cheat days

stephaniezoundi
stephaniezoundi Posts: 1,148 Member
edited September 24 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been changing my life for the last 13mos and had success. That said, its been over the last two weeks that I have been super conscious about the food that I am eating. I seeing people talking about having cheat days and such but I'm undecided.

Part of me would really like to go ahead and have a day where I was carefree about it. I'm out tomorrow with my best mate and would love to just order what I would like instead of what I should have. But part of me says that eating that way is what got me into this problem that I am fixing now. I'm making tomorrow a gym day (and perhaps a super gym day!) but not sure about the eating.

I don't know as to whether I am looking for advice here or just ranting my insecurities.....:ohwell:

Replies

  • mrsbarraza23
    mrsbarraza23 Posts: 33
    I've deffinately had my cheat days but it is completely up to you.. Feeling guilty is not a good feeling. If you do cheat just make sure you have the will power not to keep doing it and go back to eating healthy like you have been. Congrats on the 74 lb loss!
  • drog2323
    drog2323 Posts: 1,343 Member
    i think we all struggle with this - but in reality, (IMO) I would go ahead and have something you enjoy. I really believe that having a cheat meal or two during the week is all good - and needed for long term success. I'm not saying go and consume 5000 cals for dinner - but go out, have a glass or two of wine and some good food - especially with your good mate.

    workout hard in the morning and enjoy the dinner!
  • drog2323
    drog2323 Posts: 1,343 Member
    PS - and don't feel guilty after!
  • mfiggs
    mfiggs Posts: 155 Member
    I used to participate in cheat days myself...mine would be every Sunday to eat my mother-in-law's delicious Sunday dinner and not care how much I ate or what I ate. I don't do it anymore because it makes me feel really guilty and it is not worth that. So, I still eat dinner with my family on Sunday but I eat everything in moderation so I do not feel bad about it!
  • mjf0461
    mjf0461 Posts: 470 Member
    I believe if you know you can get right back on board and follow your routine like you were before taking a day off, then go for it every once in awhile as a treat. But if your like me that doesn't trust myself due to my past dieting experience. I won't allow myself that leway.. No cookies, desserts, or anything of that kind. But I really think everyone should reward themselves with some small out of the ordinary thing..Good Luck..
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
    I used to call them cheats but now they are just part of my life. I never cheat for a whole day anyhow, more like one meal (usually a nice dinner out or a wedding etc). If I'm good 99% of the time those days don't really matter. They are part of my life and I won't skip things I LOVE LOVE LOVE to eat (not just junk but really good foods). I also find that I choose smarter now than I would have 7 months ago anyhow :D
  • gooberr4
    gooberr4 Posts: 253 Member
    I personally don't believe in cheat days. I feel like if you're changing your lifestyle there's no room for cheat days. That being said, If I go out for dinner with my boyfriend or go out with my friends, I may go alittle overboard but I don't blow the whole day. I try to make the best choices I can given the circumstances and I don't dwell on it.
  • Pita0224
    Pita0224 Posts: 23 Member
    There will be a lot of people that will respond to this with different feelings and emotions in regards to it. When I lost weight before my wedding, every Sunday was cheat day. I was meticulous during the week, worked out on my cheat day but I cheated very extreme. Then the next day I started again with being meticulous.. etc. It didn't affect my weight loss as I still lost steadily, however eventually I caught on to how crappy it made me feel from the sugars/carbs etc. With where I am at now, I can say that cheating would not be the same. I would not be able to do it and pick up the next day with no guilt and I would struggle to go back to my diet. If you feel like you could pick up and be the same the next day with no remorse, then give yourself a break and enjoy the day.
  • rbrducky
    rbrducky Posts: 34 Member
    I personally think it's alright to have cheat days as long as you don't get too carried away, otherwise the rabbit food starts to get old and you crave the not so good stuff even more! Once in a blue moon(I know people who allow once a month and it seems to work out well for them still) is alright to do as long as you make up for it in the gym, or at least that's my philosophy. :)
  • Mariposa187
    Mariposa187 Posts: 344 Member
    if you think you can handle a "cheat" day then i say go for it but be honest with yourself. I know that if i have one cheat day I will lack the will power to stop and it will be more like a binge until i cant walk day. If I cheat i tend to fall back into old BAD habits. Maybe after i have been eating healthy and properly for as long as you i might be able too but for right now I am struggling and know i cant.

