Cheat Day?

DiannaDC
DiannaDC Posts: 48 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone have a cheat day? If so, what day and what do you guys eat? I ended up having one on Sunday because I took my son to a birthday party and wanted to taste the food. Do you guys stick to a minimum amount or is it a free for all? I'm wondering if I just make sure that on my cheat day I don't OVER-EAT that I can still lose weight and pick it back up the next day. I did drink the tea Smooth Move last night after all of my goodies because I felt guilty and wanted to cleanse my body a little.

Replies

  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    You're going to get differing opinions on this one.

    What do you mean when you say cheat day? Do you mean eating over maintenance or at maintenance for the day?
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    It's a valid approach. If you have a deficit 6 days a week, you can afford a modest surplus 1 day a week and it won't cut too deeply into your overall deficit.
  • DiannaDC
    DiannaDC Posts: 48 Member
    I guess eating over maintenance but taso42's advice sounds good. i have been eating under my calorie allotment so I guess as long as I don't go crazy I should be allowed a bit of a cheat day right?
  • DiannaDC
    DiannaDC Posts: 48 Member
    I just would one day like to have a candy bar or piece of cake one day without feeling guilty.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    I just would one day like to have a candy bar or piece of cake one day without feeling guilty.

    You shouldn't feel guilty about food. You absolutely can treat yourself occasionally. It's knowing when to stop that is going to be the learning point. Having a candy bar or piece of cake occasionally while maintaining a calorie deficit the majority of the time shouldn't hinder your weight loss. :)
  • StrongAndHealthyMommy
    StrongAndHealthyMommy Posts: 1,255 Member
    did it once (few days ago after 2 perfect weeks) and now I cant go back to my new routine
  • ktdiddy
    ktdiddy Posts: 43 Member
    I just ate five Hershey's kisses and don't feel guilty! I have a treat everyday, I just work it into my 1200 calories. Keeps me sane!
  • suz2411
    suz2411 Posts: 33
    I have a cheat night every saturday night...a scrummy dinner and a few wines! It keeps me sane and gives me something to look forward too.....but I usually have a deficit of up to 400 cals each day so it never affects me on the scale (So far)
  • viciouscakes
    viciouscakes Posts: 11 Member
    im scared to have a cheat day until i actually start losing the weight i just really started, but i would most definitely love a day where i wasnt pulling out my phone couting the calories......
  • CristyMusicLovr
    CristyMusicLovr Posts: 179 Member
    I have a cheat day once a week I eat what my family eats for the day and I just chillax and no worry about it cause I wanna mingle with my family and being Mexican everything is fried or just not that healthy ...I try not to go over by more than 400 but it has happened (hehe) But I make sure that I work out very hard the next day and keep it under my calorie goal. It has worked for me!
  • Molly_Maguire
    Molly_Maguire Posts: 1,103 Member
    I only cheat once every other week or so. When I do cheat I always try to stay at maintenance, at least.
  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
    A cheat day to me is when I dont hit my protein goal & go over my sodium & carbs. I feel like I'm cheating when my macros are all messed up, even when I'm under cals.
  • mrsnecincy
    mrsnecincy Posts: 115 Member
    I don't have a specific treat day. But I wouldn't deprive myself if it was a special occassion and I would log it. Although I do have a little holiday next month and that will be an MFP holiday too but I'll make sensible choices while I'm away with the odd treat. And start again when I come back.
  • AthenaRox
    AthenaRox Posts: 8 Member
    I have had success with a cheat day in the past. The key is, you I plan it. I personally don't do well if I think I will never have a sweet again, and it's not realistic. I have found that looking forward to a planned 'cheat' keeps me on track during the week because I don't feel so deprived because I know I will have a treat (if I am good and earn it). I don't overdo, I still stay within my intake for the day. It is planned and it is wonderful because I don't have to feel guilty about it because it is within my plan. We still have to live in the real world after all. In the end, it is about what will work for you.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    I don't see the point in cheat days...

    Because you can easily fit anything you want in your diary if you try hard enough.

    I consistently lose body fat and have been doing a body recomp. for over a year now...and I eat pizza, cheesecake, spagetti, etc. all the freakin' time.

    If a candy bar or piece of cake fits into your calorie goal, go for it. Cake will NEVER make you fat unless you go over on calories. Why deprive yourself?
  • kevinrbarger
    kevinrbarger Posts: 87 Member
    I'm honestly trying not to have a cheat day, but I did so last week. I didn't really log that day, either (only at first before I said screw it and put the phone away), and I pigged out. The week before last, I had lost 1.8 lbs. Last week I still lost 1.2 lbs. I'm blaming the cheat day for the .6 lbs that I didn't lose.

    The scale is still moving in the right direction, though, so I don't feel bad about it. As long as it's the exception rather than the norm, I don't see a problem with them.
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    I sometimes have a cheat day, but it is rarely scheduled in advance (unless it is a special social occasion, etc). For me I find that cheat days can be easily dealt with by tracking my calorie target for the week. I honestly don't care much about my intake from day to day as long as it remains near my weekly target.

    Don't feel bad about an occasional cheat day. It will not do much harm in the long run. If however you start to have cheat days 5 times a week then we have a different situation.
  • MaxlacusNight
    MaxlacusNight Posts: 44 Member
    My cheat day involves eating something that I wouldn't consider healthy. Generally it is the indulgence of carbs, which I should not have for my PCOS induced insulin resistance. I still loose weight and inches and I keep all the calories under the max. Last week I had pancakes one day. This week I had pizza at one of my meals. Have a cheat day, but have a sensible one :)
  • beckimj
    beckimj Posts: 186 Member
    Personally, I don't like to take a "cheat" day because, to me, calling it "cheat" sets me up for failure. There are days when I have treats, but I work them into my calorie goal for the day, or I kick up my exercise to compensate for it. Realistically speaking, those will be a part of the rest of my life and I feel like I need to learn how to work them in to my food plan in such a way I can continue that as a lifestyle rather than a deprivation diet.
  • aimeeernest
    aimeeernest Posts: 159 Member
    I do.

    Last week, the night i had a treat, was also my day off from the gym, so I did some home exercises to *just* get back under my max net.
    However, today I had already burned about twice as much at the gym as normal, so I have a lot of room left. I SHOULD use that as a victory but I'm using as an excuse to allow myself more calories.

    Generally I will allow myself to "cheat" with "bad" foods but i still try to make sure my cals are on track at the end of the day. Even if it means running in place for 5 minutes to get rid of a small overage.

    I'm in the beginning stages though so I don't have a lot of experience to speak from.
  • aimeeernest
    aimeeernest Posts: 159 Member
    I 100% agree with the way beckimg said it! I don't plan on depriving myself for the rest of my life, and I also don't want to gain weight as soon as I start allowing myself, so I am more training myself to maintain a healthy diet with regular exercise and smart food choices-most of the time.
  • ElizaRoche
    ElizaRoche Posts: 2,005 Member
    I dont do cheat days anymore, did that when I started a year ago. Now im just used to the healthy eating, but whenever I feel like having a treat, or maybe a slice of pizza, or some fast food , I will eat it, no big deal!
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    I eat anything and everything.

    As far as calories go, I have taken to making Sunday a definite 'over target' day.

    Not by much though, a few hundred, I figure the body needs something to stop it getting used eating at a deficit daily, a sort of metabolic reset to give it permission to burn some fat away.

    And this is based on no solid evidence whatsoever.

Categories