Refeed/cheat days

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be_patient
be_patient Posts: 186 Member
in Food and Nutrition
refeed days are great...right?
what's your take on refeed/cheat days? I REALLY need advice! Do you allow them? Are you strongly opposed to them?

just wondering how you guys go about cheat/refeed days, and if so how many more cals do you take in than normal? how often do you have them, and do you have entire days or just meals?
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  • redskiednight
    redskiednight Posts: 32 Member
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    I personally don't have them, I don't see the point. I eat nice/delicious things like pizza, cake etc as long as it fits into my macros. Cheat days to me seem like temptation to run off track afterwards, and to just pig out on all sorts of things and ruin hard work. If i go over my macros in a day? no biggie. Would I plan it? Absolutely not.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    i agree with IIFYM, but then i have pals who are successful with eating clean 6 days a week and having a cheat day once a week... to each their own!
  • timbrom
    timbrom Posts: 303 Member
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    Find what works for you. Some people find that when they have a cheat day, it is followed by another cheat day. Which is followed by a binge. Which is followed by wailing and grief and anguish.

    Conversely, some people find that a cheat day (or cheat meal) really helps them stay on track since they have that to look forward too.

    I know someone who lost 100 lbs on the "be really good during the week and eat lots of pizza and drink lots of beer on the weekends" diet.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    Oh god, this is a really divisive topic that's been done to death.

    For me personally, I incorporate a single day in the week (Friday) where I do not count calories, and just eat what I want, when I want, how much I want. I will calculate how much I ate at the end of the day, but I do not concern myself with the amount while I am eating it. This could come in the form of my typical 'healthy' food, with some ice cream or junk thrown in, or a full day of total crap. It depends.

    The thing is, I pretty much have something sweet and sugary every single day, as to keep me sane so when Friday does roll around, I'm not a ravenous mess that eats everything in sight. Sometimes I'll go over by 1,000 calories, or as much as 3-4,000. But the fact of the matter is, I CAN'T fit a 1300 calorie Reese's sundae into my typical day, so I use Friday to eat that if I want it.

    Since it's a part of my lifestyle, I don't consider it cheating. I have to have a day where I can just eat, without having to count the calories, or I will not be able to maintain this for the long haul. Just as I NEED a day where I can have a 1300 calorie Sundae, or a 2000 Chinese takeout.

    I haven't gained a single ounce from my "free days" either, even though the math may say I ate a surplus of food, I have never actually gained weight that didn't come off days later.
  • ameliaannakin
    ameliaannakin Posts: 344 Member
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    I don't have them. If I want something, I work it into my calories with my workouts. I don't agree with the word 'cheat', the only person you end up cheating is yourself. However, they do work for some people. My PT has one every two weeks and goes totally over the top with it eating everything in his path from McDonalds breakfasts, takeaways for lunch and tea and numerous bars of chocolate and packets of crisps!
  • janetsalley
    janetsalley Posts: 122 Member
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    I just cheat some days....don't handle them any special way! I'm usually still at a defiicit, I have a weakness for those red velvet mini cupcakes w/cream cheese frosting (OMG) (100 cals a piece) I can pop like 5 of 'em 1 after the other in my mouth...then go back and eat 5 more!! Thats 1,000 cals right there...but the next day I usually get an extra work out in, but if I don't, no big deal...still losing weight :)
  • fletchj2
    fletchj2 Posts: 7 Member
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    I don't have them either. One of my goals is not to deprive myself or I know I won't stick with this. So if I want desert I have it, but I've had smaller slices or lower calorie options. I keep a bag of m&ms in the freezer and just have one or two when i need a chocolate fix.

    I'm trying to go for weight loss and better eating habits long term, not dieting.
  • sozisraw
    sozisraw Posts: 418 Member
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    I don't believe in cheat meals/ days unless you will be on reduction for a long time, say 3 months to a year plus!
    I do believe in re-feed days, I think they are best to have when weight loss slows down drastically, I don't think either
    can be pre-planned but have to be done when it feels right to do!
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
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    I actually have two cheat days. I'm really bad on weekends. I used to only have one cheat day, Sunday, which worked just fine. A spike in calories once per week is good for your metabolism. If your body gets used to eating 1500 calories a day, or whatever you eat, your metabolism may slow down and, if you eat more than that, you may gain. It's a good thing to trick your body every once and awhile. I've been losing slowly but steadily, even eating what I want on weekends. It all depends on what works for you. I'm trying to be better than I have been, but as long as the number on the scale keeps going down, I don't see a reason to change anything.
  • CarlKRobbo
    CarlKRobbo Posts: 390 Member
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    Two different things IMHO.

