Cheat Day, How Far Do You Go?

krennie8
krennie8 Posts: 301 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Curious how many calories over your daily go you allow yourself. Just up to maintenance? Over? For various reasons I'm over today and it's only 3pm. I'm expecting to end up around 1800-2000 for the day which is far greater than my 1320 goal and slightly over my 1750ish TDEE.
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Replies

  • AlysonG2
    AlysonG2 Posts: 713 Member
    On cheat days, I typically eat between 3,000 and 4,000 calories. One day per week. I purposely keep my calories low the other 6 days (1,200-1,500), so that I can eat what I really want on my cheat days and still be under my weekly calorie goal. I've lost 31 pounds with this method.
  • tootchute
    tootchute Posts: 392 Member
    ^^ I like this, when I have the money we go out and eat a good meal or something we really wanted. (We is my family)
  • norcalskater
    norcalskater Posts: 194 Member
    I usually go 1500 calories over. But I don't do it often. Once a week I might go over by a couple hundred but that's it.
  • RamaAkyer
    RamaAkyer Posts: 94 Member
    I usually consume 250 gram of carbs in a day, and for my "Cheat Day / Re-feed Day" I eat about 400 - 450 grams of carbs. I try to keep my proteins and fats the same.
  • missabeez
    missabeez Posts: 280 Member
    OP are you sure your TDEE is only 1750? Its probably more like 2000 so you won't be going over as much as you think :)

    I havent had many cheat days, but I have one planned for Saturday that seems to be about 2500 cals. I guess its not so high but its pizza and cake so...lol, not much protein.
  • krennie8
    krennie8 Posts: 301 Member
    Okay so sounds like there's a good range. I admittedly never "plan" cheat days, just some days I know i'm going to be over b/c I'm legit hungry.

    My TDEE could be higher since I started working out a few days a week (only really last two weeks). That was based on my sedentary lifestyle and I do mean sedentary.
  • mufamuscles
    mufamuscles Posts: 57
    embarrassingly far...like 2000 calories over my TDEE :D
  • _AlabamaSlamma_
    _AlabamaSlamma_ Posts: 216
    Usually not too bad, like no more than 500 over TDEE. The problem lies in the fact that I have TOO MANY cheat days. :laugh:
  • SelkathNuggets
    SelkathNuggets Posts: 37 Member
    Been at this for a month and a half, never had any entire cheat days. I've had a few cheat meals here and there - I want pancakes, I'll have some damn pancakes - but I've never felt the need to throw an entire day under the bus. That just seems excessive to me. But that's just my opinion.
  • Zaftique
    Zaftique Posts: 599 Member
    *stands*

    Hello, my name is Amanda, and one night I ate half a pint of Haagen Dazs Butter Pecan before I knew what I was doing. -_-

    *sits*

    For the most part, tho, I don't go over by too much more than a hundred or so. When I'm over by like 3 it drives me nuts. ;)
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    I never have a cheat day, I look at it more like a "treat meal" , I try to plan it out somewhat and see how the treat fits in with my week, and go from there. But my usual treat is a warm brownie with a scoop of ice cream for about 600 calories, bringing my daily intake that day to around 2300.
  • kellymac518
    kellymac518 Posts: 132 Member
    i usually try to stay close to my goal, but allow myself to have something that i wouldn't normally eat like a piece of cake or pizza
  • csk0018
    csk0018 Posts: 219 Member
    I try to stay within my calorie goals everyday but have days during the week where I will eat a burger, pizza, cheese fries, etc... Usually on those days... I make sure to hit the gym to make up for any calorie overage. I like to think about what I'm eating the day before so I know what's coming and what I have to do. :happy:
  • deviant_illusion
    deviant_illusion Posts: 32 Member
    I don't do a cheat day but I do have one cheat meal a week. ON those days I eat breakfast and lunch just like any other day but dinner I do what the family wants be it pizza or what ever and I don't even bother counting the calories in that meal.
  • huntergreene71
    huntergreene71 Posts: 21 Member
    The entire weekend is my cheat day...kind of. The weekend is where I give myself the freedom to not monitor and calculate what I am eating, but I'm usually staying within 1000 calories of my max without counting. The healthy eating habit is pretty much ingrained now, snacking on nuts and fruit instead of chips and junk.
  • Beckilovespizza
    Beckilovespizza Posts: 334 Member
    I usually eat 2200ish on my cheat day, I enjoy every last bite :)
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    at least 10,000 cals
  • rich347
    rich347 Posts: 508 Member
    Say Regular Goku is my regualar Super Sayian Goku God mode is my cheat .
  • michael300891
    michael300891 Posts: 275
    at least 10,000 cals

