Do you give your self cheat days?

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disneydreamer61605
disneydreamer61605 Posts: 23
in Food and Nutrition
Just wondering how many people give them selves cheat days . I have lost 28 pounds in 2.5 months but once a week i will give my self a cheat day. I usually gain 1-2 pounds each cheat day ( i cheat on saturdays) but my tuesday i loose it again plus usually another pound or 2.. Does any one else cheat? Its very hard for me to make it a week and not do a cheat day. When I was in my first 2 months I did a cheat day every 14 days and after I lost 25 pounds I started doing 1 a week. Is this normal does any one think this is a bad idea?? PLease help me

Replies

  • davidmcgowan1987
    davidmcgowan1987 Posts: 111
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    I guess it depends on how strict your diet is and how much willpower you have

    If its very strict and your not that willpowered, a structured cheat day can help maintain a diet longer before giving up,

    if its not that restrictive or your will power is high then its down to personal preference i guess.

    i know i always feel bad after cheat days cause i over do it... but each to their own
  • Zoeeee_xx
    Zoeeee_xx Posts: 112 Member
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    Friday is my cheat day, i dont go over 2000 cals but its takeaway night in our house. Sometimes Sunday as well, as the calories in a Sunday roast can be quite high.
  • clehman71
    clehman71 Posts: 139 Member
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    I take a cheat day every week, usually on Saturdays because my hubby and I go out to eat. I try not to cross the maintenance calorie level. It is easier now than in the beginning. If I eat too much it actually hurts...I end up with a stomach ache that makes me miserable.
  • Roni_M
    Roni_M Posts: 717 Member
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    I have more of a "cheat meal" once a week. Today is the day!! Usually I'm only over by a couple hundred calories but I couldn't give up my cheeseburgers!! LOL
  • lmelangley
    lmelangley Posts: 1,039 Member
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    I don't believe in the concept of "cheat" days. For me, this is a lifestyle change I can live with. And, for me that means that if the occasion warrants, I eat over, but I try to stay within calories otherwise. This means I can go for weeks and weeks eating at my suggested calories, but if I have 3 events like going out to dinner, family dinners, birthdays, etc, all in the same week, I'm probably going to be over all three days.

    That being said, weight loss is an individual journey. If planning to eat over one day a week is going to help you stay on the journey, it's all good. We each have to find what works for us. If we don't find paths we can live with, we won't make it.
  • lilbpixie
    lilbpixie Posts: 51 Member
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    I cheat on Sundays but I try to log everything so I know what I ate and to be honest with myself. I also try to not go over 1700 cal and never over 2000. without a cheat day I would be a witch! :explode:
  • davidmcgowan1987
    davidmcgowan1987 Posts: 111
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    If planning to eat over one day a week is going to help you stay on the journey, it's all good. We each have to find what works for us. If we don't find paths we can live with, we won't make it.

    QFT
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
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    Cheat meals and for me it's not calories that are my downfall it's sodium, cause a "cheat meal" is usually a night out with my hubby and restaurant food is loaded with salt.
  • superpapa16
    superpapa16 Posts: 244 Member
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    I don't believe in the concept of "cheat" days. For me, this is a lifestyle change I can live with. And, for me that means that if the occasion warrants, I eat over, but I try to stay within calories otherwise. This means I can go for weeks and weeks eating at my suggested calories, but if I have 3 events like going out to dinner, family dinners, birthdays, etc, all in the same week, I'm probably going to be over all three days.

    That being said, weight loss is an individual journey. If planning to eat over one day a week is going to help you stay on the journey, it's all good. We each have to find what works for us. If we don't find paths we can live with, we won't make it.

    This.
  • kstrunk1
    kstrunk1 Posts: 462 Member
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    My husband and I both do this. Neither of us has enough will power to do a weekly cheat but we do a cheat meal every few weeks or so. Tomorrow's brunch will be our cheat as we're going to a restaurant that has an amazing buffet!! Bacon here I come! ;)

    It has really helped us stay motivated. When we both tried to lose weight (MANY TIMES!) before, we allowed ourselves cheat days weekly and we just went way overboard. It was very difficult to jump back on the band wagon the next day. The one meal every few weeks works for us. I am definitely envious of those of you who have the will power to have a cheat day and get right back on track!! :)
  • akiramezu
    akiramezu Posts: 278
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    I pretty much eat clean most of the time, so when i 'cheat', i don't even consider it cheating, cause i eat whatever the fk i wanna eat, i just choose to eat healthy, i will eat and even try to reach 5000+ calories for the heck of it, i will gain anywhere between 5 to 10 pounds for the fun of it. I might sound arrogant or even condescending, so sorry if i do. But really, it's what I do. After this massive meal, i'll continue eating clean again and i would have been satisfied for a very long while. It's more to satisfy my need for sweet food and soda beverages

    It's not easy to eat chicken breast, tuna, lean steak with broccoli, asparagus, spinach, brown rice and sweet potatoes for months at a time... anyone would go insane without a super giant cheat day, just saying haha
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    For the most part I eat what I want and don't worry TOO much about what it is as long as I account for it. I have a weekly target and that's my guide.
  • Shell_7609
    Shell_7609 Posts: 786 Member
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    For the most part I eat what I want and don't worry TOO much about what it is as long as I account for it. I have a weekly target and that's my guide.

    I do the same thing. I look at my daily goals, but I tend to pay more attention to the weekly goal
  • RuthieCass
    RuthieCass Posts: 247 Member
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    It sounds like you might be overdoing it a bit on the cheat days, IMO. If you are really gaining a pound or two from your cheat day (and not just some water weight), that would indicate that you're eating an extra 3,500-7,000 calories in one day. I really do think allowing yourself an occasional cheat can help you to stick to a diet in the long run, but it can easily spin out of control and slow your progress a lot. Instead of having a whole cheat day, why not just do one cheat meal? Also, log your cheat days/meals so you can also see just what/how much you are consuming. Holding yourself accountable, even on a cheat day, helps

    Part of the problem might also be that you have set weight loss goals that are unsustainable. If you dropped your calories to the point that you are supposed to lose, say, 4 lbs a week (minus the cheat day), that would mean that you have a daily deficit of 2,000 calories below your maintenance. If you're eating too little most of the week, your body may encourage you to binge on that one day. I think for most people with a good amount of weight to lose, 2 lbs a week is a very reasonable goal. You could try slowing your goal to something that helps you have more control during your "cheat" days.

    Hopefully this didn't come across as harsh. I think allowing yourself some some flexibility on a diet and occasionally having a cheat is a good thing, but it's best to have a handle on everything to implement your lifestyle change. Also, getting into this habit of having huge "cheats" will likely not help you during maintenance periods. Good luck!
  • lessofme65
    lessofme65 Posts: 107 Member
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    I've had lap band surgery recently and I'm really unable to have "cheat" days or meals anymore. I'm kinda glad because cheating to me meant "getting over" and it was never long before my "good" days were the exception instead of the other way around. Now I'm working to get in my 1200 calories daily.

    For me I'm glad they're not an option anymore since I always went over.

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