Cheat days - ruined an entire week

I don't have cheat days. The idea I think it's not to need them. I'm working hard to make sure my current habits are not a sacrifice, and therefore, maintainable in the long rung. I haven't quit coca cola for example, because I know my life would be much harder without it. Maybe someday I will, but not now, and I still manage to eat within my calorie goals most days, and if I go over it's by around 100 - 200 (which is still a deficit), but then some days I'm also under for about that, so it generally evens out during the week. I have been improving my shape steadily in this way.

It is not supposed to be a cheat DAY it is supposed to be a cheat meal that is why you went over your calorie intake so much and you haven't lost very much at all. Cheats can be okay as long as your not going overboard. REMEMBER it is one meal not a whole day!

Going over your goals for one day isn't going to completely hinder weight loss long term. There is nothing wrong with a "cheat day" as long as it isn't happening every other day.

A "cheat" day for me would constitute eating a maintenance level of calories, not going crazy and eating at surpluses. Yeah...couple days at a surplus can and will definitely mess with your weight loss goals...the more surplus, the more it's going to impact your goals. It's very simple math really. 1Lb = 3,500 calories...if you only have a deficit of 1,750 calories in the week because you had cheat days, you're only going to lose about .5 Lbs. Not to mention, with gradual weight loss goals, it can be hard to see changes week to week due to weight fluctuations that are out of your control...the smaller the weight loss, the harder it will be to see it on the scale in a given week due to natural fluctuations. On that note, it's possible that you've actually lost more than .6 Lbs...or not...my body weight can fluctuate 1-3 Lbs day to day.

I personally don't like cheat days...like I said, I'll go to maintenance if it's a special occasion or something...but it's maintenance...it's what I'll be at when I get to my goal. Splurging and eating surpluses multiple times per week is how I got here in the first place. Being that this is a lifestyle change for me more than anything, surplus eating is pretty much out the window...I do that, and when I get to maintenance I'll be telling myself I can have cheat days and eat a surplus once or twice a week or whatever...then in no time, I'll be *****ing that I'm fat again. Not gonna happen.

I dont believe in cheat days. What purpose does it serve? You ought to eat what you want (within moderation.) And on days where you go overboard - unless you literally ate like a horse (netting 3500cals) you didn't "gain" any weight. You, more likely, gained a lot of sodium induced water retention. Something I hate about eating out, is how long I have to wait til my weight looks normal again.

I have a feeling that cheat days wind up feeling more like binge excuses (that may be just me.) Rather than spend 1 day filling up on crap (delicious but crap) I would rather spread that exact same crap out through the week and fit it into my calorie budget, even if it means working out a little harder cause I haven't had a decent margarita in a while.

Plus "cheat" implies you broke a rule, which you didn't. It then instills a feeling of guilt/remorse which you shouldn't be feeling unless you were sneaking food behind someones back, but that is a different thing altogether. Which then leads to a horrible spiral which may lead to a worse "cheat" day.

You ate out. You enjoyed your life 2 days in a row. So did I, my weight took almost a week to get back to where it was this time last week. I didn't cheat, I just had a lovely meal at home with the family, and then a great night out at a Fab Italian place with the hubby. Nothing cheaty there!

Mindset - adjustments need to be made!
:drinker:

They're not cheat days if you have a 'lifestyle'

it's not a diet - it's a lifestyle. period.

if you eat crap everyday then that's your 'lifestyle'

if you have a piece of chocolate, or 10 pieces one day because you simply feel like it... that's not a cheat day, that's moderation because you won't do it again the next day, will you?

I had pizza on Saturday night after a night of drinking, I don't remember the last time I've done that... maybe 5 or 6 months give or take?! The next day, I had pizza and wings for dinner and I went over by about 200 calories - woop di *kitten*! Who cares?!?! I had pizza again on Monday and Tuesday, 2 pieces each day... am I concerned? No! Why? Because I didn't 'pig out' I had it in moderation.

My lifestyle is generally clean eating. The pizza was whole wheat with pinneaples, green peppers and green olives on thin crust, the wings were fried and had barely any sauce. I wasn't going to shake a fist at it until I had the terrible stomach ache after Either way don't kill yoursel over chocolate, you don't give it to yourself every once in a while, you will over indulge when you do have a serious craving!

I don't have a "cheat day", but on the weekends and special days I will treat myself to something I don't normally eat all week. But I'm always aware of how many approximate calories it has. Valentine's day and the day after i had a chocolate covered strawberry and 2 chocolate covered orieos. I still have some left, I don't know what I'm going to do with them because I don't want to hurt my hubby's feelings...:brokenheart:

Take them to work and leave them in the break room. Someone else will eat them and he'll assume you did. You'll make 3 people happy. :happy:

I go out for a 'reward' meal once a week, and it's been great so far.

Sometimes I just get those cravings for greasy pizza, butter chicken, cheeseburger, etc. And I just tell myself that after my week of healthy eating, I can treat myself to an 'unhealthy' meal on the weekend. It keeps me motivated if I treat it like a reward. That one meal a week satisfies my cravings and keeps me on track for the next week.

It may not work for everyone, but it hasn't hindered my weight loss yet and it makes everything easier mentally.

cheat days are exactly what it says its cheating. you dont need to do them you choose to just control yourself and maybe just splurge on a meal or something

Agreed

I don't let myself cheat once a week, but I think the important thing to think about when you have a cheat day is not to beat yourself up over it. Accept it, and move on, don't let it get you down too much. My husband and I had a nice dinner out for V-day, and yes it took a week to bounce back, but to me it was worth it. If it's not worth it, it's not worth "cheating". However, I do believe in eating "cheat" foods. For example, I had a piece of pizza a week ago because it looked and sounded good. I recorded it and still made sure I stayed within my goal. I think that's the best way to "cheat".

I agree cheat DAYS are bad...cheat MEALS however...not so bad because it's just one meal. I allow myself to have one meal, once a week that isn't so great for me but something I have been craving. I don't like cheat days well, because there goes your whole day! One meal will not make or break you, one day however...yeah maybe. Practice portion control too on cheat meals. You do not have to finish your whole plate. Hopefully this helps