? for those at or nearing goal weight about cheat days

suecan2
suecan2 Posts: 45
in Success Stories
quickie question: For those of you who have achieved success, did you get there by totally cutting out cheat days or just decrease amount of indulging foods. Or did you still enjoying something awesome and indulging every couple days. just looking for general consensus.

I believe in moderation, but this last 10# (lost 16 so far) are not really budging, maybe I need to completely cut out every treat.

Replies

  • jennagoogles13
    jennagoogles13 Posts: 266
    I find that if I don't give in to a treat every once in a while when I really want it, I'll just end up binging later. I usually have one meal a week where I indulge, but stay within my calories. I like to refer to those days as "maintenance" days instead of cheat days, because that's what they are. I'm not dieting, I'm making a lifestyle change.

    There's no need to cut out every last treat, because as long as you're within your macros, you can have what you want in moderation:) Also, when I was down to about the last 5 lbs, the scale just wouldn't budge! I've lost 4 lbs since then my upping my calorie intake to properly fuel my body.
  • emmygrems
    emmygrems Posts: 35 Member
    thats what I'm thinking! I still have another 6 pounds to go or so, and they aren't moving. I guess probably limiting cheat days as much as possible untill we reach our goal! Then slowly ease ourselves to have the odd treat now and then.
  • Lane1012
    Lane1012 Posts: 211 Member
    Since I really enjoy eating .. a lot .. I've found that what works best for me is that I allow myself cheat days when I want them and I just make myself work harder to absorb them (more running, lifting etc.). I don't deny myself what I want, I just make myself earn it.
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    I wouldn't say to have an entire DAY of cheating... but one meal in a week? Not bad. There is a difference between "cheating" and "binging" though. May not want to go off and have a 2000 calorie meal... but if you really want that whopper, get it. Just make sure you're staying on track, work it into your macros for the day/week and don't feel guilty about it. :drinker:
  • tenajh
    tenajh Posts: 208 Member
    I have one pound to go, lost 50 # before joining MFP so have lost 9 since then. I continue to live my life to its fullest and that includes eating very healthy and enjoying a variety of foods from parties that I am going to this summer. If I slack off, I exercise a little more. I quit logging in my food a month ago and continue to maintain my wt, but continue to lose the inches. I credit lifting weights in the last 2 months.
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
    Until I got to my initial goal, I didn't cheat once. Not one day, not one meal. Boring, dull, but I wasn't going to give in. My trainer kept telling me it was okay, but I was kicking *kitten* and I wasn't going to stop. Now that I'm there, I don't feel guilty at all about having a cheat day, or at least a cheat meal. Actually, they seem almost all the sweeter cause I don't have to worry about them.

    For most people, cheat meals (or days) probably aren't a bad idea at all. For me though, it might have been fatal.

    Ah, the joys of being compulsive.
  • MeIShouldB
    MeIShouldB Posts: 578 Member
    31 POUNDS DOWN, 19 MORE TO GO. I'M A FIRM BELIEVER IN CHEAT DAYS. WITHOUT THEM, IT'S EASY TO GET OFF TRACK.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,336 Member
    I had what you would call a "cheat day" on the Monday holiday. I ate whatever I wanted. I had potato chips for the first time in over a year. I had 2 HUGE cookies. I had 2 hot dogs, potato salad, macaroni salad and birthday cake. I went up a pound and a half from water retention and lost it 2 days later.

    Sometimes you HAVE to let yourself go within reason. It was a great party and I enjoyed it and it was one day. :)

    ETA - I have 10 pounds left to lose, too...and I haven't lost since April 9th. But I am ok...we all plateau. I will get there...so will you!
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    Not every couple of days, but once I week, I had a "cheat meal." These days, I "cheat" every day. I've figured out how to make it fit in my daily calories and still lose weight, and that's what you have to do if you're going to keep the weight off.
  • BeautifulLadi89
    BeautifulLadi89 Posts: 30
    I believe that cheat days help us in two ways. We get to relax and trigger our body to work hardier to burn the calories we eat on cheat days, and I have lost 60lb in 5 months with having one cheat day every other week.
  • orapronobis
    orapronobis Posts: 460 Member
    I have 9 pounds to go. I'm glad that I've been reading forums about other people's experience at this point. The majority (that I've read) have said that the loss really slows down with the last 10 pounds. The last month, my weight has been bouncing around in a two-pound range, but it's not upsetting me, because I've been expecting this to happen. I think I've only lost about 2/10 of a pound per week (on average) the during the last month. Doesn't matter, it's still progress. So, I'll continue what I've been doing, and that is to concentrate on my WEEKLY total calories. I eat up to my limit and all of my exercise calories. As long as it all balances out at the end of the week, I'm on track. So what you would call a "cheat day," I would just call part of my weekly plan.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    I never did "cheat" days per se. I had days which were higher and I enjoyed stuff I liked, but I planned them into my week and logged them all. I also had little treats every single day, and I fit them into my calorie goals.

    There are some days where I am WAY over goal for celebrations, like going home for Christmas. I still log them, eat what I want that day, don't make them that often, and have had no problems keeping the weight off.
  • Sparlingo
    Sparlingo Posts: 938 Member
    I'm not good at delayed gratification. :). I have a small treat almost daily. If I know one meal is going to hit me hard calorie-wise, I try to move more, make smarter choices for the rest of the meals in that day, or call it a maintenance day and move on.

    Keeps me sane.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    I never exceed my calorie goal. That does not mean that I don't have days where I manage to work in a fair number of treats.

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