Cheat days - Worst idea ever

A couple of fairly common attitudes on cheat days:

First is that some people find it easier to have most of the week dedicated to very strict and rigid rules that they will not deviate from (not as much as a single potato chip or M&M, or absolutely no alcohol, or perhaps no bread or pasta, or not going over any of the limits for calories, sugar, sodium, fat grams, etc.) if they know that some their cheat day or cheat meal, they can loosen up a little and have something they have been craving. Once they have that day or meal where they treat themselves, then they can go right back to their clean eating routine for a while knowing that at the end of the week is another day/meal when they can enjoy something they otherwise can't have.

Another is that when someone does the same exact routine day after day without a change, the body can stabilize and reach a plateau and that having something to break up the pattern can cause a response where the body starts losing again.

I for one try not to have any cheat day (where I can be bad for an entire day) but have the occasional cheat meal, tending to do so for special events (such as a birthday party or perhaps a family night out to dinner).

agreed. They just continue the cycle of emotional eating and sugar addiction. If you break those bad habits you are home free. Why put yourself through it every week?

I am a fairly good sized guy, and have always had a big appetite. Before I got serious about logging and making an effort to lose weight, my "normal" lunch was 1500-2000 cal. A large (16") sub from Firehouse, Lenny's, or wherever. A giant cookie (or two), and a 32 oz (diet) drink, with a refill. At 220-240 lb., I could eat like that at every meal, every day.

I do go over my (aggressive) calorie goal several times a week. However, I don't think I have gone over maintenance since I started logging a month or so ago. So I don't sweat it. If I only lose 10 pounds this month instead of 20 like last month, I'll still be smiling....and drilling new holes in my belt! Hell, I ate half of a large pizza today for lunch I'll just settle back in and take care of it next week

Having said all that, I really hate the term "cheat meal/day". It isn't cheating if you are still doing what's healthy for you. As for the alcoholic comment - I find it to be an excellent analogy. IF you are someone who has a food addiction/disorder, I think a day of eating whatever you want with no repercussions is EXACTLY like telling an alcoholic to drink as much as they want one day a week. If you are NOT one of those people, then that comment wasn't meant for you.

I gotta say, I pretty much agree with the OP here. I am also finding this board a bit difficult due to the thin skinned nature of most of the members. Perhaps I can find a group on here that is a little more rough and tumble that would fit my personality better.

I'm going to have two cheat days this month because of the nature of my job. I cover media events, some of which involve food. I posted a thread about it, and the responses were in two camps: just take a little taste of everything or give yourself the day as a cheat day. I write about the food, so I have to at least taste it. I decided that since it's usually only a couple of times a month, I'll give myself permission to eat what I want (but certainly not to gorge myself).

I don't think it's going to hurt my overall eating plan. I know that those are special occasions, and they'll be treated as such. I'll log them to remind myself that I had a splurge, which is all the more motivation to behave the rest of the time. I think that will work much better for me than just taking little nibbles and feeling deprived.

TOPIC: Cheat days - Worst idea ever

Now you tell me! *just ate two donuts*

cheat days are unfortunately something I decide AFTER i have blown my diet. Fortunately they don't happen too often. Sometimes they can even be stopped at cheat meal. So really it's just a term I use to talk myself down from the roof when I cave into some craving that I was not planning to eat. Usually however I recover with either adjusting the rest of the day's food, or with workouts. For severe cases a couple days working off the overage sets me straight for weekly goals.

"Cheat" days work for me. There are certain foods I avoid altogether though, even on those days, as they trigger horrible binges.

Motivation? No.
Support? No.

Punishing me for having 2 slices of pizza and some french fries on Saturday while I stuck to my calorie deficit via food and exercise all week? Yes.

You might wanna actually try reading my post before you get all butt hurt.

I like your posting and I actually didn't see judgement must trying to "get it". I don't have much to lose but still doing the best I can like everyone else. I don't have "cheat days" but not worrying about it meals.. usually on Saturday night when we go out and I just don't want to stress about the calories or having a glass of wine. For some people it is dangerous for others its a way to get through the day

I am going to disagree with you. Easter was a cheat day for me. I gained two pounds but not for one single second do I regret it. I had a lot of bbq (my fav) and nachos which I gave up for lent. Now your screaming...you eat chips! yes sometimes I do because this is my life and my way of eating not a diet. Sorry but I am not going through life without eating the things I love ever. I am still losing weight a week out of my life with the scales staying the same or yo yoing doesn't mean I am not still trying to lose weight. I think you have to live each day the best you can and if you want to have a meal that doesn't fit tradition diet or even a day then go for it.

I don't know, maybe I have evolved but I have gone from loving and living for my cheat days to not looking forward to them one bit.

At the beginning they were a godsend but now I don't make a big deal out of them. I eat so clean now that most of the time when I do cheat, I end up feeling like crap and I hate that feeling.

For some reason the food is less enjoyable as well. Many foods just doesn't taste the same as I remembered them.

I usually will have one cheat meal every 30 days unless I hit a plateau and have been stuck there for a long period of time, then I will go to McDonalds, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, etc. and just junk it out for a day or two to clean me out and start over.

I don't like the idea of feeling like you are "cheating." It isn't "cheating" to have a high calorie day. I never have a "cheat day," but I will have the occasional "eat at or just barely under maintenance" day. That's not cheating, it's being flexible and living life.

This!!!

It seems like a lot of people have a really distorted idea of a cheat day, I have a cheat MEAL here and there, but still work hard to stay within my daily calories etc. I think cheat meals are great ideas simply because most people on this journey can't handle completely cutting out the crappy foods, I know I couldn't. But i've seen a lot of people overdo it, ie, eat really healthy all week, and then just go nuts on one day (I'm talking three takeaways, and a lot of soda) and then sit there and complain they didn't lose any weight, I've stuck with my one cheat meal a week, (I've broken it a few times, but still stayed well within my calories every time) and I'm still steadily losing weight, so why shouldn't I have a "treat" once in a while.

This content has been removed.

I'm of the opinion that they only sabotage your efforts. I eat what I want within my calorie range, regardless of whether its healthy.

When I did WW a few years ago, I would always use my weigh in day as a cheat day and would easily eat 3000+ calories that day. Then, you have to work double time to burn the extra calories!