Cheat day or cheat meal?

mamaof3vsg
mamaof3vsg Posts: 19 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Do you guys have a cheat day or just 1 meal per week? I'm not sure which is better.

Replies

  • MBrothers22
    MBrothers22 Posts: 323 Member
    "Cheat" meal once a week if you want or need it if you think it will help you stay on track. A cheat day could potentially wash out the rest of the week so I wouldn't do that. Personally I don't do cheat meals. Not unless it's a special occasion like a holiday or birthday.
  • mamaof3vsg
    mamaof3vsg Posts: 19 Member
    I def need at least a cheat meal. I would not survive this journey without it. I cant be good all the time :) lol
  • karmac0matic
    karmac0matic Posts: 285
    i try not to do either but if i have to i do one cheat meal but will only eat half of it (unless of course the urge is too much heh)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I didn't have either until 6 months in or something. With what you have to lose, you can probably eat plenty of what you like within your calories without needing to go over.
  • asciiqwerty
    asciiqwerty Posts: 565 Member
    I log everything: the good, the bad and the ugly

    I don't consider it a cheat unless it isn't logged
  • ken_m
    ken_m Posts: 128
    I eat one big cheat meal but spread it throughout the day
  • mamaof3vsg
    mamaof3vsg Posts: 19 Member
    I guess I mean going over calories, but still logging. "Cheating" to me is not really caring how many calories a food has, just eating it.
  • DavePFJ
    DavePFJ Posts: 212 Member
    I eat whatever I want. I just log it for health reasons. If I gain weight, I just go and get more lipo. LOL.
  • mamaof3vsg
    mamaof3vsg Posts: 19 Member
    um ok
  • paulawatkins1974
    paulawatkins1974 Posts: 720 Member
    Some ppl are so weird and I don't know why they bother
  • 4aces61
    4aces61 Posts: 292 Member
    So far, no. Hasn't bothered me either.
  • texstorm
    texstorm Posts: 158 Member
    In his book The 4-Hour Body, Tim Ferris talks about his method. He keeps a list throughout the week of the things he wanted to eat or had cravings for but didn't have because they didn't fit in with his nutrition plan. Then, on Saturday, he eats everything on the list. I've tried this a few times, and although it was entertaining, it wasn't pleasant.

    Although it did teach me that a lot of the things I get cravings for I don't really like all that much when I actually have them without any guilt or indulgence associated with them.

    These days I usually do what Tim calls a "strategic refeed" once a week. Friday night is date night for my wife and I, so if we go out to dinner I will have whatever looks good. If it turns out to be a lot, I'll balance it out by doing a half-day fast the next day. I don't reduce my daily intake on Saturday, I just don't start eating until afternoon.

    -Tex
  • crevices
    crevices Posts: 226 Member
    cheat life* once you get into maintenance. :drinker:
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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    Do you guys have a cheat day or just 1 meal per week? I'm not sure which is better.
    Why "cheat" at all? Just eat what you enjoy within a calorie limit DAILY or often as you wish.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • crissi725
    crissi725 Posts: 82
    I try to stick to a 90/10 rule. I eat as cleanly as possible for MOST of the week (full disclosure: I still eat full fat cheese, sour cream, yogurt. I don't trust people who don't eat cheese) . But I love to cook and I love new recipes and I love trying new restaurants. I feel like we've turned food into such a beautiful experience that I would feel terrible not enjoying the best food truck in town or a Tom Douglas restaurant if my friends or partner invited me. I don't drink very often, but I when I do, I want to try a new moscato or go to a scotch tasting. So, I have a cheat DAY. I'm still losing and I don't ever feel like I'm missing out on anything nor do I feel guilty. Its a wonderful feeling of balance.
  • SweatSmileRepeat
    SweatSmileRepeat Posts: 99
    I used to do cheat days (for years). AHHH so counterproductive for me! Now, I do a cheat meal :)
  • rockky83
    rockky83 Posts: 59
    Eat junk all the time, just keep within my set calories
  • rosepetal325
    rosepetal325 Posts: 5 Member
    Most of the time, but unfortunately that 1 meal could end up turning into an entire cheat day. Example, I ended up sleeping in late then was super busy with errands, etc the other day so the only meal I had gotten around to eating was dinner. My fiance & I had gone out for that.....and I ended up blowing my daily calorie allowance out of the water :/
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    I do not like the term cheat meal or cheat day... You are NOT cheating your diet... It is inanimate... You are cheating yourself, if anybody. It carries a connotation that you are "cheating" and trying to "get by with it"... Yet, many days I go over... As long as it is not too far over, I don't worry about it. If I have a few days where I am under... that is great... It all balances out. Remember, if this is to last, we have to initiate a "Lifestyle change"... Factor larger meals and larger intake days into your routine... Just over the period of a week or so, it should about balance out for weight loss or maintenance.

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