How many cheat days are "ok"

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  • JONZ64
    JONZ64 Posts: 1,280 Member
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    One cheat meal once a week. Cheat days can take awhile to recover from


    This:drinker:
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    Last weekend I relaxed and went massively over for the first time (still within maintenance, though). My body's still paying for it. But it was for a special occasion...otherwise, I work whatever I want to eat into my calories.
  • sr2107
    sr2107 Posts: 23
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    I have one a week, but if there is a bday or so, I still try to indulge as well!
  • AnjaliSD
    AnjaliSD Posts: 42 Member
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    I'm similar to RunRutheeRun, in that about once a week I'll go over my weight loss calorie limit, to about 2000, but that's similar to my TDEE, which means I'm not actually gaining with the day. I don't consider it a cheat day either, just a non-strict day. And I usually have them on days when I'm out with friends or a special occasion, where I don't want to have to eat a healthy meal prior to going out, and then just sip water while every one else enjoys the food and drinks.


    Like this Saturday, I'm having a house warming party, so I know what food I'll be serving, and I already planned out how much of it I can have, which takes me 500 calories above my current calorie goal, but still under 2000 for the day. But then again, we're trying to keep our snacks relatively nutritious.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
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    I track my calories on a weekly basis. Sometimes one cheat day, for me, can wreck my entire week depending on how much I consume. Sometimes I can fit in two cheat days depending on how far under I was the other days. It just all depends.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Depends on what a "cheat day" is to you.

    I don't currently do it (and don't use the term "cheat day"), but I used to do something similar and thought of it as keeping a weekly deficit and having a few lower days and one higher day (although no reason it couldn't just be a couple of slightly higher days, although then I'd really stop thinking of them as "cheat" days). My rule was that I wouldn't go over enough to screw up my weekly deficit.

    I'm currently finding it easier to eat consistent calories every day (changed to TDEE method for that reason), so would only do a "cheat" day for a special occasion. Even then I'd try to build the calories into my week, although I won't get upset if I don't manage for something relatively rare.

    Edit: oops, zombie thread.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    So i've been pretty good about staying under my calorie limit but I do indulge in cheat days quite a bit lol. How many cheat days would you consider to be ok? And how far over your calorie limit is it ok to go

    Depending on your goals....
    One cheat meal/day, can wipe out an entire week of deficit.
  • TheSatinPumpkin
    TheSatinPumpkin Posts: 948 Member
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    last "off plan" meal was July and took about a week to recover scale wise. Before that was Dinner on New Years Eve.
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
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    As many as you want. Just depends on if you really want to lose weight or not gain.
  • KameHameHaaaa
    KameHameHaaaa Posts: 837 Member
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    I personally don't have cheat days. But that's because I have a treat almost every day LOL. Just fit it into my cals. On the days I know I'll be feasting (birthdays, holiday etc) I just save the majority of my calories for that. That's just what works for me though. I tried doing the cheat day thing in the beginning but my cheat days became cheat weeks, so I found what works best for me. :)

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