Help with "cheat days"?

ShaneK1994
ShaneK1994 Posts: 22
in Food and Nutrition
Hello everyone, this is my first post so I want to make it a question that has been driving me nuts........

For a start, here are my details: I am 19, 6 foot 2, and male. I run 3-5 miles daily, weight train 3 days a week and live a busy lifestyle (eg. always try to be on my feet). At the moment I seem to maintain on around 2800ish calories a day ( I weigh 149 lbs), which is almost all healthy, nutritious food. However, I have a bit of a sweet tooth, and love my "all you can eat" days (chocolate, candy, nuts, potato chips, I take in about 10k+ cals). I tend to treat myself like this about once a month, and that has absolutely no effect on my weight (after a few days it goes back to normal after spike of water weight).

My question is, would a cheat day like this be possible once a week? As I said above, the once a month method results in no real weight gain, but would a more regular indulgence hinder that? Any suggestions, like a fast or light eating day the next one?

And before it gets mentioned, the "3500 calorie=pound gain" school of thought doesn't seem to ring true for me....I have a rather fast metabolism!

Replies

  • Julieelliott12
    Julieelliott12 Posts: 68 Member
    adding 10k+ calories would most likely show a long term increase in your weight. You would gain the water weight, but may not have enough time to get alll the way back down.

    If you want to do a weekly cheat, try limiting it to a meal like a Saturday night dinner out or something on a smaller scale than you do monthly
  • ShaneK1994
    ShaneK1994 Posts: 22
    It is normally about 3-4 days to undue the damage......
  • ShaneK1994
    ShaneK1994 Posts: 22
    BTW forgot to mention my doctor recently told me to gain 10-20 lbs as I am underweight considering my activity levels.........:smile:
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    I believe it. 149 for a 6'2" male is very low. Why would you even consider a fast after a cheat day?
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    Give it a try and stop considering it "damage." Your doctor asked you to gain weight.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Stop having cheat days and just eat more food in general every day. You can mix in "junk" foods with your nutritious foods...the ice cream I'm having tonight after dinner isn't going to somehow magically negate all of the other awesome nutrition I took in during the day...neither is the small bag of potato chips I had with my lunch.

    With my activity level I maintain on roughly 2800 - 3000 calories...I hit on my nutrition and I also enjoy some "junk" There's now way I consistently hit my calorie goals trying to be some kind of nutritional purist. Once you've met your nutritional requirements, you don't get extra credit for more broccoli. Just eat food and put on some weight...conversely, you could reduce your activity level.
  • ShaneK1994
    ShaneK1994 Posts: 22
    I thought that fasting and plenty of fluids would of flushed out the high levels of sodium.......get rid of that yucky "bloated" feeling
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    I thought that fasting and plenty of fluids would of flushed out the high levels of sodium.......get rid of that yucky "bloated" feeling

    I like cwolfman's advice. Have those treats more often rather than a big binge day that makes you uncomfortable the next day.
  • ShaneK1994
    ShaneK1994 Posts: 22
    To cwolfman13, I 100% get where you are coming from, but I tend to get no good out of eating dirty foods in moderation.......more of an all or nothing type guy:happy:

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