Do you believe in "Cheat Days"?

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  • TheDarlingOne
    TheDarlingOne Posts: 255 Member
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    I like to call them "casual days" as oppose to "cheat days".

    If i had a "cheat day" - my mind would think WOOHOO LET'S GO BUCK WILD lol

    If i have a "casual day" - my mind says, well...sure if you want a cookie from the walmart deli - and it's on the sale rack - yeah sure let's do it - if not, no stress we'll probably come across something better later.

    I find it's very important that I always have "doing better" on my mind - but sometime's I'm a lil' more relaxed, calling it a "casual day".
  • SylentZee
    SylentZee Posts: 262
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    I understand the meaning of discipline and consistency with your diet, but, you shouldn't deprive yourself of the things you like.

    Treating yourself to something once a week is not a big deal and will not keep you from progressing. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is great but there's space for special occasions. I'm not saying eat that extra piece of cake or grab 4 or 5 cookies that are in the office, but, don't keep yourself from social events or have the mentality that dessert is the end of the world.

    Wanting a change in your appearance and health means making an adjustment to your lifestyle and I'm all for that but keep yourself sane in the process.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    If you don't eat 100% clean 100% of the time, you're just cheating yourself and your health
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
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    Is my diet going to be permanently damaged because I ate a ****ton of chocolate yesterday?
    No.
    This is a red herring.
    A diet is not a relationship.
    The end.

    And by "diet" I mean my food intake in general. "Diets" are not sustainable. I made a lifestyle change over a year ago, and some days I just want to stove cheesecake down my throat.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
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    I do Tim Ferriss' Slow Carb diet, and cheat day has a very specific purpose and helps prevent your body from getting too comfortable with your diet during the week. It's been working for me so far.

    Having a cheat day also makes it much easier to stay on plan. If you have a craving for something, just put it on the list for cheat day and enjoy it then.
  • Trilby16
    Trilby16 Posts: 707 Member
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    I don't have cheat days but I do ocassionally go a little overboard. On those day I figure it's ok, I am keeping my metabolism guessing.

    But a scheduled cheat day? No. It's childish.
  • Iron_Duchess
    Iron_Duchess Posts: 429 Member
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    No, I don't have "cheat days", what I have is "treat" meals. I don't like to use the word "cheat" because I feel like I am doing something wrong, and eating something out of the "ordinary" is not wrong in my books. Also, I don't allow guilt to be associated with food anymore, and "cheating" always produces guilt and many negative emotions that used to be part of my life. I live in this world, and this world has many wonderful foods ready for me to enjoy in a healthy and moderate way. So, I plan my "treat" meals and I enjoy them to the full of my abilities!
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    If incorporating a cheat day (or refeed, or temporary lift on restrictions) is the same as cheating on your spouse, driving 5 over the speed limit is the same as vehicular manslaughter.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    Some days logging and weighing get a bit cumbersome and boring.

    If I know I'm going out for a special meal or it's going to be a holiday I call it a hiatus meal. It is a brief reprieve from having to do the tedious task of logging, measuring and weighing.

    I just log it as a hiatus meal and figure it will be about 1500-2000 calories. You often forget everything you ate during holidays or you want that extra glass of wine and the dessert when you are celebrating a nice dinner. I dont do it often, but that is my one meal to enjoy my foods without thinking about portion control. I still set stipulations. Water first and then veggies!. Then I can allow myself that one meal or my little hiatus.
  • JennyJo23
    JennyJo23 Posts: 33
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    that's a good idea..
  • sevsmom
    sevsmom Posts: 1,172 Member
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    I made a convenant VOW to my husband. . .not to food. So, if I wanna splurge. . yep. . .I will. And I don't try to hide it because it's not a bad thing. . for my health/fitness goals.
  • benflando
    benflando Posts: 193
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    I think they are good after having lowered carbs days and can be used to refeed.
  • brookeaby1
    brookeaby1 Posts: 4
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    I have a "cheat weekend" for my birthday each year. And that's it. So sue me ;-)
  • lelaspeaks
    lelaspeaks Posts: 163 Member
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    The only days I would say I "cheat" on is my dedicated one day a week rest day. I eat at my TDEE that day. I don't really consider that cheating, but I guess it's above my calorie goal for the day, so yeah sure, I cheat.
  • sandydavies17
    sandydavies17 Posts: 6
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    But even Bill Phillips advocates having a "free day" once a week in his Body for Life book. I know when I "cheat" I used to feel guilty and have a hard time forgiving myself and climbing back up on the wagon--but with a free day or just one free meal a week there is no guilt and it's just part of the plan!
  • PhearlessPhreaks
    PhearlessPhreaks Posts: 890 Member
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    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.

    This exactly. And what someone else said; I'm not on a diet, so there's no need to cheat.

    If I really have a hankering for something, I fit it in to my day and calorie goal. Depravation is not for me.
  • porcelain_doll
    porcelain_doll Posts: 1,005 Member
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    Absolutely. One day a week (usually Saturday), I do not exercise or count calories. I eat what I want without any guilt. It has given me something to look forward to each week, so I make sure I work hard the other six days leading up to it.

    I used to not believe in cheat days, but then I became burned out. When I would eat things I shouldn't, I would feel guilty, which would then lead to a cheat week, etc. This method has offered me a much better balance. Some cannot do it this way because they can't get back on the wagon the very next day. That is the key to making it work.

    As long as a cheat day does not turn into two days/three days/one week/one month, I see no problem with it.

    Edit: I also don't believe in deprivation. Lately I have ended up with some major calories to blow at the end of the day from my workouts, so sometimes I will hit up the drive-thru on a non-cheat day and get a Whopper or Big Mac. It is not the healthiest thing, of course, but it is nice to be able to do it and stay under my calories. I enjoy having the freedom to do that and still see results most weeks.
  • extraordinary_machine
    extraordinary_machine Posts: 3,028 Member
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    You can't "cheat' if you're not "dieting." For me, this is how I'm going to eat for the rest of my life, so severely restricting calories, totally eliminating food that I love...yeah, not going to happen. I don't want to be one of those people that flips the phuck out when I'm getting ready to go out to dinner. I don't want to be forever staring wistfully at the queso...or the chocolate...or the salt and vinegar chips...or the...you get the picture.

    I believe in MODERATION. I subscribe to the "if it fits your macros" way of thinking. I try to eat healthy (I cook from scratch, rarely things from a box, etc.) 80% to 90% of the time, but if I want a Big Mac...I eat a frelling Big Mac. (Like on Saturday...it was delicious!)
  • DrAzathoth
    DrAzathoth Posts: 8
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    I have a reward systems to my life style change, and have to achieve goals, daily, weekly, monthly, to obtain, I guess more a treat than a cheat. I have done many diets and what not and all have failed because of me looking at stuff as cheat days etc. I am making my life style better this time, my reward system can be silly and not all rewards are food related, actually most of them are not, some are underwear shopping, hiking trips and so on. I guess all I'm trying to say is that I enjoy my reward system, it sets me smaller and larger goals to work towards and makes me feel prouder in my journey.
  • northfresh
    northfresh Posts: 111
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    I don't take my diet plan as seriously as relationships I know believe haha. Because yes I have cheat days, to keep my sanity and to enjoy life and its abundances. I don't feel the need to do so with relationships because they are satisfying on their own. I think that comparison is a bit ridiculous. But I suppose they say its a lifestyle so I better gtfo MFP!!! Lol

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