Cheat days??!!
charmaine2014
Posts: 3
Hey everyone! Just wondering if anyone has a 'cheat day' at all? Or if you used to? Im wondering if this will effect weight loss much..
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Replies
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I cheat once a week. Doesn't really effect me except for water retention, but that passes a day or two later. You need it for sanity sake haha.0
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I don't do cheat days. I will do a cheat meal from time to time or allow myself a treat. Mostly I try to plan the rest of the day around it and try not to go more than a couple hundred calories over my daily goal (often minimized by exercise), but I don't worry about it if I go over once every couple weeks or so.0
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Hey everyone! Just wondering if anyone has a 'cheat day' at all? Or if you used to? Im wondering if this will effect weight loss much..
I don't, but I do.
I don't plan on one because I'll abuse it. I do occasionally cheat based on something significant going on (kids birthday, friend promotion, happy hour, etc).0 -
Hi! Here is a great resource on the use of cheat meals:
http://scoobysworkshop.com/cheat-meals/
Note on that: cheat meals are really best used as a pressure valve when you're on a strict nutrition diet. If you're just counting calories, and loosely keeping an eye on fat/protein/carbs, you shouldn't really need a specific cheat meal during the week. If you want to eat something and can fit it into your calorie budget, go for it!
That said, I am some where between "Strict Nutrition" and simple calorie budgeting, and I use e a cheat meal to help myself regulate some binge eating habits. I have one meal a week where I eat food from a restaurant (or, food that I didn't cook myself), and I allow myself to have a sugary soda or a beer at that time. This helps direct my focus throughout the week.0 -
I don't plan on one because I'll abuse it. I do occasionally cheat based on something significant going on (kids birthday, friend promotion, happy hour, etc).
Question here! What do you mean by abuse it?0 -
I have one or two maintenance days a week. Helps keep me on track and then I know I'm still losing.0
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I'm having a cheat day on Monday. I seem to schedule one every month and a half-ish, more to get out and do something different than because I feel like I need it.0
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I dont really do like a cheat day but I will let myself have cheat meals (like going out to dinner for example). If I never did this i'd probably have jumped off a bridge a long time ago.0
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Hi! Here is a great resource on the use of cheat meals:
http://scoobysworkshop.com/cheat-meals/
Note on that: cheat meals are really best used as a pressure valve when you're on a strict nutrition diet. If you're just counting calories, and loosely keeping an eye on fat/protein/carbs, you shouldn't really need a specific cheat meal during the week. If you want to eat something and can fit it into your calorie budget, go for it!
That said, I am some where between "Strict Nutrition" and simple calorie budgeting, and I use e a cheat meal to help myself regulate some binge eating habits. I have one meal a week where I eat food from a restaurant (or, food that I didn't cook myself), and I allow myself to have a sugary soda or a beer at that time. This helps direct my focus throughout the week.
This.
Some people are firm believers that you can eat anything as long as it fits your macros, others focus solely on calories. I personally think it depends on what your goals are, if you looking to cut and shed fat for a bodybuilding competition, than your calorie intake AND macros are important, same if you're trying to build muscle. If you're simply trying to lose weight, that's when you can play with the numbers a little more. Really, it's all in what works for you.0 -
I cheat once a week. Doesn't really effect me except for water retention, but that passes a day or two later. You need it for sanity sake haha.
My thoughts exactly!0 -
I have and actually today is one of those days.
My take - everytime I "dieted" in the past I would have a bad day and it would turn into a bad week and then I just figured I failed. Now my "bad days" are so few and far between it is an event. And I use these rules:
- No guilt
- No eating til exploding or being miserable
- No eating crap...if you're going to cheat - go upscale
- No doing it two days in a row
- Move on after doing it
I also force myself to write a note down the next day logging to myself how I feel physically and mentally. And I do re-read these notes from time to time.
This is a life style lived in real life. And real life sometimes involves bad days and bad choices. Own it and move on.
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I do...sometimes I will have a snack after I have logged my meals. As long as you don't go crazy and eat a bunch of junk, you should be ok.0
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I don't do cheat days. I will do a cheat meal from time to time or allow myself a treat. Mostly I try to plan the rest of the day around it and try not to go more than a couple hundred calories over my daily goal (often minimized by exercise), but I don't worry about it if I go over once every couple weeks or so.
