Cheat days

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beccyclark
beccyclark Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
Would you recommend a cheat day once a week-with/without exercise on that day or would it just jeopardise weight loss?
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  • impojr
    impojr Posts: 52
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    Don't hold me on this, but I've read having a cheat meal once a week is what most consider completely fine. It's just not to use it on the same day as a rest day is all the warning I've ever garnered.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    Depends on the individual. I find that having one day to treat myself (but NOT to go overboard) helps me stay in line. Others find that they end up way overeating or even falling off the wagon entirely if they take a break. Some people also do a cheat meal instead of a cheat day in order to not go overboard.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    Would you recommend a cheat day once a week-with/without exercise on that day or would it just jeopardise weight loss?

    only if you are a cheater
  • keelz2010
    keelz2010 Posts: 182
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    I have a treat everyday so I don't feel like I'm on a diet. If I had a whole cheat day I think I would end up eating so much junk that I'd ruin all the work I'd put in on the other 6 days by eating back all the calories.
  • oggydude
    oggydude Posts: 8
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    I have a cheat meal and on a different day I only do light intensive workouts, this makes sure I don't get bored and I don't overwork my body.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    i HATE the phrase 'cheat day'. if its cheating then no, you shouldnt be doing it!

    however, when i was losing weight i stuck religiously to my 1200 cals each day but had one 'treat' meal per week where i ate what i wanted, and it didnt hinder my progress, i lost 12lb in 12 weeks.
  • Ritzzy28
    Ritzzy28 Posts: 7
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    Having a cheat day always helped me and ususally when i would go back and look at what I ate I ended up not really cheating to bad but just telling myself i had a cheat helped me.
  • trophywife24
    trophywife24 Posts: 1,472 Member
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    I don't do "cheat days", what I do is a meal once a week or so that I otherwise wouldn't eat - fast food or take out or whatever.
  • piggydog
    piggydog Posts: 322
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    To me there is no point of a 'cheat' day... I know some of the meals I used to eat would put me right back on the road I was on before. I started this to be healthy and change my lifestyle...not to cheat.

    I do still go to bars and drink... I do not do it every week or every other week... I might do it once a month...Everyone likes having a DD. Night before last we went to the bar, I had two shots and then we went to McDonalds afterwards...I had a single cheese burger and left it at that... I don't nessicarily cheat but I don't deprive myself. I still go to all the same places i went before, its just not at the frequency of before nor do I sit and eat the entire plate. I simply make healthier choices now so there is no need to cheat for me.
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
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    not once a week... i do a refeed day 2 times a month... i go 50% over what my maintenance calories would be... i started doing it when my weight loss slowed down... fixed the problem... i gain a few pounds for the first couple days after, but that is just water weight and is usually gone within 2-3 days, plus and extra pound or 2...

    plus, it gives me a sense of motivation, a very short term "reward" to look forward to, and stay on track...
  • RipperSB
    RipperSB Posts: 315 Member
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    I do not believe in the concept of "cheat days". If you bite it, you write it. If you want to eat something, eat it, log it and move on with no regrets! IMHO, it's only cheating if you do not log it.
  • NatzC123
    NatzC123 Posts: 150 Member
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    I give myself a day off once a week but i will still log what i eat and will do a small workout tat morning so i dont feel too guilty.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Would you recommend a cheat day once a week-with/without exercise on that day or would it just jeopardise weight loss?

    Generally it is recommended only a cheat meal; however, some do a day and some do nothing. If you do a day it is going to affect your loss long term and my feeling is that you are only cheating yourself. I generally reserve cheat meals only for special occasions, like birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Today is my birthday and I'm going to allow myself some cake or ice cream or whatever after dinner. This happens maybe once per month at most and I log everything.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    .
  • Yaya1976
    Yaya1976 Posts: 357 Member
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    Sunday's are my cheat days. I also take a break from the gym.
    You MUST have a cheat day. You'll go freaking nuts! :noway:

    23087067.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    Don't hold me on this, but I've read having a cheat meal once a week is what most consider completely fine. It's just not to use it on the same day as a rest day is all the warning I've ever garnered.

    This

    And,
    Only if you really need it mentally. Cheat days generally seem to work better for men than women, if you read around on the boards. Are you going to seriously binge on a cheat day? Realistically, if you look at the calorie deficit you've run for the week up until that point, how likely is it that you are going to completely undo it on your cheat day?

    This is why I can't do cheat days, because binging isn't emotionally healthy for me personally, and because I was too proud of my newly-improved eating habits to want to F it up on a regular schedule just so I could stuff my face with a whole box of pizza bagel bites without even removing them from the cardboard (extra 25 calories)
  • FitForLife81
    FitForLife81 Posts: 372 Member
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    I have cheat weekends. I mean I don't eat overly horrible but I eat way above maintenance it hasn't affected me in the least. So I train hard and eat clean all week then weekends I eat what I want =)
  • funforsports
    funforsports Posts: 2,656 Member
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    Cheat days are good but do not use it as an excuse to eat everything in site. Continue to be mindful of what you eat but it does not have to be strict as other days.
  • Cupcakesb8
    Cupcakesb8 Posts: 9
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    I have a cheat day and I would definitely recommend it. No one is an angel so there is no way you can be good all the time so if you allow yourself to be bad for one day then the other 6 you can be really good. It hasn't hindered my weight loss. I wish to lose weight slowly and my way. Yes its a lifestyle change not an overhaul. All major fitness people like olympians etc have cheat days as it can in fact help your metabolism and long term fitness. So go ahead have a cheat day just be good for the other 6 days
  • Natihilator
    Natihilator Posts: 1,778 Member
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    I can't do planned cheat meals because they happen spontaneously :frown:

    But there is this restaurant near me that has pecan pie stuffed egg nog french toast on their seasonal menu. That might warrant a planned cheat meal...

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