Cheat days?? ......how naughty are we talkin?
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I enjoy a banana split with fudge topping. But I am really clean on the other days.0
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why does it have to be called a 'cheat day' and then have people jump down your throat for not truly making a lifestyle change? I am serious about eating better than I have for 40+ years - not every day, every meal, every snack, but - in general, being good to my body. If I am still getting the results I want which for now is weight loss and eventually will be maintenance, then I am not cheating anybody, certainly not myself.
What she said.0 -
Right now I'm allowing myself a day every two weeks where I can have foods that I've been craving, or that I just cannot figure out the calorie count to. It drives me nuts to log but have to give my best guess at calories so I save foods like that for my "no count" days. When I say "no count" it doesn't mean that I think what I eat that day doesn't count, but that I'm not making myself count all of the calories. Some of my no count days, I actually have estimated my calories, and wrote down what I ate. Other days I haven't. What it comes down to for me, is that if I don't give myself a break from worrying about the numbers once in a while, I'll quit the whole thing and I know it. I believe we are all different. The key is finding what works for you for long term. If I know the only way to keep myself from completely going off the deep end, is giving myself a no count day every two weeks, I'm gonna do it no matter what people say. You are the only one that knows you, so you just have to figure out how you work, and go with it. Most of all we have to do anything and everything not to give up. For me...if I'm not paying attention to what I'm eating I'm gaining weight, period! It's been a lifelong thing here. I hope you find what works for you, and I truly believe we have to learn not to judge how others do it. If they are still working on it, they are doing something right!0
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I don't get it... I honestly question the dedication of someone willing to lose weight and make a lifetime change if they try to find a way to cheat the 'system' from the get go. For me a cheat day would be something that happens maybe a few times a year, like Holidays, when you want to just enjoy yourself without worrying too much about calories. Otherwise to make it a successful lifetime change I'd think you'd just have to learn to integrate the things you like in your every day diet, so you know how to use portion control and not go totally overboard every time you get the occasion to eat the foods you love (but probably shouldn't eat too much of).
Plus there's the fact that if you gorge yourself on 4000 calories on the week end, you'll just have ruined all your week's effort.
Personally, I've had three cheat days in 6 months when I ate more junk than I normally would, and I still managed to stay under my calorie goal. I think it's very important not to deprive yourself and enjoy special occasions, but you got to keep your eyes on the prize... it's not just about losing weight, but learning good eating habits, and that includes portion control and not binging... that's why I think cheat days are so dangerous. A cheat meal once a month? Sure... but a weekly cheat day? Defeats the purpose, IMO.
I agree 10000000%0 -
I don't get it... I honestly question the dedication of someone willing to lose weight and make a lifetime change if they try to find a way to cheat the 'system' from the get go. For me a cheat day would be something that happens maybe a few times a year, like Holidays, when you want to just enjoy yourself without worrying too much about calories. Otherwise to make it a successful lifetime change I'd think you'd just have to learn to integrate the things you like in your every day diet, so you know how to use portion control and not go totally overboard every time you get the occasion to eat the foods you love (but probably shouldn't eat too much of).
Plus there's the fact that if you gorge yourself on 4000 calories on the week end, you'll just have ruined all your week's effort.
Personally, I've had three cheat days in 6 months when I ate more junk than I normally would, and I still managed to stay under my calorie goal. I think it's very important not to deprive yourself and enjoy special occasions, but you got to keep your eyes on the prize... it's not just about losing weight, but learning good eating habits, and that includes portion control and not binging... that's why I think cheat days are so dangerous. A cheat meal once a month? Sure... but a weekly cheat day? Defeats the purpose, IMO.
Instead of judging someome why not answer the question? This reply just makes you look rude. No **** its a lifestyle change. You were obviously to quick to lecture me that you didn't bother to even read the question. I never said I did this, I asked about OTHER people. Now you just look ignorant and like a douche.
This is a public forum and this was this person's opinion. You can't control who responds or how they respond. They were contributing to the conversation and sharing their opinion, as they're supposed to. You sounded far more rude than the person you were responding to.
THIS0 -
On cheat days, I don't even pay attention to what I'm eating. Too depressing. Though, lately, I've been trying to watch what I eat around the cheat foods on cheat days. Like, I'll allow myself a big dessert but try and cut back on the other foods I eat during the day. Though I do allow myself to pair things on cheat days, too. Like, I was gonna have this ice cream, but I saw those cookies on the shelf... let's do both. Sweets and pop are my biggest weaknesses, but since I don't tend to have those on a regular basis anymore, I tend to indulge myself a bit.
