean treat. I personally don't really log on Sundays at all. My family has home cooked meals and I couldn't begin to guess what my mom's cooking is worth. I don't eat more food ususally but I have no idea what the calorie count is and Sundays are Sundays... The food is nutritious, clean and I'm really not going to worry about it.
  • jl622
    jl622 Posts: 104 Member
    I don't plan cheat days, but usually I'll have one day a week where I'm out with friends or me and the hubby will get takeout and I don't worry as much if I go over cals. Life happens and you can't be so strict all the time.
  • jazziesaj11
    jazziesaj11 Posts: 351 Member
    I used to have a cheat day, where I would pig out until I felt sick on junk food. But I quickly realized that was getting me nowhere and was against the point of a lifestyle change. I have finally settled with a "cheat" meal, one day on the weekend I treat myself to an ice cream or what have you that I had been craving that week, BUT I also make sure that either on that day, or the day after, I compensate my "cheat meal" calories with exercise so it doesn't make me over for that day. So if my cheat meal was 600 calories, I'm gonna be working out to burn those 600 off. :) Otherwise during the week I actually feel pretty satisfied and don't restrict myself to the point of needing a cheat day anymore. Like earlier this week, darnit I REALLY wanted some Easter chocolate lol, so I had a good workout to make up for it and ate a chocolate egg! :laugh:
  • JohnnysJune
    JohnnysJune Posts: 32
    I have a cheat meal once a week. 1. It helps me to stay on track & 2. I dont feel deprived of foods I love.
    The number one thing people do wrong is to completely cut out everything they are use to eating because its not healthy for them. I refuse to do that because in the end I wont stick to a DIET. Im not on a diet, but a life style change. Its working for me. I lose about 1 lb a week. I eat healthy all week and work out 45 minutes a day 5-6 days a week.

    Its all on how you do a cheat meal. The key is to never go over board!

    Good luck in you mission!!!! :flowerforyou:
  • 10KEyes
    10KEyes Posts: 250 Member
    I allow myself a treat here and there, but it still has to fit into my daily calorie intake.

    So, if I don't have enough calories left, I will work out to make up the difference. If I don't want to work out, I don't get the treat. It's a good way to keep yourself accountable while still allowing yourself a little bit of slack.

    This is pretty much what I do. So it really isn't "cheating", but indulging in items you would not normally eat but you account for them in the overall plan. At least that is how I see it. Like someone else said, if I think about it enough, I often come to the conclusion that I really don't want it.
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    the more cheat days you have the slower you will reach your goals... i dont plan out cheat days, i just have them if im going to a birthday, bbq, partying, etc. when i dont want to be a prick about my dieting goals in a social setting and get tons of questions on why i eat or drink like a little girl.
  • ahipsher
    ahipsher Posts: 46 Member
    I have my "Friday Night Chinese" every week.
    But my boyfriend and I split the carry out entree and the steamed dumplings.

    Still a pretty substantial meal, but I look forward to it after a draining week of university life, and I still exercise those days.
    Holidays I also don't bother logging. I'm not going CRAZY, but most of the meals are home made and hard to log, and I've been doing this for so long that I have a pretty good idea of the calorie and sugar content of meals now.

    Have managed to keep 50lbs the last year.
  • royalty_mind_1me
    royalty_mind_1me Posts: 278 Member
    your straight if you burn more in the gym hun! I just grubbed a Dunkin Honey Raisin Muffin...and it was YUM!
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Have one weekly rarely I will have two. Love them. I have noticed does not make much of a difference. Really I don't go hog wild on my cheat day.
  • patranus
    patranus Posts: 61 Member
    I don't understand the concept.

    Calories in, calories out.

    If I go eat a 1,000 calories burrito and another 1,600 calories in misc eating but go to the gym for 2 hours and burn off 1,000 calories I am still going to be within my calorie guidelines.

    Going to get the calories one way or another, be it in several snacks or a burrito.
    Sure it might have more fat but its going to be negligible.

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