How many Calories are acceptable on Cheat Days?

vikkistarr89
vikkistarr89 Posts: 122 Member
in Motivation and Support
My allowance is 1200 and i stick to it, with one cheat day a week... how many calories become unacceptable on this cheat day!
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Replies

  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
    Or you could screw the cheat day and eat what you want in moderation... and eat more then 1200 calories.

    I don't have cheat days, but if I did, I would eat what I wanted with in reason.. no real calorie amount.
  • Microfiber
    Microfiber Posts: 956 Member
    My allowance is 1200 and i stick to it,

    Even when you exercise?
  • harvo
    harvo Posts: 4,676 Member
    Not a cheat day...reward day...when I reward myself I go all out. I do not track anything but my blood sugar and insuln amounts....
  • twelfty
    twelfty Posts: 576 Member
    i'd say upto maintenance calories as a max
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Or you could screw the cheat day and eat what you want in moderation... and eat more then 1200 calories.

    this! i HATE the phrase 'cheat day'...
  • JakiDee
    JakiDee Posts: 43 Member
    I am not into cheat days. I think you're just cheating yourself. I am working on not demonizing certain foods. If there is something you want, have a few bites but stay in your calorie range. I don't reward myself with food items either.
  • emafairycake1986
    emafairycake1986 Posts: 38 Member
    i try to do around maintain and if i exercise add that too ... but generally i go over maintain by a couple fo hundred but never feel bad about it x
  • donna_glasgow
    donna_glasgow Posts: 869 Member
    I don't have a "cheat day" as such. I eat an average of 1600 cals per day which means I could eat 1200 one day and 2000 another day with 1600 cals per day in between ... or I could eat 3 days at 1200 and 3 days at 2000 and one day 1600 ... it balances out at the end of the week and keeps the body guessing, but knowing theres food coming regular :)

    I would say that a cheat day should deffo not be big enough to put your weekly totals over your maintanance allowance. and thats different for everyone, so no one could truly answer your question without knowing how much your body needs to maintain :)
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Or you could screw the cheat day and eat what you want in moderation... and eat more then 1200 calories.

    I don't have cheat days, but if I did, I would eat what I wanted with in reason.. no real calorie amount.

    i will go with this....
  • c2tarun
    c2tarun Posts: 17 Member
    well are you sure, 1200 calories a day is enough. With this amount of calorie intake I'll rather call cheat day as nutrition day.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    Or you could screw the cheat day and eat what you want in moderation... and eat more then 1200 calories.


    This. 'Cheat' days tend to result in weekend binges, which undo all the good work through the week. Increase your daily allowance throughout the week so that you do not feel deprived and have the need to 'cheat'.

    But if you still want to have a 'cheat day' then ensure you still have a deficit on average for the week.
  • skinnydreams19
    skinnydreams19 Posts: 282 Member
    It varies per person (I eat a lot on cheat days) but 1200 as a usual is really low, I hope you're at least eating back exercise.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    The point of a cheat day is to make a diet less taxing mentally. You could accomplish the same goal by reducing your calorie deficit to a reasonable, sustainable level, and work some daily treats into your day. The only way to lose weight permanently and safely is to change your habits.

    That said, it only makes sense to me to bring the intake up to TDEE levels on your "cheat day"--eating more than that when your metabolism is potentially depressed due to long-term undereating could cause weight gain.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
    The point of a cheat day is to make a diet less taxing mentally. You could accomplish the same goal by reducing your calorie deficit to a reasonable, sustainable level, and work some daily treats into your day. The only way to lose weight permanently and safely is to change your habits.

    That said, it only makes sense to me to bring the intake up to TDEE levels on your "cheat day"--eating more than that when your metabolism is potentially depressed due to long-term undereating could cause weight gain.

    ^^^^I agree totally with this ^^^^^ and will add tdee is total daily energy expenditure.
  • selina884
    selina884 Posts: 826 Member
    I don't have a "cheat day" as such. I eat an average of 1600 cals per day which means I could eat 1200 one day and 2000 another day with 1600 cals per day in between ... or I could eat 3 days at 1200 and 3 days at 2000 and one day 1600 ... it balances out at the end of the week and keeps the body guessing, but knowing theres food coming regular :)

    I would say that a cheat day should deffo not be big enough to put your weekly totals over your maintanance allowance. and thats different for everyone, so no one could truly answer your question without knowing how much your body needs to maintain :)

    Im same as this, so technically not cheating.
  • readysetgo33
    readysetgo33 Posts: 14 Member
    completely agree with nexangelus
    great quote

    also it's supposed to be a cheat MEAL not a cheat DAY otherwise you risk goin buckwild... for example if you spend the week eating clean, healthy, foods, your cheat meal can consist of a couple slices of pizza or whatever you crave but try and stay in your calorie range whether that's 1200 or 1800. Depending on what your goals are, like a couple people have mentioned, it's a lifestyle change so your cheat meals are supposed to relieve some strain, and your mind/body might need 2 cheat meals per week.

