Regarding the idea of a weekly "cheat day"

Phrick
Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've seen them condemned with the rationale that why would you cheat and just make your journey longer? But then. A trainer I used to work with before I gave up the last time was a proponent of cheat days, saying it helped reset the body's metabolism. His line if thought was "your body gets used to X number if calories and starts to work more efficiently on that number but if you surprise it with more every so often it will not know what to anticipate so it will burn at a higher rate more consistently."

I trust this guy for workout advice with everything I've got, but I've always kind of questioned this train of thought!

What say you guys?

Replies

  • jjlibunao
    jjlibunao Posts: 78
    It's funny - i just posted a thread asking if anyone feels slugging after a cheat day because I had a major one (I ate about 2,200 calories) yesterday. I'm hoping your training is right. LOL I think the longest I went with being good (with my diet) is 10 days, then I have to just break down and eat what I WANT. I don't understand people who can be "good" or "moderate" all the time. But I don't think it (a cheat day) hurts because in the last 5 weeks, I've had two major cheat days and I STILL lost 7 pounds. Who knows if it would have been two pounds more, but I just get sick of eating healthy 24/7. But when I gained a lot of weight, I was getting sick of pigging out all the time too. The grass is always greener....
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    The metabolism thing is kind of bs. If you keep your cheat day high carb/low fat (<50g) it can help spike leptin levels, but this should be in the form of a structured refeed and only done every few months.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    Well, I don't think I would trust his diet advice based on that little bit of info, but I am still a proponent of what you'd call "cheat days" because getting healthy and losing weight is something you want to sustain for a lifetime. If you intend to eat big meals that are chock full of the things you love once in a while, then why not have them once in a while during the weight-loss phase?

    Just make sure the overall plan is eating at a calorie deficit and exercise is incorporated and it's fine.
  • SJackson50
    SJackson50 Posts: 282 Member
    The research is back and forth. All I know is that I went two weeks without a cheat day...lost less weight. I actually don't make it a "day", but a meal. I also workout on that day--when I think of how hard I worked, it is harder to eat "whatever" I want. :-)

    Deprivation makes you miserable...and while I want to reach my goals, I prefer to be happy and optimistic doing it.

    good luck!
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    Thanks, this kind of confirms what I've always thought about his diet info - he may know his stuff about training but about nutrition not so much lol. I'll probably continue as I have been this time, with planned indulgent days trying to stay as close to calorie goal as possible. Last night we ended up being out with my husband's brother and family and ate out lunch AND dinner. Oy!
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
    IMO, it's not so much a "cheat" day or meal as it is the fact that we have to learn how to eat and still have a life. There are going to be those days where a family member or friend says, "Hey, let's go get a bite to eat." Or, there's a family gathering or a birthday party in the office, or..or...or..whatever. It's called life and it's going to happen.

    If we keep turning down these events or looking for every single "healthy" alternative or freak out about going over our calories, then we are more likely to give up and say what's the use? I know for me, I'm not going to stop having a life and stop having fun with my friends just because I'm the one that's losing weight.

    I say stick with your calorie goal 85-90% of the time, exercise, and have fun with it. This is something we have to learn to incorporate into our everyday for the rest of our lives, so going over from time to time is just to be expected.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
    I have a cheat day every three weeks, and I have lost 29 pounds in two months. Even if it did set me back a little, it's worth it. What's life without the things you love in moderation anyway? It also gives me a little something to look forward to. Without an occasional cheat, I would likely get frustrated and give up, but we all take this weight loss journey differently.
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
    I think if you have significant amount of weight to lose it shouldn't be done that often. Maybe once every.. month or 6 weeks. When you start to hit a weight loss wall then it's time to change things up. Don't use refeeds as an excuse to pig out weekly - you can erase your gains you've made for the week very easily with the crap that is out there.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    Depends if you are depleting and thus can allow for a refeed of carbs.

