Cheat Day: A Necessity or a Setback? Your thoughts?
six1908
Posts: 99 Member
I've heard several people who have dieted and lost weight that they always incorporated in a cheat day. This special day (like a holiday to many of them) would allow them to have whatever they wanted, at pretty much any time of the day. I was wondering what all of you thought about this? I, at this point, don't use a cheat day probably because I'm trying to be very strict with what I take in. With that said, I will still sometimes eat out or something like that as long as I know I'm hitting the gym extra hard to make up for the increase in calories. Anyways, just looking for thoughts. Thanks again!
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Some people don't like the word....but I think without having opportunity to indulge in something you love here and there, you will never succeed long term. Now this doesn't mean eat 10,000 calories in one day...but today is Oktoberfest here in GERMANTOWN, Md. LOL. I will probably have a bratwurst in a BUN. I've kept my carbs under 100 all week, worked out and ate clean...but I may go crazy and share a funnel cake with the kids. I think if you stay STRICT then ultimately you will binge. :-)0
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If you're +15% body fat cheat meals have no place in your diet.... yet.
It's all about leptin control - there's a science and an art to it.0 -
Could you explain more of the science? Thanks!:flowerforyou:If you're +15% body fat cheat meals have no place in your diet.... yet.
It's all about leptin control - there's a science and an art to it.0 -
If you're +15% body fat cheat meals have no place in your diet.... yet.
It's all about leptin control - there's a science and an art to it.
i agree, although i don't get into the science of it.
personally, i had plenty of cheat years, i don't need a cheat day just yet.0 -
I do a cheat day no more than once every 2 weeks. For ME, it keeps me from getting too frustrated and throwing in the towel. I eat what i want, but no grazing, stop when i'm full and i still keep active and/or exercise. I think it's personal. If a cheat day would be the beginning of the end, don't do them. If they help keep you from falling off the wagon, do them. To each his own.0
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Depends on the person. For myself while i wouldn't call it a necessity I do enjoy knowing i can have an off day and not feel any guilt. I don't force myself to have a cheat day but if i go over or go out and want something not on my regular routine I consider that the cheat meal/day and keep on moving fwd.0
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My body fat is pretty low so a cheat meal here and there doesn't hurt me at all. But with that said, I personally think that it's not a necessity or a setback.
Now, if you're after a specific goal, say you want 6% body fat.. Them a cheat meal or day is a setback. But if you are just looking to be somewhat healthy, it is not too bad. Besides, commit to do things long term. If you have to have that ice cream every week, then do it. Otherwise, you're in for a miserable ride!0 -
I have always incorporated a cheat day when dieting. After my first child, I was very successful with weight watchers. I would use my "weigh day" as a cheat day. I was the only person in my entire group of people who never once had a gain for the week. Now, after my 3 child, I am doing weight watchers again, but with the help of MFP and I am still doing the cheat day thing. My official "weigh/cheat day" is tomorrow, but right now I've lost near 25 pounds since July 27 and I have not had a weekly gain this time either. I talked to my doctor about it once because I get a lot of people telling me that I'm crazy for doing it, but he told me that it's likely boosting my metabolism AND helping to keep me on track because if there's something that I'm craving on say Wednesday, I can just remind myself that I will eat that on Sunday. . . on the agenda for tomorrow is Krystals! LOL I suppose everyone is different, but for me a cheat day is most definitely a necessity!0
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Maybe a cheat meal, but not a whole cheat day. Life happens. We find ourselves at social occasions and we will be tempted and might even give iin from time to time. I have, but frankly, I don't give myself license to dive into an all you can eat buffet or a 700 calorie dessert just because I had a couple of beers and pizza for lunch.
Last night I took the family out to dinner, told myself if I wanted, it could be a cheat meal. Ordered a beer. When my sandwich arrived and was, as expected,more than twice the size of any sandwich I would make at home, I stopped at half, and put the other half, along with the potato, in a box to take home. The thought of stuffing myself like I used to do just wasn't that appealing.0 -
HA! Interesting perspective. You've earned my enlightenment, although I didn't feel like posting.If you're +15% body fat cheat meals have no place in your diet.... yet.
