Do you believe in "Cheat Days"?

angelams1019
angelams1019 Posts: 1,102 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Just saw this on FB and thought it was an interesting view on "Cheat Days"

Enjoy! :drinker:
Do You Cheat...

So this morning....

I overheard one of our clients say.

"today I get to cheat"

Of course I knew exactly what she was talking about.

But chose to play it dumb.

I asked "Cheat on what"

She said "cheat on my diet"

I then replied "oh wow, do you also get a cheat day"

She said "Cheat day???"

Well yeah "cheat on your wife/husband day"

(I wanted to get a reaction out of her. I know I'm evil ;)

She then looked at me like I was nuts.

She replied "of course not".

That's what I thought.

We wouldn't dare think about cheating on our spouses.

Because we are committed to our RELATIONSHIP with our spouse.

Commitment = Relationship

Now....

When we commit ourselves to a healthy lifestyle

It simply means we are building a relationship with exercise and nutrition.

I guess the best way I can describe it is this.....

Your diet is alot like your relationship with your spouse.

YOU CAN'T CHEAT ON IT AND EXPECT IT TO WORK.

Having said that.....

What about variety.

Oh yes...

That.

We do need variety don't we?

There are millions of ways to spice up your diet

without adding unnecessary calories.

(I highly recommend the book Eating For Life by Bill Phillips)

I guess the same thing can be said about spicing up your marriage.

(I recommend Dr. Ruth or Dr. Phil and NOT Jerry Springer)

Side note: I just shave my beard off once in a while and my wife thinks

she has a new boy friend.

OK, too much information.

So let's make a deal.....

Next time you think about that muffin, menudo, etc....

Ask yourself....

Am I willing to break up my family over this...

The answer is of course no.

Just something to think about.

Ok, I'm done preaching for today...
--- Sam Bakhtiar
«13456

Replies

  • dandandee
    dandandee Posts: 301 Member
    very interesting way to look at it actually.

    I'm still going to go have a snack soon (possibly some fro-yo) but it was interesting. lol
  • Shadowknight137
    Shadowknight137 Posts: 1,243 Member
    I'm not on a diet, so I don't really see the need for cheat days.
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    I'm not on a diet, so I don't really see the need for cheat days.

    ^boom
  • TravelDog14
    TravelDog14 Posts: 317 Member
    I don't have cheat days because I'm trying to make the changes in my diet be a way of eating that I can live with and not feel I have to "cheat" in order to be successful.

    For me, I need to make my eating style work for me everyday, not just six days a week.
  • twodogs12
    twodogs12 Posts: 2
    change the word cheat to treat
  • lmh923ny
    lmh923ny Posts: 2
    The way I see it, I've spent the past 20+ years "cheating" myself out of good health, so at this point I think it's time to stop what clearly has not been working for me, and get my act together. I absolutely agree with your analysis, it makes perfect sense!
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    No. I'm not on a diet so a "cheat day" isn't even in my vocabulary.
  • angelams1019
    angelams1019 Posts: 1,102 Member
    I don't have cheat days because I'm trying to make the changes in my diet be a way of eating that I can live with and not feel I have to "cheat" in order to be successful.

    For me, I need to make my eating style work for me everyday, not just six days a week.

    I agree 100%. I don't have "cheat days" either.

    I don't believe in/ nor do I have the desire to designate a day out of the week to fuel my body with the very things that got me to 324 pounds in the first place. Like a good friend of mine said, we've cheated ourselves our entire lives to get to where we're at (For me it was 324 pounds)
  • beverlyann1726
    beverlyann1726 Posts: 31 Member
    That is a good way of looking at it. I have been using the weekends as my "cheat days". I guess I should quit that.
  • niknokd
    niknokd Posts: 127 Member
    I don't know. You have to live once in a while...I wouldn't miss out on Thanksgiving food, for example, just because of a diet. I don't have "cheat days" just for the sake of having one, but only if the situation calls for it. For example: Thanksgiving, Christmas, a family member's birthday party, my birthday, whatever. My days of healthy eating wayyyyy outnumber my cheat days, and that's what really matters.
  • Aesop101
    Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
    Nope! I believe in exercising and then enjoying what you like to a limit. One cheat day begats many more.
  • elfraser
    elfraser Posts: 1
    I don't believe in a "cheat day" per se, but I do find that allowing myself a higher-than-average calorie day once in a while can shake up a plateau.
  • justicekenny
    justicekenny Posts: 80
    lol ..
  • charelg
    charelg Posts: 599 Member
    Does Cheat days involve eating Over calories or eating Within calories, but foods that aren't the best? I say if you are gong to cheat just try and eat within your calories, than its not really cheating.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
    i never committed to only eating healthy and under/at my maintenance level calories every single day for ever and ever. that's pretty much a recipe for failure in my book. no one can give up everything forever, so instead of holding out as long as I can until I go crazy and eat too much, i just eat the things I like, in moderation.
    tonight for dinner I had Chinese food, not the low-cal home made kind. there was a fried spring roll in that bag, hell yeah.
    last week I treated myself to gourmet chocolate truffles. and I don't mean just 1 or 2.
    the week before, 3 slices of pizza.

    logged it all. average daily calories those weeks? still under goal, and lost pounds every week.
  • kachochan
    kachochan Posts: 73
    Cheat day? No.
    Incorporating snacks and not-so-healthy-foods into my calorie budget and eating it in moderation? yes.
  • angelams1019
    angelams1019 Posts: 1,102 Member
    I don't know. You have to live once in a while...I wouldn't miss out on Thanksgiving food, for example, just because of a diet. I don't have "cheat days" just for the sake of having one, but only if the situation calls for it. For example: Thanksgiving, Christmas, a family member's birthday party, my birthday, whatever. My days of healthy eating wayyyyy outnumber my cheat days, and that's what really matters.

