Moderating cheat days

I agree with the "cheat day is a bad idea" people. You're essentially killing all the the work you did that week by allowing yourself a free-for-all day. Because, let's be real, when you have a cheat day you want to live it up. You want the tasty restaurant fat bomb and huge *kitten* dessert with all the toppings. At least I do lol! I mean you have to kick your *kitten* at the gym to have days like that and I'm assuming most don't. I've changed my way of thinking on this entirely. What I do is if I really want that amazing high calorie meal I break it in half or three servings and I eat one portion for dinner and the other the next day. Half the time my fiance eats it the next day anyway because I don't want to get sucked back into that way of eating on a consistent basis. I've lost 30lbs since January keeping with this method. I usually only do this once every other week. And also, you know if I want to have a treat during the week I will have it. Like with ice cream I just weigh it out and make sure it fits in my daily allotment. I feel I am doing a great job of staying on track this way and I don't usually obsess over food. If I HAVE to have it I will eat it. But always weigh and fit it in your calories and macros for the day.

The entire concept of "cheating" is stupid in my book. You can eat whatever foods you want, every day as long as they fit your calorie and macro nutrient goals. A cheat day isn't needed. If you crave ice cream eat it, count it, and move on. A cheat day, or even a cheat meal can ruin a full week of dieting. Lets say you maintain on 2000 calories a week. You eat 1500 calories so you lose 1 lb a week. You have one cheat day where you eat 3000 calories as a cheat day. Congrats, you just ate away 1/3 of your week's worth of dieting. Why not just eat foods you enjoy every day in moderation?

This

Double this!

Started less than 2 weeks ago...so even if sometimes i do go 'astray' during weekends especially, i track even the extra calories just to be fair to myself and the efforts im doing to try losing weight

The entire concept of "cheating" is stupid in my book. You can eat whatever foods you want, every day as long as they fit your calorie and macro nutrient goals. A cheat day isn't needed. If you crave ice cream eat it, count it, and move on. A cheat day, or even a cheat meal can ruin a full week of dieting. Lets say you maintain on 2000 calories a week. You eat 1500 calories so you lose 1 lb a week. You have one cheat day where you eat 3000 calories as a cheat day. Congrats, you just ate away 1/3 of your week's worth of dieting. Why not just eat foods you enjoy every day in moderation?

Bah. I totally disagree with this. There are some things you just can't fit in your diary - like, that restaurant you go to once every 5 years that has delicious foods. It would be really sad to limit yourself just because 'the concept of cheating is stupid'.

And I don't care what people say... some foods are just not worth keeping for later because they reheat horribly.

For what it's worth though... I have one of those days every other month or less, when I'll eat 3000 calories. But yes it's slowed down my weight loss by quite a bit (although I don't care at this point, I'm fine with just maintaining).

Bottom line... I think a cheat day (or even meal, because really, it translates to the same thing for me because one cheat meal puts me 1000 over) every week pretty much defeats the purpose, and you're better off eating what you like in moderation within your calories, but a once in a while pig out for Holidays and special events is totally fine IMO.

Eating =/= cheating


That's why the concept of it is stupid. Track what you eat. Do your best each day to hit your macros and calorie goals. If you have a maintenance day, or even the occasional above-maintenance day (like holiday feasts), just log it and move on. It isn't "cheating," it's just living life.

Eating =/= cheating

That's why the concept of it is stupid. Track what you eat. Do your best each day to hit your macros and calorie goals. If you have a maintenance day, or even the occasional above-maintenance day (like holiday feasts), just log it and move on. It isn't "cheating," it's just living life.

+1. I did cheat meals when I first started MFP and even then I used so-called healthier, low fat alternatives to the meals. I didn't last very long, not just because of this, but since I've been using MFP again I still go to the same place once a week, get the meal I want the way I want it, log it and move on. I do manipulate the rest of my macros for that day but that is easy enough to do and I sure don't consider it cheating any more.

I personally prefer to call my 'cheats' indulgences. They are pretty much always planned and when i decide to indulge a little i will prelog what i want to eat (usually anything Reese's and my beloved chilli) and i'll workout beforehand to counteract the damage. If the indulgences go out of control i use my mantra... Eat it, enjoy it, log it and forget it. I do the 6:1 version of the 5:2 as i am maintaining but if i feel really bad i will have 2 fast days instead.

I LIKE calling them cheats. Because the negative connotation helps remind myself that it really should be a rare occurrence.

But again, we got to stop arguing semantics. Focus on your ideas instead of how you call them... Just IMO.

Enjoy your negative lifestyle! :flowerforyou:



cheat

transitive verb
1 : to deprive of something valuable by the use of deceit or fraud
2: to influence or lead by deceit, trick, or artifice
3: to elude or thwart by or as if by outwitting <cheat death>

intransitive verb
1
a : to practice fraud or trickery
b : to violate rules dishonestly <cheat at cards> <cheating on a test>

2
: to be sexually unfaithful —usually used with on <was cheating on his wife>

For me, it's only cheating if I don't log it.

I _routinely_ have days where I go over my daily calorie allotment, but I save up for them ahead of time by going under on other days or by not eating back my exercise calories. It's a _planned_ cheat.

I like this. As well as the "cheat meal" rather than day, if you want to start off slow.
I'm still working on it. I have a tendency to have more than one cheat in a row.
I'm doing the Ultimate Accountability Challenge here on MFP where I stay in my calories every day in March- it's teach me a lot about what I crave and my eating patterns.

"Cheating" is a loaded word. I don't really like it. That being said, I've been experimenting with a new "calorie intake management" strategy over the last month or so, and it's been working out really well. (I'm basically at maintenance right now.)

On each weekday (M-Th, and sometimes Friday), I maintain a net calorie debt of 200-250 calories. That gives me an extra 800-1250 calories to "play with" over the weekend. Popcorn at the movies? No problem. Cupcake at the mall? Yes, please. This allows me the freedom to eat pretty much whatever I want, within reason, on the weekend when we're out and about. But, I keep my weekly net calorie intake right at my goal for the week.

I do see my daily weight fluctuate a lot, but this is mostly glycogen and water storage. On a weekly rolling average basis, I'm staying right where I want to be.