does anyone still lose weight if they have one cheat day a w

tlapdx72
tlapdx72 Posts: 311 Member
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
I would love to take just one day a week where I don't have to count calories, and can eat things that I don't usually eat. However, I am afraid that I wll ruin it for the week. I am doing pretty good for the most part during the week, but I would love to take Saturdays off. Does anyone on here take a day off, and are you still losing weight? Thanks for any help:smile:

Replies

  • hollyheckman
    hollyheckman Posts: 18
    I don't believe in completely depriving yourself of the things you love. I don't take a whole days to completely indulge in all of my favorite foods, but I do indulge once a week and still loose weight. I may have 2 glasses of wine and 2 Milano cookies on Friday night while watching a movie, or I might have a Dairy Queen malt shake with my daughters on Saturday while we are running around. I don't think that indulging once in a while will really halt your weight loss success. Enjoy life, and don't feel bad about enjoying the things you like! Just remember not to overindulge and you will be fine!
  • tearose
    tearose Posts: 94
    There is another thread here (somewhere) that is about this very subject. My opinion is its probably not good to take a whole day off..its better to take one meal off instead. that way you limit the damage you can do, whereas taking a whole day can sabotage all the hard work youve done all week. You might also end up gaining weight taking a whole day off..I honestly believe to be safe you shouldnt take it every week but limit it to twice a month or maybe even just once a month.
  • Kahoots83
    Kahoots83 Posts: 7
    I dont know if I would take a whole day off but maybe a meal. Its good to treat yourself every once in awhile but I wouldnt go over board. Still be aware of what you are putting in your mouth. You could consume a ton of calories but skipping a day of counting. I wouldnt think it would be worth it. You are doing awesome with what you have lost so far.. Keep rocking :)
  • oomalmal
    oomalmal Posts: 219 Member
    I don't do whole days, I feel like that's asking for trouble. I do the meal though once or twice a week. Usually supper. I keep my calories light most of the day when I know I"m going to do this. This way I don't feel deprived or guilty.
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
    Yup...... I have an entire cheat day. All three meals are whatever I want and I am still losing weight just fine.
  • betoGod
    betoGod Posts: 30
    I agree that taking a day off occasionally to rest the body and eat freely is good for the body, mind, and helps to stay focused on the goal. I find it easier to make it through the week knowing I can have that one thing I've been desiring on my cheat day. I usually leave Sunday as my free day since we often go out to eat after church. Then I don't have to worry much about my choices.

    There are also school's of thought out there in fitness/diet land that it is better to change your calories every few days rather than stay at the same level constantly. It keeps the body in confusion, realizing it is not going to starve and can thus burn more calories. Give it a try and see how that free day works for you.
  • Laceylala
    Laceylala Posts: 3,094 Member
    Not a whole day, that would kill me. I'd just get up the next morning and keep on indulging. I actually went over both my exercise + daily cal goals once this week and over my daily cal goals twice and still lose 1.5 lbs. Whether that will continue to be the case I don't know.
    I do think one meal a week is reasonable though and it seems as though people on MFP have success doing so.
  • HonestOmnivore
    HonestOmnivore Posts: 1,356 Member
    :drinker: I have a dinner party every Thursday night. It isn't very polite for me to diet while my guests are pigging out :blushing: So out of pure kindness *cough cough* i eat with my guests!:drinker:

    I ALWAYS LOG EVERYTHING on my "Cheat" day and I track my net calories on a five day average. If my five day average goes more than 200 calories over my target I know I've got a problem.

    This past Thursday I ate 1000 calories over - so Friday and today I ate 500 calories under. Now I'm back to even and two low calorie days in a row won't throw me into starvation mode.

    Hope that helps!
  • jclguru
    jclguru Posts: 123
    I take one day a month. My fear is if I take one day a week, then it'll be two...three. One day a month
    for me there's less chance of that happening.

    Doug
  • ivykivy
    ivykivy Posts: 2,970 Member
    I take a cheat day once a week. When I stopped doing it I stopped losing it. I try to keep my carbs under 40% and I don't drink alcohol. Depending on what you eat it can work. If you are consuming a lot of alcohol for instance it could end up ruining your week. I try to keep in under 4000 though (I love nuts:bigsmile: ).
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    I used to take a whole cheat day once a week. While I did lose weight doing that, I think taking a meal off, or taking a time to have usually forbidden snacks is a lot more effective.

    However, special occaissions, like the kind that happen once every two to three months, I have just a complete gluttonous display of bad eating. Like the last college football game I went to, or New Years Eve.
  • sallymurph
    sallymurph Posts: 56 Member
    I would not quit counting, but you can allow yourself a bit of liberty. Remember that it takes an extra 3500cals to gain 1 pound. Also, it takes 2-3 days for those extra calories to be stored as fat. So if you cheat one day a week you have to make sure that you are very good the following days and have to get your exercise in. Hope this helps. Good luck!
  • tlapdx72
    tlapdx72 Posts: 311 Member
    Thanks everyone for your great advice :)
  • BamaRose0107
    BamaRose0107 Posts: 635
    Yup...... I have an entire cheat day. All three meals are whatever I want and I am still losing weight just fine.


    I second this! One day is not going undo any of the hard work I have done. I have done really well doing it this way. Plus in some ways it helps kick start losing again if I have had a bad week.
  • catherine1979
    catherine1979 Posts: 704 Member
    I still count but I have whatever I want for dinner on Saturday night. But I don't beat myself up if I go a little over.
  • Carleybby
    Carleybby Posts: 158
    I usually have a bad meal or two a week.

    I'm still losing weight, as long as your under calories really...

    Even when I eat junk, I make sure the rest of the day i'm good and have calories to spare.

    I wouldn't go over calories though.
  • tanzmitpalmer
    tanzmitpalmer Posts: 124 Member
    I wouldn't necessarily have "cheat days" when I don't log anything, but I do most certainly have "naughty days" when I budget for something that is nasty, cheesy, drippy and satisfying. Satisfying the mind is a pretty important part of successful weight loss... deprivation just drives a person nutty. Make some room to indulge every now and then, and you will come out better for it.
  • no1tam
    no1tam Posts: 3
    Perosnally I wouldn't take a whole day weekly.....once in a while yes.

    But I don't see any harm in one day where you keep your day light and have something you really fancy later on in the day. That way you really enjoy it but you have also limited any damage, which makes it all the more enjoyable :happy: I did this on my weigh day last week, I had fish and chips and some chocolate :embarassed: BUT I only went over a little! :happy:
  • dax58
    dax58 Posts: 22 Member
    I try to keep mine to every 2 -3 weeks a the most. Whatever i have is always counted as well (just moved onto MFP from spreadsheet) and MFP does not give you any excuses with the size of the database.

    End of the day you have to ensure that you still have the motivation to keep going. If that means a cheat meal or snack slightly more often than someone else then so be it. Just ensure its logged
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