CHEAT DAY

2

Replies

  • janj626
    janj626 Posts: 2 Member
    I don't do cheat days. I only try to do my best everyday. At this point in my life, I have learned that cutting out the things I love will not only make me miserable, but it won't help me lose weight or keep it off. I have to learn moderation and move my body more. I look back on my grandparents (some in US and some in India) - they were all healthy weights and didn't diet or eat 'light' or 'diet' food...they ate real, whole, clean foods, made from scratch and were more active in their daily lives.
  • SarahBeth0625
    SarahBeth0625 Posts: 685 Member
    I also make sure I workout that day so I don't feel so terrible about it.
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
    I eat whatever I want everyday within my calorie limit and on Saturdays I eat whatever I want without logging!
  • RipperSB
    RipperSB Posts: 315 Member
    I've said it before and I'll say it again... It's only cheating if don't log it accurately. Have whatever you want that fits into your plan, whenever you want it. Enjoy it, log it, move on with no regrets... it's called life, enjoy it responsibly!
  • jcfromtb
    jcfromtb Posts: 15 Member
    I don't have "cheat days". I think the words alone villainize food and set me up for failure. The way I work is simple... if I eat healthy 95% of the time, if I am out for a meal and want to eat a cheeseburger or a slice of pizza... I eat it.
  • langsyne
    langsyne Posts: 106 Member
    First, I would only consider having a "reward" day if I had put the work in and had something to show for the effort. I usually will get a good hour workout in to give myself a little extra wiggle room. I will still try to make relatively smart choices and will allow myself 500 calories over my goal + workout calories.

    I really like this. Calling it a reward day instead of a cheat day. Mine is usually a meal - a big juicy steak and fries and a few beers every couple of weeks. I try to work it into my macros but don't stress out too much about going over. It's one meal, and if I had to forgoe it completely it would just be too fricken sad.
  • dalesd
    dalesd Posts: 10 Member
    I don't cheat. I eat what I want as long as it fits my macros. LCHF. If I eat high carb foods, it makes me crave them. (Been there, done that, got the XXL t-shirt to prove it.) So I stick to low carb high fat.

    I'm under my calorie goal for most days, so If I go a little over once a week or so, I'm still in good shape.
  • CrystalRenee2013
    CrystalRenee2013 Posts: 25 Member
    I'm to afraid to do a "cheat day or meal"..It worries me that if I slack down just that once that it will be a constant thing for me,then i'll gain all my weight & some back.
  • libertygirlfla
    libertygirlfla Posts: 184 Member
    I once did a program that required a "cheat" day once a week. I spent all week anxiously anticipating an M&M McFlurry. The day finally came and I made a special trip to get my "treat". I savored every bit and then was sick as a dog the rest of the day. I never felt the urge to have a cheat day after that. When making the decision to eat something that is not nutrient dense, I think back to the last time I had something like that. If it was just a day or two ago, I will take a pass. If it's been a week or more, I will indulge in MODERATION. I usually track it just so I can monitor trends but I don't worry if I go over my calories by a bit every now and then.

    Everything in MODERATION!!
  • sPaRkLiNgLYFE
    sPaRkLiNgLYFE Posts: 609
    i never cheat for a whole day, when i do its usually at a restaurant and i don't eat out often.
  • hottamolly00
    hottamolly00 Posts: 334 Member
    I just don't do it. I only cheat when I save up my calories during the week... like when I have a weekend event planned and I KNOW ahead of time that I'm going to be subjected to cake, fried food, and beer. I PREPARE for it.

    Anyway, I don't believe in cheating weekly. It just reverses all my workouts fromthe previous week.
  • roosterblue
    roosterblue Posts: 25 Member
    On a cheat day, I'll eat as much as I want and whatever foods I want. The next day, I put it behind me and move on.
    Definitely what I do! I allow myself one day, guilt-free. I don't go crazy because thankfully, my stomach can't handle the food it used to -- but I certainly don't feel guilty about the butter on my bread or the fresh mozarella on my eggplant parm on my cheat days!