It's all about leptin control - there's a science and an art to it.
i agree, although i don't get into the science of it.
personally, i had plenty of cheat years, i don't need a cheat day just yet.
Basic rundown: leptin is a cellular signal in adipose (fat) tissue that, when high, signals the brain that the cells are happy and satiated because they have energy. The body likes this - the body wants to have lots and lots of energy to hold onto. When leptin is low, those adipose cells decrease leptin signaling leading the brain to believe there is minimal or no energy available for expenditure. This is why drastic diets and too low calories fails: the body fights back. When you're 7% BF like I am right now you have to cheat almost every 3 days just because I have very little energy stored up before going catabolic.
Long periods of complete liver and muscle glycogen depletion can bring this onset. If you're >15% your leptin is still plenty high because you have energy to burn. Mental/social reasons for "cheat meals" are apparent and obvious but people often think they deserve more than they need. Choosing the right meal is an experiment in its own. Cheeseburger and fries do wonders for my physique but cheesesteak ruins me. Prior to a photo shoot or competition ill deplete carbs completely then down a whole pizza the morning of.0 -
I count calories every day and I try to remain under... but during the week-ends I try to have 2 workouts a day and to do a lot of activities, so I can indulge with a `cheat meal` and a `cheat snack` without going over my calories.
Cheating mean for me eating something quite unhealthy, from a restaurant or ordering chinese or a pizza. Snacks include eating 200-300 worth calories of chips (Pringles, I love Pringles) or drinking a good beer (like thoise with lemon, cranberries, etc.), a glass of wine or an cocktail.
Being able to overindulge some days just keep me sane. And it didn't get me off track.0 -
bump to read0
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If you're +15% body fat cheat meals have no place in your diet.... yet.
It's all about leptin control - there's a science and an art to it.
^^ This
Oh, and today happens to be that day! I don't plan mine on a weekly basis, but use 'special occasions' to do cheat/treat/refeed/diet break days. (e.g. Today isn't that day just because it's Saturday, but because I have a baby shower to attend and dinner plans with my husband and some friends from out of town)0 -
A necessity. Sometimes you just need that day. Like for me. I had given up meat years ago and when I did it, I lost 50 pounds in three months. But as soon as the weght came off, I started eating meat again and gained all my weight back. I think if every once in a while you have it, you will more likely stick to your lifestyle as opposed to going backwards.0
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Occasionally I'll have days where I "let my hair down" so to speak. The thing I don't like is the four pound gain from the aftermath. I hate having to work 3-4 days just to take it back off again. Now that I'm at goal weight I tend to go up on the weekends then down during the week. I hate the cycle so last weekend I put it to a stop. I'm going to work with cheat meals instead of cheat days. I like weighing 100 pounds less than I did & want to keep it that way! So what's in for me today? A 5k run, shopping trip, baking for friends & a steak dinner with a baked potato. Couldn't do that 100 pounds ago!0
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How about a cheat fortnight? http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html
Coming to the end of mine. Actually, quite looking forward to getting back to calorie deficit days.
As to cheat days, for most people irrespective of BF%, they help from a psychology or social view point. Most of us aren't fitness models and just want to look better than we did before. If the very occasional cheat day means you don't quit your long term goals then have one.0 -
I never schedule or worry either if you feel this is a life style why plan I know alot of thin people and they live day to day if an occasion or holiday they eat day to day they are doing normal eating and exercise
I dont understand well its saturday so I can eat things I wouldnt eat any other day Tommorrow I am supposed to go to a feast of St Gennaro fest I dont plan to eat or cheat as you say but I know some sausage and peppers or cannolli may present themselves so I will consider eating them if so Monday working out and eating well thats normal living
As overweight people we diet we cheat normally thin people just live well0 -
Usually I don't have a cheat "day" so much as a cheat meal. It's usually connected to a social thing (happy hour, a wedding, date night, Thanksgiving, etc.)
I think it's important to allow yourself that so you can continue to feel like a regular person who lives in the world. Diet, exercise, weight loss--they're hard work. For me, it's important to feel like life is not passing me by while I count calories.
