'Cheat days'?

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DavieC82
DavieC82 Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Having a look through some of the threads (chuckling especially at the argument over low-carb diet pros & cons!) and I notice one or two posters mentioning 'cheat days'. Now I've only been watching what I eat for 3 weeks, done pretty well in that time for a beginner, trying to lower my carb intake in the main.

Just wondering, how many people here have 'cheat days', and how often? I haven't given myself anything of the sort yet, but I kinda like the idea of having one day just going back to my old ways... cakes, biscuits, doughnuts, yum-yums and a gloriously cold glass bottle of Irn Bru.

Or should I just tough it out for another 6 and a half weeks knowing I'll have 2 'cheat weeks' eating what I like on holiday?

Replies

  • DavieC82
    DavieC82 Posts: 5 Member
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    Oops, just as I posted, another 'cheat days' thread appears at the top of the forum. Apologies!
  • lifeskittles
    lifeskittles Posts: 438 Member
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    I prefer to randomly eat these foods in moderation. I've done the cheat day thing and it doesn't work for me. I tend to binge on it and go out of control. If I eat one thing or a couple things i want a day I don't feel as restricted and it works better for me. If you don't have a problem with compulsion though then go for the cheat day if you like. I guess the only real "cheat day" meaning "whole day" I have of cheating is when Im out drinking on a weekend or something...hehe. But I also have a fairly high bmr because I'm an athlete so I guess it also depends on how much you allow yourself to have in calories a day.
  • DavieC82
    DavieC82 Posts: 5 Member
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    If you don't have a problem with compulsion though then go for the cheat day if you like.

    Thanks for the reply :) that's my main worry, I enjoy it too much then a cheat day becomes 2-3 days then a week. Before I know it I'm back to square one. Reading the other cheat day thread the general theme is people having the odd treat added to their diet regimen, which on balance may work better for me too.

    As I type, I have some mixed-berry oat biscuits (better than the sugar-laden ones I used to gorge on) which I'm gonna have with some tea, that'll do me for tonight. Such an exciting Saturday night! :/
  • sarahenagy
    sarahenagy Posts: 66 Member
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    Like others have noted, a cheat DAY is a bad idea for me. I will binge all day long and undo a great deal of hard work in one 12 hour period. I really try to look at my eating habits as a lifestyle change. My weight has yo-yoed somewhat because I "diet" and work out for a few months and loose 20 lbs, then I go right back to eating what I want, when I want it and slack on exercise and surprise, 2 months later I've gained back those 20 lbs. I haven't completely given up all the bad foods I love, I just enjoy them in moderation with more of a cheat meal once or so a week. Or build them into my calories for the day. Yesterday I went to see a movie and I LOVE movie popcorn. So I had a light lunch and forwent my usual afternoon snack and had extra calories to enjoy the popcorn. Tonight I am going on a date with my husband - we are trying a new restaurant I've been looking forward to going to - and I will allow myself to get whatever I want for dinner. But the rest of this week has been on target.

    Two weeks ago I went on vacation. This is a particularly tough time for me as I love trying local food while visiting a new place. I exercised daily (in the morning so I would have the remainder of the day free), ate breakfast and lunch in the hotel from foods I packed so I would be more likely to make a good choices, and then got what I wanted for dinner. I didn't loose any weight that week, but I got to try lots of different foods, felt like I indulged, and did not gain any weight to boot.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    I've never done "cheat days" as such, and I hate the terminology. However, they do work for some people. Personally, if I want donuts, cake, biscuits, whatever, I fit them into my daily goals. Sometimes I exceed my daily goals, and that's ok too. I'm not sure that looking at it as "going back to your old ways" is going to be the most helpful way to handle it. Try to look at this as a long-term/permanent lifestyle change. Whether that means incorporating those foods into your normal daily diet, or only having them on certain days of the week/month, or cutting them out altogether... experiment and do what works for you, but try not to look at it as "cheating" or going back to your "old ways". Try to create a lifestyle that you can live with long term, that is sustainable, and that supports you being a healthy weight.
  • broox80
    broox80 Posts: 1,195 Member
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    I try to calorie cycle and have a few days where I net low. this way I have some wiggle room for a cheat meal on the weekend.
  • lyndausvi
    lyndausvi Posts: 156 Member
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    I've have not sworn off any foods. I just eat what I want, when I want. Sure most days are on the"healthier" side, but if I have a 1300 calorie restaurant meal I do not consider it "cheating". If I'm over on calories (regardless of the amount) I don't consider it cheating either.

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