The cheat day question!

I eat chicken fish or turkey most days, but last Sunday I REALLY wanted a rib eye steak. So I had one. I didnt consider it cheating cause I know I gotta live, and I aint gonna make it to my grave without the occasional steak, dish of ice cream or candy bar. I listed it in my food diary. That truly helps keep me on track. I went over my allotment by 200 calories. Do I regret it? Heck NO! :laugh:

Cheat days don't work well for me if I'm working a specific plan. They just seem to get me off track and make me want to go back to old habits. Hamburgers and fries are my nemesis. If I eat them on Sunday afternoon, I want them again Monday night. That's just me. So, as an alternative I can make an 6 ounce patty (90/10) and baked some sweet potato chips. I will skip the bun and condiments. I get my fix without the guilt and without further cravings. Hope this helps.

I used to have cheat days, but I realized that I would eat myself sick and get an immense food baby LOL Sometimes I would gag too and it was just too uncomfortable. Hence, if I want a treat, I now fit it into my day and I'm happy

I don't have a "cheat day", although I should probably incorporate one into my eating and exercise regimen.

My day off is kinda a cheat day. But I still log everything. I suppose the only way it's a cheat day is I put less pressure on my food choices and staying under my goal. If I go over by a hundred or so, eh, no biggie.

I cycle my calories so that I allow more on the weekends and eat less throughout the week. Then, I can have a little bit more of something I like. I still try to include healthy foods through. And, I still have sweets and things during the week, just not as much.

I eat "bad" stuff everyday. LOL.

I just aim not to eat as much of the sweety goodness like I used to. I have a limit. Most days I am under my calories or close to it so I figure that is just fine. I am eating plenty of veggies and good proteins most of the time and Im losing weight.

I dont really call it a cheat tho. I give myself between 2-300 calories a day of junky stuff. I usually use it up on chocolate and it works for me.

My only advice is to make your cheat day a "healthy cheat day." The days of eating crap are over, a person must embrace their new found healthy life.

I don't do cheat days as such - I go over sometimes but it's not a planned cheat day and I still log everything.

But 'the days of eating crap' do not have to be over - some 'crap' in moderation can still be part of a healthy life.

Cheat days don't work for me.

I either calculate something sweet in every (second) day and am fine.

This. I've been on here a few times in the past, and I can link my falling off the wagon to cheat meals or cheat days. Its too hard for me to let go than go back to recording food. I allow myself a low cal ice cream sandwich or a couple pieces of dark chocolate and log them. I have a wedding I am going to in the end of May and I am saving up for 1 cheat meal, and I plan on trying to record it anyway.

I do a cheat day, whenever i want to take one, usually ends up being roughly 1 a month. I find they are an excellent reminder of how awesome i feel when im eating well and working out and how ****ty i feel after eating a load of crap, usually leads to an increased accuracy of my logging along with higher levels of motivation for the next 2 weeks, leading to an increase in my weight loss over the period immediately after having a cheat day.

If you can do 1 day without it turning into a couple days a week a month e.t.c then i don't see why you shouldnt, on the days that i don't wanna be worrying about calories like special occasions i just don't... lost a load of weight doing it this way and will continue to lose more until im happy with where im at.