One cheat day a week?

Bobby_Clerici

I have always had a "Free Day":drinker:

At first it was a huge food orgy - 24 hours, but as time went on, I steadily cut back to a few cheat meals on that day.
And no, I do not count calories. LOST 70 lbs doing this.
The challenge sometimes is turning it off when the day was through. Sometimes I did not, and my results suffered.
The arguments for a free day/cheat day are both psychological and physiological.
It may be that a cheat day shocks your body and resets metabolism. Maybe, who knows?
I think it does...
And it's a mental boost knowing I never need to go more than a week before I can binge on junk if I want.
And sometimes I want.
That's why I do it.
And my results speak for itself. The fruit of anybody's philosophy is their success or lack of
Anyway, good luck to YOU!

WhitneyAnnabelle

I did the one cheat day thing, which turned into two or three cheat days. I've decided I don't have the discipline right now, but when I do, I'll try it again. I think it's good to just be able to indulge...unless you really need to get back on the horse, so to speak

kristykritter

I have a cheat meal after my Sunday morning weigh-in. I also double up on exercise that day. I still log everything I've eaten for the meal and try to stay within my calories. It's amazing how simple it is to have a 1,000+ meal. Just goes to show how the weight was put on.

Charloo1990

I think it's important to let yourself cheat once and a while and not deprive your self of everything. I myself have a cheat day and if I want something small in the week I have it. But that's just what works for me. Everyone is different. If you eat clean and start binging, maybe you should think about giving your self a meal or even a day. You just have to find what works best for you.

Ditto this. Saved me typing the same thing haha. If i didnt have my Saturday treat day to look forward to, guaranteed i'd bimge through the week. I still lose weight so would never give up my day lol. And there are no limits on my treat day, if i want it i have it.

whitejessamine

I have BED. If I have a "cheat day," I will binge. It would be giving myself permission to binge. Instead, I allow myself a certain number of calories per week. (11900, which averages to 1700 per day). Everything I eat counts, but if I'm under that total, I know I'm doing okay. That gives me leeway to do a little splurging once in a while, since I'm usually at around 1400 calories per day. Cheat days can derail your diet if you overdo them...which is another reason I count the calories no matter what. If your average calorie intake is increased enough by your cheat day, you'll only be cheating yourself out of weight loss.

johannasmith

I don't even like the word "cheat". I think for me it insinuates something less permanent. If I am going to do this, then I just need to build things into my diet that I like. Also, I have in the past eaten a days worth of calories in one cheat day.

kittyminxx

Noooo don't do a whole cheat day!!!!

I tried this and in one day I can put on one weeks worth of loss in a day

You can have a cheat meal - but i'd still log the meal and check it keeps you under your calorie goal for the week

If you eat more calories than you burn you will gain weight

But if you're super strict all week and then have a naughty meal once a week then that will help you lose weight and shock your body's metabolism

But if you're naughty all day theres 3 times the amount of naughty calories you'll eat rather than just one meal

But if you really want a whole day off, I suggest you burn off as much of the calories you can the next day to compensate

ssilvey726

I generally agree with folks who say if you're going to cheat, just do it for a meal. Cheat days where you don't count calories are counterproductive.

If you're unwilling to even count it because you've cheated so badly, you probably shouldn't be cheating that much. If you go a few hundred over your already-planned out loss, no biggy. But if it's so bad that you don't even want to look at it, probably too much.

Dave198lbs

If you can get through your diet without cheating, then go for it. Don't just add a cheat day because you hear people doing it.

I personally don't like to schedule cheat days - actually I wouldn't even consider a WHOLE DAY of cheating. A meal is enough imo, if you really feel the need.

this

pabloext

I don't consider it cheating as I'm changing my life, not just dropping weight to put it back on as soon as I start eating "normally" again. I eat whatever I want on a daily basis but in smaller portions that I used to, and if I go over I make sure my workout for that day covers what I've eaten.

This post is, in my view, the most relevant post on the thread. It is a lifestyle change. If you are looking at as 'cheating' then you really aren't adopting the change as part of your lifestyle but as something temporary that you will then move away from later on.

Additionally, I would say never get caught up on deviations, whether they are for a meal, a day or even two days. What matters is what you do over a period of time. I try to look at everything in a monthly cycle. How did you do for the month? If for the month you are meeting your goals, then you are doing just fine regardless of if you ran over your daily counts a couple times.

Easywider

Just a cheat food every now and again..Nothing to make a habit out of. I only cut for 4-6 weeks at a time. During that period I remain diligent and disciplined...after all, it's only a month and change. Off diet I still eat clean but incorporate cheat foods every now and again just to revitalize neglected pleasure receptors.

Cheat foods:

1 slice of pizza
2 beers
A cheeseburger
Lasagna

Hellbent_Heidi

I consider cheat days to be a slippery slope...and something you need to be careful not to use as an excuse to entertain the old bad habits.

tabik30

I eat that I want on the weekends within reason (meaning I dont eat just to be eating) and I work my *kitten* off and stick to a strict diet the other 5 days. This works well for me, good luck finding what works for you!

AmyS1975

I usually plan to have a cheat meal on Mondays after weigh-in. I always track the calories though, even if it's ugly. I have to say, for the past few weeks though, my cheat meals have been healthier than they would've been 2 months ago. For example, this week, I had BBQ chicken with BBQ sauce, fries and coleslaw ... instead of ordering, I picked it up from the grocery store and measured my portions – the result was a delicious delivery-like meal for under 700 calories. For dessert, instead of ice cream, I had frozen yogourt with strawberries; doesn't get much better than that!

stuffinmuffin

I work to my 'weekly net' cals rather than daily so don't really 'cheat' as such but I do indulge but I ALWAYS log the damage!

serenity216

This is what I do; take a cheat meal once a week (though some weeks I sitll end up under the whole week).

I recently was given advice from a GI Doctor. He told me to follow my plan all week but take a cheat MEAL once per week (and follow it up with dessert too.) Apparently it shocks your metabolism and causes it to start working harder when you resume your plan.

gatorginger

basically I cheat when we go places that are hard for me to resist the temptation. I eat snacks often but stay within my calories. I think it's okay to cheat as long as you can get right back on track the next day. You will have to test it out to see how it works for you cause what works for one of us might not work for you so if you feel the need go ahead and see how it works for you that is how you learn

raefost

I personally don't plan a cheat day, however life usually sends some your way! Birthdays and get togethers all need to become part of your healthy lifestyle. If you no you are going to indulge. ( not cheat too negative) then adapt the day before nd maybe the day after to accommodate the extra calories.
Good luck with it all. You will learn what suits you best to make this a perminant change.

Angie_1MR

I don't get the cheat "DAYS"...have never heard of that before...people are looking for every excuse to sabatoge their diet...how about a cheat MEAL or SNACK...why does it have to be an ENTIRE DAY?!

kstrunk1

I have planned cheat meals every few weeks or so. If this is going to be a lifestyle for me, not a diet, then I know that I will have to learn how to indulge every once in a while b/c NO way am I never going to have ice cream, pizza or other yummy fattening foods again in my life. I do my best to figure out the calories and input them. I jump right back on the bandwagon the next meal or the next day if the cheat is at dinner.

I can't do cheat days ... a slippery slope I can't go down.