My go-to food is bacon epis.
A bacon epi is basically just a piece of bread with bacon in it, usually with some pepper on it. But it's sooooo good. I get 2 every Wednesday along with another big, buttery piece of bread from the bread shop at the supermarket. I don't think I could stay on track if I couldn't have those. In fact, on weeks when they're out, I get really depressed, and I don't function well the rest of the day. Maybe I have a bread problem XD0 -
why do people consider eating pasta or ice cream or even chocolate a cheat thing? i am a bit confused0
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I don't get it... I honestly question the dedication of someone willing to lose weight and make a lifetime change if they try to find a way to cheat the 'system' from the get go. For me a cheat day would be something that happens maybe a few times a year, like Holidays, when you want to just enjoy yourself without worrying too much about calories. Otherwise to make it a successful lifetime change I'd think you'd just have to learn to integrate the things you like in your every day diet, so you know how to use portion control and not go totally overboard every time you get the occasion to eat the foods you love (but probably shouldn't eat too much of).
Plus there's the fact that if you gorge yourself on 4000 calories on the week end, you'll just have ruined all your week's effort.
Personally, I've had three cheat days in 6 months when I ate more junk than I normally would, and I still managed to stay under my calorie goal. I think it's very important not to deprive yourself and enjoy special occasions, but you got to keep your eyes on the prize... it's not just about losing weight, but learning good eating habits, and that includes portion control and not binging... that's why I think cheat days are so dangerous. A cheat meal once a month? Sure... but a weekly cheat day? Defeats the purpose, IMO.
Instead of judging someone why not answer the question? This reply just makes you look rude. No **** its a lifestyle change. You were obviously to quick to lecture me that you didn't bother to even read the question. I never said I did this, I asked about OTHER people. Now you just look ignorant and like a douche.
yup, way to be judgmental. do you feel better now, we ALL THINK YOU ARE TOTALLY BETTER SMARTER AND MORE ON THE BALL THAN THE REST OF US NOW! Sheesh.
IT is a life style change and that means in order to stick to it for the long haul we need to be able to enjoy the things we enjoy. no you can't make every meal that or do it all the time but if you feel like you're depriving yourself the eating path you are on won't stick. Not many people are saying they'd eat 4000 calories on a cheat day either.
Cheat day might better be termed normal person day.
for me cheat day means some carbs since I am on low carb high protein and I might go up to 2000 calories or so but hardly 4000.
I think for the low carb high protein diet it's even a good thing to have carb day now and again for "refeeding" the glycogen stores.
Normal people do have cake or pizza or whatever every now and again. For me once a week cheat day is too often I go once a month.
When I am at maintenance I'll still have cheat days but probably more often, like once a week, Because it's kind of like this diet is forever.
I0 -
why does it have to be called a 'cheat day' and then have people jump down your throat for not truly making a lifestyle change? I am serious about eating better than I have for 40+ years - not every day, every meal, every snack, but - in general, being good to my body. If I am still getting the results I want which for now is weight loss and eventually will be maintenance, then I am not cheating anybody, certainly not myself.
What she said.
Meh pendantics. Cheat day makes it sound naughtier and naughtier is always better.0 -
I don't get it... I honestly question the dedication of someone willing to lose weight and make a lifetime change if they try to find a way to cheat the 'system' from the get go. For me a cheat day would be something that happens maybe a few times a year, like Holidays, when you want to just enjoy yourself without worrying too much about calories. Otherwise to make it a successful lifetime change I'd think you'd just have to learn to integrate the things you like in your every day diet, so you know how to use portion control and not go totally overboard every time you get the occasion to eat the foods you love (but probably shouldn't eat too much of).
Plus there's the fact that if you gorge yourself on 4000 calories on the week end, you'll just have ruined all your week's effort.
Personally, I've had three cheat days in 6 months when I ate more junk than I normally would, and I still managed to stay under my calorie goal. I think it's very important not to deprive yourself and enjoy special occasions, but you got to keep your eyes on the prize... it's not just about losing weight, but learning good eating habits, and that includes portion control and not binging... that's why I think cheat days are so dangerous. A cheat meal once a month? Sure... but a weekly cheat day? Defeats the purpose, IMO.
