Weekly cheat days ?

breannatrevs
breannatrevs Posts: 114
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
Will having a weekly cheat day (1 meal, that is not something overly healthy, could even be a dish of ice cream if i wish) effect my weightloss? Will it prevent me from losing my potential?

do you have a cheat day? do you have rules on that cheat day ?

Replies

  • brentwinter1
    brentwinter1 Posts: 4
    Just my humble opinion, but DO NOT CHEAT...PERIOD!!! Stick to it. You can do it!!!
  • glendeb
    glendeb Posts: 129 Member
    I have a relaxed day on a Saturday, but I make sure I exercise a wee bit harder or longer to make up for it.

    Its usually so I can have a few glasses of wine! I also stay within my calories, but it might not be a healthy choice as such :smile:
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    I'm all for it. Sometimes it's a whole day of eating anything. More usually it's 1 or 2 splurge meals on one day of the week (usually saturday or sunday).

    The basic premise is that it gives you a little metabolic boost after restricting your calories the rest of the week, and it's good for you psychologically to know that when your free day comes you can splurge a bit.

    Just don't call it a cheat day. Cheat day implies that you did something "against the rules", whereas a "free day" is something that is part of the plan.
  • ybba12490
    ybba12490 Posts: 252
    I never plan my cheat days, but I save them up and usually on weekends my boyfriend will be like "lets go have a drink" or "lets go eat dinner at this restaurant".

    Stuff comes up and it's nice to know that I can "cheat" without feeling guilty about it because I've been good for the entire week. It IS okay to have cheat days in my opinion. I have lost almost 10lbs in 2 weeks and I had way more than one cheat day in between there. As long as your overall diet is good and you are under your daily cals and exercising, there is no problem with it.

    YET, if you think that having a cheat day will make you fall into old habits and you feel like you cannot control yourself, I suggest you don't do it.
  • chelsifina
    chelsifina Posts: 346 Member
    I eat whatever I want and stay within my calorie range. A 20 min run gives me 300 extra calories, so if I'm over I do a quick coupla miles before bed. Today I had an apple fritter, which is pretty decadent, but I don't cheat in terms of going over on the calories. I do hear of some people spending one or two weeks below their calorie allotment, and then one week above it, so the whole week is like a cheat week I guess! Its supposed to help you metabolism stay stoked. To each his own, I say! Whatever works and keeps you in the game!
  • SKP1986
    SKP1986 Posts: 392 Member
    I don't have a planned cheat day, but I also don't deny my cravings every single time. When you constantly deny yourself something, it increases the chance of binging on that one thing when you do get your hands on it. If you want ice cream, get a single instead of a double. If you want a candy bar, only eat part of it and save the rest for later.

    If you want a cheat meal, then have a cheat meal so you can enjoy what you want. Just don't OVERindulge in it.
  • rhonda1981
    rhonda1981 Posts: 33 Member
    I think you should be OK. Keep in mind some substitutes. For example, sub frozen yogart for the ice-cream.
  • Terriwin
    Terriwin Posts: 46 Member
    There are days when I want a treat. I don't think of it as cheating because I will just account for it in my daily calorie count. That means, I'll have a lighter dinner or exercise more. I enjoy eating ice cream and chocolate sometimes. I also enjoy having a glass or wine or afternoon lunches with friends. I just make sure if I have these "treats" I remain responsible enough to adjust the menu or my exercise for the day.

    Also, as you may have noticed, I like resist the word "cheat" and instead use "treat" instead because there is nothing wrong with occasional rewards. So, if you want a "treat" day, then let that be the day you plan a lighter menu to accommodate your treat. :)

    Best wishes...
  • acerico73
    acerico73 Posts: 4
    ALl things being equal, cheat days do nothing but slow the process. However, I think that cheating leads to the inability to make the diet change a lifestyle change. to me it is like smoking I quit smoking cold turkey have never gone back. My wife tries to slowly taper off her nicotine nad is never able to succeed because her body and mind still desire the nicotine. Food is the same you start looking forward to the cheat day and your body craves those foods. But if you candefeat the cravings then a cheat day imo is not bad just harmful to long term success.

    All this coming from a guy who started a diet on March 1. I used to dring 6 sodas a day and etc. Was 324 at that time and through walking and strict adherence to diet (by no means starving myself) I eat abut 2000 calories a day with one meal replacement shakeology, and am at 290 now. I actually feel that this change is stick after years of struggling with diet.
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    Not only does it not hurt weight-loss, it helps it. Just like taso said. I've had weekly spike days for several years, and I've lost over a hundred pounds doing it. In fact, today is my spike day and I'm well on my way to 6,000 calories :)
    Diets that deprive us don't work long-term, by having a day off, you can lose weight but yet still have fun with food.
  • Dlhigh
    Dlhigh Posts: 72 Member
    Remember, it's not a DIET. It's a lifestyle change. As long as your keep thinking of it a "diet" and "cheating" you will never accomplish the long term goal of having a healthy lifestyle and long term weight loss.