THIS. I imagine that if I told myself that I "can't" have something that I would tear it up Cookie Monster style once I gave myself the opportunity to indulge haha0 -
I have and actually today is one of those days.
My take - everytime I "dieted" in the past I would have a bad day and it would turn into a bad week and then I just figured I failed. Now my "bad days" are so few and far between it is an event. And I use these rules:
- No guilt
- No eating til exploding or being miserable
- No eating crap...if you're going to cheat - go upscale
- No doing it two days in a row
- Move on after doing it
I also force myself to write a note down the next day logging to myself how I feel physically and mentally. And I do re-read these notes from time to time.
This is a life style lived in real life. And real life sometimes involves bad days and bad choices. Own it and move on.
This x 1000. No guilt is crucial. Cheating has a healthy function, don't let is be a tool working against you.0 -
As long as your calories balance out for the week, month...eat what you want. Long term diet restriction MIGHT, technically, be more healthy but who wants to live like that?0
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I don't have cheat days, but I am okay with a cheat meal. I never plan it, but if I am really in the mood for something and feel like splurging, I do it. It typically happens once a week and it doesn't have an affect on my weight-loss if I don't go overboard. If I am extreme (like last Friday when I ate a Chick-fil-a combo all and drank a bottle and a half of wine), yes...it will take a few days for my weight to go back down due to water retention. But...even though I did that on Friday, I was still down 2.6lbs today.0
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I can't have a cheat day or it will turn into a cheat week, month or year. Once I've reached my goal though I intend to plan my "cheat meal" in advance so it isn't an impulsive, spur of the moment decision.0
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I don't have cheat days, this time around I am not restricting myself from anything. But everything in moderation. I fit it into my calories for the day. But hey if I am over a little every once in a while so what. Don't beat yourself up for it. I am still losing the weight. Just making healthier choices, more veggies and fruits.0
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I don't, I plan my 'treats' into my daily allowance.0
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I just started my diet 2 weeks ago, i decided sat will be the day i would cheat and that turned into sunday i was felt so bad because i really wanted to try so this week i started back at it and i dont think ill be doing that again. Not until i learn self control0
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I don't really do a cheat day, simply because for me that could get out of hand...lol. I prefer to strictly adhere to my diet during the week, and allow myself some extra calories on the weekend to enjoy myself. It's really all about balance!!!0
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I overindulge from time to time, but I don't consider it cheating. This is my life now; this isn't a diet, so I'm not cheating.0
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I don't do "cheat days" and I don't do "cheat meals". I am aware of what I am eating when I eat it and know rather quickly what adjustments need to be made during the rest of the day.
I read this quote earlier this week about this topic.
A diet is like a marriage; You can't cheat at it and expect it to work out.0 -
I do one cheat meal a week. Whatever I want as much as I want to eat. This keeps me on track so I don't feel like I am depriving myself. With this I still continue to lose between 2-3 lbs a week.0
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I don't diet. However, I am losing weight. I normally track what I eat but sometimes I'm just hungry or need to indulge myself or have an all day meeting at work with the food brought in or am celebrating an event. I typically eat what I want to but track it for the record. That way I can assess what wasn't worth the calories and get a sense of how much I eat when it's unplanned.0
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I usually only cheat when we go to in-laws for dinner or a party or something because I allow myself snacks whenever I want them I don't feel the need to cheat too much but I'm not gonna count calories at someone else's house or at a party so I just try to enjoy myself that day. I am on maintenance now so when I cheat I do gain anywhere from 1 to 2 pounds but I have no problem getting it back off. Enjoy life some and you will be able to sustain this especially if you make it a lifestyle change0
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I mean I will turn my 1 regular cheat day into 2 and so on. I know myself in that if I tell myself it's ok I won't stop at 1I don't plan on one because I'll abuse it. I do occasionally cheat based on something significant going on (kids birthday, friend promotion, happy hour, etc).
Question here! What do you mean by abuse it? 0 -
I don't have cheat days or meals but rather treats that I fit into my counts. I usually try and do this either the day of weigh in or the day after. If I restricted everything that was bad for me it would just cause me to binge on them which is worse than just small portions. ~0
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no because it makes getting back on track that much harder.0
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I do every Sunday. It's my day of rest. :-) I honestly don't think I would have made it this far without my day off.0
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