Cheat Days

dsjolley
dsjolley Posts: 12 Member
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Do "cheat days" when you go over your calories hurt if you only have them rarely? I had a department dinner last night and the meal put me way over my calories, but it's the only day in 2 weeks I've gone over. Any thoughts?

Replies

  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
    Nope, they're quite good for you, actually (both mentally and metabolically). 1 cheat day every month or two can shock your body and make it work a little harder, plus it's good for your psyche. I always feel a lot less stressed when I have a cheat day after a couple months of religious calorie counting. Just try not to go too crazy when you do it.
  • Jlinares
    Jlinares Posts: 16
    I cheated last Sunday and yeah, a shock to the system is an understatement! I was ill the rest of the evening and all of Monday. It didn't help that I gorged on pizza at a buffet...I. Will. NEVER. Do. That. Again.
  • ccdo
    ccdo Posts: 217
    i have only one cheat day in the month but if i can avoid that then thats better for me :flowerforyou:
  • dalejackson
    dalejackson Posts: 22
    I've heard a couple of different things on this... Similar to the Weight Watcher plan, you can save up your "points" every week and use them to splurge once a week. I've sort of been doing the same thing with my calories lately. If I go under by a couple hundred calories one day, I figure I can go over by the same amount sometime that week.

    Also, if you've ever heard of "Body for Life", that program suggests that you have one "off" day per week where you can eat whatever you want. I think it the same reason mentioned previously where it shocks your system and actually helps you.

    If you can cheat and then get back on it the next day, no harm done. The problem is that cheating usually leads to more cheating...
  • 1Sweets
    1Sweets Posts: 395
    That makes me feel better hearing all of you...

    Cuz I went to Chili's last night to have a little salad and it was little but the calories weren't:sad: :noway: :tongue: I had 1000+ calories in the small Mesquite Chicken Salad!

    But it was yummy. then if that weren't enough...I knew I blew it so I ate the BROWNIE DESSERT with chocolate syrup it that came with it....Chilis is having a deal: 3 entrees for $20.00 deal (drinks not included)
  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
    oooh...thanks for the chili's tip - that's one of my favorite resaurants. i have a cheat day once a week, at least. i know i could be losing weight a bit faster if i didn't, but the scale is steadily decreasing and my brain is just not built to eat rabbit food all week. if i do for a long length of time (which i have forced myself to do in the past), i will come to a point where i swear off all health food and eat nothing but junk food for a loooong time! so here's to eating oven pizzas for lunch three times a week and still losing weight!
  • philippe_
    philippe_ Posts: 1
    I've been cheating way too much lately. :/
  • ractayjon
    ractayjon Posts: 365
    In a program called Body for Life he suggests a cheat day per week...to "shake up" your system....but in Body for Life for women she talks about cheat days and how for men it is easier to have a "cheat" day and get back on the wagon while for women it is much harder to do. In the BFLfor W it also talks about how women need to "cheat" more around hormonal changes then men do. But both suggest that a cheat will do you good...AS LONG AS you can get back the next day or next meal and be on track.
    So - no last nights dinner isnt going to derail you - just remember that today is a new day and dont use that meal as an excuse to continue the "cheat"
    Also - remember - you arent going to live the rest of your life without having dinners like last night...so just work it into your plans.
  • Jennwith2ns
    Jennwith2ns Posts: 296 Member
    Like everyone else, I think it's good for you as long as you can get back to your healthy eating the next day! I have had 2 so far.. in the 2nd and 4th week. I still lost 14.5 lbs my first month, so although it slowed my weight loss down a tiny bit for a few days, it didn't make me gain or anything.
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