Cheat Day: A Necessity or a Setback? Your thoughts?
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If it takes me a whole week to lose 2 pounds, a cheat day would set me back the whole week. Everyone's body is different. No cheat day or meal unless I count the calories for the meal and they work with my plan. Like I had a hot fudge sundae for lunch yesterday because I craved it. But that was the meal. Answer from me is that it is a setback.0
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....but I think without having opportunity to indulge in something you love here and there, you will never succeed long term...I think if you stay STRICT then ultimately you will binge. :-)
I don't do cheat days because I don't need them. I eat the food I love every day - the difference is, I don't pig out on egregious amounts of it. There is never any need to cheat when you can already have your favorite foods. Just make room for them in your calories or exercise to earn more calories. Now if you are a food addict and you just can't stop at one serving of something, maybe you'd need to be a little more strict. But I do agree that people who treat this like a diet and are way too strict are going to end up bingeing. It's just not sustainable. :flowerforyou:0 -
I find cheat days essential - it's my own reward for doing so well on the diet for the rest of the week, gives me something to look forward to on the weekend, and - from personal experience - I find I lose LESS weight if I don't have cheat days (though, don't ask me about the science behind it! It's just an observation I've made over several years of dieting attempts) I also don't feel too awkward at social gatherings that involve a meal out by having to seriously limit what I eat or not eat anything at all.
I tend to actually make it my whole weekend and sometimes even Friday is included, but I balance that out by still logging my food and attempting to keep to as close to my weight-maintaining calorie amount as possible, which for me is about 2,000 calories. That usually amounts to my normal breakfast and lunch plus a McDonalds, or a whole pizza, or a curry takeaway, or whichever works out fine for me (though on rare occasions I will veer towards 3,000 calories on a cheat day if I'm surrounded by particularly delicious food)
Though I have pretty much changed my diet for the better I don't think I'll ever be able to be rid of cravings for these foods, so cutting them out is not an option, especially based on previous attempts at weight loss where I have temporarily succeeded in eliminating all junk food from my diet only to break down in misery and gorge on multiple bags of Maltesers in one sitting. The biggest thing I've taken from my entire MFP experience is "IN MODERATION", and that also needs to take life's culinary delights into account, so for me my cheat days are every bit a part of my diet as my actual calorie deficit week is.0 -
Wow, lots of great information on this topic, and helpful ways of looking at this!
I'm using MFP to maintain my weight. I dropped over 100 lbs years ago, but have a tendency to get complacent and then find an extra 20 lbs grinning at me in the mirror. I have used 'cheat' days both while losing and when fighting off that 'creeping 20' as I do about once a year.
I agree that it's better to have a 'day when you have ONE splurge' than 'day when you spend all day splurging'.
Here are ways some fitness professionals have advised using splurges:
John Berardi (Precision Nutrition) - up to 10% of your weekly meals can be a splurge, and keep it to one item. So if you usually eat 4 times a day, that's 28 meals a week... 10% of that is 2.8 (I round it up to 3), which means you can eat up to 3 items that are not on your plan that week. Keep it to one slice of cake, one serving of fries, one slice of pizza, one small shake, so you will be less likely to derail yourself.
Joel Marion (Cheat Your Way Thin) - Advocates a 7 day low- to moderate- carb style of eating with a splurge day. The seven day cycle recommended is:
2 days moderate carbs
2 days low carb
One day of NO carbs
One day of splurging (eat anything you want WITHOUT STUFFING YOURSELF. Stop when satisfied. Do not keep these items in your house after the splurge day to tempt yourself)
One day of fasting
Bob Harper (Biggest Loser) - Recommends a weekly splurge with these guidelines:
1. Choose between 'rich' or 'volume' (high in calories, or a big portion)
2. Don't choose fast food
3. Don't splurge alone
I like to build rewards into my daily intake, I keep them small so they don't throw me off.
If I know I'm going to be at a party, I plan my calories that day for the party. And I keep the three bite rule in mind: studies have shown that you get the most enjoyment out of the first three bites of something. because of diminishing returns, the first bite is the AMAZING! The second bite is GREAT, the third bite is REALLY GOOD, and after those three bites, whatever you are eating is just interpreted by your brain as 'nice to have'.
I've definitely noticed a difference in my desire for splurges. When I was a chronic binger, the thought of a burger, shake, and fries was like a HOLY GRAIL moment of awesomeness. Now I find that even when I am splurging, I can only pick two things on that list and then can only eat half of them before my body says 'Yuk. Please stop. Why are you doing this?'