    I'm definitely not going to sit up on a high horse and say that everything I eat for the rest of my life is going to be healthy....Because I know it wont. While I don't believe in having a cheat day once a week, or even on a regular basis, there is a time and a place for everything. I just think it should be kept at a bare minimum :smile:
  • justicekenny
    justicekenny Posts: 80
    amen ...
  • angelams1019
    angelams1019 Posts: 1,102 Member
    What a load of crap.

    I cheated my way to a 163lbs loss. Tell the trainer that.

    lol Calm down hun...Its not that serious. If you don't agree it, that is completely fine.
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
    Cheat day -no
    Cheat meal-no
    Days where I don't log what I bite -no

    I just work my food to fit my goals, if I'm over and I don't work it off, I'll do better tomorrow. Most of the time I'm under (so I don't give myself grief if I go a few calories/carbs over once in a blue moon)

    With me its all or nothing. I have to stick to my rules or forget it. Everyone is different. Some manage fine with these cheat events, if it works for them great. For me, at least at this point in my weight loss journey, I need some set rules.

    Today my single container of ice cream didn't fit in so I have it planned already for tomorrow, and I'll work my meals in around the treat. Today popcorn worked. Eating obviously was, still is, an issue with me, portion control and eating for the wrong reasons, cheating isn't going to help me. Just my opinion & two cents.
  • angelams1019
    angelams1019 Posts: 1,102 Member
    i never committed to only eating healthy and under/at my maintenance level calories every single day for ever and ever. that's pretty much a recipe for failure in my book. no one can give up everything forever, so instead of holding out as long as I can until I go crazy and eat too much, i just eat the things I like, in moderation.
    tonight for dinner I had Chinese food, not the low-cal home made kind. there was a fried spring roll in that bag, hell yeah.
    last week I treated myself to gourmet chocolate truffles. and I don't mean just 1 or 2.
    the week before, 3 slices of pizza.

    logged it all. average daily calories those weeks? still under goal, and lost pounds every week.

    There is no right or wrong answer here. Its all a matter of opinion. The only thing I wanted to comment on was your point in saying "no one can give up everything forever..." That is a pretty bold statement. There are plenty of people that transition to vegetarianism and never eat meat again. There are plenty of recovering alcoholics that never drink again. It IS actually possible to "give up everything forever" if one feels the benefits outweigh the risks. It just depends on the person and their priorities.
  • brendadale1
    brendadale1 Posts: 90 Member
    I agree HOWL, me either..lol
  • Aviva92
    Aviva92 Posts: 2,333 Member
    my calorie goals were pretty low, so cheat days worked fine for me and i lost weight anyway. comparing i to cheating on a spouse is silly.
  • Richie2shoes
    Richie2shoes Posts: 411 Member
    I reserve Sunday for my cheat day, but will shift it around if necessary and don't use it every week.
  • phoenix4151989
    phoenix4151989 Posts: 1
    so true. no such thing as cheat days... i choose to look at it as a treat... i tell myself "im gonna loose 15 lbs (total) by the end of this month. if i hit that goal. i will treat myself. it might be something like an extra slice of pizza or a cupcake but i believe that it all comes back to moderation. i will tell myself i get one cupcake or one extra slice of pizza... not all of it. cuz that is what landed me where i am now. I am on board with angelams1019 as long as your logging and you know your wiggle room it will be successful.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    I believe in "spike days."
  • CoraGregoryCPA
    CoraGregoryCPA Posts: 1,087 Member
    LOL
  • Minerva624
    Minerva624 Posts: 577 Member
    Heck no. If I want a treat then I will have it with no shame and keep the portion small.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    That analogy only works if you plan on spending 24/7 with your partner.

    Today, my partner went out with the guys! Tomorrow, I may eat something that isn't perfectly healthy. I may even go over my calorie limits. Neither one is cheating, both make my overall relationships stronger, as long as they are not the norm.
  • MeghanMorrical
    MeghanMorrical Posts: 7 Member
    I really hate when people talk about diet because the word has been mangled and no longer means what it once did. Diet now means something you consume for a short period of time. Diet should still mean the foods one person, culture, or small group of people consume. I am not on a 'diet' but my diet now includes more veggies, fresh fruits, whole grains, yet I still eat chocolate, and cake, and ice cream. I don't eat these foods every day (ok I might eat a small square of dark chocolate daily) but I do eat them and I enjoy every minute of them. Instead of depriving myself of the foods that are soooo yummy I have started sticking to my M&M's mindset and moderation. I don't eat the entire cake I have a small piece and I work out the next morning or the same night depending on how late I eat the cake. I no longer eat after 8pm. I weigh myself every morning. If I see my weight goes up more then a few fractions of a pound I know to stick to healthier choices but every now and then people deserve a treat in the form of sugary goodness or fatty greasyness.

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