    In terms of normal diet, a cheat day is simply calories. If you add 3500 calories to your overall intake for the week, it could be the difference between losing 1lb of fat or simply spinning your wheels.
  • emelia_
    emelia_ Posts: 91
    I don't do cheat days, mainly because they turn into cheat DAYS and it's hard to stop because I feel so much hungrier the next day.
  • CharityGC
    CharityGC Posts: 499 Member
    I definitely have meals that I don't count although it's not very often. Sometimes it's a meal, sometimes longer. This month will actually be a whole weekend as we meet up with friends. It hasn't seemed to impede my progress and I have no problem getting back into the swing of things after. I think it really depends on the person.
  • ars1300
    ars1300 Posts: 159 Member
    Everyone has their own opinions. I think if you are following a very strict diet, this could aid in boosting your metabolism. I have seen bodybuilding diets(men), where they carb load and basically as much as they can consume and can burn it all off within a few days after with following the strict diet after. I have followed a strick diet for the week and allowed my self to eat what I wanted on weekends and was able to maintain. I have cut back to a meal or 2 a weekend and have gotten much more noticable results.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    Everyone has their own opinions. I think if you are following a very strict diet, this could aid in boosting your metabolism. I have seen bodybuilding diets(men), where they carb load and basically as much as they can consume and can burn it all off within a few days after with following the strict diet after. I have followed a strick diet for the week and allowed my self to eat what I wanted on weekends and was able to maintain. I have cut back to a meal or 2 a weekend and have gotten much more noticable results.

    Thats depleting using protein/fat for a week or two and then you carb refeed.

    Not the same as cheat day, its MO is completely different, IMO.
  • itsgottago
    itsgottago Posts: 19 Member
    I don't like the idea of a cheat day but I do like the idea of a day off calculating and recording. A day to not get on the scale. Just a day in the no pressure zone. My goal is to make real life changes and not just be on a "diet" so a cheat day is really just a day of poor choices.
  • ay73966
    ay73966 Posts: 10
    I know many people who allow for a cheat day and still see results...my problem is a cheat day turns into a cheat week.
  • mohojojo
    mohojojo Posts: 26
    If done correctly a cheat day a week won't hurt much. I cheat once a week and have had everyone I've trained have a once a week cheat day with no negative results. It's a not a pig out day but a day where you can have some of the food you really love to eat. I don't do any special type of dieting other than eating small portions 5-6 times a day along with cardio and weight training. You can have some of the good..or bad stuff once in a while and still have a healthy lifestyle..IMO
  • NYCNika
    NYCNika Posts: 611 Member
    I try to limit my cheat day to at maintenance rate and not go over. At least that day I don't go backwards. I reserve them for social occasions.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    I've seen them condemned with the rationale that why would you cheat and just make your journey longer?
    1- What's the big hurry?

    2- I'd rather be happy the entire time. It's a matter of personal preference but for some that makes the difference.
  • SSarahh23
    SSarahh23 Posts: 22 Member
    I have a cheat meal, either once a week or once a fortnight and I'm still losing. That being said, I find it hard to eat the kind of foods I used to (ie heavy pasta meals, fast food etc) so my cheat meals aren't that bad and I usually end up close to my goal anyway.

    I guess it depends on the individual but I know it keeps me happy :)
  • poponastick302
    poponastick302 Posts: 77 Member
    I think that it is important to indulge occasionally. Personally, my 'cheat' days are the days when I donate blood, which is only once every 3 months. Firstly because it makes me tired as hell so I don't exercise or log anyway, but also I think that I deserve a bit of a reward for doing it! :')

    Otherwise, I do have the occasionally crappy day where I do go over, but **** happens!
  • 4Boys4Me
    4Boys4Me Posts: 16 Member
    I haven't read all the comments so sorry if this has already been mentioned. Look into the Spike diet. It allows one day a week where you spike your calories on purpose and the rest of the days are kept low but nutritional. I don't follow the plan but I've read about it and I allow myself a spike day (not called a cheat day) about once every two weeks. I just had one on Saturday, ate about 2400 calories (quite a bit of sodium with that) when I normally eat 1300. My weight was down the following day and down even more on Monday. So I totally believe in a Spike Day. It's better to plan it and have than to have a unplanned gorging fest.
  • SRedles
    SRedles Posts: 2
    Before I had my baby I was active and ate healthy at 5'7" was 135lbs and I had a "cheat day." I'm for the idea for sure, but I think some people just take it to a whole other level of cheating. Every sunday I'd allow myself a treat. One meal, snack or dessert, but only one, and a reasonable portion. None of this shoving as much crap into my mouth as I can BS.

