Why I'm Dumping CHEAT DAYS >:(

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24

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  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,672 Member
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    Honestly, I still have a cheat day but I keep the same calories...Then Sunday morning, I am back to eating healthier foods but my caloric intake doesn't change.

    That is a really good way to look at it!
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    If things were working just fine for you then I say ditch the cheat day.
  • Paccie
    Paccie Posts: 47
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    I am glad to see that I'm not the only one. I definitely try to eat healthy but if I do eat bad I too try to stay in my calorie range.
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,672 Member
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    I just wanted to thank everyone for the rad responses. Though, I'm not quoting everyone, I'm reading each reply. It's really nice to be surrounded by so many kind, intelligent people. You all rock. ;)

    Oh, also: I normally workout 500 cals. I have been super sick with a bad cold, so I'm temporarily helpless to fix that ZERO in the exercise column. But I should be back on my feet tomorrow and it's back to business as usual. Minus the cheats! :wink:
  • Beth_1217
    Beth_1217 Posts: 29
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    I built a cheat day into my plan, but I think I'm going to do away with it. Maybe not entirely... but I just find that on Friday afternoons, even if I'm not craving anything in particular, I still eat something junky just to "use" my cheat day (if that makes any sense). Then afterward I'm like, "That wasn't even that good." So I think I'll still allow myself a day of excess for special occasions, but as for forcing myself to have one every Friday.... ehh... I think I'm done with that.
  • prettyinpink117
    prettyinpink117 Posts: 30 Member
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    My boyfriend and I have a serious problem with Chinese food,we just love it... so every Saturday, we go to the Chinese restaurant right when they open and have our only bad meal of the week! We then proceed with a lovely hike or walk in the park. For dinner, we'll usually have all fruits and veggies and still manage to either maintain or lose a little!! I think it's all about letting yourself have a cheat day, but that doesn't mean cheat ALL day!! One meal, preferably early so you have lots of extra time to burn off some calories!
  • Paccie
    Paccie Posts: 47
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    Honestly, I still have a cheat day but I keep the same calories...Then Sunday morning, I am back to eating healthier foods but my caloric intake doesn't change.

    That is a really good way to look at it!
    Same here. I try to eat healthy but if I do eat bad I definitely try to stay in my calorie range.
  • EHuntRN
    EHuntRN Posts: 320 Member
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    Yeah I dont set out an official cheat day...but on those days that I do go over...I consider it a cheat day...but I dont plan it that way and if I do go over then I make sure that I am good to sticking to my calorie goals for at least a week and my excercise!!!
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,672 Member
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    ...as for forcing myself to have one every Friday.... ehh... I think I'm done with that.

    Super good call! Me too. :happy:
  • mini_girl7
    mini_girl7 Posts: 32 Member
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    I use Sunday's as my "cheat day" or day off -- I don't necessarily go crazy and eat everything. Since the entire family is home that day for 3 meals, I do make things that i wouldn't normally make -- monkey bread, that has loads of sugar and white bread -- sometimes a crumb cake -- scrambled eggs that are full fat, as in, I don't remove any yolks -- what I make for the family I happily eat with no worries! My family also likes that I use the day off, bec during the week I healthify the meals I serve to them, which sometimes they are not so thrilled about! :laugh:

    Sunday is also my exercise day off.

    More importantly, I don't log anything that day on MFP! It just gives my brain and body a day to relax! :wink:
  • kmtetour
    kmtetour Posts: 300 Member
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    Honestly, I still have a cheat day but I keep the same calories...just make them bad. Like instead of a 350 calorie meal of fish, veggies and brown rice, I eat two chicken legs from Popeyes with mashed potatoes and gravy. Or for a snack, instead of a tbsp of almond butter with a slice of wheat bread, I eat a chocolate covered strawberry from Godiva...same amount of calores. Then Sunday morning, I am back to eating healthier foods but my caloric intake doesn't change.

    This is what I do, too. I tend not to eat a whole lot at work, so sometimes for dinner I'll go get some fast food. I've figured out exactly what I can eat at certain places and stay within my calorie range. Also, I plan lunches out with my co-workers in as well. Like, I know tomorrow we are going out, I already chose what I will eat and planned it into my diary for tomorrow. I'll probably eat half of my order for lunch and the other half for dinner.
  • Celo24
    Celo24 Posts: 566 Member
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    Having a weekly cheat meal (not a whole day, just one meal) has worked great for both me and my wife. I weigh in every Friday morning, so Friday nights, we go eat whatever the heck we want. Burgers, fries, wings, beer, pizza, Mexican food....whatever. I have all week to burn it off and I don't feel deprived. I've always been a fairly healthy eater and have become much more so since starting this lifestyle change but having the cheat meal planned into my routine works awesome for us. Knowing I have that Friday night meal keeps me away from cheating during the week. Obviously, it seems like I'm in the minority in this thread, but the cheat meal CAN work just fine.
  • dian1227
    dian1227 Posts: 122 Member
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    My doc pointed out that I was blowing my weight loss by having a cheat day - saving up calories and then consuming them. It's sabotage.

