Just curious how many members have cheat days??

I just don't think I would feel right about having one. I am satisfied having my 1400 calories a day and not eating back my exercise. I know they are there if I want them. I am also afraid if I start having a cheat day everyday will be one. I have seen alot of successful members that have one day a week.
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Replies

  • MelC2564
    MelC2564 Posts: 182 Member
    I don't intentionally have cheat days... But my weekends basically end up being 'cheat weekends' :p

    If you're happy at your 1400 calories and don't get insane cravings like some of us then I don't see why you need to have one! Though if you are super consistently staying under goal I'd say eating back your exercise calories would be best...
  • maybeazure
    maybeazure Posts: 301 Member
    I don't want to have cheat days where I don't track. I'm afraid they would get too frequent. But I have been thinking about saving up some calories, like from exercise for a few days so that I can eat more once in awhile.
  • Puffingmuffin
    Puffingmuffin Posts: 76 Member
    When I'm out with my friends, I have cheat days. It's hard to socialise and eat healthy food, particularly if we are all sharing plates of food.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    I cheat once day a week and it's falling off me lately.
  • amandabrooke17
    amandabrooke17 Posts: 24 Member
    I might splurge one day here or there, but looking at a macro view, I'm still within my weight-loss limit and am still shedding the lbs.
  • jdyg81
    jdyg81 Posts: 48 Member
    I don't intentionally have cheat days... But my weekends basically end up being 'cheat weekends' :p

    If you're happy at your 1400 calories and don't get insane cravings like some of us then I don't see why you need to have one! Though if you are super consistently staying under goal I'd say eating back your exercise calories would be best...


    Ditto
  • Marley2310
    Marley2310 Posts: 304
    I have a really BIG cheat day once a month , cheat MEALS should be every week but cheat DAYS should be once or twice a month ..& once is better
  • louloulou
    louloulou Posts: 64 Member
    No I don't. I try to eat small 'treats' within my daily calories. I do occasionaly go over my daily allowance of 1350 but try to still stay under maintance if I do.
  • underarms
    underarms Posts: 25 Member
    My weekends are 'cheat' for me-- I don't track what I eat and I relax my diet a bit. But it's not totally cheat. I still am conscious about what I'm putting in my body and I try to make healthy choices and not overeat. So I'm not counting calories, but I'm still aware. It makes it easier for me since I tend to spend the weekends with friends, eating out or cooking together.

    I don't know if cheating on the weekends is right or not, since I've not been doing this long. But it's making the transition to a healthier lifestyle easier and less of a shock to my social life.
  • Cerdice
    Cerdice Posts: 12 Member
    I don't. I am not denying myself anything I would normally eat so I don't seem to feel the need. If I think I will be eating a bit more or having a glass or two of wine when out I'll factor in a bit more exercise to give some wriggle room to stay within my daily goal.
  • Thena81
    Thena81 Posts: 1,265 Member
    once a week!.. if im under too mony days, il do 2 cheats
  • ron2e
    ron2e Posts: 606
    I'm fat and cutting down calories for life, but every week I have a 'cheat day' and eat like a pig.

    I'm an ex smoker, but every week I have a 'cheat day' and smoke four packs

    I'm a recovering alcoholic, but every week I have a cheat day and get roaring drunk

    I'm in serious debt but every week I have a 'cheat day' and spend, spend, spend.
  • mperrott2205
    mperrott2205 Posts: 737 Member
    I'm fat and cutting down calories for life, but every week I have a 'cheat day' and eat like a pig.

    I'm an ex smoker, but every week I have a 'cheat day' and smoke four packs

    I'm a recovering alcoholic, but every week I have a cheat day and get roaring drunk

    I'm in serious debt but every week I have a 'cheat day' and spend, spend, spend.

    Oh-you-93067263235.jpeg
  • toothpastechica
    toothpastechica Posts: 250 Member
    I just this week decided that I probably do need a cheat day, otherwise I'm just not motivated enough to actually stay under the rest of the week. I feel like maybe a cheat day (which will be on weekly date night with the hubs) will help me from feeling deprived and will be a more sustainable lifestyle.
  • mherna31
    mherna31 Posts: 3
    I don't have cheat days. I just include all of my meals into my daily caloric intake and macronutrients :)
  • Mario_Az
    Mario_Az Posts: 1,331 Member
    i have a cheat meal you can do a lot of damage having a cheat day LOL cant do too much damage with a cheat meal
  • AndyLL180
    AndyLL180 Posts: 57 Member
    When you join MFP you are setting up (usually) a goal of how much you want to lose per week. MFP translates that goal into a needed calorie deficit per week.... -3500 calories per pound.

    Since MFP tracks calories per day its daily goal is the weekly deficit divided by 7.

