Cheat Days - Are You A Believer?

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  • smsgrl2009
    smsgrl2009 Posts: 11
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    you are supposed to have 2 weeks of lower calories and then a week of higher calories..according to my dietitian..so your body doesn't get used to the lower calories as quickly..that being said..by higher calories it means an extra 200 or so per day that week...I give myself one cheat day per week, just not all in the same day...so one day i get a cheat breakfast..one day a cheat lunch..one day a cheat dinner...I just don't overdo the portions...so i still remain under my overall calorie goal for the day. Plus I am sure I get 30 minutes of exercise everyday...
  • Kelly_Runs_NC
    Kelly_Runs_NC Posts: 474 Member
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    I've heard quite a bit about cheat days.

    Do you think they work, or no?
    If you use them, is there a rule of thumb on the calorie threshold? A percentage over your normal intake perhaps?

    I would hate to throw away a whole week's work, but since I'm on so few calories daily (1290 to lose a pound a week), I wouldn't mind a nice, hearty Sunday dinner.

    Talk to me...

    Absolutely not. A cheat meal once a week where I may eat 200-300 cal's more than I have is okay. But I work way too hard to blow it on an entire day of cheating...
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
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    I never plan to cheat but always try to just incorporate whatever I'm going to eat into my daily caloric allowance. If it doesn't fit I eat what I want and just try to create bigger calorie deficits on the remaining days that week so that my weekly goal doesn't suffer.

    Ultimately if you feel the need to "cheat" then you probably need to evaluate whether or not your food choices are truly satisfying you. Concentrate on eating foods you like but in portions that are in line with your goals.

    I often eat chocolate in small quantities as part of my regular diet so that I don't end up going overboard from feeling deprived of one of my favorite foods.
  • fearie_jae
    fearie_jae Posts: 107 Member
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    I dont have a cheat day but I do have a cheat meal on occasion. I keep it within my calories and dont "over-indulge". If I keep myself too restricted all the time, thats when i want to go crazy on food. But allowing myself that not-so-healthy food once in a while, I can keep my temptations in check. Has worked for me thus far. :) Good luck!
  • rootbag
    rootbag Posts: 11
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    it shouldnt be an excuse to blow your calorie allowance, just an opportunity to eat some dirty food!
  • smnassise
    smnassise Posts: 22 Member
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    I eat whatever I feel like within my calorie range.

    I am a saint Monday to Friday, sticking to 1200 cals and banking all my exercise calories to use on the weekend. Then I can have fun on the weekend and just make sure my net cals for the week are balanced.

    I've been doing this for 5 weeks and have lost 11 lbs so far.

    Very interesting notion there, 'banking' your unused daily calories...I should look at that.
    I usually stay under my daily goal, and even if it's only 10-50 calories a day, that adds up, and THAT could be my cheat. Sounds like I could have an order of french fries in my future.
  • kfitzpa
    kfitzpa Posts: 326
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    I believe in allowing yourself one cheat meal per week... not an entire cheat day. I find that that'll turn into 2 cheat days, then 3 and before you know it I've fallen off the wagon again.
  • hajir7
    hajir7 Posts: 53 Member
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    I tried it for a couple weeks just to fluctuate my body metabolism and I use to save whatever I crave for that day, BUT I noticed that I gain what I lost for the entire week then I will end up with the same result when I step on the scale. I post a topic here previosly and thanks for the response, I concluded to go with the cheat meal, once or twice a week, don't call it cheat though if you are logging it, because you will be able to balance it some where in your diary.
    Hajir
  • Grlnxtdr0721
    Grlnxtdr0721 Posts: 597 Member
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    As most have said, if you are really wanting something, it's ok- in moderation. If you want a piece of cake, eat it- maybe a few bites or a very small piece to just satisfy, and then kick up the intensity of your workout that day. Cheat days, in my opinion, don't work because if you're like me, you get the mindframe that it's ok.
    Just give yourself a rule of thumb- if i want something, i still try to stay within my calories for that day, even if it means finding a "healthier" option. Ie, if I want ice cream, i do weight watchers ice cream bars.
  • ashesfromfire
    ashesfromfire Posts: 867 Member
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    I've lost around 30 pounds this summer (23 since joining MFP) and I don't diet on Saturdays, heck, typically I don't work out that day either. I don't go crazy that day, but it's usually date night with my SO and I'll order whatever I want at dinner without worrying too much about it.
    This has one primary function - all week long when I'm craving some kind of junk I just tell myself, "If you still want it on Saturday, it's all yours" 99 times out of 100 I don't want whatever it is a few days later (though the pizza craving never seems to fade :) )
    Your health and weight are going to be the result of weeks, months, and years - one day doesn't get you fat or unhealthy. Actually, I think it's good for my mental health to not obsess at least once a week.
    You gotta do what's best for you. But I've been really successful with cheat days.
  • MzStarrQueenB
    MzStarrQueenB Posts: 194 Member
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    if i want to eat more
    i work out more
    cheating on your diet is a slippery slope...


    I agree! :noway:
  • super_monty
    super_monty Posts: 419 Member
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    Yes Yes Yes Alcohol.

    I dont see it as a cheat day though just moderation.

    But I still stay away from certain foods like pastry
  • heagler870
    heagler870 Posts: 280 Member
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    No, I don't believe in cheat DAYS, I do believe in a cheat MEAL once per week. I've lost weight through changing my eating habits, that doesn't mean I deprive myself of yummy food every now and then.
  • Cyriatan
    Cyriatan Posts: 23 Member
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    I do. Lately I experienced a plateau: controlled everything, even ate up to 250kcal less than needed, etc. and couldn't drop the weight. Looking at my diary I realized I didn't "cheat" for several weeks. Then I tried doing some cheat days -which I did every week/two weeks before this period of "no-cheat"- and ended up "upping" my calorie intake for a few days. After one week and some days of eating more I started losing again and went back to losing 2pound/week.

    Anyhow if you maintain your cheat below your manteinance there won't be any gain. It will, yes, make it maybe a bit slower - if your are eating to have a deficit of 3500/week, caused by eating just a deficit of 3000/week/min. Anyhow you'll be losing steadily, not gaining anything and, in my personal case, I'm giving my metabolism a "boost" that I've seen it needs time to time. Anyhow I don't think having a "religiously" habit of cheating once a week is convenient to readapting -changing habits. I'm pretty sure any of us between 1-3 weeks has a moment when you could easily eat a bit more, a party, going out or just because, w/e. I see planning them as doing little favor to yourself, cheating should be part of adapting your new diet and habits to your real lifestyle - in my life there are somedays when I just eat more or I crave something. That's it. Maybe there's people that won't need them, but hey, if you want to eat +300kcal a day, go at it. I'll take care, only, to not surpass maintenance. Also I won't have them more frequently that once a week, I try to make then every one-to-two weeks more or less, when I think I have the mood to do so. Also it doesn't mean eating some ****, you can have a caloric surpluss of lettuce if you want to - maybe that's a little difficult but hey, it's possible nonetheless :drinker:

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