Cheating 101

mefit87

Hi myfitnesspal's,
I'm a bit confused about Cheat Days... Do you folks generally do a "Cheat Meal" or a "Cheat Day" ? And do you calculate calories on those days?

awmejia

I don't do cheat days, occasionally I have a cheat meal while at a birthday party, but never a day. If I did a cheat day I would make everyday a cheat day lol.....I know my limitations

lc971

I don't like to call it "cheat meal" etc. It has a negative connotation to it. If I'm having something that might be a little higher in calories, I will plan for it. I might exercise a little longer that day. )

shellgirl144

None of the above. I don't limit or deprive myself. If I want a cookie, then I have one. If I want a piece of cake, then I have a small one. If I want a hot dog at a cookout, I have one. You get the idea. I log it and I make sure it all fits in my calorie limit for the day.

cbevan1229

Lots of people set "cheat" days for themselves. I'm not sold on the idea, and hate the language.

I'll start with the language first: To me "cheat" implies that you are getting away with something, but you can't fool your body, or the scale. If you are going to eat over the calorie allowance that you have set for yourself, for whatever reason, please just look at it as a "choice" vs. a "cheat."

As far as the idea - I think it's okay to go over your calorie goal once in a while, as long as you understand how it is likely to impact your overall weight loss. But I don't like the idea of saying - for example - Thursday is my day to eat anything I want without counting. I don't like it for a couple of reasons. I think it can create pressure to make bad food choices on that day, because you feel like you're missing out if you don't, and I think that if you decide not to count, you're more likely to go wild, rather than making a thoughtful decision about what high calorie foods are worth it for you. And it doesn't allow the flexibility to say, on Tuesday, for example - here is this food that I really want, and in my judgement, it's worth the high calorie content.

But that's just my $0.02. You'll get lots of opinions, and have to find the way that fits best into your lifestyle, goals, and your way of looking at the world.

sparkplug316

Every other time I've been able to lose weigh successfully (in between gaining it all back and then some), I allowed myself one cheat day a week and it always helped with my sanity.

Now that I'm over 40 and need to make the weight loss a permanent way of life or face severe health problems, no more cheat days. I'm sure I'll slip and fall, or have days I'm more or less strict, but I've been cheating for 40 years and it is literally killing me.

JesterMFP

I don't have a regular cheat day or meal, because I mostly just incorporate the things I like to eat in my everyday diet. There are some days that end up as kind of "cheat" days just because it happens to be a day that I eat over my calorie goal. I really don't like the word "cheat" for those days though because they're just part of life, and they haven't ruined my progress.

Anyway, I know some people have whole days, some just a meal. Some even have the whole weekend off. Personally, if I was going to do it, I'd eat whatever I wanted for that day/meal, but log it accurately as well. I guess some people like not having to think about logging for a day, but I would be worried that I would go way over without being aware of it. A cheat day could definitely ruin your efforts the rest of the week. Say if you have a daily deficit of 500 calories, if you consume 3,000 calories over your goal on your cheat day, then the week's deficit would be wiped out. I guess some people would never eat that much, but it'd be quite easy for a lot of people. I would just experiment with it a bit - try making it just a meal and logging it. See if you can keep it within reason and it benefits you. If not, work something else out.

cygnetpro

I'm with lc. I don't look at it as a "cheat day" cuz that makes this feel too much like a temporary diet, rather than a healthier way of eating. If I want to splurge on a meal out, or ice cream with the kids, I cut back a little in another area. I have friends that swear by cheat days, and they tend to look at it as one full day per week. Whatever works for you, I suppose.

AwesomePossum82

I DO NOT allow a cheat DAY. I allow for the occasional cheat meal. I ALWAYS calculate my calories.

aryastark8

I have one day a week when I don't log my food and don't exercise. I don't think of it as a cheat day, but as a "break" or "relax" day. It doesn't mean I eat like crazy - I don't want to undo the good work I do all week long. I still eat in moderation, but the control is not as strict as the rest of the week. I just find that psychologically it's easier for me when I can take a break once a week. Maybe it slows my weight loss down, but it helps me stick with it.

tidesong

I allow myself a cheat day, though I still make wise choices for my food. It's rare that even with a "cheat day" that I go over my calories. But like someone else said, normally, if I want a cookie, I have one. If I want a piece of candy, I have it. But I just make sure I count it, and move on. And the few times I've gone over my calorie limit, or made very poor food choices (or both!), I take a deep breath, account for all of it, and just keep moving forward. I don't beat myself up over it, because that's counterproductive. Gotta be positive with yourself. Support yourself, love yourself, etc. And realize that humans aren't perfect; we make mistakes, and that's okay!

Cheat days aren't bad. They can give you a sense of freedom so you don't feel so locked in. It's easy to blow your new lifestyle if you feel restricted. By "cheating", you don't have that feeling of restriction, and I've found it easier to keep going. The big thing to remember is that your calorie count isn't really a daily thing as far as your body sees it. It's the average over the week. So if you happen to have a day that's really, really high over your limit, you can try to balance it out by having a few days that are closer to your lower limit. Just don't ever drop below 1200 or whatever your body needs as a minimum.

ETA: But I really do hate the term "cheat day". I'm not cheating so much as just giving myself more freedom. Big difference!

yustick

I prefer to think of it as living. If I want to consume higher calories, I do. I make sure i know what i am eating and the consequences. I watch my AVERAGE calorie intake. I do better knowing I can have whatever I want, it is my choice. Lose weight and be healthy or not. My only rule is that I log everything. If I want to eat higher calorie foods, I log first.