    idk if this helped but if you are honest with yourself and know your body then i think you will know whether you can or not. Good luck!
  • Adsnwfld
    Adsnwfld Posts: 262 Member
    Don't call it a cheat day. If you are going out and want to stray for 1 meal go for it. What has worked for me is if I know I'm going to do that then I will intentionally eat light most of the day and make sure I get a good workout in to offset it. It takes 3500 calories to equal 1 pound so if you go over 1,000 even 2,000 calories it really is no big deal. You are in control of yourself, but this isn't a diet it is a lifestyle change. One meal will not wreck you. Have fun, but remember how far you have come and what your goals are.
  • Bobcgirl8
    Bobcgirl8 Posts: 30 Member
    I go full force until something happens, like a baby shower weekend, where I cheat horribly. Then I go again full force. I try not to make cheat days, but if they happen, I chalk them up as too late to fix and go on trying to be better. I think eventually even those cheat days will be waaaay better than my good days when I wasn't looking at any of my calories. I think cheating is going to happen, but we have to be careful about how often and how bad they are. I'm not an angel and I decided not to weigh this week for fear of what I would find after my cheat weekend ;)
  • dababers
    dababers Posts: 135
    I don't really subscribe to the concept of a cheat day. It can really wreck your plan if you are not careful or have a tendancy to binge. There is, however, no problem with allowing a special treat once in a while. One meal off the plan won't destroy you. However the concept that "this is a cheat day" can cause some people to lose control and go nuts. Don't feel guilty about treating yourself. Yes, this is a lifestyle change, but how realistic is it to tell yourself you're never gonna have that favorite thing ever again because it doesn't fit into your meal plan? It sets you up for failure and/or quitting. Good luck with you day with your best mate. Good luck on your plan....stay focused!
  • rachaels7
    rachaels7 Posts: 20
    I think it's fine to let go sometimes. Since you've been watching what you've been eating anyway, you know which foods are higher in calories and which ones aren't. It's ok to splurge once in a while and if you don't totally feel like you want to have a whole day of carefree eating, then just let go with one meal and then get back on track. I'm going to splurge at Cheddar's tonight and will go back to normal tomorrow. :)
  • sexyharleymama
    sexyharleymama Posts: 163
    First off, great job on the success you have made so far!!! Awesome!!!!

    For me, you can't be perfect everyday. You just need to have more good days than bad. If you want to eat a few more calories, or eat something more savory:
    1. Yes, plan ahead and get a god workout in.
    2. Watch your calories throughout the day, and even the day before and the day after.
    3. Only eat half of what you order.
    4. Share a meal.

    Just some suggestions that worked for me. Everything in moderation :happy:
  • smorton65
    smorton65 Posts: 1
    One cheat day a week is good. It makes all the other days easier to tolerate and exercising more rewarding. Not enjoying what you eat means you won't stay on the diet. So make it fun, and be creative, but healthy, with the rest of the weeks food.:love:
  • TiniTurtle
    TiniTurtle Posts: 595 Member
    sometimes for my own mental health, i need a cheat day... besides it isn't a bad idea to confuse your metabolism a little. i don't have a cheat day every week & most of the time, i try to balance it out by adding an extra workout another day & a few days being a little under my calorie goals (so i have extra cals to bank) & i spend my cheat days with my bf- doing a nice dinner out & ordering whatever i feel like or for girls nights out, when there is lots of alcohol &/or cheesecake/ice cream involved :o) i still log it the best i can, but i don't let myself stress over it. do what you think is best for you.
  • Janworkingitout
    Janworkingitout Posts: 434 Member
    Cheat days, makes you go, hmmm.... Many overweight people, not all, have food addictions. I can't imagine any other addiction where you would consider having cheat days: drugs, alcohol, etc. I arrived at this point of my life through a journey of various addictions, drugs, food, etc. So I personally don't consider cheat days. I committed to a lifestyle change and for me that's everyday.
  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
    i have a cheat meal, not so much day. if i know im going out later, last night for example for my vegan pizza, i eat better throughout the day and exercise a bit more, that way i dont feel guilty at all. we all have them, but imo a cheat day blows everything youve done throughout the week.
  • anakinlover
    anakinlover Posts: 109
    First of all, many congrats on how far you've come already! I never had cheat days per se....I just made up my mind that it is simply not realistic of me to never expect to eat chocolate, chips, cake, ice cream etc...ever again. I diligently work at my fitness goals, but I do not constantly deprive myself of the things I really love. I enjoy them in moderation of course, but this way there is no guilt involved. You are a success, which came from hard work and discipline. You obviously know what you're doing. Do what feels good to you. Good luck on the rest of your fitness journey.
    :flowerforyou:
  • mamafoofer
    mamafoofer Posts: 60
    I hate the idea of calling them "cheat days"...makes it sound like we are doing something sneaky, shady and just plain wrong. and it makes the idea of the healthy choices we make seem like a punishment that we have to escape. This is about lifestyle...it is ok to have foods you enjoy . Just, for those of use who struggle with weight, we have to be more cautious, work out extra and account for it in our calories. " everything in moderation, including moderation!".
  • DPruneda17
    DPruneda17 Posts: 124 Member
    Cheat days, makes you go, hmmm.... Many overweight people, not all, have food addictions. I can't imagine any other addiction where you would consider having cheat days: drugs, alcohol, etc. I arrived at this point of my life through a journey of various addictions, drugs, food, etc. So I personally don't consider cheat days. I committed to a lifestyle change and for me that's everyday.

