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

This is a lifestyle change, right?

No, I just want women to get moist when I take my shirt off

oh god this made me laugh .......

Meh. I don't call them cheat days. I usually call them birthdays, football night, guys night out, etc.

While I am determined to lose the weight, I also have a social life. This life is often planned around food and drink with folks I enjoy being around. I'm not going to worry about my calories in those times. And you're right if you guessed I might have a few drinks, and maybe two too many. We'll prolly hit the 24hr diner for some late night bar's closed food. And honestly, I'm not going to worry too much about it.

But it is also important to remember that that's me. I have enough self control and willpower that these days don't become habits. I got fat over the course of 15 years, not because I didn't have self control, but because I just didn't care.

If having a "cheat" day would completely throw you off the wagon, then don't cheat.

This is me too. I hate the word "cheat". It implies I'm doing it secretly or guiltily, and regretting it afterwards, or I've been hoarding calories for that mini snickers bar, and generally, if I'm eating food/drink I haven't logged or fitted into my goals it's because (a) it's a social occasion where enjoying the company is a huge deal and it wouldn't be socially acceptable to me to log e.g. dinner out, vacation, or (b) it's a work conference/business trip where I don't have time to log. Either way, I still eat with moderation, smaller portions than I would have a year ago, and try to make healthy choices with an eye to getting protein and fiber overall. It's not cheating, it's living.

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?

I lost 130+ pounds. I've been maintaining for 2 years. I had "cheat" days while losing, I have "cheat" days now. What matters is an overall calorie deficit. I always had one while losing, and now my "cheat" days contribute to my eating at maintenance.

What works for me may not work for you, but your way is not the only way.

Once you realise that food is a fuel, not a hobby, once you've broken that emotional connection to food (I've been good I'm going to have some oreos as a reward), you will no longer feel the need to "cheat".

I can honestly say I look at a big mac, or a piece of cake, or a can of Coke and go "yuck" when I think about what's in it, how it will make me feel etc. I don't even see these things as food anymore.

I don't think we could be friends.

I'm so over the attitude that being a healthy weight requires one to consider food as nothing but "fuel" - that's bull$hit. Food is social. Preparing it is a hobby, an experiment, a delight for many. Serving food we prepare to those we care for is an act of love as old as humankind. And most of all, food is good. I derive a good deal of joy from a beautifully-prepared meal. Food delights me, comforts me, reminds me of places I've been and people I've shared a meal with. Food is nostalgia and community. I've been in some of the poorest villages in the world, and what did they offer me when I arrived? Food. We didn't share a language, but we communicated through smiles as we ate together.

Food is only fuel? Ha. Look at your healthy friends - do they enjoy eating? The only friend I have who does not, who regards food as fuel and looks down on us mere mortals who actually enjoy a slice of cake, has been battling anorexia since she was 13. My friends who are a healthy weight (and always have been) are among the greatest lovers of good food I know.

As I lost weight, and as I maintain (2 years now), I did not break any emotional chain to food. Instead, I learned to respect the emotional connection and remove the shame you and others with your attitude project on something that keeps us alive but also has the potential to bring us happiness. I don't eat to soothe emotions or cure boredom like I used to; these days my life is way too full to need food to fill that void. I certainly learned more about food as fuel, and if you speak to me when I'm training for a race, you'll see that my meals are planned more for performance than anything else.

But to deny that food tastes good and has a purpose for human beings beyond mere fuel is, in my opinion, sad.

"People who love to eat are always the best people."
-Julia Child

I'm so over the attitude that being a healthy weight requires one to consider food as nothing but "fuel" - that's bull$hit. Food is social. Preparing it is a hobby, an experiment, a delight for many. Serving food we prepare to those we care for is an act of love as old as humankind. And most of all, food is good. I derive a good deal of joy from a beautifully-prepared meal. Food delights me, comforts me, reminds me of places I've been and people I've shared a meal with. Food is nostalgia and community. I've been in some of the poorest villages in the world, and what did they offer me when I arrived? Food. We didn't share a language, but we communicated through smiles as we ate together.

Food is only fuel? Ha. Look at your healthy friends - do they enjoy eating? The only friend I have who does not, who regards food as fuel and looks down on us mere mortals who actually enjoy a slice of cake, has been battling anorexia since she was 13. My friends who are a healthy weight (and always have been) are among the greatest lovers of good food I know.

