Cheat days

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tanyakay87
tanyakay87 Posts: 223 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi lovely MFP'ers

Do any of you have Cheat Days during the week?

And if so, do you still lose weight? And how many calories do you usually consume on your Cheat Days?

Thanks xx
«13

Replies

  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    There's a difference between a cheat, and a planned overfeed. Cheat generally implies ****ty food, and that's never a good idea. The crap isn't good for anyone, let alone someone trying to better their body.

    Planned overfeeds however, are generally just a day where you intentionally consume more than you normally would, and these can be very beneficial to those in weight training. There is a caveat however: in my opinion, people over 15% BF should not bother with them anyway. They don't gain much physical benefit from them, as they have plenty of fat and glycogen stores to go around. From a psychological perspective, they haven't earned them.
  • stephdeeable
    stephdeeable Posts: 1,407 Member
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    I don't have full on cheat days because I am just starting out and have never had self control when it came to food. I'm afraid if I gave myself a free pass for the day I would just go nuts and eat an entire bucket of chicken. Haha.

    But I do give myself treats. I just use moderation and try to still make good choices. For example, tomorrow I plan to walk to Wendys(45 minutes there, and 45 minutes back) and have a baked potato and a chili. I've been craving Wendys, so I'm making sure to get extra exercise and make a healthy-ish choice.

    Some people do have full on cheat days, and some people don't want anything to do with "junk food" anymore at all. It's different for everyone.
  • UpBeatMaria
    UpBeatMaria Posts: 49 Member
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    In my experience with fitness and nutrition clients, cheat days do not work well. If you are trying to improve your health and lose weight through diet and exercise there is really no need for a cheat day. Everyday should be a balance of healthy food and exercise. It is also perfectly fine to splurge once in a while! It is always important to splurge wisely and really enjoy your "treat food." For example, there is no reason to sit down and eat a burger, fries and a milkshake on your cheat day. This goes against everything you have been working toward and may lead to feelings of guilt. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with going out and enjoying a grilled chicken sandwich with a side salad and splitting a milkshake between friends. The key to a healthy lifestyle is moderation :)
  • RedBullLiz
    RedBullLiz Posts: 469 Member
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    Oh god. Horrible. I think I have cheat days when I am way under cals on some days. I make up for them and then some. Well, more than some. HAHAA!! I don't like it because I tend to have good cheat days AND bad cheat days. Good meaning: lots of healthy foods. Like; fruit, salads, ya know. Bad cheat days; chips, cookies, high fat foods, etc.

    But as I said before, there should be good cheat days.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    In my experience with fitness and nutrition clients, cheat days do not work well. If you are trying to improve your health and lose weight through diet and exercise there is really no need for a cheat day. Everyday should be a balance of healthy food and exercise. It is also perfectly fine to splurge once in a while! It is always important to splurge wisely and really enjoy your "treat food." For example, there is no reason to sit down and eat a burger, fries and a milkshake on your cheat day. This goes against everything you have been working toward and may lead to feelings of guilt. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with going out and enjoying a grilled chicken sandwich with a side salad and splitting a milkshake between friends. The key to a healthy lifestyle is moderation :)
    Wat?

    I suggest you read this.

    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/

    If you don't want to read it, I will break it down for you. For the most part the notion of clean eating is absurd. Food is neither clean nor dirty. The definition of "clean" eating has changed over the decades.

    Eat whatever you want in moderation. Restricting certain foods is absurd for overall diet adherence and lifestyle change.
  • stewarm01
    stewarm01 Posts: 331 Member
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    Today is starting my 5th week on thie journey, since I began I've had cheat days every Saturday. I started out probably eating 8 thousand calories on those days, now I eat closer to 3 thousand calaories. I didn't measure those days at first, but now I try to. I needed an "out" day to treat myself. I have still lost weight since I've started. I hope I continue to lose, although my cheat days are getting smaller and I can't eat as much, Beside some of the foods I am eating on those days are no longer agreeing with my stomach. I have no plans of totally stopping taking my day off, unless I stop losing.

