weekly cheat?

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dmags
dmags Posts: 303
in Food and Nutrition
I keep seeing people on here that allow themselves one day week to cheat. I have also heard that sometimes this actually helps your body not get too used to your daily menu. What do you think?

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  • silentsiren
    silentsiren Posts: 100
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    I have always been told when it comes to "dieting" in general, you have to cheat every now and then to keep yourself going (or at least, feel human). I have Friday as a regular cheat day after I weigh in that morning.
  • drvvork
    drvvork Posts: 1,162
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    It is what works for you. That method doesn't work for everyone. I wouldn't have the will power to go back the next day... so I believe it is as individual as the menu plans people have. So, if it works for you then I'm sure there wouldn't be anything wrong with it. :flowerforyou:
  • SoldierDad
    SoldierDad Posts: 1,602
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    I think a decent cheat MEAL (not whole day) a week. But thats just what I need to stay on track.
  • IrishKeLL
    IrishKeLL Posts: 24
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    i eat hershey kisses..as my cheat when im craving it. And i usually have a bagel on sundays..its hard to live in NY and not want to eat a bagel everday !! So sunday is the day !!!:flowerforyou:
  • mjhartsel
    mjhartsel Posts: 5
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    I use to do a cheat day, but I went overboard...I now just alow myself a cheat meal. Something I want and then I refuse to feel bad for it. I try to cut out things like french fries, and soda. If I go to a sit down place I drink water, and order veggies as a side...and cut the apps out. It's a pretty good system for me.
  • Crunchytxmama
    Crunchytxmama Posts: 169 Member
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    I used to be able to do a weekly cheat day. Usually Sunday, I would eat whatever I wanted and jump right back on the wagon on Monday morning. At my current weight, if I want to lose, I can't do it any more. I can get away with maybe one cheat meal, but not a whole day. I did a cheat day last Saturday and my weight has been up significantly all week.
  • mattysmom
    mattysmom Posts: 82 Member
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    I do a weekly cheat, but mine is a evening with alcohol as my extra calories. As much beer as I want!
  • msarro
    msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
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    I don't really do a weekly cheat day, tbh. I basically just eat healthy and then when I see something I really want, I have it (in a sensible amount). I suppose the closest I come to a weekly cheat day is going to the bar once a week for trivia?
  • luciebelle
    luciebelle Posts: 11 Member
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    i also need to cheat sometimes with the alcohol. in fact, i'm cheating right now. enjoying my favorite libation, a kir royale, while watching the olympics.

    but it's a very individual thing. my mom was very successful losing a ton of weight a couple of years ago, and she has to stay strong and not cheat because it makes her lose her focus for too long.

    good luck!
  • sportsqueen32
    sportsqueen32 Posts: 115
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    Well me and my fiance have been on MFP since 1/10 and I told him from the beginning that we could have 2 cheat meals a month. Last month we used one at Cold Stone Creamery (cheat snack or lunch as it turned out).We have yet to have another. He went out to eat with friends from work and ordered something not so healthy last week and last night I caved and ate some hostess snowballs. I only eat them once a yr when the green ones come out. I actually bought them a cpl days ago and let them torture me for 2 days. I was amazed when I got on the scale this morning and had dropped another 1 1/2. Everyone is different, his weight loss has been at a standstill for 10 days now while I keep continuously losing. The only time I was stagnant was during my TOM.
  • Questfor250
    Questfor250 Posts: 155
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    For me it generally is my body that tells me when to cheat. Some days generally about every 10 days or so, my body says "I want pizza". And for what its worth, it hasn't done squat for me. I have been at 300 plus or minus 2 pounds for over 4 weeks with no movement.

    I should clarify my cheat days also mean no exercise that day but I will try and still eat a breakfast or a decent meal in addition to the cheat meal.
  • 1300venture
    1300venture Posts: 4
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    I allow myself one day a week, but I do not classify it as cheating, but a reward for sticking to it for the week. I may go out for a meal or just have something at home. It's on one meal and I save mine for dinner. I don't count anything. I don't go overboard and I get right back at it the next day and I have lost something each week since Jan. 2010. Looking forward to hitting my halfway point at this Saturday's weigh in.
  • gailwyn
    gailwyn Posts: 15
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    As others have said, I think it really just depends on you. I allow myself a cheat day every week, and I keep it flexible so that I can have it on days when I'm going out for someone's birthday or something like that. One week my cheat day might be Saturday, the next it might be Tuesday. It really helps me during the week, when I am craving something I love, to say to myself "no, you can have that on your cheat day", instead of "no, you must never have that again...." The first couple cheat days I had, I went completely overboard. I ate everything that didn't eat me first and felt like crap the next day. Not in a guilty sort of way. In a physical, bloated, yucky feeling sort of way. Since then, I have gradually cut back a little bit, doing my cheat days a bit more moderate but still getting to say yes to things like cream cheese cupcakes. I understand how for some people it has to be all or nothing and they couldn't go back to their healthy ways if they had a cheat day, but for me its just the opposite. Having my cheat days helps me stay more on-track, more focused on my healthy goals.
  • dmags
    dmags Posts: 303
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    Thank you! This helps a lot!
  • sandmart2009
    sandmart2009 Posts: 153 Member
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    I didn't have my weekly cheat until I got to a point where I could control my cravings and it took me 4 weeks to get there.

    The principle behind cheat meals is to give your body a "shock". After a while of controlling cravings and staying within your BMR, your body gradually slows down in losing weight as it adjusts to your daily intake. Thus, cheats are needed to give it a shock and perk up the metabolism and keep losing. :)

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