Cheat Days...Yay or Nay?

aloha311

I won't do a cheat day but I will treat myself on occasion. For me doing a cheat day will do a number on my body and stomach. For example I haven't had fast food in over 2 weeks now and I know that if I was to have some I would be paying for it for the rest of the day.

jdavis193

I have a cheat day once a week sometimes it's just a cheat meal. I will do the whole day where I don't count calories and just eat what I want and I am satisfied for the week. I have always seem fine at losing.

Buttercup225

So many great suggestions everyone! Thank you for sharing your opinions! I'm thinking that I will try to incorporate my favorite foods into my daily diet and not have a "cheat day." I'll just try to stay within my calories/fat/carbs so that when I do reach my goal weight, I will be able to continue eating normally and not feel like "WHEW! Binge Time!" LOL! Thanks again MFP! Yall are beyond awesome!

magj0y

I am curious about everyone's thoughts about having food cheat days. I've heard some people say that it feeds into a food addiction and can result in relapsing into unhealthy eating behaviors. I've heard others say that a cheat day is good so that you don't deprive yourself foods that you do enjoy...but in moderation.

Hmm...I'm on the fence. What are your thoughts?

I''m not addicted to food, or an emotional eater, I just need to make wiser choices. My day is Sunday and every other friday'ish.
I work in the approx. amount of calories that I'll rack up that day, and try and work it into the weekly calorie allowance.

for example, a 1400 daily allowance times 7 = 98000. If I have a left over of 3,000 on Sunday I have about 13500 cals a day.

I still have a deficit of what I need. I have my cake and eat it too, so to say.

If you do have a food addiction, or emotionally eat, then I think the occasional special occasion is a better idea instead of completely denying yourself.

NormalSaneFLGuy

I am curious about everyone's thoughts about having food cheat days. I've heard some people say that it feeds into a food addiction and can result in relapsing into unhealthy eating behaviors. I've heard others say that a cheat day is good so that you don't deprive yourself foods that you do enjoy...but in moderation.

Hmm...I'm on the fence. What are your thoughts?

Ohhhhhh. By the topic title, I thought you meant cheat days on your spouse. I didn't realize you meant food... I'll be going now.

AmyFett

I've always said no. I don't tell myself to not eat this or that. I eat anything I want, but in moderation. I don't go over my 1300 calories a day.

jwaitman

I find that falling off the wagon from time to time will actually jump start my losing again if I am stuck for a while and the scale is not moving. I seem to do it too often though and need to find a way to get it under control.

skinnynerd

I overindulge two days a week. However, I consume lower calories on the other five days to allow for these two days.

ashlinmarie

I don't plan cheat days...but usually if I go out of town for a day, I allow myself to eat foods I wouldn't eat every day. They actually help keep me on track because I'm not telling myself I can't eat the foods. If you have self-control and are able to jump right back on board the next day, cheat days can actually help shock your body and keep you losing (I almost always am down a pound or two after a cheat day). However, if you have food addictions or binge issues, I wouldn't advise cheat days as they could get you more off track than they would do good.

I am also usually 400-1000 calories below my daily goal because I rarely eat my exercise calories so for me it averages out. I have about a 2400 calorie deficit since Wednesday so when I go eat with my grandpa today, I can have a burger and fries and know I probably won't even eat half of that. Plus, it will fill me up so I won't eat anything else today and I have my run tonight so I might not even go over my calories once I factor all of that in.

ErinBeth7

I don't really plan a cheat day because I already allow myself to have not so wise choices on occasion, usually in social situations.

Navotc

Sunday is my day to not worry if I go over my calories. Call it a "cheat" day, or call it whatever. I don't tend to go over by a whopping lot.
I totally understand where the people are coming from that don't take such a day, and I can support the idea. For me, I don't feel like I deprive myself the rest of the week, but having a day when I don't worry about going over a little feels good.

shelbiejo

I have a cheat day. It works for me. I see it this way, if I were to eat crap all week long and then eat really healthy one day of the week I probably wouldn't lose anything or get in any better of shape would I? Once day isn't going to hurt you.

bethfartman

I have a cheat meal every week or so. Last week was terrible and I had two days of reckless eating, but I generally cook a meal I've been craving but isn't so healthy once or twice a week. I try not to do it when I am stressed or upset, since that is when I typically am driven to make poor food decisions and I don't want to fuel that.

doomspark

I don't schedule cheat days because I'm having enough trouble staying on track as it is.

brandi22479

Uhh maybe a cheat MEAL.. but still fit it within your goals as best as possible. Just eat something that you would normally avoid.

Cheat days.. no. Nobody needs an entire day to have an excuse for an eat-fest (in my opinion).

This!! Totally agree!