Instead of judging someome why not answer the question? This reply just makes you look rude. No **** its a lifestyle change. You were obviously to quick to lecture me that you didn't bother to even read the question. I never said I did this, I asked about OTHER people. Now you just look ignorant and like a douche.
His response was pretty well thought out. Like the other poster said you're just irritated because you don't agree. And you say he's rude but then proceed to call him names? Ironic don't you think. Especially when he never disrespected you or anyone else in this thread.
Actually the OP was being disrespectful of others that had cheat days. their tone was very condescending and disapproving and judgmental. If they don't want to have cheat days good for them, that's their choice but they are hating on people that do have them.0 -
I don't get it... I honestly question the dedication of someone willing to lose weight and make a lifetime change if they try to find a way to cheat the 'system' from the get go. For me a cheat day would be something that happens maybe a few times a year, like Holidays, when you want to just enjoy yourself without worrying too much about calories. Otherwise to make it a successful lifetime change I'd think you'd just have to learn to integrate the things you like in your every day diet, so you know how to use portion control and not go totally overboard every time you get the occasion to eat the foods you love (but probably shouldn't eat too much of).
Plus there's the fact that if you gorge yourself on 4000 calories on the week end, you'll just have ruined all your week's effort.
Personally, I've had three cheat days in 6 months when I ate more junk than I normally would, and I still managed to stay under my calorie goal. I think it's very important not to deprive yourself and enjoy special occasions, but you got to keep your eyes on the prize... it's not just about losing weight, but learning good eating habits, and that includes portion control and not binging... that's why I think cheat days are so dangerous. A cheat meal once a month? Sure... but a weekly cheat day? Defeats the purpose, IMO.
Instead of judging someome why not answer the question? This reply just makes you look rude. No **** its a lifestyle change. You were obviously to quick to lecture me that you didn't bother to even read the question. I never said I did this, I asked about OTHER people. Now you just look ignorant and like a douche.
She has a point. It did sound pretty demeaning.
My take on it is this. You will go nuts if you think you can NEVER have things you love. I'm very fit, but that doesn't mean I don't like chocolate chip cookies and frickin' whole milk!!! My thoughts are that limiting yourself completely from these items are exactly what cause binges. My solution over the years has been to avoid whole days of binging.
Do this. Eliminate the term "cheat days". Call them reward days. And on that day, when you know you get to have that treat, get up early. Do any extra HOUR, yes HOUR on the treadmill, on the road, on the bike, on the elliptical. Two things will happen. You'll love how you feel afterwards - you'll feel like you deserve that reward of your favorite food. Secondly, you won't want to waste that great burn, and you'll find yourself eating less of the reward food.
Don't make a day of gluttony, make a day of enjoying a reasonable portion of something you love - and have EARNED. Now go work out, and get fit.0 -
Nicely put....couldn't agree more!!!
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I don't get it... I honestly question the dedication of someone willing to lose weight and make a lifetime change if they try to find a way to cheat the 'system' from the get go. For me a cheat day would be something that happens maybe a few times a year, like Holidays, when you want to just enjoy yourself without worrying too much about calories. Otherwise to make it a successful lifetime change I'd think you'd just have to learn to integrate the things you like in your every day diet, so you know how to use portion control and not go totally overboard every time you get the occasion to eat the foods you love (but probably shouldn't eat too much of).
Plus there's the fact that if you gorge yourself on 4000 calories on the week end, you'll just have ruined all your week's effort.
Personally, I've had three cheat days in 6 months when I ate more junk than I normally would, and I still managed to stay under my calorie goal. I think it's very important not to deprive yourself and enjoy special occasions, but you got to keep your eyes on the prize... it's not just about losing weight, but learning good eating habits, and that includes portion control and not binging... that's why I think cheat days are so dangerous. A cheat meal once a month? Sure... but a weekly cheat day? Defeats the purpose, IMO.
Instead of judging someome why not answer the question? This reply just makes you look rude. No **** its a lifestyle change. You were obviously to quick to lecture me that you didn't bother to even read the question. I never said I did this, I asked about OTHER people. Now you just look ignorant and like a douche.
She has a point. It did sound pretty demeaning.
My take on it is this. You will go nuts if you think you can NEVER have things you love. I'm very fit, but that doesn't mean I don't like chocolate chip cookies and frickin' whole milk!!! My thoughts are that limiting yourself completely from these items are exactly what cause binges. My solution over the years has been to avoid whole days of binging.
