Are "cheat" days a wise idea?

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  • Roni_M
    Roni_M Posts: 717 Member
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    Rather than a cheat day I have a cheat meal every Sunday where I just have whatever I want I find this approach works best for me. Everybody needs to remember we are all different what works for me might not work for you so don't be afraid of trying new things and see how they work out for yourself. I've always been told in the end nobody can know your body better than yourself.

    Same here only mine is on Saturday. I'm usually not over calories by that much for the day (300-400) so really don't think it hurts and I think it let's me put off anything I'm craving until then (more mental for me I guess). Usually I'm up a pound or two for a few days because of the sodium but by Monday at the latest I'm usually back to normal (I weigh in on Friday so I've got time to get things moving in the right direction again before the next weigh in).
  • Di3012
    Di3012 Posts: 2,250 Member
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    Having “cheat” days in the past has certainly helped me with the psychological parts of dieting (i.e. sticking to it) as I believe that trying to be 100% strict 100% of the time will ultimately lead to failure.

    However from a purely physical point of view is it a good idea? Will one day (or in my case one evening) a week eating stuff I avoid the other six days of the week cause setbacks in my weight loss?

    Friends have given me conflicting advice so far. Some have said that eating high cal/ carb/ fat food(s) even on just one day will essentially erase all the good work I have done through the week. Another has said that my appetite will be naturally less now I’m losing the weight (which it does appear to be) so even when I have the opportunity to eat what I like I’m unlikely to gorge myself and a few extra cals/ carbs/ fats eaten periodically might even help kick start a metabolism that has adapted to having less.

    Can anyone advise?

    I don't know anything about any of those things your friends suggested, all I do know is that cheat days for some people are fine, however, there are other people out there who, once they have their cheat day, find it one massive effort to get back into the swing of things the very next day.

    Therefore, if you are one of those people who after eating a chocolate bar, finds they crave more and uses up all their energy to get back on the wagon rather than "oh just another bar won't hurt...." day after day, think very carefully about any cheat day.

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