What is with these cheat days?

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2FatToRun
2FatToRun Posts: 810 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I keep seeing posts of how guilty ppl feel during and after their "cheat" days. I understand the totally ridiculous justification that it prevents ppl from failing in their diet (as does self control) but seriously do you really need an entire DAY to cheat? Why cant it be just a meal? Do you miss your unhealthy lifestyle and it is like an affair you are meeting at the motel once a week? Why cant you just have one junky thing everyday as long as it fits into your macros? I am starting to think cheat days are just an excuse to binge and be able to talk about it because somehow it is so damn acceptable :huh:

Maybe I am wayyyyy of base which is not abnormal for me but I am seeing a very clear pattern and I have only been here 2 weeks tomorrow :ohwell:
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  • OkieTink
    OkieTink Posts: 285 Member
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    I would think if someone REALLY felt guilty about it they would stop after the FIRST cheat meal/snack/whatever
  • 2FatToRun
    2FatToRun Posts: 810 Member
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    I would think if someone REALLY felt guilty about it they would stop after the FIRST cheat meal/snack/whatever

    Thats what I am thinking...if you truly felt guilty you wouldnt do it lol I think it is an excuse to live out your old bad habits for a day. The funny thing is you could take all that crap you eat in that one day and spread it out throughout the week and it would probably lessen the chances of eating WAYYYY over what you had first intended lol IDK color me stupid lol
  • shutupandlift13
    shutupandlift13 Posts: 727 Member
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    Cheat meals tend to turn into cheat days. Neither has to be a gluttonous feast though. But a lot of people have the mentality that "uh oh, I had some "bad" food the WHOLE day is fcked, might as well keep shoveling in EVERYTHING that I want to eat before I go to sleep, clean start tomorrow!"

    People don't understand moderation... probably why they're here in the first place. I used to eat ice cream three times a week and never feel like I was "cheating". Hit your macros, stay at a deficit for the week and enjoy your food, people! You don't have to CHEAT at anything when you start viewing food in a healthy manner... none of this bad food good food BS.
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
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    I don't believe in 'cheat days'. I believe in eating whatever you want in moderation.
  • Nicole65
    Nicole65 Posts: 41 Member
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    I don't believe in cheat days either, my dad kept doing this kind of diet where you ate what you wanted on the weekend... he's still overweight. The silly thing is he keeps trying to talk me into doing it!!

    I prefer to have a treat here and there throughout the week when I have the extra calories for it, it's more special that way and I have something to look forward to every now and then. Since my calorie intake varies, the night I indulge in said treat is also different so it doesn't become a habitual "Thursday night thing" or what have you.
  • Lift_This_
    Lift_This_ Posts: 2,756 Member
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    Cheat meals tend to turn into cheat days. Neither has to be a gluttonous feast though. But a lot of people have the mentality that "uh oh, I had some "bad" food the WHOLE day is fcked, might as well keep shoveling in EVERYTHING that I want to eat before I go to sleep, clean start tomorrow!"

    People don't understand moderation... probably why they're here in the first place. I used to eat ice cream three times a week and never feel like I was "cheating". Hit your macros, stay at a deficit for the week and enjoy your food, people! You don't have to CHEAT at anything when you start viewing food in a healthy manner... none of this bad food good food BS.

    QFT
  • mcflat29
    mcflat29 Posts: 2,159 Member
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    Sometimes the life change is too much and having a cheat day helps relieve some of the guilt with going back to those bad habits. So, in a way, it is like cheating with a hooker at a hotel once a week. After awhile, once you've adjusted to the change, you don't need or want a cheat day. It's just something to help people along.

    Personally, I didn't use a cheat day. I used a day where I ate like I do but took a break from logging it. Now I don't take a break from logging, I eat generally healthy and if I have a few unhealthy things here or there, I call it living life. Hell, today, I had a sundae. I refuse to die with a regret of "I wish I'd let myself have more cheesecake." :laugh:

    But, to each their own.
  • Coach_Simon
    Coach_Simon Posts: 254 Member
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    I believe in eating whatever I want in moderation. This isn't all about good and healthy food, but about enjoying life too. So if I go to a concert or something like that and I know I'm gonna drink alcohol and have some 'bad' food, it doesn't bother me. There are way too many delicious foods out there to not enjoy them.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    IMO: Whether or not a cheat day can be a successful dietary tool (as opposed to an excuse) is pretty heavily dependent on the individual.
  • 2FatToRun
    2FatToRun Posts: 810 Member
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    IMO: Whether or not a cheat day can be a successful dietary tool (as opposed to an excuse) is pretty heavily dependent on the individual.

