Cheat Day

Options
mahopper2008
mahopper2008 Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Do you schedule in a cheat day? Do you find it helpful or harmful to your weight loss efforts?
«1

Replies

  • kansas_km
    kansas_km Posts: 73 Member
    Options
    No cheat day for me. I figure you are going to have "cheats" here and there so I don't need to plan them all in one day. That is just my opinion.
  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    Options
    It's only cheating for me if I don't track.
  • mary659497
    mary659497 Posts: 483 Member
    Options
    No cheat days for me. I am having a hard time getting the scale to move.
  • magica_
    magica_ Posts: 7
    Options
    I don't do cheat days. I've tried in the past but I notice I tend to fall off the wagon shortly after.
  • LucyBzz
    LucyBzz Posts: 47 Member
    Options
    I don't schedule a cheat day, but at the same time, I'm not going to beat myself up if I go over my calories one day!
    Doing this has made me question everything I eat which in some ways is hard but in other ways is actually quite easy. I have been shocked how calorie-heavy some of my previously frequently eaten foods are, and how low in calories some of my new choices are. Having said that, I will still eat the occasional fried food, chocolate bar or whatever, I will just be more aware of what I am eating! When it was my Dad's birthday, I found that a tiny sliver of birthday cake was plenty & I wasn't tempted to eat more - I also managed to refuse his offer to take some home with me, but I also didn't feel guilty about the spoon of leftover buttercream I ate when I was decorating his cake!

    mahopper, you are doing great - little things like thinking what you are going to eat before you go to a fast food place or restaurant is great, but if you overindulge one day just cut back the next couple of days so that over the week you are still under goal.

    We all need to realise that our ultimate goal is NOT losing xxlb of weight, it's changing our lifestyles & habits so that in 12 months time we haven't undone all our good work and put the weight back on. I know that I will still indulge in my favourite suet puddings in the future, I will just make sure that I have lighter breakfasts, lunches & probably next day too if I am going to eat something

    LucyBzz
  • Sobus76
    Sobus76 Posts: 242 Member
    Options
    my experience is if i plan a cheat day, it turns into cheat days or cheat weeks. so I dont plan them.
  • StarPlatinumORA
    StarPlatinumORA Posts: 21 Member
    Options
    I don't rigorously schedule it, but just if we are having a meal out or something, that's the 'cheat'.

    Also it's a bit silly, but I read somewhere about terming it as a "treat" day, not a "cheat" day - we're not cheating ourselves by planning in a treat, in fact quite the opposite!
  • daynerz
    daynerz Posts: 227 Member
    Options
    Don't have cheat days. It throws you off and can be detrimental and ruin your goals.

    Treat yourself everyday because you deserve it.

    Eat your favourites but keep them within your daily calorie limit.


    Best of luck Xx
  • tashnoodle
    tashnoodle Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I only schedule my cheat days for when there's an event (birthday party, wedding, bbq, gig etc), which seem to be way more often in the Summer. I still track what I'm eating and make sure I don't go over 2000, but if I do I don't beat myself up over it. Other than that I don't schedule them, just allow a little treat here & there (which most of the time are still within my cal limit for the day anyway!)

    I do actually find them helpful because I'm not completely denying myself the food I love, just limiting it. I can get very down seeing my friends/family eating lots & drinking alcohol when we're out, so I let myself do it and make up for it the day before or after.
  • snorkizzle
    snorkizzle Posts: 17 Member
    Options
    Cheat days infer that you are on a diet rather than making a change to a healthier lifestyle. Rather than planning in a total cheat day have a slightly higher calorie consumption on other days but keep it constant.
  • Frood42
    Frood42 Posts: 245 Member
    Options
    "treat" days, yes
    "cheat" days, no

    Every days a treat :wink:
    .
  • Debssssssssss
    Debssssssssss Posts: 84 Member
    Options
    Nope, no cheat days here. If I wanna eat chocolate, I will. I just fit it into my day. Same with going out for dinner, having Icecream, and all that good (bad)stuff :bigsmile:
  • SrMaggalicious
    SrMaggalicious Posts: 495 Member
    Options
    Cheat days infer that you are on a diet rather than making a change to a healthier lifestyle. Rather than planning in a total cheat day have a slightly higher calorie consumption on other days but keep it constant.

    QFT
  • prestigio
    prestigio Posts: 181 Member
    Options
    Cheat days -> No. I cannot see how this can be beneficial for you (except for perhaps some slight satisfaction?).
    If you want to eat something you like, fit it into your diet and don't do it to often (moderation is key in my opinion).
  • DR2501
    DR2501 Posts: 661 Member
    Options
    I don't have a cheat day, but I have a cheat meal either every Friday or Saturday night. I still eat normally during the day on those two days but just let myself have a takeaway or something on one of those nights, usually with a couple of beers or wine.

    Since Friday and Saturday are both workout days for me (Sunday being my rest day) I don't find that this impacts my progress.
  • markiend
    markiend Posts: 461 Member
    Options
    No need as I don't totally exclude anything from the items that I eat. I find that too restrictive and leads to binges

    smaller amounts of what I really enjoy work better for me
  • marshallexi
    marshallexi Posts: 162 Member
    Options
    I don't have cheat days, but I don't really exclude anything from my diet, I try to exercise moderation as that works better for me psychologically in the long run (previous binge eating issues). I just try to eat as best I can, with occasional good treats thrown in.
  • HJO1403
    HJO1403 Posts: 188 Member
    Options
    I have Fridays as cheat days, meaning every other day I feel I want sweets/chocolate/cake I can say no, Friday is the day.

    Then on Fridays I eat well apart from a bacon sandwich in the morning at work.
    That keeps me on track
  • amykr93
    amykr93 Posts: 65
    Options
    I don't 'cheat' on anything, and I've no idea why you'd dedicate a whole day to something.

    If I want chocolate or ice cream I fit it in to my calories for the day.
    If I am going out for a meal I'll make healthier choices but not deprive myself. Similarly, if it's a birthday or a night out etc I won't eat crap the whole day - I'll enjoy myself when I am wherever I need to be, but for the rest of the day I eat how I normally would. No need to turn something like a birthday into an excuse to eat everything under the sun.
  • jruby82
    jruby82 Posts: 2
    Options
    I schedule a cheat day once a month, and I usually adjust it to coincide with a special time, like a birthday or a three-day weekend. I've been following the Fat Loss Factor program (somewhat modified over time to fit my needs and goals), which calls for a fasting day the day after Cheat Day. Cheat Day for me does not necessarily just mean eating more than my usual 1,200 daily calories, it means eating some of those favorite foods that had to be cut out of my diet entirely, like dairy and red meat and liquor. Cheat Day for me means burgers and pizza and lots of Jack Daniels. I have also cut out soda and artificial sweeteners, so Cheat Day might mean springing for a Diet Coke. Fasting the day after makes me more grateful just to have a salad when I start eating again, so I'm less likely to return to the junk. If Cheat Day stretches into two days (and it has), then the fasting stretches into two days. Finally, having a Cheat Day gives me a monthly milestone to look forward to, something to think about when I'm chomping that bazillionth mouthful of lettuce or pushing myself to run just a little farther. It really is more like "Treat Day" than Cheat Day.

Categories