Do you believe in "Cheat Days"?
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Today I feel crappy, cold and want certain things (ie tortilla chips) but I am limiting them and backing them up with protein(lowfat cheese sticks), and lots of water. It is hard not to over do it and find excuses, but I think with my fitness pal, I am not forced to eat certain things, I can exercise, earn extra calories (which I almost NEVER) use and eat anything as long as I input the calories. I am trying to change not exclude things....:explode:0
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Cheat days are considered bad merely because of the connotation associated with the word.
In reality, holding a 1200-1600 diet intake for many days (weeks) straight is not good in the long term. Occasionally you need to up your intake just to let your metabolism know it is not ok to just go into hibernation.0 -
Food is not perfect. And our bodies use it all, to a point.
Although it's not nutritious, chowing on junk food all day won't even change our weights if we stay under maintenance calories.
Our bodies always burn a certain amount of food per day. That's our wiggle room. If you can work those treats into your calories, or follow up with deficits / exercise then the math will take care of it.
A full cheat day with a huge load of calories? That's not a good idea for me. But some treats, and topping above maintenance every now and then? Not a problem.
But more importantly, people cannot adhere to any diet 100% of the time for the rest of their lives. They will eat healthier and more nutritious food if they have the flexibility to choose what they want to eat.
I'd hate to think that there are hard, fast, boring rules about food for the rest of our lives. Even Dean Ornish (low fat guru) admits to biting into a piece of full fat dark chocolate every now and then.0 -
No. I believe in a "Cheat Meal" - but not an entire day. It's also still relatively healthy - nothing too overboard for me.
Saturday we went to Outback Steakhouse and I had steak, lobster tail, baked potato with sc/butter, a salad (w/vinegar/oil dressing) and two glasses of wine. That's my "Cheat Meal" and it was WAY over on calories, but you know what - it's once a week.
An entire DAY to cheat, now that would be detrimental to my plan, therefore, I do not do it.0 -
If you don't eat 100% clean 100% of the time, you're just cheating yourself and your health
^^ you kill me ... In a good way0 -
I'm not on a diet, so I don't really see the need for cheat days.
Exactly! I have a high day Saturday sometimes and a lower day Sunday to balance it.. It's all part of my life style that I enjoy a nice meal with my partner on a Saturday that may have more calories than the usual. It's balanced out Sunday so it's not an issue.
During a lifestyle change, you will live life. There will be occasions when your macros are blown out of the water. I don't see it as a cheat. It's not something to feel guilty about and to me that's what cheating is. I'll get back on the merry go of life the following day.
I think spiking your calories up and down is not a bad thing for your body, but I don't think you need a blow it for a whole day thing going to lose weight, if you need those days psychologically then you need to work out why you do. Are you restricting calories too much? How you still got a negative association with food?
I intend on doing this forever. There's no end to it. When I get to goal u may eat a little more but the principal will be the same. Eat well, fuel my body, have occasional treats and if you over indulge make up for it by being extra good for a few days.
Zara x0 -
Personally I don't believe in cheat days persay... but i do believe in small rewards at least once a week.
If you don't allow yourself a small pleasure .. then who'se to say you're really going to stick to your diet.
Long term results are achieved by sticking to the plan, but sometimes you have to reward yourself in order to get there.
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Not on purpose, but I don't come in under my calorie limit every single day.0
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If you don't "believe" in cheat days (or whatever you want to call them), then your metabolism wont "believe" in working well either.
Enjoy that.0 -
I don't plan cheat days or anything, I save it for when unhealthy is pretty much my only option, or holidays...but it suckssss because I feel so different from other teens because I'm healthy..but whatever I guess.its my goals so I probably shouldn't care!0
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Well yeah "cheat on your wife/husband day"
(I wanted to get a reaction out of her. I know I'm evil
That's what I thought.
Your diet is alot like your relationship with your spouse.
Next time you think about that muffin, menudo, etc....
Ask yourself....
Am I willing to break up my family over this...
It is very hard to take any of this seriously after cheating on a spouse was compared to eating a muffin.
If something works for you (referring to diet cheat days or whatever you want to call it), then do it. If it doesn't work for you, don't do it.0 -
wow great post thanks.0
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Cheat meals/cheat days, and alternating caloric intake by cycling, supposedely keeps your body from slowing down your metabolic rate. Also allows you to enjoy food despise calories once in a while. Good for the psyche I think (could make you losen up, and not take dieting too seriously).