Do this. Eliminate the term "cheat days". Call them reward days. And on that day, when you know you get to have that treat, get up early. Do any extra HOUR, yes HOUR on the treadmill, on the road, on the bike, on the elliptical. Two things will happen. You'll love how you feel afterwards - you'll feel like you deserve that reward of your favorite food. Secondly, you won't want to waste that great burn, and you'll find yourself eating less of the reward food.
Don't make a day of gluttony, make a day of enjoying a reasonable portion of something you love - and have EARNED. Now go work out, and get fit.
This^0 -
I don't get it... I honestly question the dedication of someone willing to lose weight and make a lifetime change if they try to find a way to cheat the 'system' from the get go. For me a cheat day would be something that happens maybe a few times a year, like Holidays, when you want to just enjoy yourself without worrying too much about calories. Otherwise to make it a successful lifetime change I'd think you'd just have to learn to integrate the things you like in your every day diet, so you know how to use portion control and not go totally overboard every time you get the occasion to eat the foods you love (but probably shouldn't eat too much of).
Plus there's the fact that if you gorge yourself on 4000 calories on the week end, you'll just have ruined all your week's effort.
Personally, I've had three cheat days in 6 months when I ate more junk than I normally would, and I still managed to stay under my calorie goal. I think it's very important not to deprive yourself and enjoy special occasions, but you got to keep your eyes on the prize... it's not just about losing weight, but learning good eating habits, and that includes portion control and not binging... that's why I think cheat days are so dangerous. A cheat meal once a month? Sure... but a weekly cheat day? Defeats the purpose, IMO.
Question someone's dedication to a lifestyle change? Uh, okay. Good for you. Not that they were changing for you to begin with.
I think you're being very presumptuous of the word "cheat." It doesn't mean gorging yourself on 4000 calories. It means bending the rules every so often in order to allow yourself a little room to relax. For example, I've tried to cut pop out of my diet. But being that I was so dependent on it before, sometimes, I just feel like having some. If I allow myself one day a week to have a little pop, it keeps me from breaking after having no pop in what feels like forever, then binge drinking it. As for calories, I allow myself two days a week to go over my calorie limit, which is 1450 calories/day. Just because I go over doesn't mean that I can't still lose weight. The total number of calories I use in a day is something like 1900. Provided that I'm somewhere between 1450 and 1900, once or twice a week, is it really that detrimental to my weight loss? At the worst, I'm eating enough just to maintain my weight, so I don't see a problem with it. Maybe it'll take me a little longer, but so what? I'm not on any kind of time table, here.
If it doesn't work for you, that's fine, but some people need a little extra room in their diet. Since this topic isn't about that, I'm not going to repost, but earlier, I posed about the benefits of having cheat days.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/779835-do-cheat-days-help-you-lose-weight?page=2
This isn't a universal statement, and I'm not saying everyone needs to, but some people do. They're doing what they need to do in order to stay on track an reach their goals. Who are you to criticize them?0 -
I don't get it... I honestly question the dedication of someone willing to lose weight and make a lifetime change if they try to find a way to cheat the 'system' from the get go. For me a cheat day would be something that happens maybe a few times a year, like Holidays, when you want to just enjoy yourself without worrying too much about calories. Otherwise to make it a successful lifetime change I'd think you'd just have to learn to integrate the things you like in your every day diet, so you know how to use portion control and not go totally overboard every time you get the occasion to eat the foods you love (but probably shouldn't eat too much of).
Plus there's the fact that if you gorge yourself on 4000 calories on the week end, you'll just have ruined all your week's effort.
Personally, I've had three cheat days in 6 months when I ate more junk than I normally would, and I still managed to stay under my calorie goal. I think it's very important not to deprive yourself and enjoy special occasions, but you got to keep your eyes on the prize... it's not just about losing weight, but learning good eating habits, and that includes portion control and not binging... that's why I think cheat days are so dangerous. A cheat meal once a month? Sure... but a weekly cheat day? Defeats the purpose, IMO.
Instead of judging someome why not answer the question? This reply just makes you look rude. No **** its a lifestyle change. You were obviously to quick to lecture me that you didn't bother to even read the question. I never said I did this, I asked about OTHER people. Now you just look ignorant and like a douche.
Who said anything about gorging on 4000 calories? I do a cheat meal (not a day) some weeks, but only if I've eaten perfectly all week. For me, it usually just means having a homemade cupcake for dessert or something. Most of the time I will exercise if I'm going to do that, so it's rare I go over calories. I usually have enough of a deficit over the week anyway.