Wabbit05

It's motivating to have a cheat day because I can tell myself if you hold out for the rest of this week, you can have that chocolate chip cookie staring you down! There is no way I could just give up all the "bad" foods around me, but only allowing myself to have them once a week makes it so I'm not deprived and keeps me going during the healthy days. I want to be able to go out with girlfriends and drink without counting calories. I want to have a dinner date and be able to eat candy during the movie. I went to the fair this weekend and got to enjoy the ridiculous food there. I don't want to miss out on those experiences because I'm worried about calories!

So for me, I have a cheat day and I love it!

ellouise1108

I have to say no to cheat days. I have had a cheat meal though, but a whole day of it would make me feel like I was taking a step backwards and that it would make the numbers on the scale go in the wrong direction. Just my opinion though...

JenMull44

I have foods on occassion that I consider off limits (ie: cheeseburger, pizza or alchohol) but I definitley would
not throw an entire day just for junk food. I work too hard the rest of the week to maintain, why blow it in one day.
So to answer your question; I only have a cheat meal every once in awhile.

77tes

First, this is a lifestyle change for me, not a diet, so I would call them splurge days rather than cheat days. I think having occasional splurge days are good, but not too often. I am sure once a week would be too often for me, but once a month would be better. I prefer a splurge meal rather than a whole day of splurging. In fact, I'm planning a splurge lunch in a few minutes, but I'll log it and try to stay under my goal by eating low on my other meals.

hiawathaperez

NO.
Eat high protein, eat healthy carbs in moderation....
there are many alternatives to redirect old habits into new productive better choices find them.
No going back EVER!

smile

ericsperling

I totally cheat on cheat days but I always go back to the diet the next day. Visualize cheat days as going on a vacation. You're on vacation to relax and play. You need vacation to unwind and as a reward for all of the hard work that you did during the year.

Therefore on cheat days, eat all you want and enjoy foods that you normally can't have. Don't use cheats days to do stupid things (e.g. 36 donuts for breakfast). Your body also needs cheat days to jump start the metabolism, otherwise you're body may slow metabolism to prevent you from starving to death i.e. starvation mode.

Cheat on the following days:
Thanksgiving
Christmas
New Years
Your Birthday
Superbowl Sunday
Labor Day (cookout)
Memorial Day (cookout)
Independence Day (cookout)

jeffsinkw

Yes, but not a WHOLE cheat day. Like some others have said, I allow myself a cheat MEAL on the weekends if I've done well during the week, but I immediately go back to watching my calories after that. Also, that same day, knowing that I'll have a high calorie meal, I am careful the rest of the day not to eat too much. I've found that even on my cheat meals, I still am very conscious of what I'm eating and tend to make better choices than I ever have. Had pizza this past weekend and instead of 2 meat toppings I only ordered 1. I still log my calories on cheat meals and even though I go over that day, it generally doesn't set me back.

It helps me get through the week knowing that I will have my 1 cheat meal on the weekend. :happy:

Nownourish

What are your thoughts on eating at maintenance once a week (to allow for a little indulgence without undoing all the good work and give the metabolism a boost)?

Molly_Maguire

I find the best thing for me, is to take something I'm dying for, then purposely work off exactly that many calories BEFORE I eat it. Like if I MUST have a big greasy bacon avocado cheeseburger, I calmly sit down and tally exactly how many calories it's going to be, then work out until I've burned off that many calories. My husband wanted to make homemade chicken alfredo, with heavy cream and cream cheese. So instead of being miserable and saying no, I went for a vigorous run while he made it, then sat down and enjoyed a completely guilt-free splurge! I've found that when I force myself to wait for a craving, then EARN it before having it, it always tastes sweeter when I finally get it!

But I always always ALWAYS work it off BEFORE eating, because invariably the bad food will weigh me down, and I'll rationalize and make every excuse in the world to not work it off, and 9 x out of ten I wont ever do it. So be careful on that!

VogtAndrea

Im not big on cheat days......I am in fact big on IIFYM on a daily basis.

If it fits your macros, is closer to the way I look at things though I've learned that I can't just throw in a "cheat day". Now I try to eat healthier and deal with things realistically while staying within my macros.
Everyone fails once in a while but we pick ourselves up out of the cupboards and fridge, clean off the whipped cream and chocolate, and we get back to what works best for us.

planettea

I think "cheat days" don't exist. Who are you cheating? Because the answer is yourself. I'm either eating the way that's going to be helpful for me achieving my goals, or I'm not. All day every day I'm faced with that question, is eating this going to help me achieve my goals or not? If the answer is no, I walk away. Sometimes the answer I give myself is, eating this will not help with my goals, but I still want it. Then I walk away, I think about it, and if I'm okay with that and knowing that it might delay me reaching my goals then I go ahead and eat the thing. For me it's on ongoing conversation about my goals and keeping focused on them. No matter what you decide, just keep tracking so that you don't feel guilty, I think guilt can really help someone spiral downwards further from your goals.

JenMull44

Uhh maybe a cheat MEAL.. but still fit it within your goals as best as possible. Just eat something that you would normally avoid.

Cheat days.. no. Nobody needs an entire day to have an excuse for an eat-fest (in my opinion).

AGREED !