    I love this. I think if you are serious about wanting to lose weight, you have to do it full-force. "cheating" every now and then should be when you hit maintenance, and can up your calories some. I do the 'one bite' cheat. If there is something yummy that I know I can't have, I just have one bite. I get the taste, but not the calories (or very very little) of something. And it helps when you feel like you haven't had any of your old favorites in a long time! To just have one bite of it.

    I would say if your planning a dinner out, just try and pick as good of choice as you can from the menu. And only eat a portion of it (half?). That way you can still enjoy your night out, and feel great later about making such a great choice! Have Fun!!
  • susu5
    susu5 Posts: 122
    If you do decide to have a meal that is higher in calories, then the next day drink a lot of water and of course exercise if you can.
  • amoffatt
    amoffatt Posts: 674 Member
    When it comes to cheat days I think it is up to the person. Cutting back on food along with what we are use to eating, sometimes we tend to "crave" it more. Cheat days can allow you not to feel constantly "deprived" from certain foods to where you one day may be like, I dont want to eat this.
  • colombiana444
    colombiana444 Posts: 133 Member
    I've been changing my life for the last 13mos and had success. That said, its been over the last two weeks that I have been super conscious about the food that I am eating. I seeing people talking about having cheat days and such but I'm undecided.

    Part of me would really like to go ahead and have a day where I was carefree about it. I'm out tomorrow with my best mate and would love to just order what I would like instead of what I should have. But part of me says that eating that way is what got me into this problem that I am fixing now. I'm making tomorrow a gym day (and perhaps a super gym day!) but not sure about the eating.

    I don't know as to whether I am looking for advice here or just ranting my insecurities.....:ohwell:

    I've read that having a cheat day boosts your metabolism. I much rather have a cheat meal but you can do some research about it.

    Here is an article i found that may help but feel free to research others:


    Fast & Easy Weight Loss – Discover How a Weekly Cheat Day Leads to Fast Easy Weight Loss

    Fri, Nov 12, 2010

    Easy weight loss

    Fast & easy weight loss is being achieved by thousands of people every day thanks to new research into how your hormones handle fat loss. This article shows you how taking a weekly “Cheat Day” and eating all of your favorite foods is not only allowed but is necessary for fast easy weight loss.

    How many diets have you been on? If you are like many you can’t even remember them all. The reason you find yourself going on diet after diet is because diets are set up to fail.

    Here is the problem with diets and why they haven’t produced the results you wanted.

    Up until about 10 years ago scientist were unaware of how hormones in your body regulated weight loss. At that time they uncovered a very important function carried out by a hormone called leptin. They found that leptin monitors your food or calorie intake and if the amount drops it sends a red flag up alerting the brain to the possibility of starvation.

    You see leptin cannot tell that you are voluntarily reducing your calories to lose weight, it just knows you are not getting as much food and as a result your body slams the brakes on your metabolism in an attempt to preserve your stored energy, i.e. FAT.

    That’s right, when you diet your body hoards fat and doesn’t let go. And as if that weren’t bad enough it also increases the belly fat storing hormone, cortisol, as well as the hunger stimulating hormone, ghrelin.

    This is why your dieting attempts have failed, I mean really, does this sound like a fast & easy weight loss plan? No way, but there is a solution that will get you quick results and you will love what I have to say next.

    The quickest way to lose weight is to Cheat! Yes, I am serious and no, I did not just make this up. In fact this has been one of the most researched new discoveries in weight loss and there are thousands of real life before and after photos if you need a bit of proof.

    Here is how it works. For 6 days of the week you diet keeping your calories low but not painfully low, you never want to starve yourself this works against fat loss, then on day 7 you cheat and overeat all of your favorite foods. Do you crave pizza? How about a burger and fries? Maybe ice cream and cake, they are all allowed on your cheat day. Did I say allowed? What I meant to say was needed.

    The purpose of the cheat day is to boost your metabolism and research shows that this is accomplished after about a day of overfeeding.

    Now I can hear your question, you are worried that you will gain weight on your cheat day and you will notice some water weight following your cheat day but studies have shown that your metabolism comes back faster than your body is able to create fat so your diet gets the upper hand and you get the added bonus of a fully pumping fat burning metabolism for the entire next week.

    Fast & easy weight loss is exactly what the cheat method is all about, pay attention because this is the new era of weight loss and you are right on the cutting edge
  • Sissy4EverX3
    Sissy4EverX3 Posts: 247
    I may have called it a "cheat day", but what it really is a "cheat meal". One meal per week, I allow myself the indulgence of a cheeseburger and fries. Or an ice cream cone. Anything to take the edge off. And it's working for me. It may not for others, but one meal a week without blowing an entire day, I think, is manageable. Takes the edge off, makes me guilty as heck, and reminds me I'm doing this for a reason. Bing, bang, boom -- right back on it!!

    Though I have to tell you... I realized today that McDonald's gives me uber-heartburn. I hadn't had anything fast food-ish in close to 2 weeks. Man, is my stomach yelling at me for it. :(
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