Do you have a specified cheat day?

jennagreen2229
jennagreen2229 Posts: 9
in Health and Weight Loss
I was just curious, because I have heard from some people's diets that they pick one day of the week and eat whatever the heck they want.

Would this be bad?
«1

Replies

  • angmarie28
    angmarie28 Posts: 2,898 Member
    no, if im feeling like i need something extra, i eat it, as long as its been over a week since my last cheat day, but i try not to have cheat days, its just another set back to me
  • mklassy123
    mklassy123 Posts: 153
    Around every second weekend I give myself a cheat day. It's not a day to eat like crazy but a day to have a crazy meal or a dessert and/or some drinks without guilt. Just one big meal out and a couple of drinks can easily double my calories for the day so I exercise more that day and and the next, and I don't binge for the entire day - just a meal (or a few hours out). The next day I get on the scale and assess the damage. Quite often the damage is minimal or nil. I've been doing the yo-yo for many years. My successful times have been when I give myself that cheat day, twice a month.

    They key is that I keep track of it all. It makes me really portion control the "binge". I hate using the word "binge" as it sounds like a bad thing.
  • jjrichard83
    jjrichard83 Posts: 483 Member
    Tim Ferriss made the "cheat day" real popular in the 4 hour body. However there are things you need to consider- and follow.

    Most women need a full day to spike their calories, when men can get away with 1 meal a week.

    The idea of the cheat day is to prevent the body from going into starvation mode. Some do it by cycling calories so you'll end the week with the same amount-

    example - for me 2000 calories a day

    M- 1800
    T- 1800
    W- 2000
    T-1900
    F- 2000
    S- 2700
    S- 1800

    ends up being the same number of calories per week, but just spaced differently to trick the body.

    I don't think it's necessary when you are first starting though. If you keep losing weight try without it. after a few months doing this may be very helpful though.

    Also to reduce cravings - I don't know if it's in my mind or not- but Maca powder seemed to work wonders.
  • Guamybear
    Guamybear Posts: 1,061 Member
    I eat something everyday.. why deprive yourself?
  • VictoriaFL84
    VictoriaFL84 Posts: 37
    I do a cheat meal every Friday night. Not a whole day of cheats, but a high calorie meal I am craving often with dessert and drinks
  • MaggieSporleder
    MaggieSporleder Posts: 428 Member
    No, not now. I keep my calories under every day if it is at all in my power. I know the Body for Life, gets a cheat day, I lost on that diet before. But I like the lifestyle change idea better than a diet, and to be healthy is to try and stay like that, not eat whatever once a week. :)
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    I only really plan cheat days for when I have an event to go to or a night out with the girls (this friday is my first night out since October). But otherwise naw, I let myself have little 'cheats' here and there but I fit them in to my alloted calories.
  • Tiff4378
    Tiff4378 Posts: 45 Member
    I do a cheat meal every Friday night. Not a whole day of cheats, but a high calorie meal I am craving often with dessert and drinks

    THIS

    Except I do mine on Saturday nights. It gives me something to look forward to while I eat lower calories through the work week. I don't do an entire day out of fear that I won't recover and the scale will show it but I do enjoy my Saturday night dinner and dessert.
  • Zee48
    Zee48 Posts: 789 Member
    I have a friend that has a weekly MAD - metabolism adjusting day where she allows herself something totally out of kelter from her normal way of eating. She doesn't deprive herself any day but on that one day she may have a really homestyle breakfast with extra calories or something extremely special. She has lost almost 50# that way.

    She exercises like crazy every day including her MAD.

    I do it to a modified way but never call it a cheat day because that word brings on guilt.
  • petithamu
    petithamu Posts: 582 Member
    Not so much a whole day but probably less calorie conscious on a few meals on that day. It's usually Sunday and I just don't think about the calories as much but I watch the portion control so not a whole tub of Hagen Daz but probably one very large scoop...haha
  • fleur_de_lis19
    fleur_de_lis19 Posts: 926 Member
    Its not cheating if its in another area code.....
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    I've never done this. What has worked for me is eating pretty much whatever I want, but in smaller portions than I used to, and certain things less often than I used to. I fit thing into my calorie goal, and try and hit my macronutrient targets. I haven't given any food up, so if I want to eat cake, I'll eat cake. If I want to drink wine, I will. I just know I have to exercise a little self-control, and I can't eat all the things I like, every day, in unlimited quantities.

