Are "cheat days" okay?

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emilyhbrown
emilyhbrown Posts: 26
in Food and Nutrition
I have a cheat day on the weekend, is that okay??
my daily calories are 1200 a day.

Replies

  • jen0619
    jen0619 Posts: 414
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    Depends on the person. I personally love them :) Just don't go overboard!
  • emilyhbrown
    emilyhbrown Posts: 26
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    thanks!:)
  • rdy2begin
    rdy2begin Posts: 170
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    I think "cheat days " are important or I call them
    reward days" when I pass a STG :)
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
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    Other than while vacationing, I don't do cheat days, just a single cheat meal within the day. And even then, I try to keep them to maybe only one or two a month. As well as trying to create as large of a buffer with exercise calories for that day that I can, so it's not a ginormous cheat.
  • markja
    markja Posts: 270 Member
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    I call 'em grace days.:smile:
  • tonydarkstorm
    tonydarkstorm Posts: 8
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    I usually use Saturdays as the day in which I have a cheat meal. Saturdays are my wife's and my date nite so we have a romantic dinner out every Saturday night. This plan has worked for me so far,kinda to trick my metabolism so it doesnt feel my diet is the norm. Ive lost weight before, I was 226 and went to 210, then I went from 210 and im currently 168 using my own diet plan and methods. Im probably going to try and get to 155 around there. Cheat nights are important for me physically ( as I dont track my excercise, as to not add back the calories lost from it) and mentally so I can have some nice alone time with my wife. We work opposing schedules, her day and me night with me doing all the driving and getting the kids ready for school. So In conclusion, I support cheat a diet meal day ( one meal though not the whole day )
  • oceanrose78
    oceanrose78 Posts: 133 Member
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    I think cheat meals are more ideal. Today I knew I was having pizza for dinner, and so I ate a lighter breakfast, and lunch and focused on lots of nutrition. So I'm still below my calorie goals with a couple slices of pizza and a big salad for dinner.

    Just plan it out, and accept that you will eat some food that's not perfect. I just read a Biggest Loser article about how you should aim for 80/20, 80% healthy food, and 20% not so much. That way you're not going to fall off the wagon and get discouraged. I mean, we have to live in the real world.
  • mksgirl83
    mksgirl83 Posts: 41
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    I think every once in awhile you NEED a cheat day, I use to do this once a week... right now I am really serious about my weight loss and I try not even have a cheat day... if I want something I eat it, and make sure that I know I wanted that so now I cant have this or that ... lol if that makes sense... its more like do you really want to lose weight? its kind of only cheating yourself....

    but sometimes its totally worth it LOL
  • lilmissy2
    lilmissy2 Posts: 595 Member
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    I think it depends what you mean by cheat day. You would be surprised how many calories you can get in if you are cheating for 3 meals and then snacks as well - could acutally be enough to fill up all of those calorie deficits you worked so hard on during the week! Generally, a healthy eating plan should include some treats. I have a treat every day... but it might just be a yoghurt or rice pudding pot which is low fat etc and it fits witthin my calorie goal. Then at the weekends, I generally aim to eat my maintenance calories - so it gives me a bit more flexibility in what I can do over the weekend (eating out, going for coffee etc) but I know it won't destroy my week's worth of work.
  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
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    For me, cheat days are a bad idea, so I don't do them but once a month I allow myself to have breakfast and lunch in addition to dinner, but staying within my calorie goal.
  • nerual13
    nerual13 Posts: 39 Member
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    I have a cheat meal, how else am I going to eat Macaroni and Cheese?!?! :p I would never be happy with a small serving of it, and its my fave! Its all in keeping the balance I think....
  • RoyaDee
    RoyaDee Posts: 43
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    I would go crazy with an entire day so on Saturdays and Sundays I have one cheat meal.... usually pizza or mac&cheese. That was i can still keep within my calories for the day with a little extra work at the gym or cutting back the calories in my other meals.

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