Cheat Days

JoshuaC30
JoshuaC30 Posts: 82 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I'm a young whippersnapper, and last night for the first time in a month I went out and consumed alcoholic beverages and had to pizza which I did not include in my diary. I wanted to have one cheat day a month but I'm worried as to how big the consequences of my actions are.

Replies

  • steffinup
    steffinup Posts: 8
    I can't survive without going out and having a few drinks with friends! I'm sure others might disagree, but I think unless you plan on cutting that out forever, learn to do it in moderation.
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  • Eleonora91
    Eleonora91 Posts: 688 Member
    I once asked myself the same thing. This is the topic, if you want to look at it: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1141878-do-occasional-binges-affect-weightloss
  • gloriamenard
    gloriamenard Posts: 10
    I do cheat meals every now and again. I count my cals , eat low cal all day and exercise. Then I will have a night with pizza and wine or whatever.

    This actually helps me stick with it. I was being too strict and then I would binge. If I am a little more relaxed, I am more successful.
  • Jkn921
    Jkn921 Posts: 309 Member
    If you're worried by excessive eating - do some cardio to burn it off. It's only one day which isn't going to kill you - it's when you do it continuously, it's a problem. A lot of people including me recommend you take the 'clean eating all the time' lighter as people cannot maintain on that type of diet for the rest of their life, nearly everyone loves a little junk here and there, I've read a lot of people eat chocolate everyday and lose weight because it's in their calorie deficit so definitley do not worry.
  • DancingJester
    DancingJester Posts: 76 Member
    Don’t worry, I’m pretty stressed atm and I had a binge day (like chips, pizza, baguettes, chocolate binge, so pretty bad. I don’t make a habit of it) I had about 2800 calories that day. Next day felt really guilty and ended up eating only 600 cals the (not sure if that’s a recommendation or not but oh well) anyway, checked in my weight today and I’ve lost 1lb this week despite that day. As long as you don’t do it a lot you’ll be fine, I tend to eat what I like( to an extent) when I go out, or its no fun, but looking a low calories menus are still pretty good. (I recommend the one in F&B’s)

    Just a tip, when I drink (well since alcohol it really high in calories) I try to have mixers and a diet drink. Ciders, beers and cocktails are the worst. But drinks like Jin and Tonic, diet coke and amoretto, vodka and diet lemonade. Stuff like that (make sure they are singles) they are a bit lower in cals as alcohol goes so you’re not limited to just one drink that night.
    I’m 18 and have to do the same.
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member
    I've been able to lose while still getting my rockstar on once in awhile.

    I can't do it every weekend, and don't do back-to-back nights (that could also be because hangovers at 35 are like 2000000x worse than at 22...so you got that to look forward to) anymore.

    One night out a month, sometimes every 2-3 months for me, isn't enough to erase the caloric deficit I have created rest of month. And that is what it will come down too - if you have an overall caloric deficit each month you will lose weight.

    Would I lose weight faster if I never partied? Probably. But I'd risk losing my mind :laugh:
  • merzback
    merzback Posts: 453 Member
    Don't use the word CHEAT. It makes you sound like a felon. Meanwhile, having some indulgences occasionally won't kill you. Just make sure the word is occasionally and you fit it into your week.
  • Cass0422
    Cass0422 Posts: 26 Member
    Don't use the word CHEAT. It makes you sound like a felon. Meanwhile, having some indulgences occasionally won't kill you. Just make sure the word is occasionally and you fit it into your week.

    Yes!! I totally agree with this. The word cheat makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong. I'm looking at my weight loss journey as a lifestyle change and I want my lifestyle to include going out with friends or having takeout. etc. It's all about moderation and holding yourself accountable.
  • KristinaB83
    KristinaB83 Posts: 440 Member
    Ha! Sounds just like my weekend.

    As far as a set back? Maybe a little, but don't worry about it too much. Just go back to what you were doing before the weekend. If an extra hour of cardio will make you feel better then go for it. The important thing is to not give up after nights like that.
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  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    If you pretty much ate like **** except for once a month you ate some broccoli and chicken and went for a jog...would that one day of doing stuff right make you suddenly healthy and fit? Why would you think that one singular day would have any substantial impact?

    Your health, fitness, nutrition, etc are not predicated on singular events, occasions, etc...it's all about what you're doing most of the time. In the grand scheme of things, life happens...you miss workout...you go to rando neighborhood BBQs...you have holidays and birthdays, etc...you're not going to be on 100% of the time and thinking that you will is just setting yourself up to fail.

    You have to look at the bigger picture...it is a "lifestyle" not a daystyle or weekstyle.
  • EmmiDahling
    EmmiDahling Posts: 104 Member
    I have indulgence days (and nights), but I log it. I don't punish myself my over restricting later or going crazy with the cardio, but it helps to see what I had and where it put me calorie wise. Maybe I ate that 3rd piece of pizza and then realized I was overly full, so it wasn't worth the calories. It helps me to be able to indulge without binging. If I wasn't in a state to log, I try to do it from memory later as best I can. It also helps me see that I was over my daily deficit or maitenance, but in the picture of the whole week it may not have been so bad.
  • wyattj99
    wyattj99 Posts: 454 Member
    I have a cheat meal once a week...just a meal :) I have already lost 60 lbs doing it this way before coming here :)
  • merzback
    merzback Posts: 453 Member
    I have a cheat meal once a week...just a meal :) I have already lost 60 lbs doing it this way before coming here :)

    I know it's just semantics, but why do people call it a cheat day/meal? The word cheat makes people sound bad. If you go over your calories you are not bad.
  • Kargicq
    Kargicq Posts: 72 Member
    Hmm... I'm new here (only on my third week!) but have made my target every day so far. But, tonight, I have planned a meal with a movie and a couple of beers with a friend. I'm going to log what I can in advance, and guess 1000 calories for the meal, But I don't think of it as "cheating" -- to me, that would be not logging it at all. And I don't intend to feel guilty about it. I suppose I'm agreeing with everyone else here that a social life is important; I'm in this for the long haul, I hope, so any gains will balance out.

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