Cheat days?? Seriously people???

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  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
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    I have my cheat meals/days when I need to. I"m worth it and I deserve to have these days, I plan for them.....by knowing I'm going to have the chance to eat what I want and that way my meal or day is guilt free. It's those last minute cheat cravings that I have on occasion given into that make me feel bad.

    When the meal is going to be 2000-3000 calories even having just the smallest portion/taste of everything. Those special bday, anniversary dinners or whatnot, with dessert and drink or 2 or more, there is no way to make those fit into an average 1400 calorie day. I am not going to workout for 3-4 hours and starve all day to "earn" these meals......so they will be a cheat day that I go over in everything and treated as such and the next day onwards for as long as needed I'll be on track till the next cheat day comes along.

    Funny enough when I've had a cheat day in a week sometimes (not always) its those weigh ins when I've lost the most lbs. I think a good cheat now and again is necessary!
  • dniapas
    dniapas Posts: 29 Member
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    For me, it's not worth it to "allow" myself a cheat day. I made a commitment to losing weight, not to anyone in particular, but to myself. If I start to get the urge to eat something I shouldn't, I take my shirt off and stand in front of the mirror. That usually kills the temptation to cheat.
  • IreneAdler
    IreneAdler Posts: 69
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    I don't have cheat days, I have cheat moments--if I am going to have a meal that is over in calories (BLT with grilled bleu cheese bread this Saturday for lunch, and a glass of wine), I make sure I balance it out the rest of the day. And I don't do it more than once a week. I may be over calories a little on that particular day.

    I can't have entire cheat days because I'm afraid of losing all the progress I might have made that week by binging on one day. But I also refuse to completely stop eating what I enjoy--when I've lost my 30 pounds, I want to be able to maintain that weight, not gain it back by returning to bad habits.
  • safetypins
    safetypins Posts: 70
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    I feel like each person is completely different. If they want to "cheat" but can get up the next day and continue a healthy lifestyle, does it really matter that they wanted in n out? Not in my opinion.

    For me, I've been really strict with myself because I know MY body, MY personality, an MY relationship with food... but in a month when I've developed good habits and I decide I want a soda... I'll probably have one and thoroughly enjoy it.

    "You shouldn't have cheat days" doesn't work for everyone.
  • LilynEdensmom
    LilynEdensmom Posts: 612 Member
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    Well I do have cheat days in moderation ... b/c I have dieted and gained and lost weight all my life, b/c the longer I deprive my self of something I really want, say chocolate, if instead of eating a small Hershey kiss or 3 when I start craving them I keep putting it off, eventually and this is just me, my will power breaks and I will devour an entire chocolate cake or gallon of ice cream...now this is just me.
    So far it has worked for me...but it might not work for others...what I find funny is so many people are so worried about what other people are doing when in reality they should only be worried about them selves...jmho.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    I haven't really done any cheat days in the past, well not planned ones anyway. After reading 4HB book, I am going to give it a go on the slow carb diet. I'm not going to go crazy or anything but there are somethings disallowed in the diet like rice that I love to eath with Japanese dishes so just things like that. I would normally only have this once a week anyway but this way it is just planned to do it on a designated day. See how it goes :)
  • loriefolk
    loriefolk Posts: 352
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    Great post! Very motivational :)
  • jmwolffyy
    jmwolffyy Posts: 212 Member
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    So my take on it is similar yet different yet. Last year I was gung ho about changing my lifestyle and exercising and eating better. I applied for a local weight loss competition, but was not chosen. I made my husband join a gym with me but he was not very enthusiastic and I soon lost my incentive and motivation. This year I said to myself, oh heck, I'll put in for the contest but I already know I won't be chosen. I really didn't plan on making any changes to my eating/activity habits. Then I got the call that I was selected for the contest. Hello! Fast change of mindset. How could I possibly compete with these other folks who were serious about it if I wasn't?
    The trainers we are working with set us up with MFP, and got us started on some great workouts, and we can go work out during certain times as a group or however we choose on our own. I was still iffy about it until I got going on this website. The motivation and support here are what I was lacking last year. So I sat myself down and figured out 1)what I needed to do to compete and 2)what i needed to do to continue my lifestyle change AFTER the contest is over.
    Step 1: Gave up soda. (Had been trying to come off it for a while, had stopped drinking regular and switched to diet, and cut most of the caffeine by drinking 7up, so this was just the motivation I needed to pull off going cold turkey).
    Step 2: Got off my behind and started working out. BIG progress for me because since I was laid off I have been doing less and less.
    Step 3: No alcohol during the contest. That's a LOT of calories and I can handle 8 weeks without drinking. But I am not giving up my date nights with my husband, nor am I giving up going to our favorite bar. Just taking a break. However, when I go back I am going to consider my options and I may have a Captain and (Diet) Coke instead, although I haven't decided where that fits in with not drinking soda... I have about 6 weeks to think about it tho!
    Step 4: I decided I am not giving up any particular KIND of food at all. I may skip the fast food for the 8 weeks, but realistically there are days when my kids have so much going on after school that we will depend on fast food. I will take the menu choices into consideration and probably not get the biggest, greasiest thing anymore. Or if I do, I might share it with one of my kids.
    Therefore, in my way of thinking, there are no "cheat days." If I am out and we have to stop for fast food, I am going to get something. If I am at my daughter's game, and the hot dog looks delicious, then I will get one for myself. I did that just the other night and I do not feel like it was cheating. It was one of the things I ate that day.
    I guess when most people say they are counting calories, they mean they consider their entire day ahead of time to ensure they won't go over. I don't. I MIGHT have an idea what lunch or dinner will be when I wake up in the morning, but more likely I haven't decided yet. I still eat a bagel and cream cheese for breakfast if that is what I want. I just have plenty of options available and most of them are relatively healthy choices. I bought snacks that are low calorie so that even if I crave chocolate (100 calorie Hostess cupcakes) or chips (Special K crisps) I can have it. When my husband had noodles drowned in butter last week (how dare he? that is my favorite!) I ate one bite and was satisfied that I had gotten a taste. I even considered going ahead and having them for my meal. The only reason I did not was the contest. Otherwise I could have had that and skipped a snack instead.
    I may have to revisit this idea when the contest is history... It may cause me to change how I think. I don't know. But for now, for me, there is no such thing as "cheating."
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
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    I haven't really done any cheat days in the past, well not planned ones anyway. After reading 4HB book, I am going to give it a go on the slow carb diet. I'm not going to go crazy or anything but there are somethings disallowed in the diet like rice that I love to eath with Japanese dishes so just things like that. I would normally only have this once a week anyway but this way it is just planned to do it on a designated day. See how it goes :)

