Does anyone else NOT do a "cheat" day?

pinkraynedropjacki · May 2012

My brain is unable to allow me a cheat day at all. In fact I don't even have a rest day. If I stop doing what I am doing then I will find an excuse NOT to start it up again the next day. SO I've trained myself to be strong & not cheat or rest. I have always been this way & that's the kind of attitude that has allowed me to workout for almost 100 days in a row so far & lose almost 20kg in that time.

I've been this way always, that's how I gave up smoking when I was younger, I just stopped. Also how I gave up drinking Coke.... one day I just stopped. Simple. BUT if I stop doing this then I will stop for good. So I trained to stop being lazy, stop making excuses for not working out & stop having a reason to eat the wrong things

Awkward30 · May 2012

I do not have a cheat day. If I am craving something I work it into my calories and/or exercise my butt of that day. I am just curious, does anyone else not do a cheat day?

I eat whatever I want and comp the calories with exercise.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This... Except when I don't exercise it off and am just over. I'm pretty lax.

sandown12 · May 2012

Sorry didn't read all
Why use a word Cheat? If you want to eat something have it use your calories for it if it's a special meal allow for it make sensible choices bit what I did read was people saying
' I eat stuff that's not part of my diet' this shouts failure as if you exclude food you like you'll fail
I know been there done it yoyoed it
Eat anything you like in moderation then you need no cheat days as you never feel your missing out no foods evil or bad
Life's to short to be so very strict just don't eat rubbish all the time eat healthy as you can and exercise

SanDFit · May 2012

I don't have one anymore. I try to eat within my daily calorie allowance. When I first joined MFP I used to have a cheat weekend and wasn't losing any weight. So I have realized that my body needs me to be good everyday.

DawnM62 · May 2012

No, No cheat days sometimes I fall off the healthy plan but generally I do extra exercise to allow me a little or not so little treat

carolbaker000 · May 2012

I find my system objects if I have any junk food now. I normally plan my week and shop for it.
Weaknesses for me are long car drives or if my routine goes to pot.
This week, I had to run some errands and missed dinner. Decided that a takeaway was in order.
Paid for it big time. Made my tum feel really heavy for 24 hours. I was really thirsty and had indigestion too.

No fun in that kind of cheating.

I do like a couple of squares of chocolate almost daily but I work that into my allowance or earn it through more exercise.

Whatever works for you.

iceqieen · May 2012

if cheat day is going over calories/not logging for a day intentionally - nope dont have those.

but I eat "cheat" food aaaall the time.. just make sure I have the calorie allowance for it :P

TheAshpie · May 2012

I don't have a cheat day. For me, one cheat day turns into two cheat days and before I know it I have ruined a whole week with bad decisions. Once I cheat it's hard for me to get back on track.

This is exactly why I'm giving up cheat days! I wanted to be able to have them once a month but it always turns into me slipping up and then taking two weeks to recover and get back into my routine of things.

SmartWhatever · May 2012

No cheat day for me ever! I'll exercise to make up for what I feel I want, and if I don't exercise- I don't eat it. Personally, I feel like the only thing I'll be cheating on is myself and the progress that I've made, so I just don't do it.

ryliejaiden · May 2012

I don't do it. Honestly, I don't understand the concept.
"Cheat" foods make me feel like crap anyway, and my body definitely punishes me if I eat junk.

I don't really get why someone would want to cheat. It defeats everything you're here for.
People say they do it so that they don't fall off the wagon because they are craving junk and then binge. I haven't had junk food in a while and I don't crave it at all anymore. You just have to be strong and stick it out!
The only time I'll go over on my calories is if I'm under for the week. Like this week I exercised so much that I have over 4000 calories to eat before 12AM on Sunday and my daily allowance is 1300 so I will go over a bit this weekend, but be under for the week.

