Regarding the idea of a weekly "cheat day"

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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?
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Replies

  • jjlibunao
    jjlibunao Posts: 78
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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!

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