Do you have a cheat day?

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13

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  • Wwonderful
    Wwonderful Posts: 145
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    I do eat veggies. And I get my protein from tuna and oatmeal.
  • GCLyds
    GCLyds Posts: 206 Member
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    I dont cheat. I am going to have beer, pizza and wings tonight and its not cheating. I did an hour of plyo today, and I am walking to and from the pub. Not cheating. I plan to thoroughly enjoy every bite. I dont eat like this everyday so its not cheating, I dont have to feel guilty about it.
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
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    :huh: If you say so. To each his own. Corn is not a vegetable btw. Stay healthy.
  • cgfol1
    cgfol1 Posts: 179 Member
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    I use the eat this not that book on restaurants when I eat out. You have to keep from being the odd ball in a group. Plus its not fair for kids to never go to a McDonald's and get them a happy meal or kid food. So I still go out to eat with the family I just know what Im gonna order before I get there.

    Sorry but I have a problem with the 'its not fair for kids never to go to a McDonalds' part. What are they missing out on? Nothing. An unhealthy meal is all. They need never experience a McDonalds meal and still have a happy and fulfilling life
  • bjmcq
    bjmcq Posts: 304 Member
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    Hi,
    perhaps this info will help:
    body builders "cut" fat and build muscle...and they recommend having one day where you eat more carbs than is usual to help prevent your body from getting accustomed to the lower calories.. the trick is to cut back on fat and proteins a bit.. the body goes into homeostatis....I call it a reset meal, and I usually
    plan some sort of social event with friends. This is not to say I go out to trigger all kind of food cravings that will take me days to getting back to my regular total....(and that has happened when I had too much at once)...just enough to give you an extra boost of energy.

    Here is something I copied for you:

    "As you continue the low calorie diet, you may realize your body craves certain foods and the constant low-energy feeling becomes wearing. For these reasons, you should perform a "re-feed" once per week. On this day, increase your carbohydrate intake to maintenance levels (40% of your maintenance calories). Reduce your fat intake (less than 15 grams for the day) and reduce your protein intake (but never below 1 g / lb bodyweight). Your total calories should go up, but the re-feed mainly focuses on carbohydrates.

    This will allow your body to reset metabolically and give you a lot of mental satisfaction and energy. In addition, if you are training for a bodybuilding competition, you can read into how your body responds to increased calories. Understanding this response is crucial during the final week of contest preparation. Keep in mind that this is not an excuse to cheat. The best re-feeds will contain a variety of the best carbohydrate sources (as listed above)." Hope this helps...with some of the ideas of a reset.
  • 2youngatheart
    2youngatheart Posts: 338 Member
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    No cheat days....eat what I want ...just a lot less of it....sometimes I eat like I would if I were at my goal...but that isn't cheating...it is called maintaining/
  • slobkitten
    slobkitten Posts: 22
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    I used to but it never worked out for me because it made me crave more of the same the next day and then I just fell back into the same pattern that made me gain weight in the first place! I find it easier now to just add little low calorie treats into my diet so I'm still getting the same kind of foods but healthier and in moderartion and not to take me over my daily goal. So far it's working fantastic and I don't feel like I'm missing out or craving junk food at all!
  • ElizaRoche
    ElizaRoche Posts: 2,005 Member
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    I HATE the phrase cheat meal...

    I have treats, but for me this is a healthy lifestyle so there is no such thing as cheating!

