What do you think of "cheat days"?
Shellbug75
Posts: 74 Member
Hello all. I am pretty new to this site. I have wanted to lose weight for quite some time now, and would try a diet and always fail because I never thought I could do it. I am focused now and ready to continue losing.
My question is what do you think about "cheat days"? When I started dieting the other times, I had a cheat day. Well, that cheat day turned into a cheat weekend, and after the cheat weekend, I just gave up.
I have heard others doing these cheat days and I have thought about it, but I am too scared to try for myself. I'm not sure if I have the will power.
If you do believe in cheat days, do you think a person should be on a diet for a certain amount of time (or lose a certain amount of weight) before they even consider it?
My question is what do you think about "cheat days"? When I started dieting the other times, I had a cheat day. Well, that cheat day turned into a cheat weekend, and after the cheat weekend, I just gave up.
I have heard others doing these cheat days and I have thought about it, but I am too scared to try for myself. I'm not sure if I have the will power.
If you do believe in cheat days, do you think a person should be on a diet for a certain amount of time (or lose a certain amount of weight) before they even consider it?
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Replies
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I think that once you get to the mindset that this is not a diet, but a lifestyle you are good to go.
It's not realistic to think you will never have pizza/cake/cookies ever again, but why don't you just have a treat every day within your calories? Or work out extra hard if you really want the chocolate chocolate layer cake?
good luck!0 -
I try to avoid them. They just lead to cheat weekends and cheat weeks and before you know it you arent even making an effort to be healthy anymore.
I do try to plan for extra calorie days though. If I know Im going drinking with friends or have a holiday dinner coming up I will work extra on exercise that day to compensate for the over indulgences.
There will always be days that you accidentally go over, but planning a day just seems like a waste of all your effort to me.0 -
I never have cheat days -- I have cheat meals. Think of how many calories can add up in a day. For me, cheat meals are better and easier to get back on track from.0
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I have them everyday because I don't limit any foods. I eat all the foodz, just within my calorie budget.0
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I never have cheat days -- I have cheat meals. Think of how many calories can add up in a day. For me, cheat meals are better and easier to get back on track from.
This a million percent!! I am the same way, if I fall off the wagon all day it is MUCH harder to get back on.0 -
No cheat days, I eat what I want if it fits in calories.
For many people, allowing no moderation or cheat foods is a recipe for failure. If you can make the change to making healthy choices and bad food in moderation, it's easier to stick with this for life. I agree with the cheat meals statement, If I know I am going to eat out for dinner and have a "bad meal", I will try to eat a healthier breakfast and lunch.
People are always *****ing about Planet Fitness and pizza... I workout so I CAN eat real pizza and enjoy it!0 -
Well, when I started I just decided that I would have one chooclate bar a week, one heavy calorie meal ( usually scampi and chips, about 890 cals) and one packet of crisps per week whether they fitted into the calories or not. I did this every week, I lost usually 2 pounds per week, plus it gave me that little something I was missing. In other words it worked for me but it wasn't a cheat day, it was just something I allowed my self weekly wherever I wanted it0
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I never have cheat days -- I have cheat meals. Think of how many calories can add up in a day. For me, cheat meals are better and easier to get back on track from.
This a million percent!! I am the same way, if I fall off the wagon all day it is MUCH harder to get back on.
^^ Enjoy what you like but in Moderation...0 -
I have treats all the time because chocolate is a weakness for me. I however switched to the sugar and dark chocolate verisons. Yesterday, I had for the first time in months a cupcake at 290 calories I hae never been more upset with a choice I've made. In the future I will only allow those treats to exist in my diet on special occasions.
Try not cheating ALL day try just a snack or a treat that you wouldnt normally have or a meals out. It'll be easier then a whole day off and then trying to ger back on track0 -
No cheat days, I eat what I want if it fits in calories.
Same here. I shoot for making at least 80% of my food choices healthy ones, but that still leaves room for my favorite treats (just in smaller portions than before). Probably once ever two weeks, I will have a day when I eat over my calorie target, but I plan it out and keep my intake below my TDEE. Typically, these are the days when I go to a nicer restaurant or am hanging out with friends and want a little more flexibility.
Making sure I never feel deprived is an important part of my eating plan, so that I can sustain the changes permanently. Defining a treat or nice meal as "cheating" for the rest of my life isn't going to be a good way to enjoy life and maintain overall healthy habits.0 -
Nope, no planned cheat days. Pretty much what everyone else says:
