Cheat Day: A Necessity or a Setback? Your thoughts?

Options
124678

Replies

  • literaryweasel
    literaryweasel Posts: 18
    Options
    I started MFP in May, so 5 months ago... Since then I've had about 3 cheat days, total. I have a lot of health issues and sometimes, there are just days where I'm going to have the damn whipped cream because that's my reward for even getting out of bed in the morning. But like someone else said: I don't take it to 10,000 calories. All of my cheat days I've been at 1800 calories or under, and my daily goal is 1500. I don't feel like it's a horrible thing, particularly because there are days when I'm 300 under. So if I have about 900 extra calories left over on Sunday and I use up 300 of them once every other month, I'm okay with that. I just don't go crazy with it.
  • MrDelts
    MrDelts Posts: 209 Member
    Options
    Cheat meal, not cheat day... A meal to enjoy a guilty pleasure and reward yourself for the hard work you put in all week.
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
    Options
    I typically just work it into my calories for the week. If there is something I want to eat that wouldn't be considered healthy, I eat it and comp the cals. If I go over one day, I even it out for the week. I don't deny myself indulgences, I just limit the quantity.
  • iluxoxo211
    iluxoxo211 Posts: 241 Member
    Options
    Let me just put this out there.. having a cheat day is FINE!! I have lost a bit of weight and I have had cheat days.. having it be "okay" to have a cheat day has NOTHING to do with your body fat..moderation is key.:flowerforyou:
  • GemskiB
    GemskiB Posts: 95 Member
    Options
    I don't so much have a cheat day as an occasional cheat meal, if we're out to the theatre or something. I do think it boosts me to work harder other days, and even with "cheating" I still count everything. Actually, I was at a bit of a plateau not long ago, and that coincided with a week off work and an unavoidably social week. I still counted everything, and only put on a pound... But it got me going again. Losing!!
  • iluxoxo211
    iluxoxo211 Posts: 241 Member
    Options
    Cheat meal, not cheat day... A meal to enjoy a guilty pleasure and reward yourself for the hard work you put in all week.

    ^ agree!! enjoy something you love but dont eat crap all day long.
  • daloverlyme
    daloverlyme Posts: 583 Member
    Options
    Some people do great with a cheat day, but mine tend to lead into many months of cheating. Yesterday I had a cheat day, and today I don't want to diet anymore. This is proof, cheating doesn't work for everyone. I am so off the wagon, now. :C
  • SmallMimi
    SmallMimi Posts: 541 Member
    Options
    I eat what I want - just make sure it fits into my calories for the day - No cheating, smart eating.
  • MogwaisGrandma
    MogwaisGrandma Posts: 196 Member
    Options
    And my opinion on cheat days - I can't do them. Not now anyways. Maybe I'll do a cheat day as a reward every 20 pounds or something.

    My last cheat day was a Saturday...well my cheat day turned into a cheat weekend, then to half a week. I didn't get back on track until Wednesday!

    As of right now, I am not disciplined enough to do cheat days.

    ^^^This

    I fell off the wagon for 6 weeks. When I say fell off I meant that more days were me not sticking to healthy eating and processed/takeaway food/confectionery became a higher% of my intake.

    I have now decided that I have to stay away from these sorts of foods until my mental strength is one hell of a lot bigger than my hips ( this may take some time :embarassed: )
  • Pauly187
    Pauly187 Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    Great post...I totally agree! Thanks.
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    Options
    I have a cheat meal every so often. Never a full day though.

    I used to never have cheat meals but that led to bingeing so **** it may as well have 1 or 2 meals a week.. why not?
  • xmyp
    xmyp Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    Personally, I think they're good in moderation. I think they should be planned, not spontaneous. I think you should be able to set aside a specific day or time and if you've been having cravings or anything, get them out of the way then and then be prepared to get right back on track the next day. I attended a wedding last month and I swear I ate every carb in sight, but I was also 800 miles from home and didn't have a lot of low carb options, so I just chalked it up as a cheat weekend. I knew as soon as I got home I'd be able to resume my diet because I didn't have high carb options in my house. And, fortunately, the cheat weekend really helped me out. I'd been stalled for a while and luckily, even after binging on apple turnovers and apple cider, I didn't gain any weight, and the week after that I lost ten pounds. And I've kept them off.

