The idea of Cheat Days doesn't make sense...

it doesn't make sense to me, either.

i try to eat foods i love every day, including sees chocolate and potato chips. that way i never feel deprived. that being said, yesterday i had a "treat" meal. afterward i skipped a meal, which was easy since i didn't get hungry for much longer than usual due to the extra calories, ate light one more meal and voila! stayed within my daily calorie goal even though i had the muffin and 1/2 cup of sugar free chocolate mousse.

OK, we're not just here to lose weight, we want to keep it off, right? This is a lifestyle change, right?

Then how does the idea of a "Cheat Day" fit in?

Don't all my days eventually show up on or off my thighs?

Some people find it easier to make healthy choices day to day if they know they aren't depriving themselves of junk food forever. I can see how it'd help people mentally. Most people here are on a deficit. If they eat just 100 calories under maintenance every day, then one day a month they could eat a whopping 3000 calories OVER maintenance and still not gain any weight overall that month. The next day they'd probably feel terrible, but it wouldn't do any harm in the long run.

Personally, I've yet to have any days near that since logging. I've had a few bad days, but I think of them as cheat days and allow myself about one a month without feeling to guilty. Also, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and my birthday I've decided to eat whatever the hell I want. I'll still keep track and log it later though.

TL;DR It's a mental thing that some people find helpful, or rationalization of rare bad eating behavior.

I think the idea of a cheat day is just there so you don't feel as bad if you fall off the wagon one day. I always tell myself, "one day of crappy eating will hurt me as much as one day of healthy eating will help me."

I try to focus on my overall caloric intake and end every week with a deficit. When I was first starting out (January of this year) I needed that cheat day to keep going, but as I am losing and feeling better every day I don't think about it as much. I also realize how bad I feel the day after a cheat day and it makes me not need it as much.

Weight loss is such a mind game!

Amen. It took me 37 yrs to realize what you just said.

I am not the most clean eater, but I make certain that if I am going to eat that cookie or other that it fits into my MFP calorie goal, and I have been successful with that. Some days I go over a little on my goal but most days I stay under. As far as cheat days, I don't need them, because I typically cheat every day.

I just do portion control, and don't eliminate foods I am accustomed to eating and ones I like.

Calories in versus calories out.

If you wanna waste hours or days of your life weighed down by guilt and anxiety and worry for "indulging" that's on you. My life is too short to waste that time, time I will/would spend with my children, who are growing up too damn fast if you ask me. So no, I don't "cheat" because that insinuates I'm doing/did something wrong. That being said, I indulge, I don't fricken gorge. I eat the entire piece of Tiramisu, not the whole damn cake.

OK, we're not just here to lose weight, we want to keep it off, right? This is a lifestyle change, right?

Then how does the idea of a "Cheat Day" fit in?

Don't all my days eventually show up on or off my thighs?

So are you saying you're going to eat perfectly for the rest of your life? Pretty much everyone has special occasions that come up where we would like to eat more calories than usual. It's good to learn how to handle those occasions without going crazy. And no, one day off will not show up on your thighs. It's what you do the majority of the time that matters.

I do not consider special occasions, for which I have planned, as "cheat" days. I live my life intentionally and with purpose. That is not cheating.

<In the kitchen...>
Honey... stop........ throwing.. plates
Yes, I did. But it wasn't cheating!! It was a special occasion!! Which I PLANNED for!!
<End Scene>

I love language.

I am thinking of cheat days as holidays. I know i wont be totally perfect when thanksgiving comes around, but i think it will be worth it.

Okay, OP, that's dandy. Best of luck with your no cheat days approach, and please do make sure to come back here in 12 months with your perfect diary and show us how it's done.

I was told once by a dietician that a cheat day is good as our bodys get used to what we eat and weight loss and changes start to slow down, we start to feel deprived and then the cravings kick in, think of a cheat meal like your putting fuel on the fire, just don't go crazy and you'll still see results whilst having a treat.