    Yes I agree that is why I posted this but I feel like ppl use it more than if it didnt exist and wasnt acceptable. And I keep seeing them over and over being guilty for it lol As soon as anyone gets on a post and there is the slightest hint of ED ppl go ape **** and make sure to point it out. If ppl are doing cheat days, practically binging...and then coming on here and admitting to everyone how guilty they feel, isnt that condoning the problem if everyone says "oh its okay it happens"? What about those ppl that announce the day before how excited they are that the next day is their cheat day lol IDK I am confuzzled
  • doodles21224
    doodles21224 Posts: 24 Member
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    I haven't been on here long either but I can understand how people feel. I didn't really cheat yesterday but sometimes I know I will have to give in to something. I didn't complain just said tomorrow is another day. I went over calories by 33 which didn't bother me, but I don't intend to do it every day or every week. I want the success that I see other people have and if I CHEAT too often I won't succeed. I understand both sides of the coin though, been there and done that.
  • kusterer
    kusterer Posts: 90 Member
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    For me, eating enough of food I shouldn't can send me over my calorie goal every once in a while. I don't consider it a cheat day though. I consider it "yesterday," and work on getting back on track today.
  • cleback
    cleback Posts: 261 Member
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    I usually call my flub-ups "cheat days" (I don't plan them). Of course, moderation is the gold standard-- the behavior we aspire to-- but let's face it... there's something about eating the whole d*** box of oreos/cakes/chips/whatever. Like someone mentioned, it's like sneaking off to see your mistress... Not healthy but satisfying in a dysfunctional way.
  • bwnorton
    bwnorton Posts: 100 Member
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    I actually have a cheat meal every now and then. So far, when it happens, it seems to be with pizza - AND on Fridays. Now that I'm on month 4 of watching my feelings and diet with a microscope, the urge to stress eat has greatly gone down. I record everything, including that Krispy Kreme doughnut that I ate at breakfast last week (which was totally not worth it) and the three slices of deep dish pizza and two beers I had when I really blew my diet a few weeks ago on a Friday.
  • bonjalandoni
    bonjalandoni Posts: 136 Member
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    I don't believe in cheat days either, my dad kept doing this kind of diet where you ate what you wanted on the weekend... he's still overweight. The silly thing is he keeps trying to talk me into doing it!!

    I prefer to have a treat here and there throughout the week when I have the extra calories for it, it's more special that way and I have something to look forward to every now and then. Since my calorie intake varies, the night I indulge in said treat is also different so it doesn't become a habitual "Thursday night thing" or what have you.

    This
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    I keep seeing posts of how guilty ppl feel during and after their "cheat" days. I understand the totally ridiculous justification that it prevents ppl from failing in their diet (as does self control) but seriously do you really need an entire DAY to cheat? Why cant it be just a meal? Do you miss your unhealthy lifestyle and it is like an affair you are meeting at the motel once a week? Why cant you just have one junky thing everyday as long as it fits into your macros? I am starting to think cheat days are just an excuse to binge and be able to talk about it because somehow it is so damn acceptable :huh:

    Maybe I am wayyyyy of base which is not abnormal for me but I am seeing a very clear pattern and I have only been here 2 weeks tomorrow :ohwell:

    what if someone is able to maintain a steady, long term loss while incorporating these cheat days? then how in the world is it detrimental, and why should it bother you?

    and while I don't do huge cheat days that send me way past maintenance, I do have a day once every week or two where i eat a whole pizza with soda, or an entire bag or cookies, a full box of gourmet chocolates. I'm not justifying anything, its fact: knowing that every once in a while i can completely indulge in a large quantity of something high calorie and delicious absolutely makes it easier to stay under my goal on all the other days. Considering my very significant weight loss so far, I'd say that, for me at least, this strategy is more than adequate.

    Regarding self control... PLANNING to indulge in something for a specific amount of time, and then getting right back on track with healthy eating... that is the very definition of self-control. (Obviously, this isn't a good strategy for those who find this would lead full on binge, but not everyone falls into that category)

    Maybe you could try being a little less judgmental of other people's strategies; unless of course what they are doing isn't working and they ask for your help.
  • xxxTiaxxx
    xxxTiaxxx Posts: 310 Member
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    I don't believe in 'cheat days'. I believe in eating whatever you want in moderation.

    Agreed
  • PixelTreason
    PixelTreason Posts: 226 Member
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    I lost 50 pounds and have been maintaining that for at least a year and a half now and I still have a "cheat" day every weekend. ALL DAY!

    "Cheat" means different things to different people.
    For me, I exercise more that day and still try to keep my calories within a reasonable range of my normal goal. "Cheating" *usually* means restaurants, simple carbs or some candy I've been craving (today it was a bagel, a donut and a mexican restaurant!)

    I think you should worry about what you want to do for you and let others worry about themselves. That way, everyone is happy! :)


    For me, if I went with the "everything in moderation" model, I would start justifying eating "dirtier" than I want to. Having a scheduled day makes me really pick and choose what calories are important enough for me to spend on that cheat day.
  • cnd8304
    cnd8304 Posts: 14
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    To each their own. If a day of going over on calories doesn't work for you then simply don't do it. Just my opinion. :flowerforyou:
  • janessanessa
    janessanessa Posts: 299 Member
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    I don't believe in 'cheat days'. I believe in eating whatever you want in moderation.

    I agree with this. I try to make sure I stay under my calorie goal, and try and eat a good amount of healthy foods as well under that limit.

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