Unfortunately, things like candy and chips don't set off my 'bleah, enough' response, so if I have them, it has to be measured out/portion controlled. My sister, who has the lap band, calls these foods 'sliders'.... they are foods that become a high-calorie liquid that slips into the stomach without taking much room, so that you can consume an awful lot of calories before your stomach gets full - if it ever does. This is why it's so easy to mindlessly polish off a bag of chips or eat a lot of chocolate before you wake up and notice the damage you are doing.
For me, it's best to do portion-controlled splurges - I decide what I'm going to enjoy, how much of it I will have, and I stop there.0 -
I think a cheat meal is probably a better way to go, or part of a meal. If I see something I want I have some, but only a little bit of it. Or I just try to breathe into the "feeling" of wanting to cheat. I ask myself, "what is this feeling to want some chips and cheese?". rather than focus on the negative of being deprived I have now taken some perspective on the feeling of wanting to "cheat". Other things enter my mind usually like. how will this affect my daily calorie goal? or other short term weight loss goal? In general adapting these "coping" strategies have allowed me to avoid cheat days and in general avoid the feeling of being deprived, which is usually what brings on the urge to have a cheat day. But sometimes I allow them and also allow myself to enjoy the indulgence without having any guilt afterwards about it but still tracking my calories all the while and keeping it in perspective of the long term goals that I am still achieving. Losing weight and getting fit and staying fit is mostly mental.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.
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.
agree!! cheat "days" set me back most of the time. ALL or NOTHING. Sadly. :-?0 -
I don't see it as a cheat day since I'm not on a diet. I've changed the way I eat for good, it's a lifestyle change. And that change doesn't include giving up eating out of having take aways so I have those every now and again and I don't feel guilty because I enjoy them and because the other 95% of the time I am eating healthy and staying within my calories.0
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Years of yo-yo dieting have taught me one thing if you deny yourself something that you love while loosing weight you will overindulge when you finally get to have it...if I see something that I want I have it...I also log my food in real time...so I have a good idea of what I can still have if I make that choice... in almost 4 months I have only gone over on calories once...and not by much. ..If you love something learn to keep it in your diet... the key is moderation...I love milky way candy bars and there was a time when I would buy the king size and eat the whole thing...now I buy the bite size (not fun size) that most gas stations have at the registerfor like $0.20. Then I leave the store if I want more I have to get back in my car and drive back to the store...too much effort...one takes the edge off and cures the craving.
Oh yeah this was about cheat days/meals...no I don't do them...I log everything... some days are better than others but the good days tend to outweigh the bad. I always have my calorie goals in the back of my mind.0 -
I do a cheat meal, but not a cheat day. I still try to stay within my calorie range. For me personally, cheat days lead to giving up and I'm not going there again. I actually consult MFP before I eat anything, and especially when I'm thinking of cheating. Most times it helps deter me from eating it, because the calories are usually meal-worthy and not worth it.0
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Having one today--it's a mental reset. I'm okay with it!0
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I tried a diet a few years ago that incorporated a cheat day each week. I *thougth* it sounded like a great idea since I wouldn't have to feel deprived, always knowing I could have that donut or whatever come cheat day. Well, it just didn't go well for me. Cheat day turned into cheat weekend, then cheat week, then off the diet all together. So for me, a regular cheat say is out. However, at this timely my life I have decided I can't just diet like I have in the past (very successful weight loss, then back to old habits and regaining the weir). I had to make a commitment to a lifestyle change. When a social occasion rolls around, like my anniversary in two weeks, I will probably enjoy a treat meal. Also, I don't plan on going thought the entire holiday season with eating a few things that I enjoy. I am scared to do it though, so we will see. I just don't want to do anything to make me "fall off the wagon".0
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"Also, I don't plan on going thought the entire holiday season with eating a few things that I enjoy. I am scared to do it though, so we will see. I just don't want to do anything to make me "fall off the wagon"."
FWIW, what helps me stay on track after planned treats is having food ready to go for my next meal so I don't have to think about it - I go to the fridge and know exactly what the next meal is. Sometimes I even get support from a friend, tell them what I will be eating after the treat, and call to check in when I've had my healthy food. The structure and accountability are what keep me on track.0 -
Thanks, nenyablue:) That sounds like a good plan!0
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I lost 90 lbs with zero cheat days and I learned that for me they just derail everything. I personally need to have zero sugar or I lose it. I started to gain back when I got to the holiday season last year and let myself have sugar. My addictive personality is a none kind of one. I have a hard time stopping once I start. I had a much better holiday season the year prior when I ate absolutley not holiday treats and I honestly did not miss them.
