What are your views on cheat days?

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24

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  • Kara_xxx
    Kara_xxx Posts: 635 Member
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    I prefer to reward myself with other things, like a trip to the hair dresser, or a nice new top.

    To use food as "reward" puts an emotional label onto it that I don't like and don't find helpful.
  • silviuP
    silviuP Posts: 20
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    once at every 10 days i reward myself with a cheat day, but i dont exagerate with eating i eat 1500 calories above my diet
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    I prefer to reward myself with other things, like a trip to the hair dresser, or a nice new top.

    To use food as "reward" puts an emotional label onto it that I don't like and don't find helpful.
    To remove certain foods does the same thing. It's all about diet adherence. Removing such things as cookies and donuts are foolish in my opinion. Having one every once in a while will do nothing towards your overall goal.
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
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    I would crack without one but it is like walking on thin ice. Mine is a Friday. I reward myself for getting through the week by having a glass of wine and and some chocolate or Haribos.

    Do you agree with cheat days? If not why? If so when is yours and what do you have? Are you able to have a little bit of what you fancy without caving in and stuffing your face? Last Friday I meant to have a few Maltezers and ended up eating 40! That along with the large Baileys was about 800 extra calories from what I remember. I was disciplined enought to count them just not stop myself from eating them. I would love to hear your experiences.
    It depends on the person. However, one just starting out shouldn't do such things. As you get more advanced you will be able to structure such foods into your daily plan.

    What he said :-)
    The more you'll move one the more you"ll from from Diet to Regimen - you'll find what triggers your craving, when, how, and in the end, you'll have a mix between healthy choices, but indulgences there and that - that would boost even more your journey.

    Don't worry and enjoy :-)
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    I don't have regular "cheat" days, I just work the things I like into my usual diet. If I want wine, or chocolate, I have it, just fit it in to my calories. I do go over my TDEE, maybe about once a month, just because life happens. Depending how much I go over, I know I can cut back a little the day before or the day after to even it out. I try not to reward myself with food, and I try not to think of it as "cheating" or "bad" either. It's just food. :smile:
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
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    I don't have regular "cheat" days, I just work the things I like into my usual diet. If I want wine, or chocolate, I have it, just fit it in to my calories. I do go over my TDEE, maybe about once a month, just because life happens. Depending how much I go over, I know I can cut back a little the day before or the day after to even it out. I try not to reward myself with food, and I try not to think of it as "cheating" or "bad" either. It's just food. :smile:

    Exactly, also I encourage not to use that word. It only enhance guiltiness and self-hatress when it goes out of control for the new dieter.
    There are only days you eat differently. When I have big days, I try to balance in the days to come in accordance to my goals, so it's no biggie
  • Kara_xxx
    Kara_xxx Posts: 635 Member
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    I try not to reward myself with food, and I try not to think of it as "cheating" or "bad" either. It's just food.

    Well put.
  • kimski08
    kimski08 Posts: 28 Member
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    For the first time I've had success at losing, and at the moment I am concentrating on my average net calories for the week under my target. It works for me, and I have beer, wine, crisps... but just in moderation and not a lot when I do. I'm better at not depriving myself and have finally had the results I want.

    I put on a stone since joining here I think by being way to strict, and went up to 14st 1lbs. I am happy to say I weighed myself this morning and am down to 12st 13lbs.
  • AussieRachG
    AussieRachG Posts: 43 Member
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    Why not treat every day and just stay within your daily limit? That might reduce the desire for an entire cheat day

    I don't 'cheat' but I do have daily 'treats' as long as they fit within my daily limit. Otherwise, I find, that when I've reached my goal and start re-eating the foods I love, the weight goes straight back on. If you keep your favourite foods as part of your diet, then it leads to a perfect life! So on most days I will have some wine and cheese, crisps or gelato.

    There are always going to be occasions where you really go overboard - weddings, girls nights out, etc... but then you just relax, enjoy and make it up by being good for the rest of the week. I also pre-empt those occasions, if I can, and hit the gym for a few extra hours and eat smaller meals beforehand.
  • SanniHope
    SanniHope Posts: 23
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    I don't have a cheat-day, but I agree that it's ok to go over calories sometimes.