    Cheat Day - Eat what you want for the day, no restrictions (Within reason of course - I.E not blowing all Macro's by thousands..)

    Refeed Day - A Term used by Carb cyclers in which you "Carb up" so increase the amount of carbs, reduce fat\protein, and still hit the standard macro's. An option that I'll be looking at myself base on possibly training 3 times a day, twice a week

    In terms of who the question was meant, Good, providing it's within reason, and as long as it doesn't derail the long term goal
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,871 Member
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    A refeed is different than a "cheat" day. I refeed has a purpose other than just eating a lot because you just want to eat a lot. The way I see it, a "cheat" meal or "cheat" day is just glutenous feasting; a re-feed is methodically planned out and schedule day of primarily increased carbs to replenish glycogen stores that have been severely depleted from intense lifting. A lot of body builder's do frequent re-feeds when they're cutting for competition to ensure their glycogen stores get replenished while "dieting"
  • SyStEmPhReAk
    SyStEmPhReAk Posts: 330 Member
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    Two different things IMHO.

    Cheat Day - Eat what you want for the day, no restrictions (Within reason of course - I.E not blowing all Macro's by thousands..)

    Refeed Day - A Term used by Carb cyclers in which you "Carb up" so increase the amount of carbs, reduce fat\protein, and still hit the standard macro's. An option that I'll be looking at myself base on possibly training 3 times a day, twice a week

    In terms of who the question was meant, Good, providing it's within reason, and as long as it doesn't derail the long term goal

    ^^This

    Although, on my cheat days I'm like "WTF are macros???" I go all out! haha
  • ahmadfahmy
    ahmadfahmy Posts: 214 Member
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    refeed days are great...right?
    what's your take on refeed/cheat days? I REALLY need advice! Do you allow them? Are you strongly opposed to them?

    just wondering how you guys go about cheat/refeed days, and if so how many more cals do you take in than normal? how often do you have them, and do you have entire days or just meals?

    Refeed days aren not the same as cheat meals. Refeed days are planned and have to hit specific macros (high carb and low fat). Cheat days is when you eat whatever you want, how ever much you want. If you are above 15% bf i wouldnt recommend taking a cheatday/refeed unless you have plateaued and your deficit is pretty high.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
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    Unless you have read the articles explaining refeeds and listened to the experts then do not do a refeed.

    http://www.phillearney.com/nutrition/cheat-meals-part-i/
    http://www.phillearney.com/nutrition/cheat-meals-part-ii/
    http://www.nickmitchellblog.com/cheating-refeeds-fat-loss/

    Plus stuff by people like Brandon Campbell, Eric Helms and Jason Blaha on YouTube are helpful.
  • mperrott2205
    mperrott2205 Posts: 737 Member
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    I have a cheat day every sunday. Still lost 20 pounds.
  • sozisraw
    sozisraw Posts: 418 Member
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    From a non lifters point of view which the OP is , when she finds herself lethargic with no weight loss despite dieting it would be reasonable to conclude low leptin levels and depleted glycogen levels. This is when a 're feed' style period of time would be useful.
  • XxmeetmydedicationxX
    XxmeetmydedicationxX Posts: 21
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    I personally do believe in "cheat" days, although I would rather call them "spike" or "fuelling" days than cheat days. Calling it a cheat gives it a negative connotation, when I think it's good for your body to get that little bit of extra oomph once a week.

    That being said, I wouldn't go completely overboard on that day. I would have one extremely indulgent meal and then carry on with my healthy lifestyle..
    example: If I'm going to dinner with friends I'll get something I REALLY want like pasta or pizza and have an amazing dessert there BUT.. my breakfast and lunch that day would have been healthy options.

    It's good for your body to increase your metabolism and it's also good for your psychological state (not to mention your social life) to have one day a week when you're allowed to indulge! My opinion though - take it with a grain of salt ^_^
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
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    A refeed is different than a "cheat" day. I refeed has a purpose other than just eating a lot because you just want to eat a lot. The way I see it, a "cheat" meal or "cheat" day is just glutenous feasting; a re-feed is methodically planned out and schedule day of primarily increased carbs to replenish glycogen stores that have been severely depleted from intense lifting. A lot of body builder's do frequent re-feeds when they're cutting for competition to ensure their glycogen stores get replenished while "dieting"

    This. And you typically won't be doing a refeed unless you are very lean.

    Cheat days on the other hand... i guess if it works for you? I don't do them, since i make room everyday eating whatever i want as long as it fits into my macros bruh.

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