    Challenge accepted.
  • Fatflump1975
    Fatflump1975 Posts: 16
    I usually drink my calories on the weekend!!
    I go over by 1000 easy ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
  • Camish911
    Camish911 Posts: 150 Member
    I've had days where I eat 2,200-2,400 calories but I usually more than make up for it with exercise.
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
    Ever watch Man Vs. Food? YEEEEEEAAAAHHHH
  • Mav3rick54
    Mav3rick54 Posts: 180 Member
    On cheat days, I typically eat between 3,000 and 4,000 calories. One day per week. I purposely keep my calories low the other 6 days (1,200-1,500), so that I can eat what I really want on my cheat days and still be under my weekly calorie goal. I've lost 31 pounds with this method.

    ^^ This is what I do as well. See ticker for pounds lost using this method.
  • R_Calvillo
    R_Calvillo Posts: 177 Member
    On cheat days, I typically eat between 3,000 and 4,000 calories. One day per week. I purposely keep my calories low the other 6 days (1,200-1,500), so that I can eat what I really want on my cheat days and still be under my weekly calorie goal. I've lost 31 pounds with this method.

    This goes for me too.
  • ChrysalisCove
    ChrysalisCove Posts: 975 Member
    Never higher than my TDEE, even on a total splurge day like my son's bday - but honestly eating at TDEE-20% is hard for me... I'm accustomed to far less! My struggle is less about portion control & more about a previously sedentary lifestyle (back injury) + skipping meals + eating out a LOT.

    ETA: I have also found that, for me, going back to normal after too extreme of a cheat is VERY difficult!
  • Toxyc
    Toxyc Posts: 36 Member
    I usually only go to around 2,000 calories on my cheat days. I don't like going too crazy as it'll just make me feel bad afterwards.
  • ekztawas
    ekztawas Posts: 114 Member
    I don't really do cheat days, not because I don't see results from them but because it is so difficult for me mentally. It's very hard for me to return back to a normal calorie intake after a cheat day. A cheat day has turned into a cheat week and it really effects my mood. Instead I allow myself a treat here and there throughout the week. That's what's worked for me, though. :)
  • Mrsallypants
    Mrsallypants Posts: 887 Member
    I could probably eat 4,000 calories on a cheat day (especially eating at a restaurant or pizza). Maintenance is about 2,300 calories, so I would gain half a pound of fat on a cheat day.

    At a 500 calorie-a-day deficit diet, it would take 3.4 days of dieting to burn off one cheat day. It seems counter intuitive to have a weekly cheat day, maybe only eat maintenance calories once a week and have a bona fide cheat day every 3 to 4 weeks. Maybe a "cheat meal" once a week, but not overdoing it and blowing 3,000 calories in one meal.

    One cheat day a week would reduce my weekly calorie deficit from 3,500 calories (one pound of fat per week) to 1,300 calories (1/3 pound of fat per week).
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    I eat whatever I want. It's about moderation not deprivation, so personally, I don't ever need a cheat meal/day.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Often hit 4000+ calories.
    BUT that's on my leangains 'cut' workout days - 2400 calories (which is still below TDEE in reality) cardio + exercise calories.
    So it's more a case of a 'IIFYM' rather than 'cheat'.

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