That said, I still make reasonable choices in terms of portions and food options when I allow cheat meals. I just don't worry so much about staying under my goal. I think going to hell with yourself for a whole day can eat up your progress for the week following, and that gets discouraging when you don't see results.0 -
Timely post.
I don't ever aim for a cheat Day. I follow the Bob Harper idea of one cheat MEAL, and I only do that once in a while.
Like someone else posted, I save that for holidays and special occasions.
Although, given how I feel today after overindulging last night to celebrate my son's birthday...maybe I don't even like doing that. UGH. Pasta, bread, cheesecake = 2,500 calories OVER my daily goal. And I feel sick, 12 hours later.0 -
I dont allow myself a cheat DAY but I do allow myself a cheat MEAL once in a blue moon. Where if I wanna order a steak and cheese sub and fries I can - like once every 3 months or so..... its just all about self control
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I don't do entire cheat days, but if there's something I really want I find a way to work it into my food plan for that day. If I don't, then I'm setting myself up for a binge later on. That's what works for me, everyone is different.
I know if I had a whole day of "cheating" (and I don't like that word because I feel that any food, in a sensible portion, can be worked into my food plan) it is terribly hard to get back on track.
So I eat well most of the time, but if a brownie or French fries pop up in my day, then I eat it, track it, readjust other things I had planned, and move on.0 -
Yes but no. Leptin is a very fast responding hormone. When leptin is low, having a cheat day can boost it, however, as soon as you return to a normal deficit, leptin drops right back to where it was. Cheat days are 100% for psychological health.
HA! Interesting perspective. You've earned my enlightenment, although I didn't feel like posting.If you're +15% body fat cheat meals have no place in your diet.... yet.
It's all about leptin control - there's a science and an art to it.
i agree, although i don't get into the science of it.
personally, i had plenty of cheat years, i don't need a cheat day just yet.
Basic rundown: leptin is a cellular signal in adipose (fat) tissue that, when high, signals the brain that the cells are happy and satiated because they have energy. The body likes this - the body wants to have lots and lots of energy to hold onto. When leptin is low, those adipose cells decrease leptin signaling leading the brain to believe there is minimal or no energy available for expenditure. This is why drastic diets and too low calories fails: the body fights back. When you're 7% BF like I am right now you have to cheat almost every 3 days just because I have very little energy stored up before going catabolic.
Long periods of complete liver and muscle glycogen depletion can bring this onset. If you're >15% your leptin is still plenty high because you have energy to burn. Mental/social reasons for "cheat meals" are apparent and obvious but people often think they deserve more than they need. Choosing the right meal is an experiment in its own. Cheeseburger and fries do wonders for my physique but cheesesteak ruins me. Prior to a photo shoot or competition ill deplete carbs completely then down a whole pizza the morning of.0 -
I don't have cheat days where I go over my calories. If I want take out, I get what can fit into my day.
In the past, I let myself cheat on Fridays. Then it slowly turned into Friday and Saturday. Slowly, Sunday jumped on board. Then I was cheating more than I was staying on plan, and then I just gave up, gaining everything I had lost.
I don't feel like I'm being deprived of anything, so it works for me!0 -
Here's my simple take on it. If having one day or one meal a week to eat whatever you want is going to keep you on track long term, it's worth it. The biggest enemy we face is our own psyche... we get frustrated and quit. Anything we do to keep from quitting is a good thing.
Granted, it depends on how calorific your cheat is, but if you're eating at a 500 calorie deficit 6 days a week, you'd need to eat a buttload to completely offset that... you'd need to eat at maintenance level, plus an extra 3000 calories to break even, and more than that to gain weight.
If you were eating at a 500 calorie deficit 6 days a week, and at maintenance level ( which would, in that case, 500 calories more than your MFP goal) one day a week, you'd lose about 0.85 pounds instead of 1 pound a week. So over 6 months time, you'd lose about 22.6 pounds instead of 26. To me, that would be worth it if it made me feel happy and satisfied and able to stay on track.0 -
I don't like the term "cheat" day. It has all kinds of negative connotations.
I do like the Weight Watcher term "flexible restraint." It means that your choices can be flexible, but still mindful and thoughtful.
