Is it good to have a cheat day??

andieellengreen

Im not sure if any one will know but when on a diet is it good to have a cheat day? I'm hearing mixed reviews about cheat days when I have looked on the Internet. Any help would be grateful thank you

Kaathmandu

I have cheat days - I call it 'off the wagon" - for special occasions.
I make the decision about when and how long for, and I enjoy it.
But I know I will have to pay for it and undo the damage afterwards.
The way I see it, two steps forward, one step back is still moving forward. Just depends how fast you want to get there!
You have to decide if it is worth it.
Good luck

bobf279

I don't have a cheat day but I do occasionally have a day where maintaining a deficit is less important like our monthly meeting of the over 50s curry club at work :laugh:

AnotherTryLiz

I don't have "cheat" days per say. Every couple of weeks I have to up my calories for a day or 2 to get the scale moving again but I log every thing and stay within my calories. In 80 days I haven't had an all out eat what I want day yet, but I know its coming!

nornyb

I don't have cheat days because I look at this as living the rest of my life, it is not something that has a beginning and/or an end. If I want to eat something that is not "healthy" I do, I log it, and I deal with the consequences.

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weephees

I don't have a cheat day, if I would like something special such as a Chinese take-away I will make sure to plan ahead and make sure I can work it into my calorie allowance. I am not on a diet as such though as I am still eating anything I want but in moderation which makes all the difference.

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ameliaannakin

I don't like the term cheat day because the only person you're cheating is yourself. If I want something though, I will have it, either by planning in advance and working my day out around it, or by burning the calories to subsidise it (maybe not on that day but over the week or so)

sijomial

For me diet is only part of my life. It's important but I don't think giving up either enjoyable food, drink or spoiling social events by obsessing over calories is either healthy or sustainable. So I wouldn't call a day (or a meal, or a weekend, or a holiday...) where I'm over calories a "cheat".

It's why the 5:2 way of eating suits me, 2 days a long way under calories and 5 days at a slight surplus. As long as things are in balance over time then I'm happy.

Has to be what suits you - there isn't one size fits all as regards compliance and sustainability.

Ke22yB

I dont really like the term because it says I am doing something wrong and I feel as I change my lifestyle there will be days I am out with friends or on vacation that I just see something I want to eat so I do same as there are days instead of my 4 mile run I only run 2 miles or a great sunny day i run 8 miles
I prefer to think I am changing to a normal human The constantly thin people I know go out and eat or go to weddings and indulge and the day after live life as before and dont gain 5 pounds because of it
Live well thats what we are trying to do

xMallie

I don't think I've ever gone over net 1500 calories in the past 4 months (well, whenever I've logged). I've had weekends away where I haven't logged, but the day I get back I'm back on track. Even those days I try to make healthier choices. This isn't a diet I'm on, it's a lifestyle change. Sweets are going to be a part of my lifestyle, whether I am losing weight or maintaining... Well, as long as I want them to be. I just need to learn to eat in moderation!

dansls1

If you are doing it right you are making healthier choices in your lifestyle so there is nothing to cheat on. Is it OK to not make the best choices for one day here and there? Sure - it just means you may not meet your goal as fast. Certainly having a day where you don't track is scary - I try to log about what I eat everyday so I know where I am - regardless of how good it is or isn't.

Woomytron

It really depends on the person. If you can do just do one "cheat day" then get right back to eating your calories then I would say once in awhile is fine. BUT if you are one of those people that that "cheat day" turns into a cheat week then I would say stay within your calories until you are able to just handle the one day once in awhile.

Once in awhile wont hurt you... I do it every so often to stay sane. I think I would go crazy if I couldn't have some pizza or takeout every so often. :laugh:

mljacobs23

I eat slightly lower calories during the week, so that I can have a couple higher calorie days during the weekend or have wiggle room for going out to dinner after work. I just try to make sure that at the end of the week my average calories per day are where I want them to be. I also eat all my exercise calories. If I go on vacation or something, I don't stress about dieting, I usually gain a pound or two but just start over when I get back. For me it's a lifestyle change, and to be maintainable I have to be able to live which sometimes includes not eating perfectly healthy. My goal is to eat healthy more days than not. Everyone is different you have to find what's going to be maintainable for you over the long haul.

stangirl1995

I log everything.. The good, the bad and the ugly. However in doing this I have found that even if I do allow myself a more relaxed day with food, I still keep it way more in check than when I used to give myself days of not logging food at all! Therefor the occasional days where I allow myself to eat less healthy choices, I am still keeping it under control and not blowing an entire weeks worth of hard work and dedication :-)

ron2e

I agree with those above who say they are a bad thing. If you're serious about changing your lifestyle, what is the point or logic of a cheat day? I have cheat foods, ie, things that are not totally healthy and that I eat only very occasionally now, like a packet of potato crisps or some chocolate, but always within my calorie limits. I also find, and I've only been doing this for about two and a half months, that I am so much more aware of the calorie values of my food choices, I sometimes find it difficult to eat up to my limits now and again without some cheat food or maybe alcohol which bump up the calories.

Cheat days only make it more difficult to maintain the new lifestyle long term in my opinion.

2013sk

I do every now and then.............!!!!! Why not???? I just get back on track the next day......: )

I eat pretty healthy anyway and hit the gym min 4 times a week

dsjohndrow

NO!

Life happens. There will be parties, weddings, holidays, birthdays and dining out - none of which will meet your caloric goals if you enjoy them. This is a lifestyle change, and part of life is navigating food where you don't control it.

