Cheat days?

VixianKit
VixianKit Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Should we have cheat days? because i feel like i shouldnt. because my whole life before was a cheat day... i mean you know there are birthdays and holidays that could be the cheat days and deal with that. I want to change my life.. but what do you think?

Replies

  • deevatude
    deevatude Posts: 322 Member
    for me personally, since i already eat 2100 calories, i dont really need a cheat day.
  • pixtotts
    pixtotts Posts: 552 Member
    for me family birthdays and holidays are sort of cheat days... not eat anything days... but not care if i go over making mostly good choices days... meaning - have pudding!
    but then i think for the sake of ones sanity sometimes a cheat day may be needed... id rather cheat than go insane... lol
    x
  • philcole4321
    philcole4321 Posts: 7
    For me a cheat day in just that i would include a treat (ice cream, hot dog, etc.), knowing that I will cut back on something else later on during that day or put in an extra half hour in the gym. You need days like that or you are just gonna give in and pig out one day!
  • chinatbag
    chinatbag Posts: 249 Member
    It is entirely up to the person. I changed my eating style to reflect low carbohydrate intake. Even today when I went out I tried to stick by it by avoiding the carb heavy foods. I feel guilty about going over my caloric intake but I'll be back on that diet horse tomorrow and probably for the next week or more.
  • maricash
    maricash Posts: 280 Member
    Check out this topic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/748373-why-i-hate-the-word-cheating

    It says most of what I think on the subject.

    I think it depends on the person. For me, I am trying to eat in a way that I can sustain for years to come. I know from my experience that I can't do that if I impose rigid rules about what I can and can't eat. I am much more successful if I eat within my calories most of the time, but allow myself to relax on special occasions, or even on non-special occasions. I don't consider those "cheats" though, because I'm not on a diet.

    I get where you are coming from with the "whole life before was a cheat day" thing, but I think if you don't allow yourself flexibility you just set yourself up for the endless cycle of mindless eating/crash dieting that so many of us know so well.
  • lettie1955
    lettie1955 Posts: 13
    I don't exactly have cheat days but I do have a maintenance days about once a week. I have done the research and for my weight etc. I need approximately 1700 calories. I allow up to 1200 calories daily but try to hit less and exercise about 2 hours a day, one of which is walking. One day a week I go up to 1700 or possibly more as long as my total is not more that my maint. plus exercise for the day. This is supposed to help keep my metabolism up and gives me a break. Good luck!
  • Amberonamission
    Amberonamission Posts: 836 Member
    I just fought off a cheat. Husband and Daughter are having burgers from River City Cafe. I am sticking with the Very Veggie lasagna (340 for a huge chunk) instead. This is a huge win for me today.
  • justjenn1977
    justjenn1977 Posts: 437 Member
    I am not on a diet... so I can not cheat said diet...

    that being said... I usually like to eat 5 days at 1900 and 2 at 2200... that averages me to 2000... and I lose pretty decently...

    this way I *FEEL* like I have a cheat day... also if I know I have an event coming where I will want to eat I either a) go on a really long hike/bike ride and burn extra or b) eat a little less each day to save up calories

