Do any of you have a cheat day?

ArlyBarley
ArlyBarley Posts: 14
in Food and Nutrition
After doing sooooo good, the idea of having a cheat day KILLS me. I don't want to have random cravings that I cheat my self into eating something "unhealthy". Setting a day, Saturday...(TODAY) has made me look forward to that one meal I have been craving all week. Pei Wei's Mongolian beef with white rice, and a cup of hot and sour soup, lol.

Does anyone in here has the one cheat meal a WEEK, or am I just cheating my self? :|
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Replies

  • grrrlface
    grrrlface Posts: 1,204 Member
    Not anymore because it sets me back too much. I just learnt to eat what I want in my calories or work for it. :3
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,861 Member
    Does anyone in here has the one cheat meal a day, or am I just cheating my self? :|
    Lots and lots of people have cheat meals and some people have stretched it to entire days. I don't because it's incompatible with my approach, which is to not feel denied in the first place. (It took me a long time to reach that point.)

    But some people swear by them so in the end, you do what works for you.
  • honsi
    honsi Posts: 210 Member
    No i don't either. if I am out having food with friends or whatever I might relax a bit but that's usually because i earn a lot of calories through exercise. Having 'cheat ' days or meals will cause problems in the long run I think both in terms of your physical progress and mentally. You can still enjoy food you like but just try not to see it as a 'cheat ' or a 'treat ' its just food . Try and fit it around your daily calories or adapt your eating so maybe have a smaller portion or take half home in a doggy bag if you are eating out etc
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  • Rilzy
    Rilzy Posts: 59 Member
    Today is my cheat day. It does give you something to look forward to. It is scheduled for a Saturday but I want to give myself the freedom to move it around if the need happens. I try to have one cheat meal though. Except the one I have planned for today is so horrible I'll have to exercise off 800 calories to still make my goal. We'll see how that ends up. If I don't, I'll just have to adjust it somehow.
  • ArlyBarley
    ArlyBarley Posts: 14
    Thank you for the great advice guys. I appreciate it! :)

    I should of held my self back before posting, and done my daily meal planning in the mornings like I always do. I have NO clue why I was freaking out so much about this meal. I just started my diet 3 weeks ago, and never looked at the total calorie intake for the meal itself. :))

    Remaining calories for the day: 548 Net: 662 after all my meals and vitamins.

    I subbed the white rice for brown rice too.

    Ty Honsi, this is definitely going to be a TREAT! :)
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  • memecm
    memecm Posts: 5 Member
    Not often any more. I have had them, but then am careful what I eat for the rest of the week. If I know it going to be something that is going to be a cheat time (like my fried clams) I am just careful what I eat that day and the day after to offset my indulgence.
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  • ArlyBarley
    ArlyBarley Posts: 14
    I wish there was a "LIKE" button. I really have enjoyed all of y'alls comments :D
  • smmoler
    smmoler Posts: 23 Member
    If I am really craving something enough to "cheat" I get the smallest portion possible. In the past, if I am really craving fast food, (Chick fila for example) I'll get a kids meal to satisfy the cravings. For me, it works this way to get the smallest portion of the craving. If I need a soda one day, I'll switch it over to a diet coke or a coke zero or something. Lastly, carbs are not my friends. I've switched over to a lean cusine or frozen pasta item that has less calories and eat that as my meal.
    I also try to work it in to the days when I have the biggest calorie lost. This way, I don't get discouraged.
    This is what works for me, everyone is different.

    I hope this helps.
  • jayrudq
    jayrudq Posts: 475 Member
    Incorporate the foods you love into your everyday life. That way you can look forward to every day and not just 1 day a week.

    Also, you don't "have" to substitute white rice with Brown rice. Eat the one you like more.

    All this is true. The whole brown white thing is stupid.

    Have you heard of the glycemic index? Good for both of you not having any sensitivity to carbohydrates, but some us do. And when we eat foods that are high on the index - like white rice - it makes us very, very hungry. A dangerous thing for a cheat day/meal. Stupid? Thanks and love ya too.
  • fairyt4l3s
    fairyt4l3s Posts: 31
    I wouldn't have a whole entire day called "cheat day". A lot of room to go completely crazy on junk! I'd have one cheat meal a week (I just call them favourite meals haha) which is usually a KFC snack box or McDonalds!

