Cheat days - do you or don't you?
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My planned cheat days are all about dosage. I won't necessarily eat anything different -- ok, cranberry sauce and turkey skin aren't usually on my menu lately -- but I will have more than a sliver of chocolate pie, oh yes I will.IMO, the entire concept lacks perspective. There seems to be this necessity to label foods as "good" or "bad" without taking into account context and dosage.0 -
IMO, the entire concept lacks perspective. There seems to be this necessity to label foods as "good" or "bad" without taking into account context and dosage. Just about anything you can think of can be consumed as a part of an overall well balanced and nutritious diet. If I have a doughnut for breakfast, it doesn't negate the nutrition I take in the rest of the day. If I have a couple slices of pizza for dinner, it does not negate the nutrition I've taken in earlier in the day. Unfortunately, people have this all or nothing mentality that ultimately leads to this kind of lack of perspective and small picture thinking.
To that end, even having a crummy day here and there where you really aren't hitting your nutritional requirements doesn't matter in the larger picture so long as you are hitting on your nutrition most of the time. Add to that, overindulgence and/or overeating on occasion never hurt anyone either...it's routinely overeating and overindulging that is the issue.
So again, I think the concept of a "cheat meal" or a "cheat day" completely lacks perspective and shows an inability or reluctance to see the much bigger picture and get out of the minutia that tends to trap people.
Wow . . . get off your high horse.0 -
Nope, no cheat days for me. I haven't given up any foods to lose weight. Instead, I reduced the portion sizes. On days when I want something especially sugary or fattening, I add in a solid workout or long hike to keep me at my calorie goal.
Also, as a recovering binge eater, I find that cheat days are too reminiscent of my old habits. Eating tasty food every day while still losing weight already feels like a treat. It's sustainable for the long term, and I don't run the risk of blowing my entire week with one day of extreme indulgence.0 -
IMO, the entire concept lacks perspective. There seems to be this necessity to label foods as "good" or "bad" without taking into account context and dosage. Just about anything you can think of can be consumed as a part of an overall well balanced and nutritious diet. If I have a doughnut for breakfast, it doesn't negate the nutrition I take in the rest of the day. If I have a couple slices of pizza for dinner, it does not negate the nutrition I've taken in earlier in the day. Unfortunately, people have this all or nothing mentality that ultimately leads to this kind of lack of perspective and small picture thinking.
To that end, even having a crummy day here and there where you really aren't hitting your nutritional requirements doesn't matter in the larger picture so long as you are hitting on your nutrition most of the time. Add to that, overindulgence and/or overeating on occasion never hurt anyone either...it's routinely overeating and overindulging that is the issue.
So again, I think the concept of a "cheat meal" or a "cheat day" completely lacks perspective and shows an inability or reluctance to see the much bigger picture and get out of the minutia that tends to trap people.
Wow . . . get off your high horse.
Not sure how he is on a high horse - sounds good advice to me, and delivered in a logical and rational way.
I don't do cheat meals/ days either - not because I eat perfectly healthy all the time but because I just vary my intake and consider treats/ indulgences etc in moderation and within my weekly calorie goal (or sometimes even not within it) as part of life.
But I get that for some people planned cheat days can work - obviously as long as they don't over do it and wipe out the deficit of the other days.0 -
I don't really have a cheat "day" because I don't trust myself to not complete derail. So what I like to do is like on Sunday after church, sometimes my family and I will go out to eat. Then I will get a cheat meal that I typically wouldn't during the rest of the week. But I still try to estimate the calories the best I can and log it into my food diary, and if it goes over my limit, then it does but just for that day. It's like a little reward without completely throwing me off track. Hope this helps!0
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Thanksgiving will be a cheat day. The week of Christmas will probably be at maintenance.
Last T-day I cooked and logged T-day the day before based on my recipes. I didn't deprive myself of seconds or thirds because the calculations came out so low. If someone else was cooking, that would have been a problem.0 -
I cheat like a dog. It may slow down my weight loss but losing weight isn't worth it if my sanity goes along with it.0
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it works for some people but its not for everyone
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I also eat what I want within my macros... I also don't believe in good or bad foods.
That said, I don't think doing that is mutually exclusive with the concept of "cheat days". While I try to hit my macros most of the time, some days - usually at some social engagement, or day trip - I will not log. I will not even remotely care or think about my calories in fact. I will assuredly be over them - often in booze alone.
I sometimes refer to these as "cheat days".
Does that mean I lack perspective, or I am caught up in the minutia? I personally don't think so. I simply don't care about a turn of phrase like "cheat day". Just because I use that phrase, it doesn't mean I inherently feel guilty or "bad". Quite the opposite, I love these days and even consider them a reward. Now according to page one - maybe that makes me a dog of course - but...
I have been able to easily make these days work in the larger picture. It keeps me happy. It keeps me social. It makes memories - albeit some of them lost...
If you have a bad relationship with food - then maybe the label of "cheat" can be detrimental. However, no matter what you call it - the key is finding what personally works for you and your lifestyle. Be it a cheat day, cheat meal, IIFYM, a day you go over calories but don't label it as cheating...whatever.
edit: pls ignore horrible grammar this was way too long to try and type on phone LOL0 -
I also eat what I want within my macros... I also don't believe in good or bad foods.