    For me it's really hard to stay within my calorie limit when I'm eating out or having a good meal with friends, so I usually go oer calories when that happens, but then I try to restrict myself during the next days or week ;)

    As for junk or chocolate I usually eat some everyday if I have them at hand.

    I usually don't buy sweets so that I don't have them at hand when I feel like eating them, this means that when I feel like sweets I must eat something else.

    Anyway as for now I'm having nutella for breakfast everyday and some pocket coffe when I feel like it ;)
  • myfitnessval
    myfitnessval Posts: 687 Member
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    my cheat day is sundays, i try not to let my emotions effect my cheat day as that was a problem for me before, and if i crave something during the week i try to wait until sunday and usually the craving subsides. its worked so far. lately its just been a cheat meal nothing over the top. like eating chorizo and eggs instead of oatmeal. i try to make most the day healthy.
  • sneekspeete
    sneekspeete Posts: 136
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    I call a cheat day whenever I mess up ! Thank goodness it only happens about once a week.:smile:
  • HunterKiller_wechange
    HunterKiller_wechange Posts: 369 Member
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    One cheat day a week normally a saturday or if theres a family meal to a restuarant or something. Nothing wrong with having a cheat day. Whats the point working our arses off all week if we are not allowed to have a treat once in a while.
  • SanniHope
    SanniHope Posts: 23
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    One cheat day a week normally a saturday or if theres a family meal to a restuarant or something. Nothing wrong with having a cheat day. Whats the point working our arses off all week if we are not allowed to have a treat once in a while.

    I completely agree!

    In Italy we say that eating is one of the pleasures of life ;)
  • HunterKiller_wechange
    HunterKiller_wechange Posts: 369 Member
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    One cheat day a week normally a saturday or if theres a family meal to a restuarant or something. Nothing wrong with having a cheat day. Whats the point working our arses off all week if we are not allowed to have a treat once in a while.

    I completely agree!

    In Italy we say that eating is one of the pleasures of life ;)

    Thats because you have such great food! :)
  • Dauntlessness
    Dauntlessness Posts: 1,489 Member
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    I have called days when I eat more "cheat days" before but now that I think of it, I think its just part of a healthy lifestyle. I cant imagine eating only healthy food, all the time. It is about balance and eating high cal food in moderation. So cheat days, no. Just a higher cal day. Just as long as it doesn't turn into a week long event, I think I'm all good.

    Every Friday my husband and I go out to eat and I eat w/e I want. I also have several desserts throughout the week and I am still losing weight. Most of the rest of the time I am eating a ton of fruit an balanced meals. I need a lifestyle I can live with. This isn't temporary 'diet", this is for the long haul.

    Sorry to edit
  • JoolieW68
    JoolieW68 Posts: 1,879 Member
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    I don't call it cheating. I call it living. If I decide to have a drink or dessert or whatever, I refuse to beat myself up over it. Life is too short to be so critical of ourselves. I hope like hell I'm not on my death bed thinking "Of all the things in my life, I'm so thankful I didn't eat that cheeseburger". There better be way better things for me to be thankful for.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
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    I love them! When I started this (13 months ago), I would typically have an entire cheat weekend, when I'd go out of town. I still struggle with counting when I go out of town! Then at some point, that started becoming problematic so I went to cheat days. I would have maybe 3 a month. As time has gone on, and losing gets harder, I've become more strict with it. I now typically do cheat meals where I'm good all day, but then go out to dinner and get whatever I want: a drink, an appetizer, a dessert. Mmmm...I do find myself, even on my cheat meals, eating less than I would have before this started. Just one drink. Less of the appetizer. Only half of my meal. Still usually eat the whole dessert though LOL.
  • MissCheese
    MissCheese Posts: 195 Member
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    I don't have cheat days, in fact I hate the idea of them. I'm aiming for a lifestyle change for the better and the thought of getting into a routine where once a week I splurge just seems wrong.

    I make allowances in my daily diary for things I consider to be a treat, such as healthy home baking or a biscuit or two, but still try to stay within calories or if I'm having a bad day under maintenance calories.
  • RawrWolfie
    RawrWolfie Posts: 64 Member
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    In my incredibly important opinion, cheat days are what got you here. So yeah I don't agree with them not one bit

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