How often should you have a cheat day?

summer92008
summer92008 Posts: 202
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm having a cheat day about once every 2 weeks, but I usually "slip up" and go a few 100 calories over about once a week. Should cheat days be once a week, every two weeks, once a month, or what? What do you consider a cheat day? Tell me!

Replies

  • tar0809
    tar0809 Posts: 122 Member
    I'd say whenever feels most comfortable to you. My cheat days are like once or twice a week but I still don't gorge myself either. not the best but at least I'm not gaining weight-slow weight loss but hey I love my junk food. and I've cut back dramatically and that is the most important thing I think.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    I'm having a cheat day about once every 2 weeks, but I usually "slip up" and go a few 100 calories over about once a week. Should cheat days be once a week, every two weeks, once a month, or what? What do you consider a cheat day? Tell me!
    Cheat insinuates you are doing something wrong.

    I would say 3-4 times a week I have something that many would be considered "cheating" but I fit it into my calories for the day and I am good.

    I lied...it is more like 5 times a week now that it is summer and ice cream weather. Fit it in and every day can be considered "cheating".

    and 100 over isnt anything.
  • tquill
    tquill Posts: 300 Member
    I just consider my daily and weekly deficit. If a cheat day/meal puts me over my calories... I check to see how many days of "normal" deficit I just negated... and consider if it's worth it or not.

    There's no correct answer... but just be aware how it affects your long term goals.
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    Sunday dinner for me is a family thing, and I typically go over by 2-500 calories depending on the week. In the grand scheme of things it's little more than a rounding error, but I look at that as my day to let go a little.

    Rigger
  • summer92008
    summer92008 Posts: 202
    My cheat days definitely are crazy, either. I don't go over the calories that I would consume to maintain my weight. So technically, I guess I wouldn't gain weight from the day, just stand still in my weight. An example of a cheat day for me would be around 2,000 calories. Mainly enough to have a fast food burger and a small blizzard. Love me some blizzards. So I'm just wondering how often I should do this.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    Everyday!


    Wait isn't cheating bad?
  • Supertact
    Supertact Posts: 466 Member
    Daily
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    A full DAY? Like, never. It is entirely too easy to blow several weeks' worth of deficit in a full day of free-for-all.

    A cheat MEAL, however, is more manageable, and many people feel comfortable maintaining their weightloss by instituting a cheat meal once a week or so.
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    My cheat days definitely are crazy, either. I don't go over the calories that I would consume to maintain my weight. So technically, I guess I wouldn't gain weight from the day, just stand still in my weight. An example of a cheat day for me would be around 2,000 calories. Mainly enough to have a fast food burger and a small blizzard. Love me some blizzards. So I'm just wondering how often I should do this.

    Then this, by definition, would not be a cheat. You're good.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    Cheat insinuates you are doing something wrong.
    Its simply a metaphor for eating more calories than a typical day.

    Once a month I eat up to, and perhaps over, maintenance. It's basically double a typical day and I load up on Mexican food. Tonight is this month's installment. Corn tortillas... :drinker:
  • wlapp1107
    wlapp1107 Posts: 9 Member
    After hitting a plateau I find that I have to have a "big" meal to fool my body back into the weight-loss mode. By big, I mean 1,250 or so calories for that meal and I still avoid the fried / fatty foods (so that I don't miss them going forward). As for cheating by having a ff burger... it ain't cheating if you still keep yourself within 10% of your daily goal. :-)
  • sheedy17
    sheedy17 Posts: 128
    I would do it weekly

    If you weigh yourself , once a week, cheat on the day that you weigh in because you will see your results, hopefully be happy and then cheat and possibly gain alittle back but not notice it since you dont weigh yourself for another week
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    I'm having a cheat day about once every 2 weeks, but I usually "slip up" and go a few 100 calories over about once a week. Should cheat days be once a week, every two weeks, once a month, or what? What do you consider a cheat day? Tell me!

    I don't believe there is such a thing as cheating. I don't make value judgments about food. It's a lot less aggravating.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    I'm having a cheat day about once every 2 weeks, but I usually "slip up" and go a few 100 calories over about once a week. Should cheat days be once a week, every two weeks, once a month, or what? What do you consider a cheat day? Tell me!

    I don't believe there is such a thing as cheating. I don't make value judgments about food. It's a lot less aggravating.
    If you're purposefully eating at a deficit, you're making value judgments about food.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    I'm having a cheat day about once every 2 weeks, but I usually "slip up" and go a few 100 calories over about once a week. Should cheat days be once a week, every two weeks, once a month, or what? What do you consider a cheat day? Tell me!

    I don't believe there is such a thing as cheating. I don't make value judgments about food. It's a lot less aggravating.
    If you're purposefully eating at a deficit, you're making value judgments about food.

    I think she means no food is off limits on any given day.

    Moderation!
  • FatNFightingIt
    FatNFightingIt Posts: 22 Member
    I'm having a cheat day about once every 2 weeks, but I usually "slip up" and go a few 100 calories over about once a week. Should cheat days be once a week, every two weeks, once a month, or what? What do you consider a cheat day? Tell me!

    Cheat insinuates you are doing something wrong.

    Exactly! I call it my free day for this reason. This is usually on Sunday. I allow myself an extra 1,000 calories but I rarely even hit that now. The further into your journey you get the more you realize that you can't physically eat like that. It's a good thing! The extra intake on occasion can actually help shake up your body so you don't plateau. It has worked for me. I also tend to exercise more on those days to balance. *My two cents*
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    I'm having a cheat day about once every 2 weeks, but I usually "slip up" and go a few 100 calories over about once a week. Should cheat days be once a week, every two weeks, once a month, or what? What do you consider a cheat day? Tell me!

    I don't believe there is such a thing as cheating. I don't make value judgments about food. It's a lot less aggravating.
    If you're purposefully eating at a deficit, you're making value judgments about food.

    I think she means no food is off limits on any given day.

    Moderation!
    No one was talking about particular foods being off limits. People were, as best as I can tell, talking about caloric volume.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    The entire concept of a "cheat day" or "cheat meal" illustrates the inability of the vast majority to be able to see the big picture where there overall diet and nutrition are concerned. It is akin to thinking that if you miss one workout you're going to lose all your gainz.

    Sometimes I overindulge...it doesn't happen often...usually a holiday or birthday or whatever. I don't consider it "cheating"...it just is what it is and it's not like it's an every day occurrence; in the grand scheme...the big picture, these occasions are pretty irrelevant.

    I would also add that if you are 100 calories or whatever over your MFP calorie goal, you are still going to be in a calorie deficit...I don't know why so many people seemingly forget this and freak out as if their calorie goal was for maintenance.
  • gelar93
    gelar93 Posts: 160
    I will never understand the concept of "cheat day". It's basically like setting a trap for yourself. I'd rather maintain my diet, and if something like going out for dinner or a party etc comes up well then I'd have a "Cheat meal". Still not a cheat day, why would I want to choose to undo part of what I did?

Categories