MizTerry

I know me and I don't allow cheat days. Cheat days is how I got fat to begin with. :frown:

However...when things come up and I CAN'T exercise or I DON'T eat right, I don't have to stress about it.

marygee1951

"Cheat Days" are for people in the Diet mentality. I'm in Change of Lifestyle mentality - i.e. occasionally there will be a meal when I eat more that usual. (Notice I said "meal" - not "day") I do my best to eat healthy - "stuffing your face" or binging is not healthy.

MaysieMoo92

I have a takeaway every Saturday night, or a nice meal out! Something like that gives me what I need to get through the week...sometimes on a run I will be like "the last leg, think of that cheat meal in a couple days time...!"

I think they're important, because we can't all be tight *kitten* angels.

andieellengreen

Thank you all for your views on the matter my diet plan that I'm following is slim fast and quorn only whereby I have a slim fast shake for breakfast, snack, slim fast meal bar for lunch, snack, tea which involves a quorn or vegetarian meal (I'm not vegetarian it's just so much less fat and calories and I don't mind the taste) and another snack. So really when I mean cheat day I mean not eating full on junk but having a break from the slim fast and quorn and having a proper meal with real meat, still within my calorie allowance and possibly a little bit of chocolate so it is a cheat day from my diet plan but I suppose not a proper full on cheat day!

balancedbrunette

I wouldn't really know if i consider it a 'cheat' day as such to myself but sometimes i'll have days usually at the weekends when i'm home from college at family when i'd be less strict on myself, say we might get a takeaway or id enjoy a roast with my parents and whatever, i'd still be mindful of my calories but i'd indulge a little more...i always feel it is easy to get back on track the next day though as i feel so much better with the way i eat now compared to how it used to be which was mindless eating really, do whatever works for you...eventually as this becomes a lifestyle change more to a diet you wont even regard them as cheat day as such anymore!

1223345

As long as cheat day doesn't turn into cheat week, month.... diet failure.

bluebird321

I think so, but it has worked out for me so far. Other people might have a different experience.

Lunachic77

I enjoy a cheat day once a week...dubbed Fat Fridays. I find that it helps to maintain the cravings and keep them at bay. If I deprive myself of the things I like too much, I know I will submit to them in a bad way. So far, it hasn't halted or restricted my weight loss in any way. I just make sure to stay dilligent throughout the rest of the week. Try it out a couple of weeks and see if it works for you.

Losingthedamnweight

Ya know, I honestly can't understand why so many people are against indulging yourself for one single meal every now and then. As if one meal will make you blow up like a blow fish and all progress you're entire journey is lost. Maybe some people are bad at resisting temptation and a cheat meal isn't good for them. I don't know. But I know making a blanket statement like "all cheat days are a bad idea" is off the mark.

The term "cheat" in my eyes doesn't have any negative connotation like it does with some other people. It's a simple word to describe what you're doing. Any word would do. And in my instance, it means not worrying if you go over your budget of calories. This "you only cheat yourself" crap doesn't apply if you're taking the rest of your dieting/lifestyle changes seriously. I don't think white knuckling it and trying to have some kind of willpower to resist everything you want is healthy long term. Maybe you want to eat something and its more calories than you can work in on your day. Do you deprive yourself because you think one cheat meal will ruin all your progress? There's dieting...and there's living in a constant state of fear.

Your entire life doesn't need to revolve around calorie counting and trying to get full off of salad and beans. It's important to have something to look forward to. There was a post on the reddit r/loseit from a guy that lost more than a hundred lbs and still wasn't happy. He was sick of eating such small portions ALL the time and not being able to enjoy things he really wanted. Apparently, he didn't have a "cheat meal" either. There are those times when you want to eat something that'll just be too many calories to work in or work out. I'm not going to calorie count on thanksgiving. Just...no. That's my day and ill stuff my face with all the greasy crap I can fit because really. Calorie counting I'd eat a small piece of turkey and a mashed potato. No. That turkey wants me to eat it. Wouldn't wanna offend our dinner guest now would we?

I'll tell you what I do. You can do whatever you want, but this is just me and what I do with my pie hole. I have a "cheat meal" that is purely performance based. When I lose 5 lbs, I let myself eat whatever the hell I want. I try to make it so the calories wouldn't put me over my maintenance number, but if it goes over a little bit oh well. Simple as that. Been doing this for awhile and it works perfectly. You eat all the crap you want and your weight will fluctuate over the next couple days but even out again and you're back to eating healthy. You don't need to deprive yourself to lose weight. Sometimes, we need a break

camberwellbeauty

I have had cheat days, i think most people on a diet fall off it at some point, but I do find it hard to get back on the wagon again after these days, so I try not to have them...When i was at WW years ago I was told that if you follow your diet 80% then you were doing well and on track....but it just depends on you really..

ashlinmarie

I don't have cheat days because I look at this as living the rest of my life, it is not something that has a beginning and/or an end. If I want to eat something that is not "healthy" I do, I log it, and I deal with the consequences.

^^^^THIS

I'm not going to give up all the foods I love...I just try to have them less often. If you have a smart phone and the smart phone app, you can track your weekly calorie intake in graph form...I use this..I figure if I'm at or below my net for the week, I'm okay. I binged hard on Tuesday, but I've been at or below every other day and could still binge today (the last day of my week as it is Sunday in Japan) and be below...not going to, but I could.

skinnytayy

Absolutely. If you deny yourself of treats then you likely won't last very long. This should be a lifestyle and not a diet. If so, you can't expect to never eat pizza, candy, or whatever ever again. Its not realistic. Also, I have no idea if this is true or not, but there is a diet called the Spike Diet which believes one day of pretty extreme cheating can help boost your metabolism or send a shock to your body, in a good way. If you search around you'll probably find things that agree with that and probably some that disagree. Treat yourself every now & then though, regardless. How often you choose or to what extent is entirely your decision. An occasional treat is not going to make or break you though.