One cheat day a week?????????

I usually allow myself one cheat meal on the weekend, but I still do my best not to go way over my calories with that one meal and try to still be under but I do not kick myself if I do go way over. During the week if I want a bit of chocolate, ice cream, or alcohol, ect. Ill let myself have it because I don't like feeling deprived, I just make sure I eat them in moderation and stay within my calories!

My "cheat day" is still logged, and generally I still stay within maintenance. I usually use it to tackle foods I have wanted during the week but haven't fit into my daily calorie allotment. Since I bumped up my daily from 1200 to 1600, my "cheat days" haven't been nearly so necessary. Surprisingly, I usually only go over 100-200 cals anymore, counting eating back exercise. So whatever works for you, but I don't suggest going hog wild in a greasy spoon restaurant.

I always have a cheat day on the weekend! It really depends how comfortable you are doing it, and how far along you've come. You can limit it to one cheat meal or cheat all day long, just watch the scale and see how your body reacts.

I don't have a cheat day. I eat what I want when I want as long as it fits my numbers. I just watch portions and/or adjust my other meals accordingly.

This. You're not a dog, don't reward yourself with food.

Exactly!

There's usually one night every two weeks where I go out with my friends and don't log what I drink. I've consistantly been losing weight, so it's working. I just make sure I workout extra hard on Sundays.

Weekly or Bi-weekly I would have a massive 24 hr refeed with a goal of hitting 1000g+ carbs...

Personally, I limit it to a cheat meal, maybe once a week but I've been stretching it to every few weeks. I don't think I would go wild for a whole day though. I usually try to have something that is not the hardest thing to bounce back from too, but that is what works for me. Also maybe a small desert type treat if i really dont go overboard! My usual thing that i go for is good hand tossed pizza! I might have three or four slices though. Ill drink water or unsweetened ice tea with it and then that's it . No sweets! Or sometimes a big pasta dinner with soup but no dessert with it. I also stagger my calories from day to day so Between that and a few harder workouts I have a few xtra calories to spare. One thing that I do is make sure I do something to workout on my cheat day to knock out those few extra calories back off. In my experience because I stagger calories anyway, sometimes I'll notice a real slight gain the following day after a cheat day, but 2 days later it's back off and and an additional pound or so is too. I'd try starting with a meal first and see how that works. I have friends that aren't trying to lose weight. They watch their diet Monday through Friday and do whatever they want on the weekend. I don't think that would work well for me though. See what others say but good luck.

I have almost completed week 2 of the Carb Cycle diet by Chris Powell, the guy who does the Extreme Weight Loss show on ABC. We have one "cheat" day a week - which doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want regardless of calories, etc. Basically you alternate low carb days and high carb days throughout the week and one day a week you can eat an extra 1,000 calories to allow for foods you'd like for a treat now and then, so you do not feel deprived of your old favorites, etc. There are additional rules, foods recommended on each day, etc., but that's the basic gyst of it.

I lost 3 lbs the first week. It is working for me so far.

I usually allow myself one cheat meal on the weekend, but I still do my best not to go way over my calories with that one meal and try to still be under but I do not kick myself if I do go way over. During the week if I want a bit of chocolate, ice cream, or alcohol, ect. Ill let myself have it because I don't like feeling deprived, I just make sure I eat them in moderation and stay within my calories!

I do the same essentially. I usually do my long runs or big workouts on Saturday so that helps balance if I go out drinking with friends or something similar. In the meantime I don't have off-limit foods, I fit small indulgences into my eating during the week if I want them! Doesn't mean I eat anything I want (not having a burger + milkshake + fries + beer on a regular basis) but pick one thing I really want and work it in!

My cheat day just means munch and no workout, I normally keep it under my calorie goal though. Me and my boyfriend spend one day a week just chilling together on our day off work, normally toast for breakfast, munch through the day eg. crisps, biscuits the a quarter of a pizza for dinner I won't let my diet and weightloss ruin the one day a week we spend solely on eachother.

i have refeed days.

and I LOVE rewarding myself with food. If such basic positive reinforcement puts you in the category with canines, what do you think your boss is doing every time he admires your work?

I allow myself one cheat MEAL a week. But look if you want an oreo, have an oreo. Just have ONE. Ya know? It's all about moderation and whether you're going to work it off in the gym later. On the days I have my cheat meal, I don't go all out. I just eat what I feel like having that day for dinner, but the rest of the day is my healthier routine.

Cheat days work for some people. But you have to be completely honest with yourself. Are you likely to even subconsciously use the occasion as an excuse to eat well beyond what you should?

I don't do cheat days. Which doesn't mean that I don't overeat some days, but I don't have sanctioned, weekly sessions. I also allow myself to eat whatever I want on my birthday, major holidays and very special events. Great food is part of life.

For me, the "lifestyle change" is a continuing awareness of what I can eat at a particular stage of life. The days when I could eat anything without consequences are long gone.

I allow myself one cheat MEAL a week. But look if you want an oreo, have an oreo. Just have ONE. Ya know? It's all about moderation and whether you're going to work it off in the gym later.

Some people can't have one cookie. Moderation is not the path for everyone. Exercise is important, but it should never be a quid-pro-quo for eating food you can't afford. For one thing, you probably don't have enough time to exercise off all the calories.

If you continue with the mindset that food is a "reward" then you will continue to have problems. Why not eat what you like in moderation?? Learn to eat like a normal person. Look at your food differently.

Lolol...all the "normal' people I know reward themselves with food. Unfortunalely it is a HUGE part of southern culture.

I have always had food issues and used food as a reward. I am working towards healthy eating habits. BUT my brain rebels if i have too many restrictions.

So, I have one meal a week that can be whatever I am craving, but then I try to keep the rest of the day within my calories if possible.

Also, I've noticed that it is a great way to "shock" your metabolism if weight loss has slowed.

*Currently I'm working on repairing metabolic damage so I'm using "maintanence" calories and I'm not having a cheat day.

I am from the south, too. I've never known people that didn't reward themselves with food. I am 55 and have spent the majority of my life focusing on too much food, too little food, the right foods, the wrong foods, etc. Food doesn't need to be a reward to me and as long as I think of food that way, I'm gonna have trouble! Now, I eat what I want in moderation. I'm afraid that a 'cheat meal' would be too hard for me. That's the way I used to eat, all the time. Now, I eat more normally (probably used the wrong term when I said normal people). I eat what my body needs to run efficiently. I try and focus on things other than the food at family functions, parties, etc. This is really working. I've been doing it for over a year and it's not hard to do. I don't feel deprived & I feel I could do this for the rest of my life - which is my plan.

That was all my comment was intended to relay. Everyone is free to follow their own path. :flowerforyou: