"Cheat" Day?

amandatiffany90

Hello!

I'm sure this topic has been done to death, but I am curious nonetheless...

- Do you have a planned "cheat" day each week?
-If you do have a cheat day, do you log your calories on that day or avoid logging?

Dottyb1940

I usually have at least 1 day a week when I go over calories,, I always log it though keeps me on the straight and narrow. I would only be cheating myself

rumplesnat

Tonight is pizza night and tomorrow is foot long hotdog lunch at a favorite outdoor diner that just opened up. I already prepared and logged what I'll be eating, exercised a bit more this week to bank extra calories and will plan my other meals around my "cheats" to even everything out. But then there are those blasted chocolate bunnies on Sunday... ) If I'm over a couple hundred calories this weekend, no biggie. Planning is key for me.

Dbundrick

yea cheat days only cheat yourself

aa1440

I don't have cheat days. If I know I am going to take in a lot of calories I make sure I have a huge calorie burn.

MorbidMander

Yes, I am only human and I allow myself to have what I want in moderation. I try to log when I go out to eat, which shall be tonight. Already logged my calories for it.

AnnaSmith27

I don't have a cheat day because I know myself and I would go totally ballistic and eat everything in sight, but I do have a cheat snack almost every day. I will let myself eat a tablespoon of peanut butter or have a few chocolate chips or eat a brownie. It's the only way I can stay focused and stay sane throughout all of this!

wnbrice

I personally dont believe in cheat days. Rather I am a proponent of have a little whenever you want it.

Lets say you are working at a 2000 calorie deficit(so aiming for 2 pounds a week). However you have a cheat day where you eat at maintenance that week. I would rather go 200-300 over everyday and never feel like I am depriving myself.

Way I see it is that willpower is a finite resource at any given time. Every craving that you resist drains your willpower. Eventually it breaks and that is when you see all the posts on people going crazy with over eating that can last for days.

I would rather have a little whenever I want it and save my willpower for the stresses of life. Sure this will probably add a monthish to my weight loss journey, but I have been trying for nearly 18 years so at this point I will take another month to reduce my stress levels.

Zee48

I have one weekly MAD - Metabolism Adjusting Day where I allow myself to splurge - never say cheat because that conjures up guilt. And yes I log every BLT. Why not since it is planned?

AzIceQueen

If I know I'm going to be eating a big calorie meal I try to eat lower calorie food for the other 2 meals for the day. But usually on the weekends I'll have a cheat day where I go way over my calories for the day. One day of high calorie doesn't seem to hurt my weight loss right now. Just have to remember don't do too many cheat days in 1 week. Unless you will be doing the exercise to make up for the extra calories you're eating.

bronnyd

I have a treat every now and again but never a whole cheat day...just don't really feel the need for it. I love all of the foods I already eat on a regular basis.

Markguns

Hello!

I'm sure this topic has been done to death, but I am curious nonetheless...

- Do you have a planned "cheat" day each week?
-If you do have a cheat day, do you log your calories on that day or avoid logging?

I don't have a cheat day I have REWARDS.. and yes log it all, keeps you from going Crazy!?! :bigsmile:

kayl3igh88

I have one 'high'-calorie day a week. This week it was yesterday, as an impromptu pizza night. I wont have one now until next weekend; if I want to have something extra before then I'll work for it.

SideSteel

I have used cheat days in the past, more for the mental break to get away from tracking.

I think that conceptually they are fine under certain conditions and they are awful under other conditions and I don't think that you can unanimously label it as good or bad without context.

I think they are fine if:

a) You aren't using it as an excuse or justification to binge.
b) Your need for cheating isn't caused by an over-restrictive diet.
c) Your total intake on the cheat day isn't a substantial detriment to your overall energy deficit.


If it improves long term adherence and you are aware of the above factors (perhaps I'm missing other relevant factors) then I don't see a problem with it.

However, I think it's plausible that there are many people who don't meet this context in which case it could be counterproductive.

amandatiffany90

Thanks for your answers, everyone!

I've had varying degrees of success with calorie counting before - and I think what will work best for me is having Saturday as a "cheat" day (aka "No Logging"). Not that I'll go ballistic or anything, but Saturday's are my day with my boyfriend and we usually spend them out & about in London....which often ends up at a pub, the cinema or restaurants. I think it'll keep me sane to be able to be a bit "freer" on Saturdays.