I don't think this should be done too systematically though. Try to do it socially maybe. Personally, I enjoy healthy and homemade food so this doesn't really matter do me. I do some cycling, and allow myself an unhealthy snack once a weak and alcohol.0 -
I think one of the most important points brought up here concerns the difference in how we define cheat days. For some people this means eating something out of the ordinary like chocolate that they've banned, for some some it means eating out and not logging at all, for some it means logging but eating three times their calories, and so on and so forth.
Those all count as cheats in their own ways. I think the simplest way to think about it is like a student cheating on an exam: they are only cheating themselves. So, regardless of the specifics, if you're taking a meal or entire day out of your diet and it is harmful to you (via weight gain or guilt), then it's a cheat. If you feel you need a day off, if you subscribe to the belief that it boosts your metabolism enough to help (I don't), and that day off is a part of your regimen and isn't having negative repercussions, then fine.
That said, I don't do cheat days. I do believe this is a lifestyle change for me (needing to lose 200lbs), so I need to maintain a relationship with food that is sustainable and doesn't make food my enemy. I only eat 1200 calories and I love the foods I eat. Even in that caloric intake, I manage to fit in 100 calories a day (give or take) of a treat. Or I will have, actually quite often, a piece of toast with Nutella in the morning balanced with an egg white omelet, and that's not even thought of like a treat for me--that's just my balanced breakfast. I make sure my macros are always met and that my treat fits into that. It's usually a treat because it lacks the nutritional value of other foods, e.g. glass of wine, chunk of chocolate, 1/2 cup of ice cream, etc.
When I have done cheat days in the past it meant that when I wanted some licorice during the week I held off to the weekend and then ate a whole package of the stuff. Now, I have one or two pieces if I want it. I've never been a binge eater, but for these reasons, I think the cheat day might be a particular concern to bingers.
As far as the OP goes, I think, while it may seem extreme, the analogy between diet and marriage is an important one. Some people have taken this to mean, "Oh, so eating a Big Mac is as bad as cheating on my spouse," but I don't think that's exactly where this was going. I think it's more "not giving myself 100% all the time is like not giving my spouse 100%" – it's unfortunate. Again, the diet isn't cheated; we're cheated (in certain cases of cheat days).
Maybe it helps if we think of it, not in terms of infidelity, but in terms of sexuality. I wouldn't tell my beloved, "I might ignore you a bit this week and be a jerk, but we're going to have sex every Saturday. We're actually probably not going to see each other all week. I might actually hate you all week and we may not even touch, but Saturday it's going to be a sex-a-thon." Now, some people might be like "woo hoo sex-a-thon!," but...I'd rather live in a world where sex is always an option, a world where respecting and interacting with my beloved is a daily event, and finding time and fitting it in is a part of my commitment to my beloved.
That's more how I read this relationship--one of sustainability and respect for our beloved bodies.0 -
Maybe it helps if we think of it, not in terms of infidelity, but in terms of sexuality. I wouldn't tell my beloved, "I might ignore you a bit this week and be a jerk, but we're going to have sex every Saturday. We're actually probably not going to see each other all week. I might actually hate you all week and we may not even touch, but Saturday it's going to be a sex-a-thon." Now, some people might be like "woo hoo sex-a-thon!," but...I'd rather live in a world where sex is always an option, a world where respecting and interacting with my beloved is a daily event, and finding time and fitting it in is a part of my commitment to my beloved.
That's more how I read this relationship--one of sustainability and respect for our beloved bodies.
YES GIRL!! I want sex everyday too!! :drinker:0 -
If you don't "believe" in cheat days (or whatever you want to call them), then your metabolism wont "believe" in working well either.
Enjoy that.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11126336?ordinalpos=47&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3456075
Takeaway: overfeeding (the scientific phrase for eating too much, or “cheating”) only boosts your metabolism between three and 10 percent for no more than 24 hours, making the little boost not worth the hundreds or thousands of extra calories. (Like, if your BMR is 1600, a "cheat" day could make you burn an extra 160 calories the next day MAXIMUM... probably not worth the hundreds or thousands of extra calories people take on "cheat" days.) Totally not worth it when you factor in the continued positive impact building muscle or drinking water will add to your metabolism without having huge pitfalls.