    So to me, a cheat day isn't necessarily a bad thing. I'm already planning out my splurge for my birthday.. in February. I know it's going to happen, so why not just make the most of it? But I'm not going to let that dictate what I eat today or tomorrow. I'm going to diligently do my best to stay on my diet until then so that when the day does come I can not stress about gaining or losing, I can just enjoy myself.
  • solyhhit
    solyhhit Posts: 97 Member
    Options
    I had a cheat day yesterday after about 2 weeks of eating clean. Almost a full big bag of All Dressed Ruffles, and half a Thin Crust Delissio Pizza...

    ...it was so good. I deserved it.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    Options
    It's not worth it to me so if I want something I make it fit into my day.
  • droolie2
    droolie2 Posts: 17
    Options
    I don' t restrict what I eat while dieting, I just use portion control and keep under my calorie goal for the day. So I don"t necessarily have a cheat day, I just work whatever it is into my day. Everyone goes out occasionally and eats beyond their plan, but getting right back on track is the key. This is the first time I've dieted that I've actually lasted this long and lost this much. And I'm still going! I wanted a plan I could LIVE with as in forever! So eating better but not denying anything works for me!
  • runnerchick69
    runnerchick69 Posts: 317 Member
    Options
    I normally have one day a week, usually Saturday, where I don't log calories or worry about what I eat. That said, Saturdays are my longer run days so like this morning I went out and ran an easy 10 miles which means I'm going to take the day off from being so obsessive about my numbers :bigsmile: I need a day where numbers don't rule my thoughts and if I want to go out to dinner with my husband I'm not going to spend an hour studying the menu before we go!
  • cappri
    cappri Posts: 1,089 Member
    Options
    Its only "cheating" if what you're living on is a restricted regimen. I'm not. There is a place for everything in the way I am eating now...which sometimes includes CHOOSING to enjoy something I don't eat frequently. Its not cheating. Its also not a "reward" for being "good" the rest of the time. Its living consciously, with the awareness of what I am eating....one choice at a time. Life without an occasional indulgence is barely worth living.

    Well said! I love the "living consciously" because that is what I'm doing now.
  • wrevhn
    wrevhn Posts: 864 Member
    Options
    Controlled cheats...nesc

    Outrageous cheats / binging .... set backs.


    As long as you don't get carried away and use common sense I think its a lifesaver.
  • fldiver97
    fldiver97 Posts: 341 Member
    Options
    Its only "cheating" if what you're living on is a restricted regimen. I'm not. There is a place for everything in the way I am eating now...which sometimes includes CHOOSING to enjoy something I don't eat frequently. Its not cheating. Its also not a "reward" for being "good" the rest of the time. Its living consciously, with the awareness of what I am eating....one choice at a time. Life without an occasional indulgence is barely worth living.

    Agree...I hate the term 'cheat day'. I eat what I feel like eating, am 're-learning' to listen to my body telling me I am full, hungry, thirsty etc. Tracking my food and exercise gives me feedback as to where I am eating mindlessly i.e. choosing food items that leave me unsatisfied, leave me craving sweets, don't fill me up for the amount of calories I consume. I am eating better, still eat the things I love (chocolate!!! Cheese!!!! and a few other things) but I am satisfied with smaller portions, less sugar/sweets, less junk food. I still eat out but less often as many things just don't appeal to me anymore, don't taste good (too greasy, too salty, too sweet) and Ialso usually leave me feeling sick and bloated. So, eating out is still 'on the menu' but I will stop eating when I am full, make better choices to start with and if I have to have that dessert I will eat however much tastes good and take the rest home or share. I will go over on calories.....not often but it happened yesterday - I just had to have that pumpin spice milkshake at Culvers. Went over my daily calories of course, afterwards felt like I could have done with 1/2 of the 12 oz shake but I logged it and I am OK with it. I will have another shake sometime, I know that.....I am fairly sure I will end up putting half of it in the freezer for another time as yesterday was a reminder that I don't 'cheat', I make choices and if I just listen a little to my body I can have what I want and still be OK............And one thing that would never work for me is not logging my food....especially if I know I or if I would plan on eating more that I need or drink alcohol or high calorie beverages. It is what it is, I log it if I eat it and if it is junk or over calories so be it. Just my two cents
  • knwitall
    knwitall Posts: 420 Member
    Options
    For me it's necessary. It seems i lose better if i go over my cals and do this so called cheating every once in a while. I am able to fed my cravings. Then I can move forward and get right back on it. But that's just what works for me.

Categories