    The next day, however -- BURN BURN BURN. Cheat days keep me sane.
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
    At least for me, if I had blow out meals or days, it would start me down a path of gradually doing it more often and then being back where I started.

    I agree.

    Everyone is different. If you can handle moderation, go for it! But if you have a certain type of personality that can't handle it (similar to that of a recovering alcoholic or gambler), you do need to be very vigilant. When I first tried to lose weight, I would reward myself with a cheat meal.... then two meals... then a day.. then a weekend! It can be a slippery slope for some people. I do plan for treats, but I always have to be very mindful. Now that I'm on MFP, it's easier to set limits and see what is going into my body and if I DO have a treat (big sweet tooth over hear :wink: ), it's not cheating becuase I'm within my target caloric in take. The stress I would get from having a 2500 (or more!) cheat day, would quickly negate any instant gratification I would experience during a "cheat meal/day".
  • Liftnlove
    Liftnlove Posts: 235
    My cheat days used to be just an all-out food-porn festival... donuts, pizza, Sprites, cookie dough, ice cream, croissants with honey and butter, fried foods with gravy, you name it. I loved it and I still lost weight....however....

    Now that I'm closer to my goals, my body just can NOT handle that much food/sugar/grease anymore. It's quite sad. :sad:

    So anyway, now I usually have like a really huge cheat "meal"...like 8 or 9 cheesy biscuits from Red Lobster, and then some chips and Queso...something completely ridiculous like that....but then I go back to eating "normally" the rest of the day. I still feel a bit yucky when I do that, but it's kinda worth it. lol

    *** On a "normal" day I eat 2000+ calories and work in small treats, so I don't really feel the need for those crazy cheat days very often anymore...but they're still fun from time to time :)
  • hottamolly00
    hottamolly00 Posts: 334 Member
    I suggest tracking said "cheat" days and see how many calories you consume. You might be surprised and realize that it only undid all the deficits from the previous week. It sets you back a WHOLE week from your overall goal. No thanks. Count me out.
  • Liftnlove
    Liftnlove Posts: 235
    I suggest tracking said "cheat" days and see how many calories you consume. You might be surprised and realize that it only undid all the deficits from the previous week. It sets you back a WHOLE week from your overall goal. No thanks. Count me out.

    I agree about tracking them. I always logged my cheat days. Sometimes I would get close to 6000 calories...I still lost weight. Everyone is different, so each person should do what works for them. As I said, I don't do these huge-calorie days anymore because they make me physically sick. But it did not "undo" all my progress. I still lost weight, even though my average daily intake has always been around 2000 calories. I do workout very hard though...not everyone can eat like me I suppose. Bottom line--do what works for YOU, and don't worry about what anyone else says :)
  • Dulcemami4ever
    Dulcemami4ever Posts: 344 Member
    I don't have a cheat day, just a cheat meal. A cheat meal seems to boost my metabolism, but a cheat day will just screw my diet I'm thinking.
  • MayaSPapaya
    MayaSPapaya Posts: 735 Member
    I agree with another poster, its usually a cheat meal once or twice a week by going out to dinner, and I still don't go over my allowance much.
  • SophieC19
    SophieC19 Posts: 117 Member
    I don't have a whole cheat day, I just have a take out every Saturday for an evening meal, normally pizza. Don't see anything wrong with it, and I'm still losing :)
  • dalehall64
    dalehall64 Posts: 290 Member
    It's not a Cheat Day, it's a Treat Day. For all your hard work. Even Shaun T calls it a Treat Day..
    Mine is wings and beer.
  • kmorganm27
    kmorganm27 Posts: 5 Member
    Once a week I just don't sweat it if I end up over my calorie allowance, but I don't eat unhealthy because I genuinely enjoy the healthy stuff I make (it's not like I'm eating leafy greens every night for dinner)! I try to meet my goal for the week or stay a bit under, and this way my metabolism gets shaken up a bit. Under one day, over another.. it all evens out I guess!
  • minionofevil
    minionofevil Posts: 79 Member
    I don't plan a specific day, I just pick a day once in a while (usually 2x amonth) where hubby and I are gonna be out (mall, date night, whatever) and I know I will be having something like pizza or something, but i make sure i don't go crazy overboard.
  • ninjakowski
    ninjakowski Posts: 158
    I have a 'cheat evening' on Friday nights - its my reward for being good all week and gives me something to look forward to if I get cravings during the week. I generally still try to stay within my calorie allowance (or not too far out), but dont worry about macros or fat or bad carbs.