My personal trainer is the one who suggested cheat meals to me as he swears by them!
Surely never allowing yourself a treat is worse, how could you maintain that indefinitely?0 -
I don't get it... I honestly question the dedication of someone willing to lose weight and make a lifetime change if they try to find a way to cheat the 'system' from the get go. For me a cheat day would be something that happens maybe a few times a year, like Holidays, when you want to just enjoy yourself without worrying too much about calories. Otherwise to make it a successful lifetime change I'd think you'd just have to learn to integrate the things you like in your every day diet, so you know how to use portion control and not go totally overboard every time you get the occasion to eat the foods you love (but probably shouldn't eat too much of).
Plus there's the fact that if you gorge yourself on 4000 calories on the week end, you'll just have ruined all your week's effort.
Personally, I've had three cheat days in 6 months when I ate more junk than I normally would, and I still managed to stay under my calorie goal. I think it's very important not to deprive yourself and enjoy special occasions, but you got to keep your eyes on the prize... it's not just about losing weight, but learning good eating habits, and that includes portion control and not binging... that's why I think cheat days are so dangerous. A cheat meal once a month? Sure... but a weekly cheat day? Defeats the purpose, IMO.
So you're dedicated if you have a cheat day a few times a year, but I'm not dedicated if I have 1 cheat meal a week? How...self-righteous of you. Today's my cheat meal day. I had a 440 calorie cookie on top of my 660 calorie lunch. I'm already in the red for the day, and I haven't had dinner yet. 1500 calories doesn't go all that far, but isn't exactly 'starving' myself either. But I can assure you that I'm quite dedicated.
Some of us look at our calories for the WEEK, not just day by day. And MFP tells me that I'm 2875 net calories under my weekly goal. I assume I probably didn't track perfectly a few times, or that maybe I burned a few less calories during exercise (I do use an HR monitor, not MFP numbers), so it probably isn't 2875, but it's still enough to let me enjoy my cookie without feeling guilt, or being any less dedicated for going over my calories.0 -
Cheat days!! Well, I find that this weekend was the first since I've been on MyfitnessPal where I'd had dinner night at a friends, and then a lunch date with my husband.
I knew what my friend was making for dinner Friday - butter chicken - so I advised I wasn't being impolite, I had goals. Served myself a small amount of everything and was satisfied. However, there is no escaping that it is a VERY heavy meal and even tho I allowed myself 900 calories spare for dinner, I'm sure it would have been close to that, but in My food track diary - I entered that I'd eaten more just to be safe as there are a few variances.
Lunch was as healthy as I could make it, Salad, chicken drumstick, 2 nibbles and a very small portion of rice that was part of the meal which was at an amazing Mediterranean restaurant.
Huge glasses of water with both of these meals.
I'm really controlling in my diet at home, however entering certain situations where you are not entirely sure on the intake of what you're eating can throw me a little. So I track that I've eaten more and will exercise that off during my week.
I'm working out 6 days a week and if I do go over my calorie count, then I'm sure to burn that off with determination and the feeling of being stoked with myself for doing so well , so far!!
So I guess, CHEAT DAY'S can vary, but if you make it a lifestyle thing - then the less cheat days you will have - I saw it on Dr. Oz once, these women worked their *kitten* off during the week trying to lose weight - then on a Saturday they were allowed a particular calorie intake and on that day, it was all bad food. It kind of missed the point in trying to establish a healthy lifestyle if you ask me.
(Ps: Haven't weighed myself since I started, but put 2 pairs of my super tight jeans on, which I haven't worn in months.... only to find that they both fit pretty damn nicely now!! so FULLY PROUD OF THAT!!0 -
I don't think I really have a "cheat" day. (For one, "cheat" has a negative connotation - trying to break those negative ties to food!) There might be a time every couple weeks that I'll go a little over my calories or eat back all of my exercise calories (which I don't regularly do b/c it just doesn't make sense to me.) I tend to still have the things I like on regular days but just make sure I work my calories around it. I mean I had pizza earlier this week and chicken & dumplings with ice cream for dessert this evening. And guess what, I'm still under my "net" calories.
I think the only times I would have a complete off day (as in no logging) would be holidays or parties. Especially if alcohol is freely flowing! :drinker:0 -
I don't typically allow cheat days because before you know it you've consumed 5000 calories, and have negated all the hard work at the gym for the week. BUT, last night I sat down with a pint of Haagen Dazs and ate the whole thing.0
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