    (I am trying to eat a little less currently though because I am grounded to the couch with a broken foot..... and with no exercise... I am worried about the scale)
  • VixianKit
    VixianKit Posts: 13 Member
    Everyone is making a wonderful point about not being on a diet its a life change but having those 'cheat' days or even just a day you can have stuff that is out of the normal. But i feel like if you really want to change your life you cant do that. and yeah it is a difference between sanity and insanity but yeah its a total life change because we want a change so why have the ice cream or other stuff? i mean when i want something sweet i get a granola bar with small chocolate chips and its all good.
  • bethygirlie
    bethygirlie Posts: 311 Member
    I don't have a cheat day but if I want something, I get it. I don't say "I can't eat that" because it only makes me want it more and I end up eating more than I should.
  • HeatherTransformed
    HeatherTransformed Posts: 213 Member
    I don't do a cheat day, but I will do a cheat meal. But I still usually stay within my calories for the day.
  • brendalavonna
    brendalavonna Posts: 6
    I will do a cheat meal, but not a whole day of cheating.
  • xiamjackie
    xiamjackie Posts: 611 Member
    I don't plan cheat days, sometimes they just happen. If it's the weekend and my friends and I decide to go out to a restaurant, I'm not just going to sit there and not eat because I'm trying to stay low-carb or whatever. I find something that I like on the menu. It's not that often that it happens and I don't beat myself up about it. I'd rather enjoy my life than be miserable when all my friends decide to go out. That being said, I only have a "cheat day" once every like two weeks. If you never let yourself cheat and you feel fine, good for you! I just know that sometimes when I'm really really working hard and I devote myself, that I feel like I deserve to fulfill my craving a little bit, and when I don't, that's when I go in the danger zone of possibly bingeing or something like that if it goes over the edge.
  • xiamjackie
    xiamjackie Posts: 611 Member
    I don't do a cheat day, but I will do a cheat meal. But I still usually stay within my calories for the day.

    I agree. Just because you have a cheat meal doesn't mean all your hard work that you've been doing lately has gone down the drain. It also doesn't mean that you'll be over your calories/fat/carbs/whatever you're counting for the day.
  • SweetlyVague
    SweetlyVague Posts: 172 Member
    As many have said, I don't really like to think that I'm on a diet, so why have cheat days? It's about eating better as a whole and that doesn't necessarily mean cutting out all the treats you like. It means eating them less often, or less of it, ya know? I believe that being overly strict on yourself is what makes it so easy to fall off the wagon.
  • xiamjackie
    xiamjackie Posts: 611 Member
    Everyone is making a wonderful point about not being on a diet its a life change but having those 'cheat' days or even just a day you can have stuff that is out of the normal. But i feel like if you really want to change your life you cant do that. and yeah it is a difference between sanity and insanity but yeah its a total life change because we want a change so why have the ice cream or other stuff? i mean when i want something sweet i get a granola bar with small chocolate chips and its all good.


    Depending on what you're counting, a granola bar can have just as much "bad stuff" in it as something more obvious like ice cream. For example, some granola bars have 19g of sugar and 29g of carbs, which can potentially be just as deadly as a 1/2c of ice cream. I'd watch out for what you think is healthy.
  • Keltinator
    Keltinator Posts: 265
    I do have "cheat days", but it's really just a day when I afford myself an extra treat, and it's usually every two weeks or so. I find ways to work yummy things into my diet every day while still staying under my calorie goal, so I don't feel deprived or crave anything. So on a cheat day, I might just have a small drink from Starbucks, or a donut or something... last time I had an oat fudge bar from Starbucks, and it was delicious! :)
  • leeanneowens
    leeanneowens Posts: 319 Member
    We eat at my parent's house every Tuesday so that is usually my cheat day. For me, having a day where I can eat without thinking too much about my calories makes being careful the rest of the week easier.
  • wildhehr2
    wildhehr2 Posts: 122 Member
    I tell myself during the week, when I'm craving something with no nutritional value, that I can have it on Sunday. And then when Sunday rolls around, if I still want it, I eat it. Since its only once a week, I like to savor it. For instance, I have a weakness for white chocolate truffles. So today, I bought myself a bag, took 6 (2 servings....I gave the rest to my sister), sat down with a novel, a glass of water, and a blanket, and thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon. No guilt. I'm also eating out tonight, but I'm relaxed enough to make a decent choice. Make it work for you, however that ends up being.
  • kstrunk1
    kstrunk1 Posts: 462 Member
    My husband and I have one cheat/indulgence meal each week. It keeps us on the straight and narrow for the rest of the week. It's worked for both of us. I've lost 87 and he's 104. :)
  • schustc
    schustc Posts: 428 Member
    Everyone is making a wonderful point about not being on a diet its a life change but having those 'cheat' days or even just a day you can have stuff that is out of the normal. But i feel like if you really want to change your life you cant do that. and yeah it is a difference between sanity and insanity but yeah its a total life change because we want a change so why have the ice cream or other stuff? i mean when i want something sweet i get a granola bar with small chocolate chips and its all good.