    If you use the recommended 1 pound per week weight loss goal then that daily deficit is 500 calories per day.

    If you hit that goal for 6 days you have a 3000 calorie deficit.

    If you then have a cheat day with pizza and beers and desert and are over your limit by 2000 calories then your weekly deficit is no 1000 calories. You'll still lose weight but at a much slower pace.

    Do that twice a week and your gaining weight.

    I've been here for 4 months and I've consistently lost 1 - 1.5 pounds a week when I'm not traveling.

    I still have a beer or 3 every night. I still have pizza every weekend. I still have popcorn when I go to the movies.

    But I know every night and every week how much my calorie deficit is.

    On the days I go out to chipotle for lunch I have a small breakfast and maybe take an extra 30 minute walk. I tend to run higher deficits during the week to make up for what I eat on the weekends.

    But I'm always hitting my weekly deficits.

    When you have 'cheat days' you are only cheating yourself.

    It's all about numbers. If you want to have higher calorie meals or days then you have to make it fit into your goal numbers.
  • Frelling_Tralk
    Frelling_Tralk Posts: 56 Member
    I don't eat a lot more calories than normal for the overall day, but on Sundays I do have a bigger breakfast with bacon and sausages, and I also have a cheese toastie for supper :D

    During the week I try to stick more to soups and salads for the evening meal, as well as eggs for breakfast, but I like cheese and sausages and bacon, so I don't want to never be able to enjoy them again :shrugs: I don't think it matters that much to have something a little richer occasionally, so long as you keep it in moderation. But I still try and do some exercise and eat reasonably healthy on sunday's, I don't see it as setting a cheat day aside to eat and eat all day, that probably isn't a great idea
  • BigBrunette
    BigBrunette Posts: 1,543 Member
    I don't have a restrictive diet, so there's nothing for me to cheat on. But I understand that cheat meals or cheat days work really well for some people.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    "cheat"...nah, I don't think of it quite that way. I have a rich dessert or sketchy meal (something fried, or with mayo) once or twice a week every week...and fit it into my day.
  • mtbke5
    mtbke5 Posts: 96 Member
    I don't have cheat days or meals. I work everything into my day or week and indulge when I feel the need. Everything in moderation.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I don't have 'cheat days' but I occasionally have days where I eat over my goal, but I also have days where I'm under goal. I use the phone app to keep track of weekly totals and on Saturday and/or Sunday I like to eat over to take out some of my extra deficit. For example I ended last week 1034 calories under goal, after eating an extra 200 on Thursday and 200 on Sunday. This doesn't count exercise calories, which I don't eat back.

    Short Story Shortened: I eat what I want, when I want, and make it fit.
  • c8linmarie
    c8linmarie Posts: 358 Member
    Nope, no cheat days here ...

    I basically eat what ever I want and if I happen to go over on calories, I just workout a little harder to make up the difference.
  • norahwynn
    norahwynn Posts: 862 Member
    I don't really have any restrictions on food...I just eat less. So I guess I don't really have the desire to cheat because I don't deprive myself of anything.
  • vikingchix
    vikingchix Posts: 105 Member
    I plan a "cheat" night for Fridays. My husband and I have always gone out to dinner on Fridays....it is our "date night" :-) Now we kick back, eat our pizza, have some awesome sangria and plan out where we will ride our bikes on Saturday and Sunday.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I don't have planned "cheat days", as in, "I have been "good" for a week, so now I can binge on crap". But I do have days when I go over my cals a little or a lot (200-600cals), usually when I have a really good meal (think steak & baked potato, good Tex-Mex or Italian food). I don't worry about it, because an occasional day of eating over my cals doesn't negate weeks of eating at my caloric goals and exercising.
  • momzeeee
    momzeeee Posts: 475 Member
    The plan I followed for weight loss, alternate day IF, rotated between low calorie days and high calorie days, so i never had any desire to eat off plan. i think that's the main reason why I was so successful wih it-I only 'dieted' every oher day :)
  • Liz_Mfp
    Liz_Mfp Posts: 172 Member
    I did when I started
    Then I have them up
    Nowadays everyday is a chest day
    So I'm going to go back to having treat-days again
    :-)
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I don't ever have them intentionally, but I live my life and I like to eat, so sometimes that means I go over. I try not to worry about it, and I try to keep my good days out weighing my "bad" days.
  • DuckieSteph
    DuckieSteph Posts: 43 Member
    I don't specifically have them on purpose, and try to eat as healthy as I can daily, but sometimes, stuff happens. I don't stress about it if my cousins bring over pizza and beer, or if we go out to a concert and eat bar food. Why? It balances out all of my hard work. As long as there aren't more cheat days than healthy days, and that you keep trying to better yourself, it's fine.

    PROGRESS. NOT PERFECTION.