What do you eat on a Cheat Day...

Natalie511
Natalie511 Posts: 75 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello all,
I was talking to a MFP member and he was saying that he was on a cheat day...and I was just wondering what you eat on a cheat day....what do you crave and give into on a cheat day....Mine is carbs...sweet and salty...cake, cookies, and pretzels...
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Replies

  • Xtrobelights
    Xtrobelights Posts: 39 Member
    Pizza!!!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I don't have cheat days. I sometimes have a cheat meal, but so far the higher I've gone over my goal is maybe 100 calories. Usually if I want a treat, I just make it fit in my daily calories.

    But anyway, my first cheat day I had a rib steak, and ended up under goal anyway. Second cheat day, French toast from Cheesecake Factory (1650 calories total) and I was only over by 100. I've found that if I have my cheat meal early in the day, I'm just not hungry much the rest of the day and it makes up for it mostly.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    Generally, pizza.
  • pteryndactyl
    pteryndactyl Posts: 303 Member
    Dominos...a white sauce pan pizza, 2,650 calories of pure delicious unhealthiness and approx ~800 cals over maintenance.

    Like, I literally order a pizza and eat only that spread throughout the entire day. I can't say no to pizza; I hate "rationing" it, so I figure...when I want it, I'll just go all out and call it a day.

    The key is only doing this every few weeks (I've limited myself to after paydays, lol). I don't really consider this a cheat though. I've tried fitting pizza into my normal calories but I hate eating like...only 3 pieces...so this is my exception. Other treats (ice cream, cookies, whatevs) usually fit in my daily goals.
  • celticminx
    celticminx Posts: 10 Member
    Mine will fluctuate depending on a craving. I try not to have a whole day unless it's a special occaision, but I do have a standing ice cream date with my daughter. When we go out I usually stick to the kiddie size or a small if I'm feeling greedy. It keeps me from getting out of control and giving in the the craving just enough to satisfy and enjoy. I'm not perfect...my serious break is a hot fudge sunday. Fortunately I don't crave those often because I can't seem to stick to a small where they are concerned :(
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Cake. Multiples. I still go easy on the carbs with the main meal, though.
  • JL2513
    JL2513 Posts: 867 Member
    Foods I normally abstain from during the rest of the week, especially in the evenings. Scrambled eggs with cheese, crackers, cookies, muffins, granola bars, bagels, toast....mostly the less healthy carbs. Of course, not all at once :) Those are some of the more common cheat day foods for me. I eat these earlier in the day, though. The later part of the day, I eat like I do for the other days of the week. I make exceptions for when I'm out with friends and eat dinner with them. On those days, I eat healthier during the day to compensate.
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
    Don't do cheat days! Have a meal that is more decadent than you usually allow, but don't just pretend a whole day doesn't count. Even when I do go overboard, I still make sure I log it. Think of it as more of a day to give yourself a break from food guilt, and not a day to just eat whatever you can stuff in your face.
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    More of what I usually eat. It is generally pizza or chicken wings, something that is calorie dense. I eat those things regularly but I could easily smash 2lbs of wings instead of 1 and let's be real...2 slices of pizza?! As an app maybe lol. So yeah, on "cheat days" i log but don't moderate :)
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    oh and how could I forget booze? I've been known to drink 2000 calories :blushing:
  • Natalie511
    Natalie511 Posts: 75 Member
    Wow you guys are making me hungry...lol:smile:
  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
    I have no cheat days.

    There are days when I am traveling all day to/from Overseas and there is nothing healthy available at the airport(s). I eat the most healthy item they have available.

    I know I will be over my daily calorie target that traveling day . I just go back to my nutrition plan as soon as I can.
  • jayce54321
    jayce54321 Posts: 110 Member
    Don't do cheat days! Have a meal that is more decadent than you usually allow, but don't just pretend a whole day doesn't count. Even when I do go overboard, I still make sure I log it. Think of it as more of a day to give yourself a break from food guilt, and not a day to just eat whatever you can stuff in your face.

    This!
  • janer4jc
    janer4jc Posts: 238 Member
    I have no cheat days.

    There are days when I am traveling all day to/from Overseas and there is nothing healthy available at the airport(s). I eat the most healthy item they have available.