    I don't know about his reasoning, but I can say that my ex was a personal trainer and his gym was big supporters of cheat days, however their reasoning was that if you never give in and give yourself that craving that has been haunting you for only god knows how long, then one day you'll have a bad time at work/school/life and will fall off the wagon. It's a lot easier to have a controlled cheat in your plan than no cheat at all, and makes the whole thing more enjoyable knowing that if you work hard, and stick to your diet you'll get to have that yummy thing at the end of the week.

    Maybe we should call them reward days instead?
  • Oaeneo
    Oaeneo Posts: 65 Member
    I don't do cheat days unless I have one.
  • jcreazy
    jcreazy Posts: 50 Member
    Well when I have a cheat day, like pizza, I only eat a slice or 2 when before I would eat the whole dang thing. Cheat days don't work for everyone though, I know people that have a cheat day and before you know it, it turns into a cheat week and they fall off the wagon.
  • angelaanhela
    angelaanhela Posts: 111 Member
    I actually tried this. Was following the Tim Ferriss Slow Carb diet where you pretty much dont eat any dairy, carbs, or sugars for 6 days then you can eat whatever you want on the 7th. I lost 6 pounds in 2 weeks but then my body couldnt recoup from the cheat days anymore so I would gain 3-5 pounds from that one day and it would take the entire week to go back to what I was. That lasted about 4 weeks of not losing anything. It works extremely well for other people but I think for me personally as an obese woman with hormone issues and an extremely low metabolism, the diet just wasnt working for me specifically the way it was laid out.

    From what Ive seen from the success stories (100-200+ pounds lost) is over and over again them saying that they didnt do anything 'special' or any miracle diet or drug. The majority said they ate healthier, tried to stay under their calories for the day (unless they start to plateau then a cheat day or meal), and moved more. From that you usually lose about 2 pounds a week, unlike the diets like the slow carb or special diets with cheat days when you can lose about 5 pounds a week. Which is great for those people that it works with! But unfortunately it didnt work that way for me.

    But that is ok because Im still learning and Im still losing and you have to do what is right for you because it is a life style change.
  • bigaussiebloke
    bigaussiebloke Posts: 257 Member
    I think a "Cheat Day" every week is healthy for every marriage! Looking for willing participants!

    ;)
  • MichelleKacz
    MichelleKacz Posts: 28
    I think the tricky thing about having a cheat day, is you encourage the food addiction (in my case anyways). So if you’re at the start of your journey, cheats shouldn’t even be an option in my opinion. I look at food crutches as an addition, and like a drug-addict trying to kick the habit, you need to go through the detox/withdrawal (admittedly the misery and tears too) and kick the habit. It’s not easy, but time goes by quicker than you realise and before you know it, you've created a whole new habit, this time one that is good for you. You don’t need to go hungry or starve, you just need to put the right things in your mouth and believe you are capable of changing! I’m not saying you can never have treats again, I just don’t think we should use food for comfort or reward. Once you are over the hurdle it's a different ball game all together - add those treats back into your life, in moderate portion sizes, every so often, but I do believe in cheat meals and not cheat days.
  • Lulzaroonie
    Lulzaroonie Posts: 222 Member
    Eating well isn't about perfection.
    Some days you're going to eat too much. Some days you're going to eat too little. And some days you're going to have a piece of cake, simply because the occasion calls for it. And that's ok. There is room for every type of food in a balanced diet.
  • kingofcrunk
    kingofcrunk Posts: 372 Member
    I don't like the idea of a designated cheat day where you must cheat on that day! I think in life sometimes you have to have higher calorie meals and/or days and these can be chalked up as a cheat day. But scheduling one in for a certain time each week doesn't sit well with me. Just take them as they come and try to avoid having too many cheat days in a short period of time!

Categories