    same here
  • Ghkffb56
    Ghkffb56 Posts: 263 Member
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    I only have them on leg days, and like 1 a month now maybe 2.. w/e i feel like i want pizza lol... its home made tho soo its not really cheating.. yea going to have to agree.. i dont like the that phrase..
  • charelg
    charelg Posts: 599 Member
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    I usually have one day I go over my calories, usually not planned unless I know I have a party or a dinner out. My favourite cheat meal is tacos, rice and chips and salsa.
  • chelovik
    chelovik Posts: 200 Member
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    I don't have a whole cheat day. I give myself a 90 min window every few weeks when I go out with a buddy and I eat out in a restaurant where there is no healthy choices. That Place is called Meltz which has 50 different grilled cheese variations. I eat half a sandwich the saw and fries and I usually am happy esp if I have a hard cider with it.
  • ClureMcFly
    ClureMcFly Posts: 2
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    My mum has a cheat day which is a Saturday. She has been dieting for 3 years and has lost 6 stone while having this cheat day. I think it really does help you to stop cravings and binge eating. It also gives you something to look forward to in the week (:
  • leejayem
    leejayem Posts: 120 Member
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    Yesterday I ran for 40 minutes, had a protein shake for breakfast & again for lunch & a bit of smoked salmon as an afternoon snack (to placate the rumbly tum!!) - this was because I was taking my older kids to a play that night & the plan was to stop at Macca's for dinner. I decided I would save my calories earlier in the day & enjoy my cheeseburger & fries!!!! Then I enjoyed my Reeses Peanut Butter cup for dessert!!! It felt like cheating to me (not helped by the fact that I am pre-diabetic) but I was still under my 1200 calories for the day so I'm telling myself it's okay!!!:drinker:
  • mjrkearney
    mjrkearney Posts: 408 Member
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    My cheat days tend to be more sporadic than planned. Lately they have been the days where I'm out volunteering for 6-8 hours, I can't get to the gym, and I pretty much have the option of eating the catered food or pass out from exhaustion after a few hours. Packing a lunch was a fast way to never see it again, but I did bring fiber bars to boost my energy later on. I've had some pretty non-new-lifestyle foods in there but I never overate and I never broke the rules I set out for myself when I started this journey.
  • glitterjam
    glitterjam Posts: 145 Member
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    It seems like a "cheat day" would imply you are on a diet? No cheat days, just maybe not "perfect" days. I feel like this is my eating lifestyle now.
  • angellakh
    angellakh Posts: 21
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    I am so amazed at all the different responses, You all have helped me out so much and I want you to know that I read each and every response. Thank you so much for taking the time to share with me what works for you or what doesn't. I know what I need to do now and it's not going to be a cheat day.

    Thanks you so much for all your words and encouragement!
  • _Tuyana_
    _Tuyana_ Posts: 83 Member
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    Hi,
    perhaps this info will help:
    body builders "cut" fat and build muscle...and they recommend having one day where you eat more carbs than is usual to help prevent your body from getting accustomed to the lower calories.. the trick is to cut back on fat and proteins a bit.. the body goes into homeostatis....I call it a reset meal, and I usually
    plan some sort of social event with friends. This is not to say I go out to trigger all kind of food cravings that will take me days to getting back to my regular total....(and that has happened when I had too much at once)...just enough to give you an extra boost of energy.

    Here is something I copied for you:

    "As you continue the low calorie diet, you may realize your body craves certain foods and the constant low-energy feeling becomes wearing. For these reasons, you should perform a "re-feed" once per week. On this day, increase your carbohydrate intake to maintenance levels (40% of your maintenance calories). Reduce your fat intake (less than 15 grams for the day) and reduce your protein intake (but never below 1 g / lb bodyweight). Your total calories should go up, but the re-feed mainly focuses on carbohydrates.

    This will allow your body to reset metabolically and give you a lot of mental satisfaction and energy. In addition, if you are training for a bodybuilding competition, you can read into how your body responds to increased calories. Understanding this response is crucial during the final week of contest preparation. Keep in mind that this is not an excuse to cheat. The best re-feeds will contain a variety of the best carbohydrate sources (as listed above)." Hope this helps...with some of the ideas of a reset.

    so, this is what's happening to me.. Who woulda thunk it! :laugh: I had a couple of "bad" days calorie wise as well as going overboard on my fat (normally I struggle to get my required daily amount) one day and having more than 50% of carbs on another day. Amazingly enough that was followed by 2 great workout sessions where I had more energy and could lift more. Thanks!
  • bandedsandi
    bandedsandi Posts: 122 Member
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    My 'cheat' day is on Sundays. I still eat all the right foods and in the right quantities, but I don't do any exercise. I just rest! Does that still count as 'cheating'?
  • PunkyRachel
    PunkyRachel Posts: 1,959 Member
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    I don't usually have a set date for my cheat days. I plan around activities, such as a friends birthday, or a family gathering. My most recent cheat day was in honor of Twilight saga coming to an end. I went to an all day marathon and pigged out with a couple close friends consuming over 4000 calories! Yikes, but totally worth it and I don't plan on doing than again for a long while. I ended up sick from my binge and I literally felt hung over. So yea...just go off your own judgement and get right back on track afterwards.
  • RunIntheMud
    RunIntheMud Posts: 2,645 Member
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    I don't have cheat days. I generally eat healthy, but if I'm craving something, I eat it. Better to eat a small amount than to binge on it later. Yes, I do have off days, but I try to limit them.

    About the Pepsi...yes, I still work an occasional Pepsi into my daily calories. Sometimes you just want what you want.

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