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Cheat/Free Days - do you do them?
sparklelioness
Posts: 600 Member
I've had a "free" day (I don't call it cheat day because it's planned - I'm not "cheating" on anything) since I first started my weight loss. It works for me - if I have a craving for a food, I know it's never more than six days away. It's really helped me stay on track. Originally it was free day, then for a while I just did a free meal, then it went back to free day. I usually do it on sunday, and I'm not sure what I'm going to do for may - a whole day or just a meal.
I do believe free days help you to lose weight, and I don't just mean because it helps you stay on track knowing you can eat what you want one day a week. There's something about exercise and calorie restriction, and then having a day where you eat more, that just seems to click for me, weight-loss wise. Maybe because it lets my body know that we're not in a famine, that the low cal days don't last forever, so it doesn't have to hang onto the fat quite so tightly...
I do believe free days help you to lose weight, and I don't just mean because it helps you stay on track knowing you can eat what you want one day a week. There's something about exercise and calorie restriction, and then having a day where you eat more, that just seems to click for me, weight-loss wise. Maybe because it lets my body know that we're not in a famine, that the low cal days don't last forever, so it doesn't have to hang onto the fat quite so tightly...
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Yup, that's exactly right! According to the trainer at the gym, when you reduce your calorie intake for an extended period of time, your body goes into starvation mode. Eating a high calorie meal kick starts your metabolism into high gear. Like cross training helps you burn more calories. Great job!0
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I purposely pick 1 day a week & eat over my calories by 500-1000 calories for my "cheats". I needed this to keep my focus. Food is easy for me it's alcohol & motivation to workout I struggle with! For May I'm going to make sure it's only 1 day I splurge on & not the whole weekend & making it up the other days to make my week or adding extra workouts! Also want to try better at hitting my macros. Protein is never high enough!
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I normally don't do "cheat" or "free" days just cause i'm afraid if i get off my diet i'll have a hard time getting back on. Kinda like i'm on a roll if I stop I might not start again.0
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If i reallllllly want something, I will just have it. But I try to have it in moderation! So technically, no cheat days for me.0
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