Do you believe in "Cheat Days"?

honeyandmilk

I believe in treating myself. After losing weight by starving myself and not enjoying anything, I realized how important it is to enjoy food and life in the ways they should be enjoyed. Tonight, for instance, I went over my calories (by 136) because I wanted another homemade oatmeal chocolate chunk cookie. Yes, I could have just had one, but I was really wanting another. So I ate one and put the rest of them in the freezer. Am I a little upset that I went over? Kind of. But 136 calories isn't going to make or break me.

RunningMannn

I believe in treating myself. After losing weight by starving myself and not enjoying anything, I realized how important it is to enjoy food and life in the ways they should be enjoyed. Tonight, for instance, I went over my calories (by 136) because I wanted another homemade oatmeal chocolate chunk cookie. Yes, I could have just had one, but I was really wanting another. So I ate one and put the rest of them in the freezer. Am I a little upset that I went over? Kind of. But 136 calories isn't going to make or break me.

Forget about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

azmarante

I agree with the trainer. I think the point is that you shouldn't feel guilty or feel like you are committing a crime when you have a dessert or fries or what have you. Yes, a chocolate bar does not give you as much nutrition as a cup of carrots will, but I think it's still perfectly healthy to have a piece once in awhile. The key is to have everything in moderation as 'they' say. Thanks for sharing!

3dogsrunning

I agree with the trainer. I think the point is that you shouldn't feel guilty or feel like you are committing a crime when you have a dessert or fries or what have you. Yes, a chocolate bar does not give you as much nutrition as a cup of carrots will, but I think it's still perfectly healthy to have a piece once in awhile. The key is to have everything in moderation as 'they' say. Thanks for sharing!

To be clear, while I may call it a "cheat meal" I feel no guilt. I don't classify food as "good" or "bad". Its more of over my calorie goal or not.

pamelalk

Sorry i believe in cheat or treat days..i am changing my ways and eating healthy and exercising as a normal life..however, that being said, there are times that i want to have foods or drinks that i would not normally...such as Christmas, Easter, weddings, holidays..or a long awaited dinner out with friends. I have discovered that the longer that i live healthy my ideas of treat foods are changing for the better.

ambervaldez79

Im relearning my relationship with food. It has been a very bad, unhealthy relationship that I have let control me, disregard my health, and self confidence. Do cheat meals make me happy? No. I dont want to reward myself with the very things that have gotten me to this point. If im going to have a treat these days, it will just have to be in moderation for special occasions. My treat recently was buying nrw work out clothes. they make me feel good to wear them!!! My next treat will be a manicure or pedicure.

akb2006

I don't have cheat days. I try and eat an array of fruits and vegetables, drink my water, and if I want to have carbs, or junk I allow myself and don't save it for one day where I have 20x the amount because its my free day. Its really important for me to instill good eating habits in my kids and let them know to eat balanced all the time. Yes we can have a cookie heck we can even have a cookie everyday maybe but we need to eat a rainbow of foods. I'm 32 weeks pregnant so its a little bit harder to resist those pregnancy cravings but if I can't lose weight eating the way I will the rest of my life its not going to stay lost.

mndamon

I need a cheat day. I need a day to eat the foods I'm not supposed to. Now I just need to not eat those foods on the other 6 days of the week..

primpixie

I do have treat days as in birthdays or parties, where I will go over what I am meant to have, but then revert to normal the next day. Normal treats inc a handful of sweets, a scoop of icecream, but not all on one day! Luckily, I don't like cakes much, and only have the slightest slither if a cake is offered to me, or else I decline - it depends on what I have already eaten that day.
In everything there has to be a balance.

I don't think you can relate a diet to a long term relationship, unless of course you need that kind of dedication to suppport both.

Perhaps I am lucky in that I am good at the bread and butter side of relationships, and therefore, do not need to constantly stop myself from being lured by temptation?

Bronx_Montgomery

BrownEyeAngel

I as well well use weekends as cheat days too! I don't want to take all the goodies from my diet, so I do enjoy goodies on Sunday's!

julesxo

No, because I am not on a "diet".

strikerjb007

I don't have cheat days because I'm trying to make the changes in my diet be a way of eating that I can live with and not feel I have to "cheat" in order to be successful.

For me, I need to make my eating style work for me everyday, not just six days a week.

This.

yowza101

I don't have cheat days because if I want chocolate, something fried, etc... I will have it, just in smaller portions. If I crave something, I wait 30 minutes and if I still want it, then I eat it. I don't deprive myself, when I deprive myself it just makes it much worse portion wise for me.

Admiral_Derp

Yeah, I quit reading at the spouse comparison. I'd feel terrible if I cheated on my wife, because I believe that would in fact, make me a *kitten*. Occasionally going to Taco Bell...not so much.

In response to the general concept though...I do think that it's important to be realistic and sustainable with the way we eat, so I watch my macros and eat moderately without eliminating anything. Generally though, I try to make the healthiest choice possible Mon.-Sat. Sundays, however are rest days from working out and logging. I don't gorge myself, but I don't really pay attention to anything on that day. So far I'm still putting up awesome numbers, and until it becomes a problem it makes sense to keep doing it.

DrMAvDPhD

Who would honestly compare having a less than healthy meal to cheating in marriage? What a sad, limiting view.

caseythirteen

I don't have cheat days because like others have said, it's just a lifestyle for me. So some days I eat better than others. I typically try and keep my diet as on par as possible during the week so that I can be more lax on the weekends. It works for me so it's what I do.

JulieBGoood

I try never to go over my calories but it does seem to happen about once a week anyways, pretty much anytime I drink booze

healthybodyhealthymind

I'm not on a diet, so I don't really see the need for cheat days.

THIS, and for those who believe in "diets" are only cheating themselves.

3foldchord

I figure it is my nutrition lifestyle changes that work for me and there it's by my own rules. My rules include room for treats and goodies on occasion,,so it's not 'cheating if it's in the rules.