Should there be a 'cheat' day?

Okay....so currently, I am consuming 12-1500 calories a day and working out daily (running two miles, walking one...or should I more accurately say 'lumbering' two miles ). I have set a pretty strict diet that I don't want to deviate from (oatmeal, eggs, cheese, plain tuna, chicken breast, banana, green veggie, yogurt for desert!)...its only been four days but I know that I can sustain this over a long period of time.

Here is my quesiton....is it worth having a 'cheat day' where you are allowed a meal of 'naughty food'? Will that help the process of sticking with a more stringent eating program if I can look forward to a day where I can enjoy the 'finer things in life'? Or would it derail progress....

Any suggestions on this??

There are no "naughty" foods and there should be no reason why you have to wait to "enjoy the finer things in life" when it comes to food. You do not have to cut out the things you enjoy to have a healthy body and get to/maintain a healthy weight.

I can't handle a cheat day. It turns into a cheat week most of the time. I think a cheat meal or a cheat snack....that I can handle a little better. I don't end up with the food hangover and still don't feel deprived. And here's my best advice....don't cheat alone! I find that if I share the chips and dip or go out for ice cream with someone, I'm less likely to carry on. But if I'm eating alone....that's a problem.

I think the concept of a cheat day is a bad one. Instead, I incorporate things I like that are calorie dense into my daily eating and include them in my calories. I also know that if I'm going out to a friends and know they'll be food I won't be able to fit into that day's schedule, that I save a little every day to make sure I might be over for that day but under for the week.

I love to eat. I will need to watch my food, basically, forever. The research on long term weight maintenance says people who stick to their calories but eat enjoyable food throughout keep weight off.

For me, feeling I was depriving myself waiting for a cheat day would make me miss the food more and eat too much when I cheated.

Some people say that the healthy, clean way of eating is a lifestyle - it is for me, however, I find that sometimes, I just want to enjoy comfort food, or a BBQ, or pizza with my friends.. I don't think it's bad to cheat yourself. I am to the point where I have been eating healthy/clean for so long, that I don't even desire a cheat day, but rather a cheat meal! If I know my friends and I are going to my favorite restaurant over the weekend, or that I'm going to be out on the town, I will know not to eat pizza or anything like that during the week.

It's all in moderation - usually I let myself have 1 cheat meal, 1 cheat dessert, and 1 cheat drink each week.

Hope this helps :-)

i eat what i want pretty much...just cut back on how much. Portion control is key for me. I am doing a 10 day experiment of not logging food. Just seeing whats gonna happen.

Everyone is different! What are your goals???
For example: if you are eating this way to clean up your diet (eliminate things like flour/sugar/dairy) then if you throw in a cheat day you wont give your body a chance to see how it is working.

OR: if you are eating this way b/c this is a healthy plan you think you'll stick with, is it too strict that you feel like you NEED a day to "cheat"? b/c then maybe instead of a cheat day pick a few times a week when you exercise more and loosen up a bit with a few treats.

OR: are you worried that self control on this plan will be hard so you can work towards a day of not worrying? b/c if self control is the problem your cheat day may start a binge...

For me:
Sometimes(like right now) when I've been stuck at a weight for a while, I'll lower my carbs (to like 100 per day), and do that for most of the week. But I'll budget for maybe one meal and one snack that week that don't really fit, and try to add some extra exercise.

I think the best way to arrange to treat yourself is to find a way to fit it into your goals! Weekly calorie amounts are more important than daily perfection: Maybe on the weekend budget a few hundred extra calories, and eat two fun meals instead of your weekly regimented small healthy meals.

Hope that helps...

Personally, I can't handle "cheat days ". I tend to overdo. That being said, if I truly want chips or such, I just eat it, log it, and don't have something else. If it fits in my calories, I eat it.

I can’t do cheat days. I’m an ‘all or nothing’ type of gal. One cheat day usually leads to 2 cheat days and then I struggle to get back on track.

If you can handle a cheat day they are actually very beneficial. If you pick one day a week to eat whatever you want, your bodies metabolism will be tricked into speeding up.

I do not plan an actual cheat day or meal, I don't see the point for me. I don't actually like the phrase "cheat day". I'm not giving up all unhealthy stuff completely. I just want to eat healthier most of the time.

Vacations, birthdays, cookouts, work events, late nights at work, what my husband wants, whatever are just part of my life. We go out to eat, attend cookouts,etc. When those pop-up I might not eat as well as other days. I just make adjustments before, after or even during by having a smaller portions or making better choices to keep me on track. Just the other day I had a Happy Meal. I didn't plan on it, but we were on a 11.5 hour road trip and DH wanted Mc Donald's, so that is what we had.

A cheat meal. Once a week. Absolutely. If you're doing well the rest of the week, one meal will not throw you off track.

I havent really given up anything that i really want to eat. if i want it i eat it. i adjust by using smaller portions or less at other meals. once in a blue moon i go over. If this is truly a life change, than you cant say you'll never eat something again or only eat lettuce for the rest of your life. I say make every day work, not just a day here and there. switch out something you want for a salad at lunch to compensate. )

I try not to view foods as naughty. There are just some foods that I might have to plan ahead for. If I know I'm going to have cake, tater tots, a dinner out, or a glass of wine (etc.), I try to set aside calories for it so I don't end up going over. If you log everything, you might be pleasantly surprised that some "naughty" foods aren't so bad, or you can do them in smaller quantities to stay under your goal (half a big cookie or just one scoop of ice cream, etc.) Try not to limit yourself to specific foods. Add variety in a healthy way.

I used to have cheat days. I started having them after a month of starting my new lifestyle. Once I started having cheat days I stopped losing weight. I would binge so badly to the point of eating a whole tub of ice cream or a whole batch of cookies. Now I just fit my favorite foods into my calorie limit. Yesterday I had dippin dots and a caramel frappucino, and it was all within my calorie limit. Also, this is a lifestyle plan so remember to enjoy life. If you are invited to a barbeque or a wedding or you just want to go out to eat, enjoy yourself and don't worry about eating so restricted. Just do not binge

It's a personal preference whether you have a cheat day or not. I don't do cheat days. If I have a special occasion then I don't stress over it. It's life and if I go over my calories, oh well, I just go back to better eating the next day.

I also love chocolate so I work it into my calories most days. I eat healthy most days but if there is a day that I want a slice of pizza then I have some, in moderation.

I have high blood pressure that I'm now controlling with diet so there are certain things I avoid just for my health. If you don't have medical issues then just work those yummy things into your day. Just make sure you find a way of eating that you can sustain for life.

^THIS