If you're going to argue the benefits of cheat days, it's not metabolic, it's psychological: http://greatist.com/health/cheat-days-explained/ (please actually see references within that article). But, even then you hardly have a strong case to support cheat days when so many things can more significantly increase our ability to adhere to a new regimen--again--such as exercise.0 -
I log what I eat and exercise M-F. I don't drink alcohol and I don't eat sweets M-F. Sat/Sun I don't think about what I'm putting in my mouth. It's part of moderation in my eyes. With that said, I don't stuff my face with everything fried just because it's a weekend either. I just eat what I want and don't scrutinize it or beat myself up about it. And when Monday comes back around, I start again. I think it's what has helped me finally stick with something that works. I've lost 7 lbs in the last 4 weeks. I feel good and am starting to notice subtle changes. I'm sure it slows my progress, but I'm ok with that. This is a marathon not a sprint, and if taking time off helps me stick with it overall then that's what I'll do.0
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I log what I eat and exercise M-F. I don't drink alcohol and I don't eat sweets M-F. Sat/Sun I don't think about what I'm putting in my mouth. It's part of moderation in my eyes. With that said, I don't stuff my face with everything fried just because it's a weekend either. I just eat what I want and don't scrutinize it or beat myself up about it. And when Monday comes back around, I start again. I think it's what has helped me finally stick with something that works. I've lost 7 lbs in the last 4 weeks. I feel good and am starting to notice subtle changes. I'm sure it slows my progress, but I'm ok with that. This is a marathon not a sprint, and if taking time off helps me stick with it overall then that's what I'll do.
My feelings exactly. Saturday is normally my day off of cooking. It doesn't always end up being terrible-for-you eating out, but it's always something my family and I enjoy.0 -
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.
Love that first paragraph!0 -
thismy calorie goals were pretty low, so cheat days worked fine for me and i lost weight anyway. comparing i to cheating on a spouse is silly.0 -
If you don't eat 100% clean 100% of the time, you're just cheating yourself and your health
Dude, I think your obsessed..
Those french fries I ate yesterday were so damn good..0 -
I understand the meaning of discipline and consistency with your diet, but, you shouldn't deprive yourself of the things you like.
Treating yourself to something once a week is not a big deal and will not keep you from progressing. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is great but there's space for special occasions. I'm not saying eat that extra piece of cake or grab 4 or 5 cookies that are in the office, but, don't keep yourself from social events or have the mentality that dessert is the end of the world.
Wanting a change in your appearance and health means making an adjustment to your lifestyle and I'm all for that but keep yourself sane in the process.
I agree with you 100%...0 -
If you don't eat 100% clean 100% of the time, you're just cheating yourself and your health
Dude, I think your obsessed..
Those french fries I ate yesterday were so damn good..
Or being facetious.0 -
Every Wednesday, I go out with my husband and friends to a pub and have a "cheat meal" - something I normally would avoid. French fries, club sandwiches, or a wrap of some kind.
I call it a cheat meal, but I log every single calorie I eat. Sometimes I go over, sometimes I don't. But I move on. I don't really consider it cheating, I hold myself accountable and work out as hard as I can the day before and after.
I don't care what other people think, or what other people call it, as long as it works for them.0 -
If you don't eat 100% clean 100% of the time, you're just cheating yourself and your health
Dude, I think your obsessed..
Those french fries I ate yesterday were so damn good..
Clearly you haven't seen some of the stuff ACG puts away...the guy makes me jealous as all hell.0 -
I cheat if I want!!!0
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WOW! "Cheating" on a diet is not even comparable to cheating on a spouse. We "diet cheaters" just use it as slang for rewarding ourselves with something we normally avoid because of the calorie/fat content. I will continue to "cheat" and I will also continue to lose weight. So
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yes, very much. in every aspect of life0
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This^I'm not on a diet, so I don't really see the need for cheat days.
^boom0 -
The only person you are cheating with a Cheat Day is yourself. Cheating resets your cravings. How do you ever expect your body to get use to lean meats and veggies when you give it Pizza and Burgers once a week? Its like a smoker saying they will just smoke once a week. Once a week turns into once a week and when I am stressed. Then once a week and when I am stressed, and when I am celebrating. Then once a week and when I am stressed and when I am celebrating and when I am bored. Then once a week and when I am stressed and when I am celebrating and when I am bored and on any day that ends in a Y.0
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