It comes down to self-awareness. What works for you? What are your goals? I am here to lose unhealthy belly fat I accumulated during long years of illness now that I am well. So I do not want to indulge in eating things that don't support my return to wellness. I'm not concerned with how my body looks (other than losing the belly) as much as I am with my health.
If you are training for body-building competition, than it's a different story.
I think the term "cheat day" sets you up for eating too many unhealthy foods. I think allowing yourself to eat flexibly is more psychologically healthy.
Susie0 -
Had an entire day of cheat yesterday due to parties at work. So today will have to scale back. I think it is ok as long as you recognize it and turn aroynd next day.0
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For me a splurge meal every now and then is part of life and the "plan" works around it. It gets logged honestly and then its back to my normal meals. I have found that if I listen to my body after a "splurge" that it reminds me why I should only do it on a rare occasion. Yesterday is a case in point - I had been craving dark chocolate vanilla butter creams for the last 6 months and finally gave in - I bought 1/4 pound of very good ones and then proceeded to give myself a sugar headache. The memory of how good they taste did not match the reality of how they did taste - and the headache just was not worth it. Won't be doing that again for quite a while. But that was my dinner so the calorie overage was not too bad and the scale was down this AM. For me that's what tends to happen after a splurge meal. The reminders of why I no longer eat like that, are as important as satisfying/disproving a memory, and are a very important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle for the long term.
Life moves on. If the plan can not flex with life then it will break.0 -
Every weekend is a cheat day for me, I'll usually choose saturday night to let myself have a bit extra.
I'll allow myself a treat any day if I truly 100% want it. I do what makes me happy, I don't over eat anything but I incorporate a treat into my diet and exercise and the weight is still coming off every week.
So maybe wednesday I let myself have a piece of chocolate or a flavoured low fat milk drink or something.. I don't go over my calories by having it. But oh no now it's saturday, I'm hanging out with people and I want 10 pieces of chocolate instead of one or two.. so I have it. I still lose weight. As long as you burn it off or you can work your day out to include it without going over your calories, so long as 80-90% of the time your diet is considered healthy the other 10-20% of the time will not cause you to gain back 5kgs.0 -
For me this whole thing is not just about loosing weight, but about changing my life and my eating habits. As it's more of a lifestyle change, I allow myself to eat what I want once a week. Usually this is Saturdays, as that is the day we usually have family dinners and/or girls nights etc. I don't log anything on these days, but that doesn't mean I go out of my way to eat unhealthy. I usually tend to eat what I normally eat, but I allow snacks, candy, alcohol etc as well if I want it. I'm at that point that if I overeat, I feel sick, and since I don't want that, I just don't overeat.
My problem was always that I would eat candy and such every day of the week, so when I can eat normally six days out of seven, I see no point in forcing myself to not touch it for months, as from experience that is never a good thing (I crack, eat way more than I should, and go back to eating it all the time). I can watch what I eat, and on any other day, if I have any candy/snack, I log it and deal with it and move on. The weight is coming off nice and slowly (which I want, so I avoid loose skin and such), and this is working for me.
I don't want to live the rest of my life on a 'diet', so I am shaping the life I want to live right now, and I'm just eating a little less than I will once I hit my goal. I want to be able to enjoy my weekends later on, so I get in the habit of being able to do that without going crazy overboard with the calories. But if I want McDonald's after a night out clubbing and drinking wine and beer on a Saturday night, I can have it!0 -
Because we have changed our diet so drastically, I dont really have 'cheat' days, if i eat gluten it makes me feel utterly horrid and same with too much dairy, so my 'cheats' have to fit into a gluten-free, dairy-free lifestyle which means a quick fix at a coffee shop or whatever is basically out of the question.
Yesterday i had a couple of jam tarts which i wouldn't usually have had but they fit into my calorie goal anyway, so really it wasn't a cheat day though it felt that way
For us its a lifestyle change, not a diet that will end one day, it just happens that the lifestyle change we have made, includes removing gluten and dairy from our diets so invariably stops us having lots of crap.
But yes, i do intend on making gooey choccy cake next weekend for my dad and enjoying a slice of it. The other thing i have found is that if i do eat lots of sugar, it makes me crave more food and isn't very pleasant for me to experience, so i prefer to leave that out as much as possible as its easier for me 0
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