Sundays are often spent at home, so it's easy to control calories.

Anyways - very interesting to see your input, guys! x

_noob_

I have used cheat days in the past, more for the mental break to get away from tracking.

I think that conceptually they are fine under certain conditions and they are awful under other conditions and I don't think that you can unanimously label it as good or bad without context.

I think they are fine if:

a) You aren't using it as an excuse or justification to binge.
b) Your need for cheating isn't caused by an over-restrictive diet.
c) Your total intake on the cheat day isn't a substantial detriment to your overall energy deficit.


If it improves long term adherence and you are aware of the above factors (perhaps I'm missing other relevant factors) then I don't see a problem with it.

However, I think it's plausible that there are many people who don't meet this context in which case it could be counterproductive.

yeah, in the old days a, b and c would apply to me. I'd eat 7000-10000 calories two days in a row.

splashblob

I'm curious about this also...(Sorry if I seems to hijack the thread) ^^;;

-Do you bank your calories before the day or do you eat less and/or exercise more the day after?



...Also will it be alright if there are 2 cheat days in a week instead of one?

SideSteel

I'm curious about this also...(Sorry if I seems to hijack the thread) ^^;;

-Do you bank your calories before the day or do you eat less and/or exercise more the day after?

The only thing I would do is go into the gym the next day and typically smash PR's from all dat anabolic food.

Keep in mind, at least as far as my personal experience, when I would have a cheat day I'm talking about a day between TDEE and maybe +300-500kcals. I am not talking about a 5k surplus or anything like that, resembling a binge.

...Also will it be alright if there are 2 cheat days in a week instead of one?

In my opinion, whether or not it's "allright" depends on conditions I've laid out in my previous response, but my biggest concern would be total energy balance over the week. At some point, too many cheat days = you're not in an energy deficit or it's a really small deficit = slow or no weight loss.

Melissa26point2

why would you give yourself an ENTIRE day to cheat and undo what you work so hard for the rest of the week?! I get it, you miss your old favorite fried foods, but come on. This should be a lifestyle change, not a diet that makes you want to cheat.

I can understand a cheat meal, but not a whole day

SideSteel

why would you give yourself an ENTIRE day to cheat and undo what you work so hard for the rest of the week?! I get it, you miss your old favorite fried foods, but come on. This should be a lifestyle change, not a diet that makes you want to cheat.

I can understand a cheat meal, but not a whole day

Because there's a very high value, for some people, in simply not tracking food intake and eating what they prefer to eat, strictly for psychological reasons.

Some people can also do this while eating within a range of "reasonable" total calorie intake on a cheat day, not undoing the weeks worth of diet.

This isn't to say that I think everyone should have a cheat day, far from it -- but there are contexts in which it may be a perfectly fine thing to utilize.

Syl92

oh yes! Fridays are my "cheat days" I nom on whatever I like lol

beelanc

I personally dont believe in cheat days. Rather I am a proponent of have a little whenever you want it.

Lets say you are working at a 2000 calorie deficit(so aiming for 2 pounds a week). However you have a cheat day where you eat at maintenance that week. I would rather go 200-300 over everyday and never feel like I am depriving myself.

Way I see it is that willpower is a finite resource at any given time. Every craving that you resist drains your willpower. Eventually it breaks and that is when you see all the posts on people going crazy with over eating that can last for days.

I would rather have a little whenever I want it and save my willpower for the stresses of life. Sure this will probably add a monthish to my weight loss journey, but I have been trying for nearly 18 years so at this point I will take another month to reduce my stress levels.

Yep.

That's my motto. I see waaay too many people grumpy or miserable because they deprive themselves. Its a lifestyle change. You can't say that you will never eat a piece of cake again or only once a month. It doesnt seem to be a fulfilling way of life. I love food too much to do that.

amandatiffany90

why would you give yourself an ENTIRE day to cheat and undo what you work so hard for the rest of the week?! I get it, you miss your old favorite fried foods, but come on. This should be a lifestyle change, not a diet that makes you want to cheat.