There's nothing wrong with working a piece of chocolate into your diet, but there's no reason to binge once a week.

hitman1268 · May 2012

No cheats days, I do the same thing, I work what I want into My Calorie Profile

Werglum · May 2012

I have tried, but I go crazy and then it takes a while for me to get back to 'myself' again. In saying that if I really want something I'll work it into my calories or do some exercise to compensate, plus I often have dessert on a Monday as it is weigh in day and if I go over I don't worry about it - but I can't do a whole day!!

Mamoonie · May 2012

What is "cheat day"? Cheating on yourself???
I don't do cheat anything. I eat what I want, when I want, planned or unplanned! I just try to moderate. And I don't succeed at all ;-)
I don't understand this whole restriction/craving/binging system. I wouldn't want to miss my chocolate for the rest of my life, so why would I not eat some now... same goes with fries, some glass of champagne or fast food, pizza etc. Just find a way to include it in your daily diary. Work out some more, or just accept you're going over on calories for once.
I am over calories most days, and still lost weight. I lose weight much slower than most people on here, but I don't miss anything: no food, no occasion, no party! I still live life and without this attitude, I would still be 50 lbs heavier!!!

DocMarr · May 2012

So 'cheat days' hmmmm... I disagree with them on a number of levels. My first question is 'who are you cheating?' and the answer to that can really only be 'yourself' and why would I want to do that? I think nomenclature is really important. The word suggests that you are on a diet and for one day you are going to 'come off the diet' and eat whatever you like.

Well, I follow the 80/20 rule. I can already eat whatever I like but I try to keep it to 20% of my intake. I prefer to call foods 'indulgent' foods rather than 'cheat' foods. The word indulgent means to me that I know they aren't so healthy for me but I indulge my desire for then. Although I tend to just have a small indulgence each day, I suppose could even have a '20% day' and eat really healthily for the rest of the week. That may seem to amount to the same thing but psychologically I think it's very different. To me, a 'cheat day' is reinforcing the bad eating habits that you are trying to eliminate. Bingeing on crappy food rather than trying to bring it back into moderation and handling foods sensibly.

If I don't log it means I don't know what I've eaten, so I don't know how much I'm over or under in the week. I balance my food intake over the week so I can have over and under days and still know I'm in control of what I'm eating. It doesn't take long to log everything anyway and I'd rather be able to make informed decisions on my portion size

Yes I'd like that bit of cake but how much can I have and be sensible about it? It helps me regulate my portion control.

I think it's interesting to note that only my US friends tend to talk about 'cheat days' but even so, all of my friends still log what they eat even if they intend to go over. In fact one friend renamed her days 'indulgent days' rather than a cheat day - but in logging it she still remains in control of her eating and accountable for it.

So in line with my 'don't diet' and the 80/20 rule, cheat days aren't necessary, nor are they really desirable, as they encourage you to view this journey as a 'diet to be cheated' reinforcing bad eating habits rather than as a way of working indulgent foods into your week in a healthy and sustainable way.

Everyone has their right to their own philosophy and if they've found cheat days work for them then ok but they aren't for me.

Steph7x · May 2012

No i don't have a cheat day i do as you said, work it into my calories or work it off with exercise. Cheat days make me feel like its a "diet" and its not for me.

HonkyTonks · May 2012

What is "cheat day"? Cheating on yourself???
I don't do cheat anything. I eat what I want, when I want, planned or unplanned! I just try to moderate. And I don't succeed at all ;-)
I don't understand this whole restriction/craving/binging system. I wouldn't want to miss my chocolate for the rest of my life, so why would I not eat some now... same goes with fries, some glass of champagne or fast food, pizza etc. Just find a way to include it in your daily diary. Work out some more, or just accept you're going over on calories for once.
I am over calories most days, and still lost weight. I lose weight much slower than most people on here, but I don't miss anything: no food, no occasion, no party! I still live life and without this attitude, I would still be 50 lbs heavier!!!

I agree with this. I do the same. I do not worry about going over my calorie goal. I do ensure however that I am in a deficit over the course of the week.