    A lot of people have cheat meals in their diets!
  • ArlyBarley
    ArlyBarley Posts: 14
    It totally helps! Ty :)
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  • berriboobear
    berriboobear Posts: 524 Member
    The idea of cheating in general, especially a whole day, kills me too! I don't let myself even think about having an ENTIRE day off, that is a recipe for disaster! I treat myself to small tid bits here and there, if I know I want to "splurge" on a meal, I'll plan it out at least a little, which makes me feel better. I do usually end up trying to do more cardio in these cases though, haha!
  • ArlyBarley
    ArlyBarley Posts: 14
    Once you go brown you can't go back? lol.

    I do prefer brown rice, I just did not know they had the option! :))

    And yes, let me clarify this. One meal a week. I chose it to be on Saturdays in between my weight-in's.

    Y'all have been very very helpful with all of your support and comments.

    Thank You! :))
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  • missability
    missability Posts: 223
    I eat as healthy as possible 5 to 12 days...as soon as the scale stops moving downward, or bounces for 3 to 4 days I have a cheat "MEAL", not an entire cheat day, I try to have it by 4PM, and I log every bite........it seems to keep me moving downward....but I agree with others...everyone has to find what works for them:) Good lick!
  • cbarker56
    cbarker56 Posts: 1 Member
    I have a "me" day once a week. All week if I get a craving and tell myself okay on Sunday you can have that. This has been working for me for about 6 months now. I have lost 10% of my body weight and haven't felt deprived like in the past.
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
    I don't eat exactly the same every day. I go over my calories 2-3 times a week (by several hundred or so) but by the end of the week, I even out to exactly what I was supposed to get (plus or minus 200-500 for the entire week). I don't eat that cleanly. If I want a cheesecake, I eat it. If I want a quarter pounder with cheese from McD's, I eat it. I do, however, realize you can't get much bang for your calories for those types of food so some I decide are not worth it. I make choices. I might reduce the portion or substitute the sides I might have with it. I also realize those foods don't give you the same bang for nutrition either, so I make sure I make some good choices there too. Ideally speaking, a nutrient dense diet is better for you but for sustainability, I gotta have a mix. The goal, for now, is to be able to keep it off. I can do that if I don't have really strict rules that I can't stick to forever.
  • kcoftx
    kcoftx Posts: 765 Member
    Double post.
  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
    By most people's standards around here, of which I do not subscribe, I cheat everyday.
  • healthymelisa
    healthymelisa Posts: 166 Member
    I have my cheat day on Sunday but I don't go overboard. It's my day to enjoy the tempting treats I didn't have during the week.
  • debaloo
    debaloo Posts: 129 Member
    I am on a carb cycling plan that allows for one day to have 1,000 extra calories. For me this is good because if I allowed myself things I wanted several times during the week I would starve myself most of the day to have something that was junk and it would throw off my macro nutrient ratio and spike my blood sugar sending me into cravings the next day. I also think having a cheat meal or day keeps your body guessing and kick starts more weight loss.
  • ellepribro
    ellepribro Posts: 226 Member
    I dislike the concept of cheat days or meals. It has such a negative connotation. I just eat whatever I want and work it into my calories. That's what works for me.
  • Shawneb66
    Shawneb66 Posts: 124
    I cheated for all the years leading up to my obesity and when I was first starting out, I decided to NOT have a cheat day. Now that I am closer to my ultimate goal...I have cheat days because I feel I've earned them now. Good Luck finding what works for you!
  • yaseyuku
    yaseyuku Posts: 871 Member
    I work whatever I want to eat into my deficit so I don't need to cheat.

    I do have higher calorie days every so often though. I have lower calorie days every so often too.
  • leesyc81
    leesyc81 Posts: 52 Member
    I was having a cheat day every time i hit a target, such as a stone. I have had many cheat days recently but i just end up re-losing the same few pounds over and over. Im hoping not to have a cheat day now until i lose another stone, now that everyone's birthdays are over with. It has always set me back and guilt kicks in. Everyone is different though
  • jarredondo
    jarredondo Posts: 284 Member
    My Friday's are kind of a cheat day. I am training for a marathon in the fall and my long training runs are on Saturday mornings. I intentionally go over my calorie goal on Fridays because I need to make sure I am fueled for Saturday morning. I don't go crazy on what I eat and I do try to keep it healthy.

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