    Things change as time goes on though. Originally my cheats were basically as much chocolate and ice cream as I could squeeze into my allowance. Today, I stopped by the health food store and picked up some yummy goodies to munch on tonight, and I can't wait to get into them - couldn't give a toss about the chocolate :smile:
  • aarikadanielle
    aarikadanielle Posts: 179
    If I am doing a cheat meal, which only happen about once every six weeks of dieting, I still make it fit in my daily allowance for calories!
  • missymakayla
    missymakayla Posts: 309 Member
    I Go out to dinner once a week(used to 4/5 times) i order what i want, but limit myself. I also try to watch what I eat on that day to prepare for my dinner out. Just remember watch out for salt, fried ,and sauces, when you do go out or cheat..... Good luck
  • DeeKay2169
    DeeKay2169 Posts: 72 Member
    Oh hell!! I guess I'm different from most. I only do cheat meals. I work out 7 days a week at least 2 times a day. I take my "spike meal" on Friday nights. Sometimes it's a pizza buffet (at least 3 plates), steak/potato, sushi, etc... I do my "spike meal" to get my body confused and to remind myself how it feels to eat like crap and feel like crap! I enjoy my clean eating way more after that feeling!

    I SAY SPIKE THAT S*IT BUT NEVER FORGET WHERE YOU WERE OR WHERE YOU ARE GOING!!!!!!
  • rekite2000
    rekite2000 Posts: 218 Member
    I have splurges more than cheats- cheat makes it sound forbidden and I don't believe in that. High sodium foods tend to be my splurge- like wings or chips. Also, cheesecake but now that I am eating better, I really can only handle a few bites. Funny thing is my husband asks me to pick up his "cheat" food and I can't think of anything to get for myself. A few months ago, it would have been a full cheesecake with burritos! My splurges have changed a lot!
  • stepgonz
    stepgonz Posts: 48 Member
    I dont do food cheats BUT my cheat days consist of allowing myself to have some alcoholic drinks. Usually once every 2 weeks
  • Debmae65
    Debmae65 Posts: 2
    I don't like cheat/treat days per se.

    All the years that I was a weight watchers member so many members bought fish & chips (or similar) on the way home after their weigh in. It was their "reward" but to my mind was always going to undo their good work.

    I am sitting here drinking a can of cider, it's Friday, I have been to the gym, I want one. I shall probably go over my cals today but I have been under three times this week so I have some leeway and I have lost 2lbs this week so I am doing okay. We are rarely having take aways, we cook fresh foods daily (or re heat home frozen meals) so we eat well. We have a date night once a month and I don't worry too much what I eat then but will probably have been to the gym anyway.

    When I hit 2 stone (28lbs) off I shall reward myself, probably with a pizza but again I will compensate with a gym session, or two. When I get lower and maybe losses are harder to come by then I will have to be more careful but for now I will not totally deprive myself. Eating well IS a life long change but I don't have to be a saint forever!!!
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
    I don't believe in cheat days. It gives me the mentality that some food is *bad* and I can only eat it when I'm being naughty. It tends to lead me to binges. So I simply try to eat my best every day and if I have a cup cake or a meal out that's that. It's not cheating it's just life.

Categories