4rgl · May 2012

I don't have a cheat day either because it takes me forever to get back on track. I have ruined so much hard work in the past due to cheat days or cheat meals so I've learned my lesson. I also learned that the more I restrict something, the more I'll crave it.

I love to cook, and I love to try new things so what I do now is find alternatives to my cravings that taste just as good or even better than the real thing so I don't feel like I'm depriving myself and have what I want.

Last month I discovered tofu-shirataki noodles. I started making all my favorite pasta dishes, noodle soups, chow mein, and many other dishes using these noodles. A whole pack of it only has 40 calories. (I also heard about regular shirataki noodles which have 0 calories, YES 0!! I have yet to find them though) I usually make 2 packs at a time and by the end of it I've had my noodles without feeling guilty and without feeling deprived.

I try this approach with anything I've been craving. For example if a favorite dessert recipe calls for milk, eggs, heavy cream and sugar, I try to experiment and make the same thing using stevia in place of sugar, egg beaters or even a banana in place of whole eggs, almond/soy/hemp/coconut milk in place of regular milk, fat free sour cream in place of heavy cream etc.. and most times I am able to achieve something similar, sometimes even better that is healthier, much lower in calories, higher in fiber and just as tasty. I admit, sometimes it's a disaster

I feel like depriving myself of something I enjoy, I will go back to eating it as soon as I hit my goal, most likely much before my goal. On the other hand, finding alternatives and not depriving myself, I don't feel the need to cheat as I'm already eating what I want without feeling bad about it.

lion_queen · May 2012

Me neither. Im not in obsession with dieting, and if I want chocolate, I just eat it sometimes. Maybe not the whole bar, more like squares or two, but still

ThaRealNicki · May 2012

No cheat days for me, If I plan to eat it when Im smaller then Im eating it now, just smarter than I did before. Theres no point in eliminating things from your "diet" because as soon as you start eating these banned items the weight creeps back on

All that hard work for nothin :ohwell:

ajhr · May 2012

I don't believe in cheat days.
Occasions when I might over-indulge? Sure, but I'd never call it cheating. It's my life, and I do my best to live it AND love it!

DangerMouse7 · May 2012

The so called 'cheat day' should really go by another name.
I prefer 'Free day' as I am free to have items I wouldn't allow my self during the week. Only one day mind!!
So for me it's Saturday, I allow myself to have a treat meal, in my case that is Burger Fuel. Super yummy gourmet burgers.
I still stay inside my calorie quota for the day thou.
So technically I'm not cheating, and I feel good doing it as I would have done a kick-*kitten* session at the gym or gone for a run.
Also, if I go to the movies, i'll likely treat myself to a 45g packet of Peanut M&M'S; still within my daily quota of course. :-)

Disclaimer; This works for me, your mileage may vary! :-)

maltaman99 · May 2012

Im day 36, and I have never had a cheat day yet! Trust me, I would love to!

Ralphrabbit · May 2012

I do not plan cheat days. I have some not so good foods most days but count them in to my calories. I am not able to be perfect every day! I fall off the wagon every now & again but try & make it one day only & start again with a new day!!

lsapphire · May 2012

My idea of a cheat day, unless beyond my control of course, is to stay under cals and eat something not particularly healthy lol

HLeAnn · May 2012

I just try to work whatever it is in to my calorie goals. I used to do the cheat day, but I usually went overboard, so I just try to be sensible about my choices every day now. If I happen to go over a day or two, I don't lose sleep over it.

Deipneus · May 2012

No cheat days here by that name or any other name.

BodyElectric1 · May 2012

I have 'cheat' aka treat meals, which is normally my evening snack to fill up my left over calories of the day.

miksmomma2011 · May 2012

I allow myself one day a week to cheat a little. I weigh in once a week on Saturdays and usually for lunch or dinner that day I will treat myself a little. I try not to go overboard but I allow myself to have a little of whatever I have been craving all week. It helps me on those hard days when I'm craving different things. I just know that on Saturday I can indulge a little. I also do my Insanity workout on Saturdays so I end up burning between 500-700 calories.