    Sometimes I do go over my calorie goal if it's a special occasion and I choose not to restrict myself. That's just part of life though, not a dieting strategy.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Not really....I don't really deprive myself of anything, I just generally try to make better nutritional decisions and stay within my calorie goals and macros. I usually do go over on Saturdays, but I'm usually still at an overall deficit for the day and at most I'm at maintenance. Once in a very blue moon I end up eating at a slight surplus, but nothing that is going to set me back.
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    No designated cheat day, but I do take one once in a while, normally to coincide with a social occassion as I don't like to be a killjoy. They are good for the soul and help me deal with cravings. I don't log mine.
  • mattagascar
    mattagascar Posts: 708 Member
    Saturday. But if i'm really strong...i can make it to Sunday to coincide my cheating with football.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Friday I eat whatever I want... but I refuse to call it a cheat day because it's a part of my lifestyle, so I'm not diverging from any sort of plan, because it's PART OF the plan.

    Works terrifically.
  • BigDnSW
    BigDnSW Posts: 641 Member
    Never a cheat day...but definitely a guilt free meal about every two weeks. Works for me and I enjoy...
  • Nerdybreisawesome
    Nerdybreisawesome Posts: 359 Member
    I don't have a cheat day. I taper my calories so on Saturday I eat more calories than the rest of the week but since this is planned and I plan to do this forever, I do not consider it a cheat.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    I don't have a specified day for this but if temptation gets the better of me I just chalk it up as my cheat meal, and get back on the wagon and tell myself I can't do that again for about a week so it ends up being a once a week-ish cheat schedule.
  • marthathebear
    marthathebear Posts: 498
    I don't do cheat days but I do cheat meals. I just adjust the rest of my day with either more exercise or smaller meals. Why cheat yourself?
  • PottsvilleCurse1925
    PottsvilleCurse1925 Posts: 354 Member
    OMG I ONLY DO IT WHEN MY WIFE IS OUT OF TOWN SHHHH OMG LOL OLZ
  • fleur_de_lis19
    fleur_de_lis19 Posts: 926 Member
    On a serious note, I don't believe in cheat days, i think it's too much for me, personally. I believe in a cheat meal. Then back to normal the rest of the day. Easier for me to stay focused
  • _Wits_
    _Wits_ Posts: 1,286 Member
    I do not do this.

    I don't see the point.

    I eat what I want, when I want, in amounts that I can afford within my calorie allowance.

    Nothing is off limits, nor should it be IMHO.

    Plus, I'm not on a diet.. I'm changing my lifestyle and there is no way I'm gonna wait 6 days to have bread or icecream. No thanks!
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    Tim Ferriss made the "cheat day" real popular in the 4 hour body. However there are things you need to consider- and follow.

    Most women need a full day to spike their calories, when men can get away with 1 meal a week.

    The idea of the cheat day is to prevent the body from going into starvation mode. Some do it by cycling calories so you'll end the week with the same amount-

    example - for me 2000 calories a day

    M- 1800
    T- 1800
    W- 2000
    T-1900
    F- 2000
    S- 2700
    S- 1800

    ends up being the same number of calories per week, but just spaced differently to trick the body.

    I don't think it's necessary when you are first starting though. If you keep losing weight try without it. after a few months doing this may be very helpful though.

    Also to reduce cravings - I don't know if it's in my mind or not- but Maca powder seemed to work wonders.
    bump. hope I'm doing this right, I hope I can find this later when I need it if I stall. Can anyone explain to me how to do "the bump".
  • bluefox9er
    bluefox9er Posts: 2,917 Member
    I don't specify a 'cheat day'. obviously, some days I will over eat my allowance, but I try not to, but if I have to, I enjoy my food guilt free and work out the next day. framing it as a 'cheat day' mans it's wrong to do, but i treat this as a lifestyle and not a jail term :-)
  • Nerdybreisawesome
    Nerdybreisawesome Posts: 359 Member
    Yeah this is what I do. Except calling it a cheat day.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    a lot of times life throws you a cheat day. a wedding, birthday, bar mitzvah, arbor day, work party. whatever. then you have those horrible tragic days i don't wish on anyone, like a death or illness in the family.

    so no, i don't have specific cheat days. i do my best to stay on point as much as possible.
  • meredith1123
    meredith1123 Posts: 843 Member
    yup. every damn weekend.
  • Dark_Roast
    Dark_Roast Posts: 17,689 Member
    I think I have had maybe three 'cheat days' since I started in April. I ate everything and anything I wanted to on those days, but, I was full before dinner on all three days! I just can't eat like I used to. I also try to run at least a 5k on those days, so it doesn't make me feel so guilty.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    Cheat days don't work for me. Somehow they always turn into cheat weeks. There are days (like today) that I eat more of my regular foods than usual because I feel a bit fatigued or light headed though.

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