Cheat days

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kerrywhittaker1991
kerrywhittaker1991 Posts: 31
in Health and Weight Loss
A few things.. First of all how much is too much? How many extra calories over is way more than a cheat? Second of all do you log on cheat days or do you just eat what you want?
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  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
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    It's different for everyone.

    Personally, I don't have specified treat days. It's more like, if something comes up in a week, like we go out to dinner or something, I just don't stress out about it. Or if I REALLY crave something I wait a few days to see if it's really that big a deal, and then if I still want it I let myself have it. Don't worry about the calories. But don't turn a "cheat day" into a full day binge. Most of the people I've talked to, including myself, do best with one "cheat meal" or "cheat dessert" once a week or every few weeks.

    LOG IT! Just saying. Seeing the dent in your calories will help you realize that a treat is exactly that, and that there is a reason you don't have it every day.
  • vslnrunner
    vslnrunner Posts: 164 Member
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    Actually just read a study that it is better overall for weight loss to have one cheat item each day, if you're really craving something rather than a cheat day. Cheat days set you up for guilt which sets you up to over-restrict your eating the following days and it turns into a vicious cycle.
  • lmyers132625
    lmyers132625 Posts: 31 Member
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    I usually use Saturday or Sunday for my cheat day and I have lost 16 pounds since October. I don't go crazy overboard, but I am not so hard on myself. I need to do this to keep myself out of a rut. Keep in mind progress over perfection when it comes to weight loss.
  • laurie04427
    laurie04427 Posts: 421 Member
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    I do a cheat meal, not a day (i've only just started this in the last couple weeks, working so far for me). I do kind of do what I want, but try to modify it to make it less horrible calorie wise.

    Last week I did this:

    * 75 oz of lite beer in the resteraunt - yeah I know that's alot (instead of a bunch of real beers + whiskey cocktails with real soda)
    * vegetarian taco salad (pretty much no modification, it WAS SO SO GOOD)

    I felt like absolute crap after doing this, after being good all week and not drinking lol. I was too sick the rest of the day to eat so it kind of did turn into a all day thing I guess.

    Aiming not to do that for this week's cheat meal god help me.

    Edit: and yeah I log it.
  • kerrywhittaker1991
    kerrywhittaker1991 Posts: 31
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    Well I've been eating on plan and quite high protein so my carbs are never massively high (I still eat carbs just the protein takes a good part of the sort up) blah blah blah

    But went out for a meal today had steak salad mushrooms tomato and onion rings and then sticky toffee pudding, I also had some popcorn whilst watching a movie. Along with the fact that I had toast grilled bacon and egg whites for breakfast and then half a pot of greek yoghurt (i was starving this morning haha) and then 2 pieces of toast for lunch with smoked salmon. So it turned out quite a bad day. I don't mind because it was a great day with my sister and I don't feel guilty I just hear people say about cheat days and not over doing it etc and wondered what people's opinions where. It's amazing how quickly calories add up when your logging lol!
  • 125KC
    125KC Posts: 71 Member
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    i record it....why not? Otherwise you're denying it :). I don't do cheat days per se, but if I want to have a treat, I do, then I can look back in my diary, see when I had the last treat, and decide, yes or no, I can afford (calorie wise) to do this. It's not about denying what you want, but having it in moderation. Keep honest and log it.
  • doitforme1987
    doitforme1987 Posts: 9
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    I like that saying..."You're body is logging anything you're not." Because, it is, isn't it? So, may as well record what you eat whether it's a cheat day, a cheat meal, or just a treat. It also helps you figure out what is too much for you. What's that point where you just fall apart, feel so terrible, and just eat everything in sight that sounds good? We all know that point. That's why we're fat hahaha

    By logging it you can look back and admit where you went too far or if you only ate a little more than usual you can say "that was great, I fetl fullfilled, but didn't really blow the target."

    I don't like cheat days. They lead to cheat weeks for me. I just have a treat - a few pieces of justins dark chocolate peanut butter cups or a frozen yogurt or maybe a cheeseburger out with my husband when we don't have any kiddos with us. I record it, and get back on track.
  • Mav3rick54
    Mav3rick54 Posts: 180 Member
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    Actually just read a study that it is better overall for weight loss to have one cheat item each day, if you're really craving something rather than a cheat day. Cheat days set you up for guilt which sets you up to over-restrict your eating the following days and it turns into a vicious cycle.

    It all depends on the person and their frame of mind. I have what most people would call a cheat day every week (usually Saturdays). I eat what ever I want on those days. Sometimes I log it, sometimes I don't. I do not feel guilty at all. Again, everyone has to figure out what works for them. I also eat chocolate every night. I just measure my portion size out and enjoy every bite. The number on the ticker shows me it works for me...but I get it is not for everyone.
  • AlysonG2
    AlysonG2 Posts: 713 Member
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    Look at your weekly calorie total. Eat enough to get yourself up to your weekly calorie goal (this is usually 3,000-4,000 calories on cheat day for me). And absolutely log it. Otherwise, you risk really screwing over your deficit.
  • AlysonG2
    AlysonG2 Posts: 713 Member
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    Actually just read a study that it is better overall for weight loss to have one cheat item each day, if you're really craving something rather than a cheat day. Cheat days set you up for guilt which sets you up to over-restrict your eating the following days and it turns into a vicious cycle.