I can understand a cheat meal, but not a whole day

Because there's a very high value, for some people, in simply not tracking food intake and eating what they prefer to eat, strictly for psychological reasons.

Some people can also do this while eating within a range of "reasonable" total calorie intake on a cheat day, not undoing the weeks worth of diet.

This isn't to say that I think everyone should have a cheat day, far from it -- but there are contexts in which it may be a perfectly fine thing to utilize.

I don't believe that my "cheat" day will undo my entire weeks work whatsoever. I think there is a misconception that a "cheat" day will mean a "binge" day - not the case. For me, it simply means one day of not logging. Doesn't mean I'm going to eat like a pig, it's more about the psychological break from counting. Taking an MFP vacation for one day....but not eating 10,000 calories!

Based on my weight loss & gain over the past few years, I've come to understand that I *have* to be strict with my calorie counting to lose weight - but that doesn't mean that I don't find it a bit stressful.

Down the road, when I've got myself into the groove, perhaps I won't need a "free" day - but for now, I think that I do.

SideSteel

why would you give yourself an ENTIRE day to cheat and undo what you work so hard for the rest of the week?! I get it, you miss your old favorite fried foods, but come on. This should be a lifestyle change, not a diet that makes you want to cheat.

I can understand a cheat meal, but not a whole day

Because there's a very high value, for some people, in simply not tracking food intake and eating what they prefer to eat, strictly for psychological reasons.

Some people can also do this while eating within a range of "reasonable" total calorie intake on a cheat day, not undoing the weeks worth of diet.

This isn't to say that I think everyone should have a cheat day, far from it -- but there are contexts in which it may be a perfectly fine thing to utilize.

I don't believe that my "cheat" day will undo my entire weeks work whatsoever. I think there is a misconception that a "cheat" day will mean a "binge" day - not the case. For me, it simply means one day of not logging. Doesn't mean I'm going to eat like a pig, it's more about the psychological break from counting. Taking an MFP vacation for one day....but not eating 10,000 calories!

Based on my weight loss & gain over the past few years, I've come to understand that I *have* to be strict with my calorie counting to lose weight - but that doesn't mean that I don't find it a bit stressful.

Down the road, when I've got myself into the groove, perhaps I won't need a "free" day - but for now, I think that I do.

Then in my opinion you should simply try it, and realize that if your weight loss suddenly stops or slows way down over the next 2-4 weeks, you're collectively eating too much and your cheat day either needs to go, or you need to reduce intake on your non cheat days to re-create an energy deficit.

kiwi517

I don't have a "cheat DAY" That is just too much, as I would only screw myself in the end. I have a cheat MEAL.. I set myself a goal. So, like when I lose another 3lbs.. I will treat myself to something.. doesn't have to be a whole meal even.. so go ahead and have that truffle or whatever you have been wanting or craving.. Just add it in your food diary and don't go crazy.

splashblob

My situation is probably different from you guys. First of all, I am in Asia and most of the place, I think 98% of places here don't have nutritional info like it is in the US. So ever since I tried to lose weight, I did stop eating many things, including things that I don't know their exact calories value.

So there are many food I'd like to eat- that I used to eat before I start this journey. Some of them are junk food, I admit and some of them are not but they are high calories (such as Hinanese Chicken rice), some of them just normal food such as noodle soup, roast duck in 5 spice soup or so, but I can't or if I do have to, I'd be stress out for the whole day. However....I just want to have some times for me that I don't have to think about tracking much but I'm afraid that my weight will bounce back.

Also I am in my maintain mode now, everyone are telling me I should stop counting. Yet, if I don't log my food for a day or 2 each week, will my weight bounce back to my overweight self again?

SideSteel

Additionally, I think you also need some very honest self-observation here.

If you find that you're saying to yourself

"Sweet it's my cheat day, I'm going to go eat at that chinese buffet and then have ice cream and then later I'll order a pizza" then this probably is a good indicator that something isn't quite right either with your cheat day motive, or with the remainder of your diet.

But if you're saying "I'm not tracking today or weighing my food today and I'm going to enjoy the break" then I think this is probably fine.

splashblob

I think I possibly could have think like what the first option is listed for the 1 or 2 weeks, then the week after that then I will probably just goes with me not tracking weighting food.