Cheat Day Meals/Snacks

vball1623
vball1623 Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
Im farely new to this cheating thing... Once a week every friday for the past two weeks I've been cheating. The first friday I had snacks instead of a meal (churro, sour bulk candy, fudge) and the second friday i had a unplanned meal (bbq pulled pork sandwich, slice of pizza and a pack of 9 redvines). should i have a cheat meal (including dessert or just the meal) once every week? or should I cheat with a meal once every other friday week and cheat with "snacks" (i.e. cookies, cupcakes, donuts) once every other friday?

If its confusing... is this ideal basically (or should they always be meals and not just snacks?)
Friday 1: (i.e. Churros, donut, candy)
Friday 2: (i.e. burger, fries, cookie)
Friday 3: (i.e cookie, cupcake, ice cream)
Friday 4: (i.e. pizza, cookie, ice cream)

Replies

  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Why not incorporate the foods you want to eat into your calories for the day then it's not cheating...
  • TLIGHTFULL
    TLIGHTFULL Posts: 22 Member
    LIKE! :drinker:
  • AilinaHavalii
    AilinaHavalii Posts: 8 Member
    First of all, I'd recommend that you stop thinking of it as "cheating." Cheating at a game involves getting the result you want without putting in the work to earn it. Cheating in this context only involves wiping out the result of hard work (your weekly deficit).

    It sounds in your post like you think that "cheating" is a recommended part of a diet. It's not. Treats and enjoying eating are not only acceptable, but recommended in order to maintain a healthy body and mind. Enjoy your food, but remember that everything counts. Your body doesn't stop storing fat for a day just because you've decided it's a "cheat" day. Also, for some people, cutting out unhealthy foods entirely helps them to maintain their new healthy lifestyle, while others can have a few bits of junk food without it dissolving into a binge. Figure out what works for you, and don't aim for a cheat meal if you don't feel you need it to maintain your work towards your goal.

    Honestly, it's best if you can fit your treats into your calories and macros, or if you can't, at least attempt to compensate on other days of the week. If you want to go way over your calories one day a week and not work it off with exercise, just accept that you may gain weight or at least not lose it as fast as you would otherwise.

    Enjoying food, even unhealthy food, is in general healthy. Just make sure you do it mindfully.

    Edit: You said you're "new to this cheating thing." Were you not having "cheat meals" before, and was your diet plan working? If so, why are you starting now? There is literally no reason to add more junk calories to a diet, unless you're recovering from an ED or want to gain non-muscle weight for some other reason.

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