How many cheat days can you have while maintaining?

AlexB422

I know when dieting, they say you can have a cheat day once a week and it really not mess with your weight loss, but what about when you're maintaining? Are you allowed more? I know you can't eat like crap everyday and expect not to gain weight, that's why I always make really healthy meals for myself. But sometimes these weekends sneak up and resturants and parties call your name. So, can I eat that ice cream or japenease two or three times a week or should I avoid it?

trojanbb

As many as you want until you start gaining weight.

Really. There is nothing more to it than that. No one can tell you otherwise. It all depends on how many calories are in those meals and how many calories you are consuming on a rolling average.

It should not be a problem for anyone with halfway decent genetics and a sensible workout plan to eat a cheat meal every day or two and maintain weight and body composition. Just adjust the rest of your diet to compensate.

Warchortle

As many as you want until you start gaining weight.

ddzubow

Just balance it out with a few healthier meals and it's no problem. As long as you're balancing your diet, you'll be fine. I am way more relaxed about my meals during the weekend but make up for it by being on top of my meals during the week. However, I still track EVERYTHING as best as I can even when going out for meals.

LaurenAOK

As many as you want until you start gaining weight.

Really. There is nothing more to it than that. No one can tell you otherwise. It all depends on how many calories are in those meals and how many calories you are consuming on a rolling average.

It should not be a problem for anyone with halfway decent genetics and a sensible workout plan to eat a cheat meal every day or two and maintain weight and body composition. Just adjust the rest of your diet to compensate.

This! Maintaining weight is all about calories, just like losing weight is about calories. Say your maintenance amount of calories is 2,000 a day. That's 14,000 a week. As long as you're not eating more than 14,000 calories a week, you're not going to gain weight. That could be 2 cheat meals or it could be 10. Totally depends.

twinketta

As many as you want until you start gaining weight.

Yep! It is easier to gain than lose...make sure you log so if you put the weight on you can see what you did wrong

AlexB422

Thanks for the advice, everyone. After losing 76 pounds, I'm terrified of gaining weight. Especially since I have pageant dresses and Cheerleading uniforms that fit my new lowest weight body! So gaining weights not an option! I feel like I gain weight really easily though so even though I am now just maintaining, my diet hasn't changed much!

Francl27

I'd keep tracking and make sure your weekly total is where it should be, personally.

stealthq

Thanks for the advice, everyone. After losing 76 pounds, I'm terrified of gaining weight. Especially since I have pageant dresses and Cheerleading uniforms that fit my new lowest weight body! So gaining weights not an option! I feel like I gain weight really easily though so even though I am now just maintaining, my diet hasn't changed much!

Since this is the case, I'd just try on the smallest clothes you need to fit into every now and again and forget about the scale. Feel like they're getting too tight or you don't look as good as you do now? That's a warning sign - make some adjustments to what you're eating and how you've been exercising. Feel good? Then you're doing OK.

jacksonpt

As many as you want until you start gaining weight.

Really. There is nothing more to it than that. No one can tell you otherwise. It all depends on how many calories are in those meals and how many calories you are consuming on a rolling average.

It should not be a problem for anyone with halfway decent genetics and a sensible workout plan to eat a cheat meal every day or two and maintain weight and body composition. Just adjust the rest of your diet to compensate.

Agreed.

On a side note, this just sounds like such a dangerous/loaded question... make me wonder where you mind is and how committed you really are.

AlexB422

Th

dawn1801

Like other posts said, it depends on quite a bit on how your body can handle those cheat days and what you are doing on those other days with your eating. I tried doing a cheat day and it only started me down the path of bad habits again. So I am now down to one cheat meal a week sometimes two. Any more than that, I start to gain weight again. For me, I can exercise all I want but it is what goes in my mouth that counts for how my clothes fit.

I liked the idea of getting rid of any of your bigger clothes so it helps keep you motivated to keep the weight off. Good luck...

cwolfman13

As many as you want until you start gaining weight.

Really. There is nothing more to it than that. No one can tell you otherwise. It all depends on how many calories are in those meals and how many calories you are consuming on a rolling average.

It should not be a problem for anyone with halfway decent genetics and a sensible workout plan to eat a cheat meal every day or two and maintain weight and body composition. Just adjust the rest of your diet to compensate.

Agreed.

On a side note, this just sounds like such a dangerous/loaded question... make me wonder where you mind is and how committed you really are.

QFT