    There are "re-feed days" where you go over your cals but are still eating the clean healthy foods you've committed to. Finally, I guess it's probably worth mentioning that you should definitely stay active on your cheat days, don't have your rest day on the same day as your cheat day.

    hope that helped out a bit!
  • meccasue
    meccasue Posts: 11 Member
    I agree with @readysetgo33. It's not necessary to have a cheat day. Choosing what you want to eat, when you want to eat it and then offsetting the other days to maintain your average calorie usage until your goals are met.

    Anyway, that's what I plan to do!! :blushing:
  • eag264
    eag264 Posts: 116
    I generally don't do cheat days but there are certain days where I don't go mental if I go over my caloric intake by more than 100. I expect that during the weekends I might be a little lax but I do try to counter that with a longer workout or adding one in if I go overboard.
  • c8linmarie
    c8linmarie Posts: 358 Member
    I don't have regularly planned cheat days, but there have been moments of weakness where I over indulged. When this happens, I just eat less over the next few days to "pay back" those calories.
  • theblondetrick
    theblondetrick Posts: 192 Member
    Not a cheat day...reward day...when I reward myself I go all out. I do not track anything but my blood sugar and insuln amounts....

    I think that a "reward day" is even more ridiculous.I mean,just think about it.You're trying to lose weight and then once a week you go and reward yourself with food.

    I don't have cheat days or however you'd like to call them,but I do let myself have something sweet almost every day,because I feel like I wouldn't be able to stick to my program otherwise.I just have a wholemeal bar(around 100 cals) or Dr.Oetker milkshake(about 180 cals). I do however slip away from time to time and eat bunch of unhealthy stuff,but it happens unintentionally.
  • Lisah8969
    Lisah8969 Posts: 1,247 Member
    Or you could screw the cheat day and eat what you want in moderation... and eat more then 1200 calories.

    this! i HATE the phrase 'cheat day'...

    Totally agree with both of these! I've made a lifestyle where I can eat what I want and it isn't cheating. Hmmm...maybe that is why it is finally working!
  • Grumpy2208
    Grumpy2208 Posts: 63
    This is a good read.

    http://greatist.com/health/cheat-days-explained
  • Amy_Andrews
    Amy_Andrews Posts: 106
    Despite all the negative criticism, I find a "cheat" day very beneficial. One day a week where you can go out to eat and not read every little detail on a menu, have a beer without feeling guily, or eat the entire peice of cake. Since starting on MFP, I found what works for me through trial and error. My cheat day and rest day used to both be Saturday, but I learned that I really need to workout on cheat day so I can eat back a few more calories. I also found that "cheating" is different than "bingeing" and only eat to my maintenance calories on Saturdays --- so 1800 + the exercise calories. I also found it benefial to look at the entire week (MFP lets you see how many net calories you are under your weekly goal) and make sure I don't go over that total weekly calorie goal. I've been consistent with ~1.5 lbs lost per week once I discovered this. Good luck!
  • EmoJew
    EmoJew Posts: 94 Member
    I gave up my cheat days. I tracked a couple and they were 4000 - 5000. Total waste of time restricting myself any other days of the week!!
  • _kannnd
    _kannnd Posts: 247 Member
    Or you could screw the cheat day and eat what you want in moderation... and eat more then 1200 calories.

    I don't have cheat days, but if I did, I would eat what I wanted with in reason.. no real calorie amount.

    This.
  • LisaInUP
    LisaInUP Posts: 63 Member
    My "cheat" day is usually a re-arranging of calories. I will have toast & fruit spread for breakfast, then PIZZA for lunch and a more sensible dinner.

    I try not to go more than a couple hundred over my 1200 net. I think it would be easier to control if the never-ending Winter would end <lol>
  • _kannnd
    _kannnd Posts: 247 Member
    Not a cheat day...reward day...when I reward myself I go all out. I do not track anything but my blood sugar and insuln amounts....

    Why reward yourself with food?
  • centarix
    centarix Posts: 123 Member
    well are you sure, 1200 calories a day is enough. With this amount of calorie intake I'll rather call cheat day as nutrition day.


    ^^Totally agree!
  • GAB219
    GAB219 Posts: 27 Member
    I don't have set "cheat" day but I do find myself eating more on the weekends and I do try to make it up by exercising more on those days too. When I know I may be eating over my daily calories, I try to stay within my weight maintenance calories. And if I go over that, I know I just have to put in extra half hour or so of exercise. I do eat what I want except I do keep it in moderation. I do not deprive myself because it just makes me want it more (learn that from past dieting).

    Tonight, I'm going to a birthday party and I know I'll be eating over my calorie allowance. I'm watching what I'm eating throughout the day so I have extra for tonight and I'll be working my butt off tomorrow :)
  • RachelHoffman0709
    RachelHoffman0709 Posts: 101 Member
    I read a post the other day that said "Fitness is like a marriage, you can't cheat on it and expect it to work."

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