Do you believe in "Cheat Days"?

Meh, I get the arguments behind the word "cheat". I get the arguments behind the idea. I am pretty much a IIFYM person. However, I trained for a bodybuilding competition last year (figure class). I had a super strict diet and was allowed "cheat days" then later "cheat meals". While it wasn't what I could consider my philosophy, I learned a lot. I had cravings. I would tell myself I could have it on my "cheat day" (that referred to my cheat meal or whole cheat day). Some of those things I still wanted come cheat day, others i didn't. I learned what I really craved. I also learned how to handle cravings.
Then on cheat day, with only so many hours (I mean there is only so much food you can eat no matter how much you want to, especially if you only have on meal), I found that certain things satisfied me more than others. I quickly stopped hitting Mickey D's or Burger King for my cheats, they just weren't worth it. I craved other things that weren't on my restricted diet, like certain fruits, cheese, and other foods that aren't terrible. I found that fast food wasn't what I wanted, but pizza was still good every.single.time.
When I went back to my normal eating, I still stayed away from those things. I can count on one hand how many times the rest of the year (my comp was in April) I ate fast food ilke McDonalds.

Is it for everyone? Certainly not. But for me, "cheat meals" or "cheat days" has taught me a lot.
Plus I find I do better if I have a planned day where I can be a little more relaxed. It allows me to still have a life while still losing weight.

What a load of crap.

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

Awesome job!! I love your comment.

I generally try to fit in some stuff I like every day. All I care about is hitting my caloric and macro goals by the end of the day. This way if you eat something 'bad' you'll have to make it up later in the day because your macros will be out of whack.

I do have one day where I allow myself to go over my goal calories, but even then I try to hit my macros as closely as possible. Usually protein suffers on those days and I wind up with extra fat.

I'm not on a diet, so I don't really see the need for cheat days.

^boom

Love this!!!

I believe in treating myself. After losing weight by starving myself and not enjoying anything, I realized how important it is to enjoy food and life in the ways they should be enjoyed. Tonight, for instance, I went over my calories (by 136) because I wanted another homemade oatmeal chocolate chunk cookie. Yes, I could have just had one, but I was really wanting another. So I ate one and put the rest of them in the freezer. Am I a little upset that I went over? Kind of. But 136 calories isn't going to make or break me.

Forget about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with the trainer. I think the point is that you shouldn't feel guilty or feel like you are committing a crime when you have a dessert or fries or what have you. Yes, a chocolate bar does not give you as much nutrition as a cup of carrots will, but I think it's still perfectly healthy to have a piece once in awhile. The key is to have everything in moderation as 'they' say. Thanks for sharing!

To be clear, while I may call it a "cheat meal" I feel no guilt. I don't classify food as "good" or "bad". Its more of over my calorie goal or not.

Im relearning my relationship with food. It has been a very bad, unhealthy relationship that I have let control me, disregard my health, and self confidence. Do cheat meals make me happy? No. I dont want to reward myself with the very things that have gotten me to this point. If im going to have a treat these days, it will just have to be in moderation for special occasions. My treat recently was buying nrw work out clothes. they make me feel good to wear them!!! My next treat will be a manicure or pedicure.

I need a cheat day. I need a day to eat the foods I'm not supposed to. Now I just need to not eat those foods on the other 6 days of the week..

No, because I am not on a "diet".

I don't have cheat days because if I want chocolate, something fried, etc... I will have it, just in smaller portions. If I crave something, I wait 30 minutes and if I still want it, then I eat it. I don't deprive myself, when I deprive myself it just makes it much worse portion wise for me.

Who would honestly compare having a less than healthy meal to cheating in marriage? What a sad, limiting view.

I try never to go over my calories but it does seem to happen about once a week anyways, pretty much anytime I drink booze

I figure it is my nutrition lifestyle changes that work for me and there it's by my own rules. My rules include room for treats and goodies on occasion,,so it's not 'cheating if it's in the rules.