The infamous cheat day

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fatbitt
fatbitt Posts: 24
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm sure there is a post somewhere about this, but I'm new to the community thing. I have heard that a cheat day where you go over your calories by about 1000 one day a week is actually helpful for weightloss. That it can re-boost your metabolism?! Fact or Myth?

Thanks!

Replies

  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
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    I don't have any studies to back me up, but I think it's a myth that persists because we'd all very much like to believe it.

    It might help if it functions as some kind of mental pressure valve, letting you cut loose for a bit-- but a 1000 calorie surplus is wiping out two days of a healthy 500 calorie deficit any way you slice it. Since people tend to overestimate the calories they spend exercising and underestimate the calories they eat, many are running a much more modest deficit than they think they are, and they can wipe out all the (very gradual, but still present) progress they made that week with one cheat day.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    Yea, physically I'm not sure it helps, but it will definitely keep ME from getting burned out.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Cheat day means different things to different people.

    To your questions specifically... you can only do that if you've got 1000 calorie + deficit established prior to the cheat. Otherwise you'll be in a calorie surplus and end up gaining.
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
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    Cheat day means different things to different people.

    To your questions specifically... you can only do that if you've got 1000 calorie + deficit established prior to the cheat. Otherwise you'll be in a calorie surplus and end up gaining.
    Pretty much this ^^. Bottom line is that you can eat what ever you want, when ever you want, as long as you are in a deficit. If you want to eat a little less for the other six days and then on day seven have a "cheat" day, go for it. Good luck!
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
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    I know this would not work for me. I would turn it into a cheat week, then a cheat month, etc, etc. I have what I want everyday, I just try not to go hog-wild with it.
  • fatbitt
    fatbitt Posts: 24
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    Thanks everyone, I knew when it came down to it, that my answer wasn't going to be, "yea, eat like crap for a day, it's good for you" but there was always hope haha

    In my first two weeks of losing i had one relatively bad cheat day each week, but still lost way over the 2 lb a week ideal. so i was quite surprised, i'm sure i would've lost more if i hadn't cheated but it was a pleasant thought that it actually helped. and mentally it definitly helps knowing that i could giving into a craving or two.

    I will keep in mind also from now on that if i want to cheat make sure i'm either working out more or lowering my intake on the other days!

    Thanks again.
  • shoeloveramber
    shoeloveramber Posts: 291 Member
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    My plan based on a friend who has lost over 75 pounds is to have a cheat MEAL not a cheat day. Once a week have one meal that is exactly what you want but eat properly the rest of the day.
  • ktsimons
    ktsimons Posts: 294 Member
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    Cheat day means different things to different people.

    To your questions specifically... you can only do that if you've got 1000 calorie + deficit established prior to the cheat. Otherwise you'll be in a calorie surplus and end up gaining.
    Pretty much this ^^. Bottom line is that you can eat what ever you want, when ever you want, as long as you are in a deficit. If you want to eat a little less for the other six days and then on day seven have a "cheat" day, go for it. Good luck!

    this is working wonderfully for me...I figured out what my daily calorie intake shoud be and subtracted 100 then on Saturday, I get an additional 700 calories on that one day ususally spent on VODKA
  • JewelsinBigD
    JewelsinBigD Posts: 661 Member
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    I save up my exercise calories for the week and use them on the weekend. So I eat within my calories during the week - eat no calories back - and then eat them on the weekend. It feels like a cheat - but it really isn't. I go over that sometimes - but I am still losing albeit slowly.
  • kimad
    kimad Posts: 3,010 Member
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    I do it, heck sometimes I do it twice a week, and I have lost the weight I have.... it can get tricky though, cause you can just fall off the wagon too... works for some, not for others... I don't eat back ANY of my exercise calories and tell myself those extra calories balance out the cheat day.... who knows, lol, but having a day I know I can eat what I want/eat what I have been craving pushes me thru.
  • wendybird5
    wendybird5 Posts: 577 Member
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    Yea, physically I'm not sure it helps, but it will definitely keep ME from getting burned out.

