How many cheat days a week?

veggiefruit2
veggiefruit2 Posts: 29
in Food and Nutrition
I want to lose fat and tone up.
I know it takes time, and I want to be serious and do it right this time.
I weigh 125 lbs, and I am 5'6'' in height.

So how many cheat days should I have?
Roughly, how long would you day I would start seeing results?
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Replies

  • rissa876
    rissa876 Posts: 38 Member
    I think starting into a healthy routine to give one day a week to cheat.
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
    It's all about your weekly calorie total. If you run a 400 calorie deficit every day for six days, then "cheat" on the seventh and have an extra 2400 calories, you just ate at maintenance for the week.
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  • Casistrophic
    Casistrophic Posts: 26 Member
    I've had two relatively minor cheat days in 16 days, so about one a week. However, crab leg night will be upon me at my college tomorrow, so I know I'm gonna have another one real soon :')
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    7
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  • nixxthirteen
    nixxthirteen Posts: 280 Member
    I typically make sure things I love fit into my daily calories (cheese, mostly). I save "cheat" days for holidays or the very rare night I go drinking with the girls. I've found it strangely easy to fit all kinds of fast food meals into my goals by googling meals under 500 calories at all of my favourite restaurants, so I honestly don't even really HAVE cheat days most weeks. If I have a lot of extra calories for the week, I use them up from time to time on treats while still maintaining my deficit. Orrrr I'll do some cardio to guiltlessly squeeze in bad snacks :P
  • colortheworld
    colortheworld Posts: 374 Member
    At your weight and height, strength training will probably do more for you than dieting.
  • MissBabyJane
    MissBabyJane Posts: 538 Member
    Try cheat MEAL once a week. ;)
  • lemur_lady
    lemur_lady Posts: 350 Member
    Instead of restricting the foods you love to one day/meal per week you can always fit it into your daily goal. Every day I have 'treats' like chocolate/ice cream/cake but I fit it into my day.
  • abadvat
    abadvat Posts: 1,241 Member
    7

    Bacon
  • amm8589
    amm8589 Posts: 55 Member
    It's all about your weekly calorie total. If you run a 400 calorie deficit every day for six days, then "cheat" on the seventh and have an extra 2400 calories, you just ate at maintenance for the week.

    Never thought about doing it this way, thanks for the suggestion!
  • Kr1ptonite
    Kr1ptonite Posts: 789 Member
    To me go as long as you can without having a cheat meal. But if you do need a cheat meal then id stick to one meal a week. Not a whole day. Thats just how i do it. and i found i don't even get cravings for cheat meals anymore.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
    7

    Bacon


    You're only cheating yourself [/patronising school teacher mode]
  • veggiefruit2
    veggiefruit2 Posts: 29
    Thank you all so much!
    That was great advice actually, I'm not craving much food.
    But grilled cheese sandwhiches with fries are my weakness!
    Oh and Ice Cream!!
  • ElizabethElane
    ElizabethElane Posts: 92 Member
    I do about one or two cheat days a month...I try to keep myself healthy. Though I haven't cut off my sweets yet, I plan on doing so soon. Then I will be only eating sweets on the cheat days unless they are low fat or natural sugars.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    I want to lose fat and tone up.
    I know it takes time, and I want to be serious and do it right this time.
    I weigh 125 lbs, and I am 5'6'' in height.

    So how many cheat days should I have?
    Roughly, how long would you day I would start seeing results?

    None - eat at a calorie deficit, eat in moderation. I bet you will see results in the first week

    Read this http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    I want to get physically fit. How many days a week can I skip working out? When will I get results?

    Great approach. I see many future successes.
  • veggiefruit2
    veggiefruit2 Posts: 29
    I try to eat and be very healthy.
    Many diseas, like heart, cholestral,
    high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes,
    and thyroid run in my family.

    So I'd like to avoid that by eating healthy.

    And I actually recently found out I'm anemic, again!
    It always seems to happen when I gain weight.
    The Dr. axtually recomended that I lose weight.
    125 lbs, is heavy compares to my natural weight.
  • rsoice
    rsoice Posts: 212 Member
    We give ourselves one cheat day a week but like many have noted, that day often turns into a single meal where we eat somewhere we wouldn't at a calorie intake we wouldn't. Don't track weekly totals but know that we always make sure that cheat day is also solid work out day.
  • Wtn_Gurl
    Wtn_Gurl Posts: 396 Member
    ZERO!!! .... :) no need to :) am happy what im doing!

    Im staying with my plan and im down another pound today :)
  • fitness_faeiry
    fitness_faeiry Posts: 354 Member
    It's all about your weekly calorie total. If you run a 400 calorie deficit every day for six days, then "cheat" on the seventh and have an extra 2400 calories, you just ate at maintenance for the week.

    ^^THIS^^
  • nancy10272004
    nancy10272004 Posts: 277 Member
    Instead of restricting the foods you love to one day/meal per week you can always fit it into your daily goal. Every day I have 'treats' like chocolate/ice cream/cake but I fit it into my day.

    This is exactly what I do. If I want pizza, I have a slice. If I want ice cream, I make it work into my daily goal. For me, deprivation leads to craving leads to bingeing so it's best for me to just enjoy food every day.
  • amberrenee813
    amberrenee813 Posts: 395 Member
    I would do a cheat meal, rather than a cheat day.
  • clover5
    clover5 Posts: 1,640 Member
    7

    The real question is 'How many days do I actually diet?'
  • JonnyQwest
    JonnyQwest Posts: 174 Member
    If you are just starting out with a goal in mind and you are already thinking about cheat meals then you need to reevaluate your commitment....IMO you should be making progress and well on your way to success BEFORE this question of cheat meals becomes a thought in your mind. That being said, at your height and weight you should focus on clean eating at TDEE and weight training to shape/transform your body rather than trying to lose weight.
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  • majorumpalumpa
    majorumpalumpa Posts: 6 Member
    It really doesn't come down to cheating. It doesn't sound like you're very big but really just make sure what you take in is good food (Not processed and leaner) and not bad food (processed and fatty).
    It's truly about a mindset. If you want it, go out and get it and realize that one meal or one workout, for the good or bad, wont change the end result. :smile:
  • Bry_Fitness70
    Bry_Fitness70 Posts: 2,480 Member
    Asking how many cheat days you can have in a week is about as inspiring as a job interviewee asking how long lunch hours are and how many vacation days they are entitled to on the 1st interview. Not exactly the priorities found in dedicated individuals.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Asking how many cheat days you can have in a week is about as inspiring as a job interviewee asking how long lunch hours are and how many vacation days they are entitled to on the 1st interview. Not exactly the priorities found in dedicated individuals.

    Yup. If you're already thinking of when you can cheat before starting, you're doing something wrong IMO.

    Sorry but no cheat day is best. Of course it will happen, but it's best to limit them because it WILL slow down your progress. Instead, try to include what you want to eat in your calories.

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