    I wouldn't call it a "cheat". Nobody ever said that you can never have cake, or chocolate, or ice cream ever again. You are not learning anything by "cheating". Me, I love ice cream, and eat some almost everyday. It's all about the choices that you make. Plan for a "little" indulgence every day, if thats what you need to make it through the day. It will give you something to look forward to. Planning to have it later in the day helps to keep you on track through out the earlier part of the day. A reward for making good healthy choices the rest of the day. If you really want this, you can do it. But you can't do it if all you think about is cheating. I am pretty much a gym rat right now. I got that way because my reward for going to the gym is that I get to eat more. Bottom line-you need to find out how to keep yourself motivated and on track, and reward yourself accordingly.

    141041.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • Celo24
    Celo24 Posts: 566 Member
    I have a Friday night cheat meal with my wife every week. We eat whatever the heck we want - pizza, beer, wings, burgers, you name it. I lost 25 pounds in three months and am maintaining myself just fine. It's unrealistic to say that you will never have another burger. That's when you start feeling deprived and question whether this is all "worth it." Have a cheat meal, free day or whatever you want to call it!! Just know your limits the rest of the week!
  • kitty0767
    kitty0767 Posts: 11 Member
    You absolutely don't have to be perfect every day to have success. It's depressing to feel you can never have a treat and a planned splurge is likely to be more moderate than an unplanned one. On WW there's a portion of your calories (points) for the week that you can spread across each day evenly or bank to use for a special occasion. If you overdo it one day cut back the day before or day after make up for it. Your body doesn't start & stop burning calories according to the clock so it'll all work out.
  • obifatkanobi
    obifatkanobi Posts: 190
    The very term "cheat" is self destructing, in my opinion, however the principle of taking a break and rewarding yourself for a week of hard work is actually motivating. We, my wife and I, take a recharge day, and for a while did it on Saturdays. Now, with her schedule in constant flux, we use one of her days off and try to keep it close to the same day. This is a day to relax, reflect and refocus on our goal of not just losing weight, but of learning a healthier lifestyle. One where we can enjoy the foods we love, but in moderation. I look at it as a practice day of maintaining our weight for after our journey is complete.

    It also gives us something to work towards, to push ourselves to do good through the week, so that we have reason to reward ourselves and take a break one day a week.
  • Mightytaco84
    Mightytaco84 Posts: 76 Member
    When it comes to losing weight, I hate to say it but cheaters never prosper. Although as long as you're not going over that calorie ceiling...
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    I allow myself 1-2 maintenance days per month, and 1 week at maintenance at the end of each 3 month period. The only rule is...I have to log every single thing I eat.
  • merzback
    merzback Posts: 453 Member
    The word CHEAT makes me cringe. If a thin person eats junk- no one calls them a cheater! Don't call it a cheat day- and yes there will be times you eat more junk than others- just do your best to stay mostly ON your game and just get up and don't beat yourself up!
  • merzback
    merzback Posts: 453 Member
    Just my humble opinion, but DO NOT CHEAT...PERIOD!!! Stick to it. You can do it!!!

    Isn't part of sticking to something also not beating yourself up if you're not perfect with it. I think when people think they will always be "perfect", itmay set them up for failure. I wouldn't call anything I ever do CHEATING, I call it just being human and if I do slip up, I jump right back on the wagon!
  • MyNameIsNotBob
    MyNameIsNotBob Posts: 565 Member
    I don't really use the term "cheat," but I do have treats like alcohol, chocolate, ice cream, restaurant meals, etc. I just plan for them and have a smaller breakfast, or go to the gym, or whatever. While I sometimes go over my daily goal, I'm almost always still at a deficit, so I count that as a fat loss win.
  • merzback
    merzback Posts: 453 Member
    Not only does it not hurt weight-loss, it helps it. Just like taso said. I've had weekly spike days for several years, and I've lost over a hundred pounds doing it. In fact, today is my spike day and I'm well on my way to 6,000 calories :)
    Diets that deprive us don't work long-term, by having a day off, you can lose weight but yet still have fun with food.

