I've heard some people have "cheat days"...

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  • porkhunt
    porkhunt Posts: 5
    I have 2 cheat days every weekend!! I'm super strict during the week and then go let loose going 5-600 cals over maintenance BMR for my weekends. That's around 2800 cals each day. I still average around 5500-6000 cals deficit a week. I've read it's good to keep your body guessing constantly, your metabolism is less likely to slow over time. If you can manage your cheat days within sensible boundaries, I still reach all the targets I set for myself..
  • ohmyshysamantha
    ohmyshysamantha Posts: 138 Member
    "cheat" days are fine I prefer the term "off" days because it makes me feel less guilty to say "oh I had an off day" vs "oh today I had a cheat day" I dont recommend planning an "off" day because then you may over do it because you can not because you want to. I save my off days for "oh crap I drove to school this morning and left my lunch on the roof of my car, I'm on my way to work and I'm already on the high way so I cant stop at jimmy johns." or "My boyfriend is taking me out to dinner at my favorite resturant tonight if he sees me start logging my calories he's going to get annoyed" or "my boyfriends mom made dinner, one scoop of her broccoli is probably 800 calories but if I refuse her cooking she is going to start hating me" So an off day is perfectly okay just try to save them for when you need them instead of planning. And dont let it derail you. if you have an off day the next day turn around and stick with your calories.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
    I think you'll be o.k.

    I can't have cheat days because cheats happen spontaneously. I come home to discover my son made dinner, for example, and I can only guess about the calories in it. I plan to stick to my routine every day, but if my plan gets side-tracked, I have to remember not to let it take me completely off course (which it did a week or so ago) but get right back to the plan.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    A cheat day CAN be beneficial.

    Basically, a prolonged calorie deficit will result in slowly increased stress and the hormones related to it. In time, this slows down and can stop weight loss.

    A cheat day is where calories are slightly above maintenance but not ridiculously so (5000 cal day is NOT a cheat day, that is ABANDON SHIP day). What this does is lowers the stress on the body enough to ensure that the stress levels never get too high.

    However, it is RARELY seen that way. Most that do so use it as a psychological tool to avoid going insane from always eating less.

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