1. Lifestyle change so it just stays off. Period.
2. Eat what you want within your calorie limit (a couple bits of chocolate cake vs a whole piece)
3. Exercise more if you know the day is going to be a big food day.
For me, I wouldn't want to undo all the hard work of the other days with a cheat day. I'd rather just have little bits of my cheat foods a little each day or a few days a week. Just my two cents, but to each their own;0)! Good luck.0 -
I can't trust myself with "cheat" anything lol0
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In my mind, I feel like I would go overboard on cheat day and know I would push myself over in calories. It's so easy to consume calories from junk. If I have a craving, I go for it, but in moderation and within my calorie goal. By doing this I have learned to cut back, but that I don't necessarily have to give up everything.0
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You have to learn to incorporate the foods you love into an overall, healthier lifestyle. If you usually eat out 4 times a week, try only going out to eat once, or if you know you have a sweet tooth, be sure you have enough calories at the end of the day to have dessert. You can't focus on what you can't have, because that's taking a negative approach to the lifestyle you've been dreaming of...focus on all that you can have, and that doesn't necessarily mean just food related. Think of all the positive things that will come from saying "no" to certain foods, and behaviors, and how rewarding it will be when you've learned to say "yes" to healthier options and activities. Losing weight isn't just changing your diet, and activity level, it's having the right mind set about it. Good luck!0
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I definitely have cheat days. I just have to be careful not to have too many cheat days! I will also have just a 'cheat meal' now and again, when I've been 'good' the rest of the day. However, I do feel that my cheat days have slowed my weight loss. But that's okay with me, because I want to lose slowly anyway! I usually have a cheat day every week, where I go over my NET calorie goal (mine is set to 1800) by 500 or more. I've actually lost faster than what MFP projected that I would, more like a pound a week instead of half a pound.
I just can't go too long without indulging myself. I want to enjoy food, and life, so I'll keep my cheat days.0 -
Hello all. I am pretty new to this site. I have wanted to lose weight for quite some time now, and would try a diet and always fail because I never thought I could do it. I am focused now and ready to continue losing.
My question is what do you think about "cheat days"? When I started dieting the other times, I had a cheat day. Well, that cheat day turned into a cheat weekend, and after the cheat weekend, I just gave up.
I have heard others doing these cheat days and I have thought about it, but I am too scared to try for myself. I'm not sure if I have the will power.
If you do believe in cheat days, do you think a person should be on a diet for a certain amount of time (or lose a certain amount of weight) before they even consider it?
The hardest part is not losing weight, but choosing a path that is true to your nature, strengths and weaknesses.
If cheat days don't work for you, then you now know one of your limitations; but trying to follow the limitations of others is an awesome way to fail.0 -
I try to avoid cheat days, but sometimes will have a cheat meal. For example, on Friday, I went out for lunch with a friend that I haven't been out with in a while. I knew that I would go overboard what I normally allow myself for lunch, but I still tracked it and logged it, and then that night at dinner tried to be as healthy as possible.
I felt better about doing that because I had a great time with my friend, and didn't have to worry about being completely off target.0 -
I also allow treats within my daily calorie budget, so don't feel the need for cheat days or cheat meals. But every weekend I have one long run day where I burn 750-900 calories, so that becomes almost the equivalent of a cheat day--except I don't go over on calories when I have pizza, breadsticks, and beer for dinner!0
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Hey everyone cheats a bit, if you don't you will most likely go back to eating unhealthy 100% of the time. What I do is allow myself 2 unhealthy DINNERS a week. Usually the days my husband has off work. Only 1 meal though, I eat healthy the rest of the day but my dinner. This works well for me, and even with those "cheat" dinners I am more careful what I'm eating. I am unlikely to stuff my face till I feel sick to my stomach.0
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I never cheat I make it fit or I don't have it or I just go over in calories that day and it is what it is. I pretty much have what I want as long as I can fit into my goals for that day.0
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Hi,
I really don't do cheat days, but treat meals. My husband and I like to go out for dinner during the weekend, so what we do is follow our normal schedule for meals during the day and try not to eat the afternoon snack, so we have more calories for dinner. When we go out we sometimes share a "plate" and dessert ( they are huge portions anyways), that way we order what we want without feeling guilty. We know that is a one meal deal, so after we are out of the restaurant we are back to our healthy routine. I've heard Billy Beck III (a well known trainer) recommend to have up to 3 cheat meals a week, but that it is only 1 plate , when whatever you have in the plate is done, your treat is also done. If you feel that you need those treats plan them and you will see how much better it is than to say "I'm going to eat whatever I want during the whole day".0 -
I have yet to have a cheat day, or cheat meal, in the 65 days i've been on this diet, but I do plan on having 3 "cheat weekends" in 2013. One after the 90 day mark, one after the 180 day mark, and one after the 270 day mark. I have 4-day weekends planned off from work to rejoice and eat/drink what I want, and go where I want. Other than that, I am planning on being good the rest of the year!
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I never have cheat days -- I have cheat meals. Think of how many calories can add up in a day. For me, cheat meals are better and easier to get back on track from.
This a million percent!! I am the same way, if I fall off the wagon all day it is MUCH harder to get back on.
Exactly. I'll let myself eat just about anything if I really feel I want it. I just do my best to keep it within my calorie goals. But occasionally (usually every couple of weeks) I know I'm going to go over. In that case I keep it to one meal and try not to blow it hugely... just maybe a few hundred over, if that much. It's a slippery slope for me if I let myself cheat too badly.0 -
You said in your OP that when you dieted before, you had cheat days and they always ended up turning into a cheat weekend then blowing the diet completely. So is there a reason you think it would end differently this time?