    You CAN change your life, without having an All or Nothing approach.

    Like some have said, I have 6 lower calorie days, and 1 maintenance or higher day per week. I have also cut out artificial sweeteners and the majority of DIET foods. I am trying to learn to eat with real foods that my family eats, in proper proportions. One of the HUGE benefits to this, is that if I am ever in a situation where I could not pre-plan, or am going to a family gathering, I know approximately how many calories are in a cup of, or tlbspn of, specific foods that are not diet. so when I choose cheese, or salad dressing, or anything, because I am more familiar with the normal food counts, I can choose accordingly, and not feel totally derailed.

    I know a slice of Kraft american cheese, is 60 calories. I do buy SOME lighter foods, such as velveeta 2%, which allows the family to all eat the same meals and keep flavor. but aside from that, we all eat the same stuff.

    I want to be NORMAL. normal means, having that day once a week where you go out with friends or family, and may not have as many good choices to pick from, but yet have enough knowledge in your arsenal to make a healthy choice. If all I did was diet 24/7 and eat diet meals, I'd never LEARN anything. Yes my life before this was 24/7 out of control eating. My goal is to learn how to eat some of the stuff I like in moderation, on occasion. Getting too strict - well- been there/done that too many times, and eventually I gave up and all the weight came back. now, i have a normal day at least once a week, so I never feel deprived, never feel like I am dieting. AND I am losing.
    good luck!

    Tina
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
    I don't.

    In my head a cheat meal or a cheat day will derail me. Cheating (eating whatever I wanted when I wanted it) got me here. I need structure.

    If it doesn't fit into my daily planning, I don't eat it. So if I want something, I try to work it in. I'll eat chocolate and fast food, but I plan for it & around it.

    Some people can have cheat days/meals but for me they don't work.
  • Crayvn
    Crayvn Posts: 390 Member
    I do not believe in cheat days. and in my opinion a cheat meal does not mean you can eat w/e you want necessarily. For example, at Chilis Crispy Chicken Tacos As Served 1510 cals. Thats all my calories for a day. So if i wanted to "cheat* i suppose i could have half of it for dinner and have a very very light breakfast and lunch. But then you would have to eat the rest the next day doing the same thing. You could split the meal with someone.

    A cheat meal, again in my opinion, is a term used by those that eat totally *clean*. And they stay within their net calories.For example, they would add their forbidden salad dressing instead of using vinagrette. Or have a regular brownie instead of a protein homemade brownie..or have a milkshake instead of a protein shake. Make sense? People should not sabotage themselves by thinking they can cheat because its a term that is thrown around and gives them an excuse to do what they really shouldnt be. Oh yeah, I remember these guys that were at a 24 hr gym i was going to. it was like 1am and i walked in and these young guys had pizza in there. I joked around with them and teased about how healthy it was.. they said it was their "carb up" day.. i chuckled and rolled my eyes..lol

    Be sensible and cheat like i do everyday with a 100 calorie ice cream bar for my evening snack after dinner. its low fat and i still stay within my calories :p
  • rg_0202
    rg_0202 Posts: 6
    oh i totally have pig out days. i need them, or else i'll go nuts. haha. not the best thing to do but oh well.
  • valcladdagh
    valcladdagh Posts: 210 Member
    Check out this topic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/748373-why-i-hate-the-word-cheating

    It says most of what I think on the subject.

    I think it depends on the person. For me, I am trying to eat in a way that I can sustain for years to come. I know from my experience that I can't do that if I impose rigid rules about what I can and can't eat. I am much more successful if I eat within my calories most of the time, but allow myself to relax on special occasions, or even on non-special occasions. I don't consider those "cheats" though, because I'm not on a diet.

    I get where you are coming from with the "whole life before was a cheat day" thing, but I think if you don't allow yourself flexibility you just set yourself up for the endless cycle of mindless eating/crash dieting that so many of us know so well.

    this

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