cheat days

I don´t have cheat days. But sometimes I eat ice cream or several bites of chocolate. Of course I do...

Look at it as a lifestyle change, not a diet. Hopefully by now you have developed a taste for new and heathly foods. Treat yoursellf to foods you enjoy on occasion, just use moderation.

My plan is not to have a cheat day but be prepared for cravings since I know I'll have them.

My plan is to not go too much over my limit of 1200 cal, even if I have a snickers bar (or all the candy I had today). I just have to move other calories around.

I will try to focus on adverting the cravings with other things such as fruits, vegetables and tea

Tea helps me so much with cravings!

Saturday I eat anything I want, up to my TDEE maintenance. If I go over that, I don't worry because I don't eat my exercise calories back either. I firmly believe it's good for my metabolism and gives it a boost. Plus it makes it easier to eat better during the week.

Just be prepared for the water weight gain that will come with it. I usually retain about 6 more pounds of water, but it is always gone and then some by the next weekend. Also remember that you're not going to gain a ton of permanent weight. It takes 3500 calories to gain a pound of fat, so you would have to eat back all the calories you were under maintenance for the week pus another 3500 over for the day to gain a pound. Damned near impossible for most people.

So, your weight will probably go up due to increased sodium and stuff, but it will drop back off.

*EDIT* I still make smart choices. For example I was going to grab a King Size Kit Kat at Walmart last night since it was my cheat day. But since I knew I was pretty close to maintenance and that damned candybar was 400 calories, I put it back. Wiouldn't have killed me in the long run, but I had already had doughnuts and soda, etc. lol so I do try to have some restraint.

My last major cheat day was when my boyfriend was out of town (September 22). I had a Girl's Night In... We ordered pizza, and played The Big Bang Theory drinking game. Half a pizza later and about a dozen shots... Boy, was I WAY over my calorie intake! But it had literally been months since I'd done anything like that, and I only do it once in a blue moon. And I went right back to my normal everyday diet and exercise the very next day.

I think that a cheat day is needed every now and again, but it shouldn't become a common occurance. The major one I had, maybe every few (4-5) months, but even that is a little much... Like I said, I hadn't done anything like that in a while, and now that I think about it, I think that was the first time all year. But it also depends on how much you splurge, and what you splurge on. If you're going to consider one drink, or a slice of cake a splurge, then certainly more often! I do that maybe once a month.

Once a month I go out with friends and have lunch. I eat whatever I want, even bread! Then I go home and get back with plan. Works for me.

Look at it as a lifestyle change, not a diet. Hopefully by now you have developed a taste for new and heathly foods. Treat yoursellf to foods you enjoy on occasion, just use moderation.

I agree with this.

I have a cheat day once a week. It has not been a good idea though. I did regain weight so now I am back to no cheat days.

My friends do them all the time and seem to be fine. I seem to go off the wagon when I have a cheat day though and find it really hard to get back on, so I try not to have them. I give myself little treats now and then but I won't give myself a whole day of treats.

i was just thinking about this topic to myself and was going to post a topic but since you beat me to it. I cheat usually once a week but its not really cheating, I eat something for 1 meal i REALLY want and suppliment my other meals with less food intake but enough to get me by. Like i have been eating this week nothing but my normal diet foods and this coming tuesday I am going to get bbq I have been craving this local bbq joint in my town for a couple weeks now its getting bad. I figure do it now so i don't over indulge myself. but usually once a week i will get REALLY close to my calorie goal(btw i do not eat what i workout) i usually consume way less.

so what constitutes a cheat meal? a certain calorie amount? if so, how many calories?/

or is it certain types of food?

I have lost 75 pounds (from 213 pounds to 138 - size 16 to size 4!) and the whole time I haven't counted calories on Saturdays. I drink alcohol and eat what I want on those days. Every other day I count calories and exercise and stay within my calorie allowance. I guess it's a personal decision but it has worked well for me.

If you are consistent with your diet every week, it is good for you to have a "cheat meal". Now, it cannot be for the whole day, but for rather one of your main meals. The reason for this is because once your body is in the mode for dieting, it can develop what is known as a weight loss plateau. When the same thing goes through the body for 14 days, the body will adjust and it can be harder to lose the weight.

What happens when you have this meal is that your body basically gets confused and immediately starts to burn the calories/fat/carbs it just had. And when this happens, your body will never develop the same habits; therefore, you continually lose the weight and prevent the plateau.

Hope this helps!

Source: I have researched weight loss for over 3 years.

I have a cheat meal, i watch my calories at my two meals then i enjoy dinner and dessert, i try not to go to overboar. But i need to enjoy a little, because if i don't then i really blow it.