    Ditto! The longer I go without giving myself a day to eat over a my deficit, the more likely I am to have a major binge day. I still try to make sure I workout that day and eat a light breakfast, but it's very useful for birthday parties, work lunches or dinners or holiday events that can come up where trying to count calories can drive you insane and make you resentful.
  • joannadalina
    joannadalina Posts: 112 Member
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    I don't really believe in "cheat days". If there is something that I want to eat that will take up most of my calories, I compensate for it by eating less on some days and working out more to make sure that I don't go over by too much.

    The thing about it is, you can eat whatever you want really. What matters is the amounts / serving size that you eat. I love Velvetta, LOVE it. I could eat a whole box by myself. Now there is NO WAY that I am cutting Velvetta out of my diet, that is just unrealistic for me. But what I can do is eat the recommended serving size vs. the entire box. So 1 cup, 360 calories. Done.

    Little changes like that will get you on the right track :)
  • glitzy196
    glitzy196 Posts: 190 Member
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    I have only been at this for about 8 weeks--and i lose pretty steady--and eat really dirty, i am have spaghettios out of a can as i type--
    I don't have a specific cheat day--but i do allow myself to eat whatever the hell I want when it is a social event or something.

    this normally happens about once a week..or once every other week. I usually don't eat much that day if i know it is coming, and maybe not much the day after--and it has worked ok for me.

    on Halloween for instance--I had 3 pieces of pizza, 2 bread sticks and about 12 pieces of candy and like 3 chocolate chip cookies and 2 cupcakes. GOD that sounds awful typing out--it didn't seem like that much at the time i swear! (lol that is obviously how i got fat!!) but i ate within my limit all week and still lost 2 lbs that week. BUT it was heavenly to feel 'normal' for one night. my next day will probably be thanksgiving where i don't count anything.

    I am taking my 4 year old to mcdonalds tonight, but i don't count that as a cheat as it will fall into my calorie allowance. I would rather eat exactly what i want in smaller quantities than a bunch of crap i don't like. For me the key has been finding foods i love that fit into my deficit (pumpkin waffles). I could live on them and it doesn't feel like a diet!
  • tibby531
    tibby531 Posts: 717 Member
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    I take one day a week to eat what I want, when I want, and to NOT exercise. it helps me stick with my program. I can feel how my body stiffens up with only 24 hours off, and I can feel how all the nasty/bad-for-you/delicious foods affect my functions. sugar makes me lethargic, alcohol makes me thirsty - SO thirsty, etc. whether or not it actually does anything for the metabolism, I don't know. but it's a weekly reminder of why I don't do that everyday. :)
  • avskk
    avskk Posts: 1,789 Member
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    I don't believe it helps with the physical process of weight loss, but for me it's an immense pressure valve to have a day every other week or once a month where I don't bother logging, weighing, counting, etc. I don't exactly "cheat" -- I keep my portion sizes reasonable and my food choices fairly smart -- but I do allow myself something I've really been craving and a break from the constant checking & counting.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    It's calories in vs calories out. A lot of people don't eat back their exercise calories, or really don't eat enough food the rest of the time, because they want to eat 'clean' or whatever, so a cheat day balances it out. I'm guessing if I had a cheat day too often, I would plateau.

    I went 1100 over my goal once, and it didn't make any difference really (well I haven't lost much weight since but I don't think it's related, as it's been 3 weeks). But for me it's a once in a while thing and I maintain a 20% deficit all the time and just eat some treats within my calories, so I don't feel the need to have a cheat day (heck I have pizza and some cookie pizza at lunch and will still be under my goal tonight).
  • zenalasca
    zenalasca Posts: 563 Member
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    I eat what I want but make sure it fits into my calories. It's only difficult really when there's a food I'm craving or I get bored with my diet cause I can't buy more food and I give into cravings (if there's actually anything in the cupboard or fridge). Being a poor student, my "cheat days" end up being times where I get "cheat foods" for free lol. That reminds me, I'm going to a university ambassador's afternoon tea today, and have about 800 calories wiggle room for that, 400 if I want to have "dinner" afterwards (which I won't cause I'm not usually that hungry at night).

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