does anyone do cheat days

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2

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  • Kaylaef
    Kaylaef Posts: 194 Member
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    I can't do a cheat "day" because then all day I will load up on sugar, chocolate etc.
    I will do a cheat MEAL, though. And stay on track the rest of the day.
    It's far too hard for me to recover from, if I cheat all day. And honestly, the next day, I feel like *kitten*.
    \

    YAY!! Me too :)
  • beachylove
    beachylove Posts: 137 Member
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    My husband and I usually will allow what we consider a cheat meal (since we have cut out so much occassionaly we go splurge and get Pizza or a Burger) unless we have a special trip/event which might throw us off we stick to our macros
  • Hansonian
    Hansonian Posts: 78 Member
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    I'm not sure about you, but for me cheat days aren't about pigging out - it's about the little things that I miss.

    So if it's my cheat day and I go out to eat, I'll get cheese on my sandwich instead of only meat and veggies (at Subway, for example).

    I wouldn't suggest going crazy and eating whatever you want because it's too hard to go back to eating your healthy food. If I were you, I'd find healthy versions of the things you love to eat and use those as your "cheat day" foods. I LOVE cookies and every so often, I'll make chocolate chip cookies with dark chocolate, oatmeal, coconut sugar, and some cranberries or raisins mixed in (no white flour and very little regular sugar). They taste great and I don't feel bad after eating a couple!
  • MichelleMinus100
    MichelleMinus100 Posts: 101
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    Like many others, I find it difficult to recover from a cheat day.

    I do allow the occasional cheat MEAL, like when I'm invited to someone's house for a meal or when I find myself at a restaurant (which is rare for me) or if I find I'm just having some crazy craving that I can't kick. These cheat meals are few and far between now, like once a month or so, but not weekly.

    Recently, I had a meal at a restaurant, so I considered it a cheat meal (because I can eat foods I don't normally make for myself, why have another salad!?), but I augmented my day to accommodate the massive amount of calories. I had a filling breakfast, we had a very late lunch and then I skipped dinner. I had a rich, large portion of delicious chicken fettuccine alfredo and I ate it slowly and even left some behind (it was sooooo yummy). I totally enjoyed this meal and I'm glad the restaurant is 30 minutes away because it was really good! So I had the enjoyment of the food, I probably went over on calories, but I attempted damage control the best I could. I think this is a sustainable way to live for me.

    Since I have a long term mindset, I'm not looking for ways to cheat, I'm spending my energy looking for ways to keep eating healthy. It has taken about two years to develop this mindset as I've been weaning myself off sugar for a long time...I think that has really helped my self-control and decreased my cravings...I just don't struggle quite as much as I used to.
  • mead2006
    mead2006 Posts: 10
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    what i really mean is not so much a cheat day like pigging out all day but say i go over my calories can i just call it my cheat day and start fresh tomorrow i feel so guilty when i go over my calories especially when hubby wants to go to McDonalds
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    Some people prefer to watch a weekly deficit - this way you may find yourself eating a bit under on other days to allow for the day(s) you go over.

    This is a marathon, not a sprint. You may not get everything perfectly so right from day one and that's okay. It's also hard to achieve long term success if you cut out any foods you love altogether. Just try to make room for them in your calorie goals.

    But if you allow me to deliver a bit of a mixed message, I'm wondering if you have to go to McDonalds just because hubby does? Could always eat your own dinner at home and see him when he gets back.
  • wildrosegeo
    wildrosegeo Posts: 27 Member
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    I don't feel right about the concept of "cheating" when it is applied to anything, so I don't practice cheat days. It makes me feel dishonest with myself! I would rather just honestly log what I eat, and I allow myself "treat" days from time to time, where I go over my calorie limits but within reason and I still log what I eat.
  • ALNoog
    ALNoog Posts: 413 Member
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    I sometimes do one meal off and that throws me into a tailspin.
    I was thinking of doing carb cycling and Chris Powell told me if doing complete off days for days when it tells you to do carb upping weren't good for me .. then to try on those designated days to just to eat a higher amount of what I eat every other day..

    But I have found that complete cheat days are not good for me. It's grader to get back on track and seeing the massive amount of water weight I retain is very discouraging.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    what i really mean is not so much a cheat day like pigging out all day but say i go over my calories can i just call it my cheat day and start fresh tomorrow i feel so guilty when i go over my calories especially when hubby wants to go to McDonalds

    ^^this

    Treating yourself is not "cheating."
  • DeadliftAddict
    DeadliftAddict Posts: 746 Member
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    I eat some of what you would consider cheating everyday. I don't look at food as cheating. I just make it fit in my macros and calories.
  • PunkyRachel
    PunkyRachel Posts: 1,959 Member
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    I don't plan my cheat days, they just kinda happen. I've been over-count everyday this week, gonna try nipping it in the but today though.
  • sheepysaccount
    sheepysaccount Posts: 608 Member
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    I kind of, sort of do. I am at school all week except Wednesdays where I have to drive all over the state for special classes. On those days we have a potluck, or go to a restaurant so I guesstimate what I eat and don't take the day super seriously :)
  • jamillahfitgirl
    jamillahfitgirl Posts: 4
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    I don't do cheat days, that seems like a lot of bad food, but I may do a cheat meal, and definitely not every week. If I know I am going to a function which may be once a month then I will let that be my occasional cheat meal. You know yourself. Give the cheat day idea a try and if you can stay on goal then I enjoy, but if you see it is hard to stay on target after a day of abandoning your diet, maybe cut it down to one cheat meal per week.
  • ItsMeGee3
    ItsMeGee3 Posts: 13,254 Member
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    Friday is my version of "cheat day". It's not actually "a day" but dinner. I try to be really good all day but, dinner is whatever I want and a few adult beverages too!
  • RRB2000
    RRB2000 Posts: 77 Member
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    I eat just about the same stuff I always did before....just in moderation now. Its the only way I can get thru this and make it a lifestyle change rather than a diet. When I do eat over my calories for a whole day I feel terrible, mentally and physically. And it reminds me of why I started this journey to begin with. I do "cheat" and have dips and beer on the weekends sometimes, and its ok to do that if you get right back on the wagon the next day...don't allow it to become a habit again.
  • IronPhyllida
    IronPhyllida Posts: 533 Member
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    Oh yes - make the other days worthwhile.
  • lback89
    lback89 Posts: 17 Member
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    It is so hard for me to come back from a cheat day. Like others have said, it is much easier to work things I enjoy into my day.

    I really fell off the boat the last few weeks though and have been consistently way over my calories...Time to fix that!
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    "Cheat" sounds so negative to me...losing the weight and getting fit is supposed to be positive...IMO.

    Why would I "cheat" myself out of hitting my goals. I usually have pizza once a week...I plan for that...so I don't consider it "cheating".

    At the end of the day I don't feel as if my "diet" cheats me of the things that I want...I still eat mostly what I have always eaten...I just read labels on some things and made wiser choices on a few things...altered my recipes a bit to make them lower calorie...found some foods that I had never eaten...found out that I liked them.

    I just hate the word "cheat"...sounds as if we should feel guilty about enjoying foods that we love.
  • LadyLeo813
    LadyLeo813 Posts: 11 Member
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    All day Saturday and Sunday.

    Cheat days for daaaayyyyys.

    Mine too. Plus since I've been eating better and exercising my appetite isn't through the roof so I only want smaller portions of my favorite foods. I think my "cheat" is more in my weekend alcohol consumption.

    Cheat days...for days.

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