Cheat Days

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Replies

  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    Most of the people who I have seen lose the most weight and keep it off have days or meals where they can indulge. Just try and still hit your macros.

    It can be very negative to go, 'I am never going to eat this or that food again' and some people can't maintain this unrealistic way of life. If you're still losing weight I don't see why you can't have a cheat day or meal.

    Enjoy it. :happy:
  • winchestervol63
    winchestervol63 Posts: 47 Member
    I don't think it's a big deal - just plan for it. I ate at basically maintenance level a few days ago, which was only the first or second time in two months I've eaten that much. Ate very little the next day, though (and it was easy to eat that little). Average the two days and I would've had two nice, normal days. Back to normal today.

    Just look at a rolling 3-4 day average, maybe, or maybe take a look at the whole week. As long as you compensate for it regularly on some other days of the week, it won't even slow you down.
  • endoftheside
    endoftheside Posts: 568 Member
    So there a specific few days a week (two total) that I usually see the person I'm dating, and we usually go out to eat delicious food (unhealthy) or I try to cook something impressive (usually high calorie and unhealthy).

    Yo, apart from all the other advice you're getting here, you need to STOP THIS HABIT RIGHT NOW. Seriously. You are going to mentally associate this person with eating crap food and then when you start seeing this person more frequently, you will end up eating crap food every time, until "cheat day" becomes "cheat week" becomes "cheat life".

    Next time you see this person, plan to do something relatively active that you might have in common, go for a walk, bike ride, go to a museum or art gallery - try to avoid a mall or area with lots of fast-food - I do not care WHERE you live, you can find SOMETHING to do that does not have a built in fast food places to eat - and plan to eat at a specific place, preferably somewhere that specializes in something somewhat healthy like wraps, sushi, seafood (stick to steamed seafood and away from any butter/cream sauces).

    Next time you cook for this person, for shoots sake, this is the internet, you can find TONS of impressive recipes that are NOT BAD FOR YOU! For main courses: http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/ has TONS of recipes that appeal to all tastes and go light on the "bad" stuff. For desserts, my ultimate go-to is http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/recipes/ - the one recipe that people always request I make is her Chocolate Bar Pie (it's like mousse but made with tofu!!)

    So seriously, be aware that you are setting up a very dangerous precedent in this relationship. My fiance and I both used to be heavy, and I know I tried to show my love by cooking "the good stuff" like mac and cheese, meat loaf, and lots of saucy cheesy dishes for him and giving him a triple portion because "he's a big guy!" One day we both realized that we couldn't go on like that - I've lost 40+ lbs and he's lost 60+ lbs - I make him tofu cake and steamed veggies and he still loves me just as much!

    This is exactly what I was thinking. It's habits like yours that end up with two very overweight married people. Look at wedding pictures for people married 10 years and currently obese.
  • taylorgang120c
    taylorgang120c Posts: 9
    I don't have cheat days but whenever I feel like eating something I don't deprive myself and I make sure I don't over-indulge.

    Love this! Good thinking!
  • amandaanderson2786
    amandaanderson2786 Posts: 95 Member
    hmmm my thoughts on cheat days well your really just cheating your self try making some healthy food on your dates healthy food can taste better anyways :smile:
  • ajcmoran2005
    ajcmoran2005 Posts: 173 Member
    I don't do cheat days at all. No reason to, every reason why not.

    I don't really agree with this. I think there truly are exceptions. It is impossible to be perfect. No one is. I run everyday and eat very healthy but I know I won't this Saturday. Our oldest daughter is having her birthday party and I most definitely plan on having some cake. If I don't what am I supposed to tell her? "Sorry sweetheart, mommy has to always eat heathy so no cake for me." Talk about the start of making a little girl self conscious about what she eats. Instead of my usual ham sandwich I'm going to enjoy some Chick-fil-A nuggets. If the number on the scale is higher Sunday then so be it. I'll just run longer that day and go back to eating healthy. So yes, there are valid reasons to enjoy a "cheat" day every once in awhile.
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
    I don't do cheat days at all. No reason to, every reason why not.

    I don't really agree with this. I think there truly are exceptions. It is impossible to be perfect. No one is. I run everyday and eat very healthy but I know I won't this Saturday. Our oldest daughter is having her birthday party and I most definitely plan on having some cake. If I don't what am I supposed to tell her? "Sorry sweetheart, mommy has to always eat heathy so no cake for me." Talk about the start of making a little girl self conscious about what she eats. Instead of my usual ham sandwich I'm going to enjoy some Chick-fil-A nuggets. If the number on the scale is higher Sunday then so be it. I'll just run longer that day and go back to eating healthy. So yes, there are valid reasons to enjoy a "cheat" day every once in awhile.

    For people who actually have that control, it's fine. But I am the first to admit my problem. I know I wont be able to stop, so I just don't start. People like to say "Just use discipline and have it in moderation!" I liken this to an abusive relationship. I would not tell a woman to go back and get black eyes in moderation, or tell a recovered alcoholic to have drinks in moderation. I have seen people go from their lifestyle of simple over indulgence to respectful moderation. I gotta say, I have respect for that. I might even be a little jealous. But in the end, I hope to have made progress into being able to just stop at one moderate sized scoop of ice cream or piece of cake. I also always hear, "You over ate junk food because you were depriving yourself!" Junk food was my lifestyle. And I mean I was eating a lot of junk. I would have candy all day at work, a pint of ice cream after work, cookies while I was making dinner, potato chips after dinner and more cookies before bed. It was like a snowball rolling down a hill. The more I had the sweets or pizza, or what ever, the more I wanted it. But really, no one is invalidating cheat days here, just there are some folks who can't or don't want to. My daughter is having her birthday tomorrow. I won't eat any cake because I remember what happened when I had one innocent piece of cake on Easter. It was like I had hit the hungry button and I couldn't turn it off again. So for the time being, I will just have to live vicariously through the indulgence of others, and hopefully find what ever it is is that turns me into a ravenous beast upon the sight of any thing sweet.
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
    I do it on a Friday night, after I weigh in. Then I just make sure I really pull my head in for the rest of the week. You've got to live a little :flowerforyou:
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
    Why not just make healthier choices when you go out to eat and when you cook if you know you are eating unhealthy foods? It's about a lifestyle change, not dieting to lose weight and then go back to eating unhealthily. IMO anyway.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    every Sunday I go visit my Dad and we go out for lunch. I only have a main course and I see it as a `treat meal` rather than a `cheat meal`

    I only have a small breakfast that day and sometimes I don`t bother with dinner as I am not hungry.

    It works for me.

    If what you do works for you then don`t sweat it
  • DSzokol
    DSzokol Posts: 6
    My Dietitian this week told a great rule of thumb! It is the 80/20 rule for eating well. 80% of the time we should eat well, and 20% of the time we can be a bit bad. Mind you, if the man you are with doesn't want to go to a healthy restaurant or understand that you want to eat well - is that a good thing? What does that mean if you stay together for the long-haul?
  • asciiqwerty
    asciiqwerty Posts: 565 Member
    I'm not a fan of Cheat days or cheat meals

    you're only cheating yourself out of your own healthy future

    me, I make myself accountable to myself, and log everything accurately, it's ok if I go over, one day, but I make up for it, often in advance with extra excercise, and make sure that i'm within my calorie and macro goals at the end of every week
  • diahann63
    diahann63 Posts: 11
    I don't cheat, but I do have maintenance days where I eat the number of calories I normally burn in a day. Monday through Saturday I eat under 1000 calories and on Sunday I eat around 1700-1800. If I get an angry craving for something mid-week I try to adjust my personal menu to fit that in too. It's working so far...

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