    Good Luck to you.
  • CassieReannan
    CassieReannan Posts: 1,479 Member
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    I have "cheat days" or meals once a month. I usually go over my daily goal by 1000 or so, kicks my metabolism and also keeps my weekly goal in check.
  • CassieReannan
    CassieReannan Posts: 1,479 Member
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    In my experience with fitness and nutrition clients, cheat days do not work well. If you are trying to improve your health and lose weight through diet and exercise there is really no need for a cheat day. Everyday should be a balance of healthy food and exercise. It is also perfectly fine to splurge once in a while! It is always important to splurge wisely and really enjoy your "treat food." For example, there is no reason to sit down and eat a burger, fries and a milkshake on your cheat day. This goes against everything you have been working toward and may lead to feelings of guilt. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with going out and enjoying a grilled chicken sandwich with a side salad and splitting a milkshake between friends. The key to a healthy lifestyle is moderation :)

    This is true, but you cant eat "clean" all the time. Its just not possible in this day and age, nor is it good for your cravings. Its better to get it all out of your system (if it be once a week, month, day).. Than to binge for weeks on end and deprive yourself. Moderation is key!!!!
  • UpBeatMaria
    UpBeatMaria Posts: 49 Member
    Options
    In my experience with fitness and nutrition clients, cheat days do not work well. If you are trying to improve your health and lose weight through diet and exercise there is really no need for a cheat day. Everyday should be a balance of healthy food and exercise. It is also perfectly fine to splurge once in a while! It is always important to splurge wisely and really enjoy your "treat food." For example, there is no reason to sit down and eat a burger, fries and a milkshake on your cheat day. This goes against everything you have been working toward and may lead to feelings of guilt. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with going out and enjoying a grilled chicken sandwich with a side salad and splitting a milkshake between friends. The key to a healthy lifestyle is moderation :)
    Wat?

    I suggest you read this.

    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/

    If you don't want to read it, I will break it down for you. For the most part the notion of clean eating is absurd. Food is neither clean nor dirty. The definition of "clean" eating has changed over the decades.

    Eat whatever you want in moderation. Restricting certain foods is absurd for overall diet adherence and lifestyle change.

    It may be a restriction in the beginning, but once a person adapts to a new way of eating, a person will no longer want to eat certain foods :)
  • T34418l3angel
    T34418l3angel Posts: 474 Member
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    I have a cheat day once a week. My calories are usually between 2500-3500 on cheat day. My cheat day falls on my back and bicep day so I don't stress about over eating and I've continuously have been losing weight. I deserve to still have the foods I love and this is a way that works for me. It's a life style change and honestly I can't see me having a life with no pizza, no taco bell, no b dubs, never again. That's why people fall off their "diet", because its unrealistic and doesn't work with their life style.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    I have a cheat day once a week. My calories are usually between 2500-3500 on cheat day. My cheat day falls on my back and bicep day so I don't stress about over eating and I've continuously have been losing weight. I deserve to still have the foods I love and this is a way that works for me. It's a life style change and honestly I can't see me having a life with no pizza, no taco bell, no b dubs, never again. That's why people fall off their "diet", because its unrealistic and doesn't work with their life style.
    2500-3500 calories? Really? How many calories during the week are you consuming?
  • Bassgirl51
    Bassgirl51 Posts: 117
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    I have a cheat day once a week also. Beware it does cause a slight water weight gain and bloating. I try to keep it to just a cheat meal now and not a whole day. I was kind of undoing my gains during the week at first. I just eat to TDEE that day.
    I try to plan it ahead of time. It is more like a treat day. I decided what I want that week, Chinese, pizza, Mexican, deli etc. then I try to pick somewhat of the healthiest choices of those type meals. For example, Chinese I used to eat three! Buffet plates. I have cut back to 1.5 plates. Ad I mostly stay away from the high carb stuff like rice. Well I don't stay away I just eat a smaller portion and eat a little more beef and broccoli. Etc. but I eat at least a little bit of the things I really like. I have lost 6-8 pounds in a little over 9 weeks. I am set at losing a half pound a week. So it's working for me.
    Also to be fair, I had lost a lot of weight before I started here, this is to get the last 10 pounds off and my body fat to 22-23% I started at 158 last year and I am down to 135-137. It has come off the quickest after joining MFP. And that is when I started the cheat meals too. I do eat really clean 80% of the time. I am trying not to eat anything processed. Whole foods mostly.
    YMMV
  • Spiritwarrior3000
    Spiritwarrior3000 Posts: 322 Member
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    Cheat days should be avoided really, when your dieting you need to learn self-control and junk days just make you wanna go back to your old eating habit. Really try to aim for healthy weeks, which means eat healthy for a week then if your desperate eat a junk food snack so it wont really effect your results. if you eat junk for a whole day your body has alot of food to break down and the lack of nutrients means your body will have no choice to store fat.
  • nikteazer2
    nikteazer2 Posts: 42 Member
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    As far as I understand it, cheat days are good for you psychologically and chemically as it promotes release of leptin.

