Do you pass you daily calorie limit in your cheat days?

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  • GamerLady
    GamerLady Posts: 359 Member
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    I never have 'cheat' days, because I'm not on a diet. I do however, make room in my diary for treats once in a while so I don't feel deprived and feel like I'm on a DIET.

    ^This^
    I just don't deprive myself of treats, if it's within my calories I eat it. Though I do not eat bread, pastas, potatoes, corn, rice, so it makes it a lot easier for me I guess to have sweet treats everyday if I want to. I gotta have ice cream everyday lol.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    I have been doing cheat day on Saturday for the past year of weight losing. Eat whatever I want in any quantity I want. I average 4,000 calories on cheat days. My normal goal is 1920 cal / day. Although lately they have not been as epic.

    I acknowledge the concern that this is not an ideal approach for everyone for long term weight loss / maintenance, but it works for me. Not sure how long you have to do something before it is the new baseline, but a year seems sufficient for me to say I have changed. Maybe 10 years is a good measure of longevity. We'll see.
  • 748marie
    748marie Posts: 61 Member
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    Fridays are my cheat day. but I cheat smart! When friday comes around I want pizza and Icecream (which I never keep in the house even though I have kids). My husband and I usually split a large thin crust veggie pizza, super super super light cheese. Then we go to yogurt mountain (self serve lowfat yogurt buffet) and I get maybe 1/4-1/2 cup of chocolater ice cream with about 150-200 calories of toppings.. That way I am satisfied but don't over do it. Whether I go over calories or not depends on my morning or afternoon but when I go over I don't sweat it. I have been doing this since November and have lost 21lbs.. never gained. I still have 19 to go but this way I am not constantly saying No to myself!
  • DalalMutar
    DalalMutar Posts: 97
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    If you're only doing ONE cheat meal a MONTH I really don't think it matters if you go over your calorie limit.

    ;D
  • toomuchbootyindapants
    toomuchbootyindapants Posts: 811 Member
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    A "cheat" day would typically be maintenance (2200-2400) to about 500 cals more for me. I don't want to throw out all of the week's hard work...but 500 extra cals isn't gonna hurt me too badly once a week if it keeps me sane and committed to eating well all week.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    When I was losing I never had planned cheat days. I do moderation instead. But if there was a special occasion (like a holiday) and I wanted to eat more I'd eat up to my TDEE. I've only eaten over TDEE twice in the past 6 months.
  • DalalMutar
    DalalMutar Posts: 97
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    A "cheat" day would typically be maintenance (2200-2400) to about 500 cals more for me. I don't want to throw out all of the week's hard work...but 500 extra cals isn't gonna hurt me too badly once a week if it keeps me sane and committed to eating well all week.

    I'm in this insanity. I cook a lot of delicious low calorie healthy food. But still! I miss Macdonald's people! Lol
  • clairelindy
    clairelindy Posts: 68 Member
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    I HAVE A CHEAT DAY EVERY SUNDAY AS ITS THE ONLY DAY THE WHOLE FAMILY ARE TOGETHER SO WE HAVE A THREE COURSE MEAL
    I TRY TO LOAD MY PLATE WITH VEG BUT I DONT GO WITHOUT ANYTHING AND I DONT WORRY ABOUT IT AFTER.

    WE DO GO FOR A EXTRA LONG WALK AFTER DINNER SO I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT
    I LOOK FORWARD TO MY CHEAT DAYS AND SO WHAT IF I GO OVER ASLONG AS I GOOD THE REST OF THE WEEK.

    I AM TRYING TO HEALTHY AS WELL AS LOSE WEIGHT AND IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING SO I WILL STICK WITH IT FOR NOW
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
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    My take: food is food, so if it fits into my daily goals it's not cheating. And since I don't deprive myself of things I like, I don't feel the need for meals or days where I go over my calorie limit--although I have a few times when we went out to eat and I hadn't planned for it.
  • KAR1959
    KAR1959 Posts: 4,264 Member
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    I don't have cheat days. But I do indulge here and there. My goal is a healthy lifestyle that I can stick with forever. Therefore, I no longer beat myself up over a slice or two of pizza, eating out once or twice a month or once a month family dinners. My goal is no mindless eating and no binge days and stay within my caloric limit the majority of the time.

    Also, when I know I'm going to go out or have a treat I kick up my workouts.
  • NutellaAddict
    NutellaAddict Posts: 1,258 Member
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    Hmmm don't have a cheat day per say but if I want to eat something (say chocolate) I work my *kitten* of that day and make it fit in the calories....now the sugar part that's a whole different scenario LOL
  • skinnydreams19
    skinnydreams19 Posts: 282 Member
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    Yes, or it's not a cheat!
  • Babygi6003
    Babygi6003 Posts: 356 Member
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    I have a cheat "meal" once a week. It is usually breakfast out somewhere on my day off. But I almost always go workout that day so I am not over calories for the day but occasionally it happens.
  • zoelee1982
    zoelee1982 Posts: 2
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    i do have one cheat day a week normally sats i dont go way over my calories limit i eat healthy all day then have a meal out with some wine so obviously alcohol sends me over but i counldnt diet all week and not have at least one rubbish meal a week dieting is depressing enough to no have a bit off a cheat but then during the six days i do bother im normally three to four hundred calories under my limit so does it really count who knows as im shedding 2 to 3 pound a week so i suppose if i didnt have the cheat meal and drink i could lose more but be miserable doing it. when i went to weight watchers they used to say eat under ur calories if u know ur going out as that will make up ur points.
  • Amy11108
    Amy11108 Posts: 74
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    I don't cheat because this isn't a diet. This is my life now. I try to do my best every day and sometimes I eat super healthy and sometimes I don't. I just try to make healthy choices more often than not.
  • mariodog1
    mariodog1 Posts: 16 Member
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    I absolutely do on my cheat days. Try to keep it under control. Not so easy for me at times.
  • swimcoach07
    swimcoach07 Posts: 31 Member
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    I never have 'cheat' days, because I'm not on a diet. I do however, make room in my diary for treats once in a while so I don't feel deprived and feel like I'm on a DIET. When I first started MFP, I'd have a blizzard once a week, usually on a Friday after a good day of working out and it's worth it. I still do that once in a while, but it's been too cold to eat ice cream.

    ^^^
    This
  • Melissaf0925
    Melissaf0925 Posts: 110
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    Hell yes! But my "cheats" involve gluten, refined sugar or any of the other things I don't normally eat. I do paleo because it is not a diet, its become my life. I have tried to find substitutes for the "forbidden" foods but sometimes I just really want a hoagie or a chocolate chip cookie. I work out enough (twice a day 3 times a week and 3-4 singles) that I shrug and move on. If I am craving something I listen to that craving. If I have a complete binge (it happens), I will stop tracking my food simply because I will stress too much about it.
  • mazdauk
    mazdauk Posts: 1,380 Member
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    I'm going away for a couple days and I know I'm going to go over a bit. I'm not going to be stupid munchy but equally I'm not going to stress over a slice of lemon tart....
  • ColtyHan
    ColtyHan Posts: 59 Member
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    I don't have "cheats" because I don't deprive myself. Instead of setting my calories super low and then going over on a regular basis, I just set my daily allowance high enough to lose weight slowly and still eat the things I like. I'd rather be happy everyday, than be miserable 6 days a week and make up for it on cheat day.

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