As I lost weight, and as I maintain (2 years now), I did not break any emotional chain to food. Instead, I learned to respect the emotional connection and remove the shame you and others with your attitude project on something that keeps us alive but also has the potential to bring us happiness. I don't eat to soothe emotions or cure boredom like I used to; these days my life is way too full to need food to fill that void. I certainly learned more about food as fuel, and if you speak to me when I'm training for a race, you'll see that my meals are planned more for performance than anything else.

But to deny that food tastes good and has a purpose for human beings beyond mere fuel is, in my opinion, sad.

"People who love to eat are always the best people."
-Julia Child

Awesome post...that is all.

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?

Cheat days are fine, Eating one bad meal a week wont make you fat just like eating one healthy meal a week wont make you skinny.

I think that what the OP is getting at is that referring to your eating habits as "cheating," "bad," etc. implies that you are going through some type of hardship that will last your entire life, which is more miserable than cultivating new habits that result in you being flexible with what you're eating while still maintaining your desired weight/body composition.

Of course we cannot eat whatever we want in whatever our desired quantities are, but we can factor what we want into our calories/macros. We can add additional activity. We can eat more on one day and balance it out on others. The difference is that some people call it "cheating" and some people call it "living."

I think that those of us in the "living" group have a hard time understanding why people want to put negative labels on the behavior that pretty much everyone who is successful is doing. I also think that it can get frustrating to keep seeing it come up over and over again, and it really does seem like a lot of the people in the "cheat" camp have regained weight and are re-losing it. (And are super quick to point out that they've lost weight before so they know how to do it.) Yes, many of us have lost weight before and gained it back. We need to learn from those experiences.

I used to be a food "cheater," and look how that worked out for me. This time around things have been ridiculously easy. I feel like I've found the secrets of the universe, lol. I honestly don't know how I wasn't living like this always. I go out to eat with my hubby, eat when I'm hungry, make room for treats, etc. Some of the foods I eat now are better than what I had before so they don't have as many calories, but I'm enjoying what I eat. We owe it to ourselves to make this change pleasant and satisfying, even if that takes some people a little longer than others. That's what makes it sustainable over time. And this is why some people get all cray-cray when people bring up cheat meals.

Once you realise that food is a fuel, not a hobby, once you've broken that emotional connection to food (I've been good I'm going to have some oreos as a reward), you will no longer feel the need to "cheat".

I can honestly say I look at a big mac, or a piece of cake, or a can of Coke and go "yuck" when I think about what's in it, how it will make me feel etc. I don't even see these things as food anymore.

I don't think we could be friends.

I'm so over the attitude that being a healthy weight requires one to consider food as nothing but "fuel" - that's bull$hit. Food is social. Preparing it is a hobby, an experiment, a delight for many. Serving food we prepare to those we care for is an act of love as old as humankind. And most of all, food is good. I derive a good deal of joy from a beautifully-prepared meal. Food delights me, comforts me, reminds me of places I've been and people I've shared a meal with. Food is nostalgia and community. I've been in some of the poorest villages in the world, and what did they offer me when I arrived? Food. We didn't share a language, but we communicated through smiles as we ate together.

Food is only fuel? Ha. Look at your healthy friends - do they enjoy eating? The only friend I have who does not, who regards food as fuel and looks down on us mere mortals who actually enjoy a slice of cake, has been battling anorexia since she was 13. My friends who are a healthy weight (and always have been) are among the greatest lovers of good food I know.

As I lost weight, and as I maintain (2 years now), I did not break any emotional chain to food. Instead, I learned to respect the emotional connection and remove the shame you and others with your attitude project on something that keeps us alive but also has the potential to bring us happiness. I don't eat to soothe emotions or cure boredom like I used to; these days my life is way too full to need food to fill that void. I certainly learned more about food as fuel, and if you speak to me when I'm training for a race, you'll see that my meals are planned more for performance than anything else.

But to deny that food tastes good and has a purpose for human beings beyond mere fuel is, in my opinion, sad.

"People who love to eat are always the best people."
-Julia Child

I usually just call them "days." As in, in all of my "days" I simply eat what fits my calorie and macro goals. Simple, really.

I have a cheat meal every week, and even then I'm not eating anything ridiculous! I always track it and plan my other meals to still fit under my calorie goal!