    RIGHT ON! I love the word SPIKE day! The word CHEAT reminds me of 80's diet mentality!
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    Remember, it's not a DIET. It's a lifestyle change. As long as your keep thinking of it a "diet" and "cheating" you will never accomplish the long term goal of having a healthy lifestyle and long term weight loss.

    I wouldn't call it a "cheat". Nobody ever said that you can never have cake, or chocolate, or ice cream ever again. You are not learning anything by "cheating". Me, I love ice cream, and eat some almost everyday. It's all about the choices that you make. Plan for a "little" indulgence every day, if thats what you need to make it through the day. It will give you something to look forward to. Planning to have it later in the day helps to keep you on track through out the earlier part of the day. A reward for making good healthy choices the rest of the day. If you really want this, you can do it. But you can't do it if all you think about is cheating. I am pretty much a gym rat right now. I got that way because my reward for going to the gym is that I get to eat more. Bottom line-you need to find out how to keep yourself motivated and on track, and reward yourself accordingly.

    141041.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

    I really like this mentality. I like thinking of it as my new healthier lifestyle...I don't think of as a "diet" or if I overindulge, as "cheating". I do try to keep things under control and indulge in only occasional treats or eating out for special occasions, but I don't worry about it too much, even if I go a little over in calories on some days. I can't speak to it, because I don't do them, but bhe people who do planned "cheat days" seem to live just for those days (not just here on MFP but I have people in my real life who do this) and obsess over what they're gonna eat that's "bad", etc. I would rather focus on staying in balance most of the time, staying within my calories, and allowing for a little craving now and then.
  • katschi
    katschi Posts: 689 Member
    I allow myself 1-2 maintenance days per month, and 1 week at maintenance at the end of each 3 month period. The only rule is...I have to log every single thing I eat.

    I really like this idea of eating at maintenance for a couple of days per month and also for an entire week to give your body a rest.
    I will have to try that.
  • Stewie316
    Stewie316 Posts: 266 Member
    I have a cheat day every Saturday and it doesn't impede my progress. I've been consistently losing 2 pounds a week.
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    Not only does it not hurt weight-loss, it helps it. Just like taso said. I've had weekly spike days for several years, and I've lost over a hundred pounds doing it. In fact, today is my spike day and I'm well on my way to 6,000 calories :)
    Diets that deprive us don't work long-term, by having a day off, you can lose weight but yet still have fun with food.

    RIGHT ON! I love the word SPIKE day! The word CHEAT reminds me of 80's diet mentality!

    In the past when I was dieting I felt I had to be perfect, because every time I "cheated" I felt horribly guilty. When I realized "cheating" was helping me lose weight by spiking my metabolism, I started calling it my "spike day". Also having it planned, made it guilt free and helped me stay honest the other 6 days because I never felt deprived.

    Like many are saying it has to be a lifestyle change, for me the lifestyle is eating healthy during the week and "spiking" over the weekend. Doing this I've maintained my weight-loss going on 7 years and I get to eat the way I really love to eat every weekend. I actually believe the "spiking" has made it easier to keep the weight off because it keeps my metabolism strong.
  • DanaR12878
    DanaR12878 Posts: 23 Member
    I lost about 50 lbs once before (yep gained it back by getting lazy and having 2 children!) and the way I did it was by following WW Monday thru Thursday and taking the weekends off. I walked pretty much everyday also. I have been doing MFP now since October and have lost just over 30lbs again. I have had my periods of 4 + lbs a week losses and my weeks of no losses. This past week I took the weekend off and also ate out once during the week and loss an even 2 lbs - I think my body needed a bit of a jump start. I did continue to exercise as regular. I think you need to try different apporaches and find what works for you. You will probably find that if you "splurge" too greatly (eat half a pizza, most of a carton of ice cream, etc) you will not feel well afterwards (yep thats form experience). Eat moderately the things you love or consider a "treat" one or two days a week and it may do wonders for your metabolism and your mind set about the process.
  • ladyphoto
    ladyphoto Posts: 192 Member
    I also believe in having a "cheat" day. I think if you deprive yourself of every thing you love day after day, you will eventually cave. It is good for the soul to have yummy things that are generally "off the table" once in a while. Especially if you are doing this as a lifestyle and not a diet.
  • darling_nickie
    darling_nickie Posts: 117 Member
    My new motto is "its not about deprivation, its about discipline" I think all things in moderation is fine as long as the overall picture is overall health and its not a major binge :) Today I had Ben & Jerry's (half a tub) with my sis because its my Bday and honestly I feel no guilt over it...I also know I might have to work a little harder these next few workouts but don't go without something you LOVE because then your "diet" becomes a punishment. Just my opinion though :)
This discussion has been closed.

Categories