Cheat Days

penelofur
penelofur Posts: 81 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Is it good to have one day a week where you "cheat". You still log your daily intake- but you may go over it a little... (or a lot!!).

Does that work for anyone?

Please let me know :ohwell:
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Replies

  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    I don't have "cheat" days. I had half of a large butter popcorn at the movies last month and again last week. I love having popcorn with my movies. I got up extra early and kicked my own azz (workout) so that I wouldn't be over on calories. I eat healthy the rest of the time. What did they used to say 80/20. I just can't be a super clean eater right now.

    I did not feel guilty, I enjoyed every bite.
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    It depends really. I know some people swear by it. I prefer eating what I want when I want making it fit in my calories.
    I used to have cheat meals when I was eating 1200 calories, but I quickly changed that number to something that allows me to eat well and still lose :wink:
  • bunnies26
    bunnies26 Posts: 149 Member
    Yes, I was wondering about this too. Weight Watchers has all those bonus points that you can use to eat whatever you want. And you are still suppose to lose weight with your bonus point splurge.
  • bunnies26
    bunnies26 Posts: 149 Member
    It depends really. I know some people swear by it. I prefer eating what I want when I want making it fit in my calories.
    I used to have cheat meals when I was eating 1200 calories, but I quickly changed that number to something that allows me to eat well and still lose :wink:
    So how do you change your number??
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    I have been having a couple' of 'days off a month (5,000 calories). Sometimes I just have to do it. I enjoy it and feel energised the next day. It just means my weight spikes for a few days then I carry on losing.

    I've upped my daily calories now though so I don't know if I'll still feel the need... the need for greed. :glasses:
  • susanrobison32
    susanrobison32 Posts: 13 Member
    I used to allow cheat days, but it was getting to where there were too many. There was always a special occasion. So now I find a way to make it fit. This isn't a diet, it is a way of life! :)
  • bvincentelp
    bvincentelp Posts: 36 Member
    I figure I had 20 years of cheat days, which got me where I am today (fat), don't need anymore.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    I cheat ALL WEEKEND LONG.
    I just work it all off.
    easy.
  • Michelle_dirtracer
    Michelle_dirtracer Posts: 245
    Nope, I do a "cheat meal" but not a whole day. I agree, I love my movie popcorn!
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    I treat myself here and there, just make it fit into my day. Nothing wrong with that.

    I do 'cheat' meals, not full days.
  • dreamer12151
    dreamer12151 Posts: 1,031 Member
    Everybody is different. Everyone has different goals and different weigh loss/work out plans they are on. The best way is what works for you. Years ago, I was on The Body For Life plan. I had great results on it. 6 days a week it was a strict eating plan, 1 day a week was a "free day" where you can eat whatever. Sunday was my Free Day. Problem for me, Free day was starting Saturday night...then oops, Tuesday something would come up & then I would have another "free meal"...so on.

    If you can limit yourself to 1 free day once a week and not feel guilty but still meet your goal, then have at it. If you want to build in a few meals here & there, then do it that way. Myself, I try to stay under my calories on a day-to-day basis, that way if I have a special occasion coming up or I have a meal where I go a little overboard, then it all evens out overall for the week. So far, that has been working for me.

    But I hesitate to call it a "cheat" day. Seems to have a negative sound to it.
  • lucan07
    lucan07 Posts: 509
    Not a cheat day as such but weekend I had a rest day consumed plenty of alcohol at grand daughters christening and overshot calories by a long way. But over the week my net calories are still low so I don't worry about the odd slip, first time over calories since started logging. If you log it and are prepared to accept the consequences of your action its not cheating by any stretch of the imagination the guidelines are just that.
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
    Is it good to have one day a week where you "cheat". You still log your daily intake- but you may go over it a little... (or a lot!!).

    Does that work for anyone?