    I know I will be over my daily calorie target that traveling day . I just go back to my nutrition plan as soon as I can.

    I agree. "Cheating" for the entire day makes no sense. I had a piece of pizza tonight but made sure to make it a smaller piece and stopped at one.
  • Stephanie198907
    Stephanie198907 Posts: 163 Member
    I no longer indulge in cheat days but I do miss them. When I did cheat, my go to meals were frozen pizza, French fries, cookies, French fries, boiled Yukon gold potatoes with butter, lemon, salt, crushed garlic, and green onions, French fries, chips, Starbucks soy hot chocolate, Kim Son orange tofu and steamed white rice, and finally...French fries.
  • lharri0209
    lharri0209 Posts: 128 Member
    Fried chicken and French fries...yum!!!
  • Frittycat
    Frittycat Posts: 51 Member
    I've found that I can't really eat fried food, pizza, or pasta anymore without feeling really sick the next day, but when I do treat myself, I like ice cream or something homemade, sweet, and baked.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I don't really do "cheat days". I always, always try to stay within my calories and macros.

    The way "cheats" work for me is purposely eating extra low cal, healthy breakfast & dinner when I know I'm having a ridiculous big Thai lunch out. Or walking 3 miles to the Audubon Center and hiking on a steep hilly path for an hour so I feel okay getting ice cream and then coming home and having a heavier dinner than normal.
  • MexicanOsmosis
    MexicanOsmosis Posts: 382 Member
    eat-ALL-the-things.png
  • new2canada
    new2canada Posts: 119 Member
    pizza...oh god it's so good...i'm craving that right now actually O_O
  • JohnRobertRowland
    JohnRobertRowland Posts: 7 Member
    cheat day does not mean junk food, it means more than you normally eat you can have something that you have been craving, a cheat meal is better for you than a cheat day, if you need one , but you should not need one really if you are eating clean food like today I had a happy meal but I have never taken a cheat meal I just eat food that I crave like a happy meal, lol guess you could call that a cheat meal even though I didn't go over my calories, but everyone is different, good luck on you decision

    44e9f7f3-10c0-4ef5-b8aa-8c034d11b5fb_zps11a066bd.jpg
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    No cheat days here. I haven't cut out anything I didn't normally eat before. Do I occasionally have two chai lattes if I have the alloted calories? Yesh, yesh I do.
  • DonM46
    DonM46 Posts: 771 Member
    I don't do cheat days.
    Sure, I have days when I go over my calorie budget, but that is by accident rather than intentionally exceeding my limit.
    Cheat days just slow down progress.
  • ddpiel
    ddpiel Posts: 52
    oh and how could I forget booze? I've been known to drink 2000 calories :blushing:

    Yes, booze
  • b218w
    b218w Posts: 76 Member
    banana walnut cake
  • shellybrooks37
    shellybrooks37 Posts: 2
    I usually balance my favorite calorie filled treats with exercise. Sometimes I’ll ride my bike to Starbucks for a calorie filled venti latte with whipped cream and all, or walk to the local Baskin Robbins for a scoop. It is a good 2 to 3 mile round trip and well worth the treat.
  • Kanzaki3
    Kanzaki3 Posts: 656 Member
    I have cheat meals but not cheat days. My meals are usually random meals that are unplanned like a friend giving me some sugary sweets or just going out trying something new.
  • lharri0209
    lharri0209 Posts: 128 Member
    oh and how could I forget booze? I've been known to drink 2000 calories :blushing:

    Yes, booze

    Yes, for a real "cheat" treat, I have me a few drinks. Even if I do decide to have fried chicken, a few drinks or whatever, I usually can plan it out to where I don't go over my daily nutritional goal. I also limit myself to one meal time versus a full day. This methods helps to keep me on track.
  • Mslmesq
    Mslmesq Posts: 1,000 Member
    A bottle of wine. :tongue:
  • kim317
    kim317 Posts: 2 Member
    I was introduced to Blueberry Glazed cake donuts! They are 340 calories per but they are worth every bite. I'll eat 3-4 in the morning after my workout so the impact on my calorie count for the day is minimal.

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