I stayed 99% compliant for the first 3 months. By that time, healthy eating had become a way of life, and I had lost 25 pounds and was looking and feeling much better about myself. By the time Thanksgiving came around, I felt confident enough to be able to eat some things I didn't normally eat and go over my goal. It did throw me off a bit. I gained 2 pounds and it took me almost 2 weeks to get back on track and lose those pounds. If I hadn't had 3 months and 25 pounds of success behind me, I probably would not have made it back on track, and would have probably quit. But I had made too much progress to go backwards, so I pushed thru it. The same thing happened at Christmas, and it took me several weeks to get back on track.
I made the conscious decision to go off plan on those days, knowing the dangers. You have to look at yourself and be honest in your abilities to stay focused. Many people have good results with Cheat Days, others, not so much.
Personally I don't like the term Cheat Day, because it implies doing something wrong. I will have days that I go over my cals, or eat something I normally wouldn't, but I don't consider it cheating and beat myself up about it. I plan for it, or make up the cals another day. I will be counting calories and making healthy choices the rest the of my life, not just until I get to goal weight. I know that I can't live the rest of my life without ever eating cake, or pizza, or whatever. I just have to make choices and put them into my plan when the time comes. And don't make it a habit.0 -
I go back and forth on what I think about this. I like the idea of it, but (for me) a cheat day leads to a cheat weekend. Generally speaking, if I want something I have it. I workout pretty hard and throughout a week, I'm usually under my calorie goal, I don't sweat a few calories over here and there. Also, once you've been at this a while, you'll find your need to "cheat" gets less and less.0
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If you don't allow yourself to "cheat" now and then, it will be almost impossible to say on a diet.0
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I never have a whole cheat day really, but I have cheat meals. Pizza for a birthday party? Sure, but I keep it to 2 slices. Cheesecake at grandma's? Yep, a small piece. The other day, my dad made chocolate crepes with whipped cream filling and fresh strawberries, and you can bet I ate a couple, for about 500 calories total. I'm not going to eliminate all junk forever, but I will work it into an otherwise healthy day and maybe go over my calories a little once on a while.0
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I agree with most of the posters here. The whole "lifestyle" vs. "diet" mindset has got to change but it is a slow process. For me I am working on making it more a lifestyle. I've got the gym 4 days a week down and the diet down 4.75 days of the week down. It's the Friday night, Saturday and Sunday thing that I'm working on.
I was e-mailing my gym buddy this morning when I got to work and telling her we work WAY TOO DARN HARD 4 days a week in that gym for me to screw it up on the weekends and have to start all over on Monday. For me it's the 2 steps forward 3 steps back deal.
It has taken me awhile to learn this lifestyle and I've come A LONG way and I am hoping that I will continue to grow and live in this lifestyle.
Good luck!0 -
If you don't allow yourself to "cheat" now and then, it will be almost impossible to say on a diet.
^^ Totally agree with this!
I do cheat days. Every Saturday is my free day - I log nothing, I don't workout and I eat what I feel like.....without going overboard. I'm a big advocate of this because I believe it helps me stay on track on the other days of the week. My cheat day never leads to cheat weekends and cheat weeks/months because I always know there's another one coming in just 6 days. I guess I might be lucky to be the sort of person who can stop at one day.
A bit about me: I started trying to lose weight early Nov last year, so have only been doing it for about 3 1/2 month. Beginning weight was 77.6kg - current weight is 67.6kg. I think that's pretty successful. :happy:0 -
You said in your OP that when you dieted before, you had cheat days and they always ended up turning into a cheat weekend then blowing the diet completely. So is there a reason you think it would end differently this time?
I stayed 99% compliant for the first 3 months. By that time, healthy eating had become a way of life, and I had lost 25 pounds and was looking and feeling much better about myself. By the time Thanksgiving came around, I felt confident enough to be able to eat some things I didn't normally eat and go over my goal. It did throw me off a bit. I gained 2 pounds and it took me almost 2 weeks to get back on track and lose those pounds. If I hadn't had 3 months and 25 pounds of success behind me, I probably would not have made it back on track, and would have probably quit. But I had made too much progress to go backwards, so I pushed thru it. The same thing happened at Christmas, and it took me several weeks to get back on track.
I made the conscious decision to go off plan on those days, knowing the dangers. You have to look at yourself and be honest in your abilities to stay focused. Many people have good results with Cheat Days, others, not so much.
Personally I don't like the term Cheat Day, because it implies doing something wrong. I will have days that I go over my cals, or eat something I normally wouldn't, but I don't consider it cheating and beat myself up about it. I plan for it, or make up the cals another day. I will be counting calories and making healthy choices the rest the of my life, not just until I get to goal weight. I know that I can't live the rest of my life without ever eating cake, or pizza, or whatever. I just have to make choices and put them into my plan when the time comes. And don't make it a habit.
I am thinking differently just because I have never been this serious about weight loss and I am focused and determined. Also I have seen others on this site who has had success in losing weight along with their cheat days/meals.0
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