    When you excessively limit calories your body responds by lowering the hormone leptin, which slows metabolism, energy production, thyroid hormone dips amongst a number if other things.

    Leptin is also lowered through high amounts of exercise, a meal high in calories will raise leptin levels and boost your body's metabolism, energy levels and even sex drive!!

    That's my take on it, so yes...I enjoy a cheat meal (not day) once a week! As said, also boosts you psychologically and gives you something to look forward to...enjoy life!! :happy:
  • hellfleet
    hellfleet Posts: 2 Member
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    I can't disagree more. Cheat days can be part of self control. I wouldn't do it on a whim and I make sure that I log even when I cheat. I don't mean go and eat absolutely everything but plan to go a couple of thousand calories over. I'll have one every few weeks and I know when it is going to be, I try to eat under my quota of calories for a few days before and after and have a big additional chunk of exercise too when I know it is coming.

    It means I can go out with my mates from time to time and eat what they eat and if the mood takes me get really nice and drunk.

    If I told myself I couldn't ever do these things then I wouldn't last forever and I'd fall off the diet wagon. Recently for example I knew there was a beer festival coming up, I wanted to go, I wanted to drink lots of beer and eat pies and chips, I did. I still lost a kilo that week.

    Cheat days should be avoided really, when your dieting you need to learn self-control and junk days just make you wanna go back to your old eating habit. Really try to aim for healthy weeks, which means eat healthy for a week then if your desperate eat a junk food snack so it wont really effect your results. if you eat junk for a whole day your body has alot of food to break down and the lack of nutrients means your body will have no choice to store fat.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    Options
    As far as I understand it, cheat days are good for you psychologically and chemically as it promotes release of leptin.

    When you excessively limit calories your body responds by lowering the hormone leptin, which slows metabolism, energy production, thyroid hormone dips amongst a number if other things.

    Leptin is also lowered through high amounts of exercise, a meal high in calories will raise leptin levels and boost your body's metabolism, energy levels and even sex drive!!

    That's my take on it, so yes...I enjoy a cheat meal (not day) once a week! As said, also boosts you psychologically and gives you something to look forward to...enjoy life!! :happy:
    The Leptin benefit is not all that great. The cheat meal is more of a mental thing than physical.
  • nikteazer2
    nikteazer2 Posts: 42 Member
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    :frown:
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
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    What day? Sorry? Did you say cheat day?


    The only one you are cheating is yourself.

    Never had one in 8 months.... since I started. My results speak for themselves. Even while injured I still kept going.


    What day was that again?
  • marinebiologist_girl
    marinebiologist_girl Posts: 300
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    I don't have cheat days because I have treats in moderation whenever I feel like them. I just tell myself 'have half the chocolate bar' or 'have the graze box' for example. Though on Thursdays and Sundays I don't do any major exercise (recovering from the training on the days before) so I eat a little more on those days and that could be taken as a cheat day.
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    I am still human and like to eat, drink, and be merry on occasion. I'm definitely not a perfect eater, but I try to eat healthy home cooked meals that include a wide variety of vegetables on a regular basis. I also eat pizza, cheeseburgers, french fries and this weekend I even had an Italian Beef sandwich. I am sure I would lose weight faster if I didn't eat these things, but I enjoy eating them once in a while and have still been successful in losing weight. I have a lot of weight to lose, so whatever I do has to be sustainable for a very long time.

    I don't know if I would call these "cheat days" or not. I know that I feel like I have indulged a lot this weekend, but looking at my reports, I've only gone above maintenance calories once in the last 30 days and my average net calories is a significant caloric deficit.

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