    Please let me know :ohwell:

    No. I do not plan to cheat (splurge) once a week.. I do it as needed. I budget for those extra calories and so it does not harm me. And even if I do go over by 300 calories which can happen, then it takes a few days to balance itself out.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    I aim to reach my goal on a weekly basis (which is easy to assess with the iPhone MFP app's weekly summary). So there are days I eat way over my daily goal, but I try to balance them out over the rest of the week by eating under the daily goal. I also set my weight loss goal a little high, as an aspiration, so that even if I don't meet it, I'm still losing weight. So I don't "cheat" per se, but I don't beat myself up if I don't make my goal every week.
  • Isakizza
    Isakizza Posts: 754 Member
    I don't really have cheat days, but I do believe that if you really want to eat something... just eat it.

    I just log it and make sure I still stick to all my goals.
    Haven't had an issue with my weight loss doing that, and more importantly... I don't binge due to depriving myself.

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  • sweet_blasphemy
    sweet_blasphemy Posts: 129 Member
    It's weird, when I first started I thought for sure I was going to need a cheat day to get me to stick with it. But once I got going, I felt like I didn't want to undo my hard work for the week with a cheat day. I could easily eat back all + more of my deficit for the week in one day if I let myself... easily! So I started working in treats and "cheats" into my daily goal by saving calories earlier in the day or amping up my workout a bit (so it's not really a cheat if it fits, I think). Since I know I'm going to have a treat or 2 just about every day, I have no interest in having an entire cheat day.

    I have yet to have my favorite "cheat meal" of Chinese/Thai takeout because that's one meal I CAN'T do in moderation and I've yet to have the desire or determination to save enough calories (probably 2 day's worth! :laugh:) for it...
  • KMiYong
    KMiYong Posts: 130 Member
    I used to have cheat days.. it didn't work out too well.. I couldn't restrain myself the rest of the week, making that plan impossible..
    me and my diatitian agreed it's better to let yourself have something yummers whenever you want it, as long asit fits into the food log.. so I am allowed to have something around 150cal a day, but I don't always, and sometimes I have something of 200+ (icecreams mostly) so it kinda compensated over it.. makes life much better and sweets less of a "drug" as I would call it (you'll always want it more if it's not allowed :P)


    -finding it hard to put my thoughts into words today, sorry for that...if you didn't get what I meant, ask me to explain and I will-
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  • penelofur
    penelofur Posts: 81 Member
    Thanks for all the responses- I really appreciate it.


    "cheating" is more of a meal- but its a lot of cals- I was over by 1000 yesterday.

    I like Sushi .. and sometimes I like a lot of sushi... :wink: I also like wine.. and a lot of wine.... :heart: and beer.. and tacos..

    I figure one night of debauchery (per week) is not that terrible... right?

    Otherwise- I DO understand that this is not a diet- it is a lifestyle.
    I just want to enjoy it- a little naughty once a week with liquor and takeout.

    I have been spot on my calorie goals otherwise for the other days...
  • sourmash1973
    sourmash1973 Posts: 149 Member
    I don't have cheat days. I eat what I want all week long (staying under my calorie goal) and that keeps me from needing or wanting a cheat day.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    No. I do not have cheat days. I eat what I want, I work out, I've lost 44 lbs so far. If I go over, it's cool. If I'm under by a little, it's cool too. It's about moderation not deprivation. There is no bad food only bad eating habits/patterns. Today for lunch, I had...THE GRILLED CHEESE...4-cheese blend, Lucky Leaf baby arugula & secret sauce Served on Toasted House-made Focaccia Bread. Do I know how many calories? No. Can I bet it's probably around 750-1000, yes. Do I care? No. It's food. It's good.
  • chad23jl
    chad23jl Posts: 54 Member
    I have a cheat day once a week. I still keep it sensible but I go over on what my calorie intake should be and I have continue to lose. However, I do not consume a lot of empty calories which is consumed in wine and beer. Especially if that one day is in severe excess. Depending on what you are trying to accomplish fitness wise. One night of pure fall down drunkness can negate 3-4 days of strength training. So, my advice is have a cheat day but be smart about how you choose the extra calories you consume.
  • kyleekay10
    kyleekay10 Posts: 1,812 Member
    Is it good to have one day a week where you "cheat". You still log your daily intake- but you may go over it a little... (or a lot!!).