    Sabotage...great word. I think it all boils down to habitual change. If we are dieting all week just to look forward to a cheat day, when did the inward change take place?

    I've experienced this too, and decided to make the change real.

    Blessings to all...
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,672 Member
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    Obviously, it seems like I'm in the minority in this thread, but the cheat meal CAN work just fine.

    If it works for you then it's just as legit as anyone else's successful approach! Good on ya!
  • My3Rayz
    My3Rayz Posts: 373
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    Personally, cheat days for me lead to falling off the wagon completely. I'm trying a different approach this time around. If I want something "bad", I have it...but I have half of what I would normally eat. This weekend we had Thai food. I put half in the fridge right away, and I was actually full after I had the half I ate. Same thing for a bacon and eggs breakfast yesterday. Just pushed half of it to the other side of my plate. I managed to stay within my calories all weekend so I think I'm gonna keep at it.

    I agree totally. If I tell myself I can't have something, I'll crave it. If I have a full on cheat day, I feel defeated and continue to eat crap. I allow myself whatever I want OCASIONALLY and I eat a small portion instead of eating it all just because it tastes good. You have to allow yourself the special treat once in a while just not for an entire day!
  • flausa
    flausa Posts: 534 Member
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    From the time I started MFP, I decided I wasn't going to plan on cheating. If I'm making a lifestyle change for myself and my health, why should I plan to cheat myself? And after day 45, I'm finding myself looking at junk food and thinking "yuck!" Why would I want to put that extra sugar/fat/empty calorie in my body when I've worked so hard to clean up my act? I'm eating delicious food, teaching my children to be healthy, and saving money on my grocery bills. I'm 17 lbs down from when I started, and I certainly don't feel cheated!
  • LovelySnugs
    LovelySnugs Posts: 389
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    Honestly, I still have a cheat day but I keep the same calories...just make them bad. Like instead of a 350 calorie meal of fish, veggies and brown rice, I eat two chicken legs from Popeyes with mashed potatoes and gravy. Or for a snack, instead of a tbsp of almond butter with a slice of wheat bread, I eat a chocolate covered strawberry from Godiva...same amount of calores. Then Sunday morning, I am back to eating healthier foods but my caloric intake doesn't change.

    this is an awesome idea. i think i'm gonna find a way to try it next time i want my chocolate milk or a soda.
  • vyolette
    vyolette Posts: 23
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    Cheat days are bad for me. My body is so much happier eating healthy, everything is 'regular'. When I try to eat my regular calories but eat what I want, I notice the difference in the food and how I feel. It sucks! I still eat the junk but it's teaching me that hey, that tastes good but it's soooo not worth it.
  • curleesam
    curleesam Posts: 462 Member
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    dw5eQ.png

    That pretty much says it all. Those calories clearly had no idea it was a Saturday. :tongue: haha

    PLUS, I felt bloated, breathless, lethargic and guilty as hell. :grumble:

    I've been doing great withOUT cheat days/cheat meals. I decided to factor them in - for whatever random@ss reason - and this is the result. NO, THANK YOU. Going back to the system that is PROVEN to work for me: Netting the cals MFP tells me to.

    Ever heard of Occam's Razor? It states: All things being equal, the simplest explanation is likely the truest.

    I don't know why I'm trying to mess up a good thing by over-thinking and complicating it. Just my 2 cents to anyone who's considering cheat meals/days. And yes, I know there will be times where I'm not 100% but there's no reason to PLAN to eat poorly. That's just counterproductive, isn't it?

    LOL Great visual!

    I have a cheat evening a week. Usually invoves wine or a takeaway. I was doing cheat days but they were getting out of control so now I only have the evening as a cheat.
  • BrianJLamb
    BrianJLamb Posts: 239 Member
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    I had a free night on Friday night. I felt like I was on top of the world. I generally run calorie deficient throughout the week. My calories are healthy calories, but because my food is so clean I just dont take enough of them in. I use my free nights to revamp my calories and jump my metabolism. It works for me. This past Friday I went to Japanese hibachi and I destroyed it. I ate all the rice, all the noodles, shrimp, steak, chicken, vegetables, a salad, and soup. Normally those calories and carbs would be putting me to sleep...instead I was ramped up. My energy was through the roof. I had a rock in my stomach from all the oil and salt that my body isnt use to, BUT I was burning that stuff up like crazy.

    Saturday morning I was able to wake up at 545 am, do an hour of cardio, rest for an hour, eat a light breakfast, wait an hour, and then go to the gym and lift like crazy for an hour. I attribute all of that to my "cheat" night. Hibachi is my romantic partner.

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