    It all depends on the person and their frame of mind. I have what most people would call a cheat day every week (usually Saturdays). I eat what ever I want on those days. Sometimes I log it, sometimes I don't. I do not feel guilty at all. Again, everyone has to figure out what works for them. I also eat chocolate every night. I just measure my portion size out and enjoy every bite. The number on the ticker shows me it works for me...but I get it is not for everyone.

    I agree. I'd 100% rather have what I REALLY want for my cheat meal than try to squeeze in a single cookie each day. That would just leave me pissy and frustrated that I couldn't have more.
  • hlcook
    hlcook Posts: 92 Member
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    Per my trainer's rules... if I eat lean for 6 days, I get a cheat meal, but nothing too crazy... like my regular light supper and then a cheat dessert... But at the moment I'm working at a calorie deficit and the reason for the cheat meal is to stop my body from adjusting my metabolism .... I spent a decade getting fat by nearly starving myself, so for my body, starvation mode is a concern. I do think that everyone's body is different.
  • NavyWife16
    NavyWife16 Posts: 4 Member
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    Thank you! Progress over perfection...love it! I can be really hard on myself without realizing exactly how far I have come.
  • SenseiCole
    SenseiCole Posts: 429 Member
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    I've had over 45 years of cheat days. this is why I am fat. if i am going out i make sure i do some extra cal. normally I know what i will be having and plan my day around that meal

    I do like the idea of using up the cal you haven't used for that week, makes sense.

    personally the only person you are cheating on cheat days is yourself and i have personally been cheating my whole life and i think i am better than that

    sometime to remember is if you have a slip up, not to beat yourself up coz it is one day and you haven't slipped all the way back

    small steps does make a diff
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
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    I don't consider it cheat DAYS. I will go out for mexican occasionally and not feel bad about it. I log it all to the best of my ability. The other part of the day usually consists of my regular meals/foods.
  • MrsHuffmanNC
    MrsHuffmanNC Posts: 43 Member
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    I had agree'd when I started no cheat days... I could have a cheat meal once a week, today is day 10 and I have not had one yet, yesterday I thought I could have killed someone for a cheat meal but then this morning I stepped on the scale and saw 5 pounds lost and I thought who needs a cheat meal. So for now I am going to keep going but I think if you're feeling like you could fall of the wagon you should go for the cheat meal, if I had a cheat day I would binge eat and that is habit that I have thrown in the trash.
  • wordsandmusic51
    wordsandmusic51 Posts: 126 Member
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    I don't call them cheats, I call them treats. But, I also promised never to allow myself an entire day of 'treats' and wild abandon. If I want something, I do my best to consider moderation, and I log it, whatever it is, and then still try to stay under my calorie/fat/carb goal for the day. I try to balance treats with healthier choices the rest of the day. It seems to me to be easier to recover from one treat than from an entire day of 'cheating'.
  • SenseiCole
    SenseiCole Posts: 429 Member
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    I had agree'd when I started no cheat days... I could have a cheat meal once a week, today is day 10 and I have not had one yet, yesterday I thought I could have killed someone for a cheat meal but then this morning I stepped on the scale and saw 5 pounds lost and I thought who needs a cheat meal. So for now I am going to keep going but I think if you're feeling like you could fall of the wagon you should go for the cheat meal, if I had a cheat day I would binge eat and that is habit that I have thrown in the trash.

    awesome way of thinking, and btw well done
  • beachylove
    beachylove Posts: 137 Member
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    I dont believe a cheat day is needed, like for us we do a cheat meal/snack/beverage (we are beer lovers)
    If we are really craving something like Pizza or a Burger we go out and have that but we still workout and eat the rest of our day as normal. It has helped us a ton and allowed us to not over binge on the bad for you foods we used to eat way too often.
  • kerrywhittaker1991
    kerrywhittaker1991 Posts: 31
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    I know it's a slightly different topic but what happens when you get to where you want to be? Like when I've finally (hopefully!) got some abdominal definition and a nice toned body (she hopes again haha) then am I destined to never have massive treats ever again. Because I do like to over do it every once in a while when we have a massive family movie night I want to eat two cookies some popcorn and Icecream and a bag of chocolates too ... So are days like them never allowed again for anyone that decides to diet/lose weight/gain muscle/look lean etc
  • Mav3rick54
    Mav3rick54 Posts: 180 Member
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    I know it's a slightly different topic but what happens when you get to where you want to be? Like when I've finally (hopefully!) got some abdominal definition and a nice toned body (she hopes again haha) then am I destined to never have massive treats ever again. Because I do like to over do it every once in a while when we have a massive family movie night I want to eat two cookies some popcorn and Icecream and a bag of chocolates too ... So are days like them never allowed again for anyone that decides to diet/lose weight/gain muscle/look lean etc

    First of all...one day will never ever cause you to get fat....we don't get fat in a day...and we don't get thin in a day. Enjoy life...enjoy cookies etc....in moderation. I eat a serving of chocolate that is 180 calories EVERY night...and still lose weight. It's not about WHAT you eat....it is about how MUCH you eat.

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