    Does that work for anyone?

    Please let me know :ohwell:

    I don't call them "cheat days" but I tend to go over on calories on Friday/Saturday each week. I call that Life. I'm young and social, and enjoy going out on the weekends. That's my lifestyle, and I have to make it work. If I tried to tell myself "no" to those days, I would end up resenting the process of getting fit.

    Work hard and enjoy yourself when needed- the rest will fall into place.
    One night of pure fall down drunkness can negate 3-4 days of strength training.

    How so? :huh:
  • astartig
    astartig Posts: 549 Member
    When I started this diet two months ago, I mentally figured cheat meals (carb refeed) or days in. I was thinking once a month at first and then maybe going bi weekly or weekly for carbs I haven't had one yet. on sundays my hubby and I drive somewhere go for a walk/hike and then get dinner. I thought that might be a good day for a carb refeed day.. but I still can't bring myself to do it. I have days where I am 100 - 200 and even sometimes 300 calories over goal. There are some days where it's under. that's just life. as long as I am still under the point where I'd be gaining all is well. I am going to have wine night, (regularly,) I am not cutting all chocolate out of my diet (actually keeping chocolate in may be what allows me to not really want a carb refeed night)

    So while I see the value of a cheat night/refeed night.. in reality I haven't wanted one yet and it's been two months and I figure I have to REALLY want it to do it. I am not going to do it just because I decided to allow myself to do it.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    I'm a fan of maintenance-calorie days, but they're not as easy to make up for as they used to be. In the beginning, I could go 1000 calories over one day, get those calories back throughout the week and still post a good loss on weigh-in day. I tend to go overboard on my higher-calorie days lately and have a much harder time getting those calories back, so I don't get those nice weigh-ins like I used to. I need to reign myself in a little bit, but I do accredit my continued success to my "days off." Seven months in and still losing? That wouldn't be happening if I never got to take a break.
  • LumpySpacePrincess1
    LumpySpacePrincess1 Posts: 388 Member
    The way to avoid cheat days and stay in your calorie limit is to eat what you want all the time.
    I do. As long as it doesn't go over, you'll lose weight and your cravings will be nonexistent.
  • goodnamegone
    goodnamegone Posts: 237
    Some days you need to eat more. I also know that sometimes I have the opposite by logging something as more than it really is. Also I think of it as an entire week than a day. If you really need to eat more then just do that because your body is asking for that. Other days I am under the calorie intake. Most days I had been actually. If you are constantly on your goal to eat healthy, be at or under the calorie intake then what is the problem?
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Naw I am not at that stage of my marriage....

    But seriously if you call it "cheating" to eat something it makes it sound bad and dirty...it's not...

    This weekend I knew it was going to be a blow out as far as staying in a deficet so I said maintenance and I did it mostly but the week itself was not as good as some but I am okay with that..
  • bethannien
    bethannien Posts: 556 Member
    For me, having a day where I go over my calories by 200-300 every week (or less frequently) hasn't hurt me. But doing an all out 1000 cals over day would just undo too much of my deficit if I did it weekly. I'm planning on letting myself go crazy for my bday at the end of the month and then not again until Christmas. I have so much to lose and while I'm perfectly happy to take my time with it, I don't need to make it even more difficult than it already is.
  • jaimie120
    jaimie120 Posts: 39 Member
    I choose not to have cheat days. I eat as clean as possible but if there is something I really want or an occasion I practice good portion control and then carry on clean the rest of the time. If I happen to have too much of something, I make myself double up on the workout.

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