That said, I don't think doing that is mutually exclusive with the concept of "cheat days". While I try to hit my macros most of the time, some days - usually at some social engagement, or day trip - I will not log. I will not even remotely care or think about my calories in fact. I will assuredly be over them - often in booze alone.
I sometimes refer to these as "cheat days".
Does that mean I lack perspective, or I am caught up in the minutia? I personally don't think so. I simply don't care about a turn of phrase like "cheat day". Just because I use that phrase, it doesn't mean I inherently feel guilty or "bad". Quite the opposite, I love these days and even consider them a reward. Now according to page one - maybe that makes me a dog of course - but...
I have been able to easily make these days work in the larger picture. It keeps me happy. It keeps me social. It makes memories - albeit some of them lost...
If you have a bad relationship with food - then maybe the label of "cheat" can be detrimental. However, no matter what you call it - the key is finding what personally works for you and your lifestyle. Be it a cheat day, cheat meal, IIFYM, a day you go over calories but don't label it as cheating...whatever.
edit: pls ignore horrible grammar this was way too long to try and type on phone LOL
Exactly. I use the phrase "cheat day" because it's easier for other people to get what I mean, but I don't think of overeating one day as a "cheat" because I try not to think of food that way. I'm not really "cheating" if my calories come out to an overall deficit, I'm just choosing to spend more calories on certain days because it's more psychologically satisfying to let myself enjoy a nice restaurant meal or some birthday cake or whatever once in a while, and I would rather not skip breakfast to eat a donut or limit my dinner to two slices of pizza, like the previous poster I responded to apparently likes to do . . .
I like to eat healthy, satisfying, large meals most of the time and hit my macros, but once in a while I like to indulge and eat some pizza or cake, and when I do that I want to eat enough of it to satisfy me. So I mean that's cool if some people like to eat "junk food" (i don't like this label very much either because i mostly look at macros) every day in small portions. I'd rather save that 20% for one day a week or a couple of days a month, and I call that my "cheat day" for lack of a better phrase. I don't think that means I lack perspective or am missing the big picture in any way, and I really don't care for people who feel the need to proclaim that their way of eating/dieting/exercising is superior. We all do what works for us.0 -
I don't do cheat days, at least not the way they're usually defined. I'm one of those who tries to fit what I want into my tracking goals. For me, the term "cheat" doesn't feel right and doesn't promote the eating behavior I want to have in my life going forward. It feels kind of like failure. That's just me, of course. It just depends on what "cheat" means to you.
So terminology aside, I do have days that I eat at or slightly above maintenance because it's special social occasion. I know they're coming, I try to make reasonable choices, but I don't sweat it if I end up a bit over. It will work out over the course of the week. I also give myself "re-feed" days if I'm starting to feel run down. That just means eating at maintenance again, not going all out or not logging. Those are the exception days. For all other days if I want something as a treat I make room for it with exercise and by being especially careful with what I eat the rest of that day. With this approach there's nothing I can't eat, it's all up to me to budget for it. So there's no feeling of resentment or deprivation, and no need to "cheat."
Edited for spelling0 -
I cheat every day. :bigsmile: But especially today...:blushing:0
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I have a blow-out day about once a week-don't really like calling it a cheat day, but what every you call it it's amazing!! I had Macdonalds, pizza, chocolate and beers all on one day last week end and 4307 cals later I was feeling very full! The fact I used to eat like that 4/5 days a week makes only doing once a week totally ok by me!0
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I do, but I have found that my "cheat days" indulgence simply consist of a glass of red wine and a piece of dark chocolate, not exactly a splurge LOL. But it IS a treat for me, and it satisfies me. I used to indulge about once a month when I was losing the 154 pounds that I wanted to lose, and now that I have been in maintenance for some time I do it about once a week.0
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I never have days in which I allow myself to overindulge in anything and everything. If I want to eat something, that's fine. I will just have to log it later. If I don't want to log it and have to face that for the rest of the day, then I won't eat it. If I have room for it, I'll eat it. If I don't, I won't. If it's something I really want, I'll have it. It's better to give in to a small temptation once in a while than to go and eat enough for an entire week just because you've restricted yourself too much. I do not restrict myself with anything. I just have to face it in my log later
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I cheat every day. :bigsmile: But especially today...:blushing:
I think we were talking about . . . food? :blushing:0 -
Once a week I have a splurge dinner.... Tonight is that night and i am having the mother of all splurges! loads of pizza, drinks, icecream. Ive never splurged to this amount before lol.0
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Really guys, not a dog? That's a little harsh. People enjoy food too...
Perfectly said.0 -
I have cheat days, but nothing like a binge day. I still keep in consideration the general amount of calories. I won't eat a whole pizza or a pint of ice cream but I might have a slice or two or a few drinks and I don't log but I also try and keep my health in mind.0
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I don't have a planned weekly cheat day. If there is a special occasion or family gathering, I will allow myself to eat over though.0
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If you do. Great. If you don't. Great.0
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The cheat meal for me is about foods I cannot normally fit into my macros/calories. One meal a week to enjoy the foods I love KEEPS me on the healthier path. Just giving up the junk food ( yes i do snacking in moderation normally in the week) would probably derail my attempts at a healthier lifestyle.
Had i not had my splurge night I probably would not of made it nearly a year now.
food 0
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