    Agreed. I eat rice, popcorn, and oats on the weekend. Because of my lifestyle commitment, the only food I have with sugar is kettle corn. I don't go on binges or seek out heavy things to eat, though I may eat at or a little over maintenance for the sake of my metabolism. But, the again, I also don't call it cheating. More like carb-up days :happy: I can defintely see how some people can be derailed by the cheat day...
  • carolyng66
    carolyng66 Posts: 18 Member
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    The only thing I'm craving is a Red Robin cheeseburger and fries but that's over 1000 calories in a sitting which are the majority of my daily in caloric intake. I'd have to do excessive workouts during the week just to afford that.
  • sarasotatim
    sarasotatim Posts: 179
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    I have to disagree, I think most people, without ANY cheat days or meals, will eventually fail. You have to have something...Friday is my cheat day, I eat what I want (within moderation of course, I don't consume 10,000 cals that day or anything)...the rest of the week, I'm good, and I'm lifting or doing my cardio....may not be the fast lane to your goal, but it keeps everything ATTAINABLE :)
  • carolyng66
    carolyng66 Posts: 18 Member
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    I think it's okay to cheat a little as long as it's in moderation. I allow myself a cheat day a week but it will be maybe a slice of pizza or some ice cream. Binges are not good. It's a path back into old habits. If I think I want to go a little overboard on my cheat day, I will exercise a little more and burn extra calories beforehand. It's never wise to go into caloric "debt", meaning, "I'll eat this fried chicken today and run a few extra miles tomorrow." It's often hard to keep that promise.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Eating doesn't make me feel guilty.
  • SlimReggieBack
    SlimReggieBack Posts: 121 Member
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    When I miss calculate a nutrition and realize that is goes way over the nutrients level I want I usually decide to make it into a cheat day.
  • Flabulousss
    Flabulousss Posts: 106
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    Whatever. If I get it right 70-80% of the time I'll still lose weight eventually. Nobody's business but my own... And I love eating like crap from time to time, no guilt needed. lol The only thing I don't get is the word "cheat". I'm not married to my diet. lol
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    I think it's okay to cheat a little as long as it's in moderation. I allow myself a cheat day a week but it will be maybe a slice of pizza or some ice cream. Binges are not good. It's a path back into old habits. If I think I want to go a little overboard on my cheat day, I will exercise a little more and burn extra calories beforehand. It's never wise to go into caloric "debt", meaning, "I'll eat this fried chicken today and run a few extra miles tomorrow." It's often hard to keep that promise.

    Why did you bump this old thread that you replied to a year and a half ago?
  • SmangeDiggs
    SmangeDiggs Posts: 238 Member
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    I just ate mcdonalds hot cakes and they were delicious, not a single regret about it either.
    This is a lifestyle change and i still want to enjoy life
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
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    I think it's okay to cheat a little as long as it's in moderation. I allow myself a cheat day a week but it will be maybe a slice of pizza or some ice cream. Binges are not good. It's a path back into old habits. If I think I want to go a little overboard on my cheat day, I will exercise a little more and burn extra calories beforehand. It's never wise to go into caloric "debt", meaning, "I'll eat this fried chicken today and run a few extra miles tomorrow." It's often hard to keep that promise.

    Why did you bump this old thread that you replied to a year and a half ago?
    ^this
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    I think it's okay to cheat a little as long as it's in moderation. I allow myself a cheat day a week but it will be maybe a slice of pizza or some ice cream. Binges are not good. It's a path back into old habits. If I think I want to go a little overboard on my cheat day, I will exercise a little more and burn extra calories beforehand. It's never wise to go into caloric "debt", meaning, "I'll eat this fried chicken today and run a few extra miles tomorrow." It's often hard to keep that promise.

    Why did you bump this old thread that you replied to a year and a half ago?

    All the thread bumping is really annoying

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