Now I'm back on the relose the 30 lbs I gained back and it will be without sugar and staying on my plan. I have lost and regained weight many times and it is because it took me this long to realize I have to be strict forever or it won't work for me.0 -
I have a cheat day every week and I am proud of it. I am continuing to lose weight every week with my cheat day. I don't feel deprived and I continue to be motivated throughout the week knowing that my day is coming soon. Would I lose more weight if I didn't cheat - probably. That's ok though because I am happy.0
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I think cheat days are a mistake. They trick your mind into thinking that overeating or eating the wrong things is normal. Stick to your eating plan, knowing that at times you'll exceed it and don't sweat it when you do. But don't plan to overeat on a specific day, unless it's a special occasion like your birthday or Thanksgiving or New Year's Eve.0
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Funny I just was thinking omg I went over 99 calories today. I'm debating added some quick excercise ( like 20 minutes ) to balance it out, or just consider it an over indulgence freebie day. I don't want to make it a habit though.0
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Funny I just was thinking omg I went over 99 calories today. I'm debating added some quick excercise ( like 20 minutes ) to balance it out, or just consider it an over indulgence freebie day. I don't want to make it a habit though.
going over 99 calories means a smaller deficit not going over maintenance/gaining weight. It's not a big deal.0 -
I don't believe in "cheating!" I call my higher calorie days TDEE days or maintenance days as I keep them close to my TDEE (which is about 2200).0
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For me, I believe in more of a cheat meal instead of a cheat day. If you are set to lose 1lb/week, that means you are burning 3500 calories more per week than you take in. If on your cheat day you eat an extra 1500-2000 calories, you are in essence working hard for 3-4 days out of 6 just to make up for that day of cheating.
I prefer a cheat meal where if I wish to eat a piece of dessert or a slice of pizza (office parties tend to have these frequently), then I may have a slice of one. I work too hard during the week to completely blow it on that 7th day. For me, for every 5 lbs I lost, when I saw a movie, I would treat myself to 1/2 of a movie sized box of milk duds (3 oz in box). The other half I would eat during the week.
I'm not saying that one needs to reward themselves with treats. However, I'm not going to live the rest of my life never eating something sweet. I just keep it down to once every 5 lbs. I would rather treat myself every now and then vs having an awful moment, being angry with myself, and perhaps returning to my old lifestyle.
On a side note, there is a college guy who trains hard in our gym just so he can eat pizza, nachos and drink beer on the weekends. He knows that he is working hard 4 days a week in order to splurge on friday and saturday nights (I dont know if he lifts on sunday as that's the 1 day I'm not in the gym).
Ultimately it's a "to each his own". If you work hard and wish to treat yourself, then it's okay. If you are trying to find excuses to overeat, then you are not changing your lifestyle and you will revert back to your old habits.0 -
I think that I agree with those who say it is alright to have a cheat day occasionally as long as it doesn't exceed the BMR for your goal weight. That way even when cheating you are still moving toward your goal.0
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I think that I agree with those who say it is alright to have a cheat day occasionally as long as it doesn't exceed the BMR for your goal weight. That way even when cheating you are still moving toward your goal.0
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I dont have cheat days, I try to work it in my calorie count,0
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I don't need a "cheat day" because I eat what I want but make sure I build it into my calorie plan. If I do happen to go over one day I will eat less/exercise more the next so that it balances out weekly.0
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How do you figure out TDEE?0
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it's necessary to do this occasionally to help keep you on target...I don't set a special day...I just do it when I feel the urge0
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I dunno why but this forum makes me soo happy
maybe because i'm realizing that lifestyle is the way to go... 0 -
For me: As long as it is not often, it is necessary...but everyone's bodies are different 0
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Personally, I think that if it's a holiday like thanksgiving it's okay to have a small cheat meal to keep the peace in your family (at least in my case where my family who I love but they are a bunch of skinny ectomorphs who don't exercise, eat horrible and don't understand why I'm not like that) but on a regular basis weekly basis, I think it's kind of a recipe for disaster, though some people may disagree, and if it works for them, they more power to them :-).
I'm not a nutritionist, but what worked for me is replacing the crap I used to eat (Reese's bars, pizza, kit Kats, etc) for healthy stuff I love such as strawberries, grilled salmon, chioboni Greek yogurt, natural peanut butter, etc. and I never feel deprived, even when my fiancée eats his cheat meals. I now dread the days that I have to eat lasagna and apple pie because it makes me bloated and tired the next day. It's not about willpower, just perspective.
Good luck !!!0
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