Cheat Days or Every Day?

chubswonky
chubswonky Posts: 195
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
A friend of mine is also trying to lose weight and INSISTS that having a "cheat day" is the way to go. I feel like what I'm trying to do isn't a diet and don't want to really "cheat" at anything, so I tend to just eat what I want but include it in my calorie count.

So what have you found to work better for you? Are you mostly super strict and have a cheat day or just work with what you like orrr something totally different? Tell me! :)

Replies

  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
    i'm in your school of thought. i don't have cheat days, and i don't have diet days either. i eat what i want in moderation, and do my best not to go over my calories. i dig this because i feel like i can keep at this forever - i'm not sacraficing anything and i'm not depriving myself - i'm just making smart choices and actually thinking about what i put in my belly!
  • crystal_sapphire
    crystal_sapphire Posts: 1,205 Member
    i'm an all or nothing person. i ate ****ty for a few days a little over a month ago and have not been on track since :(

    i don't think this is a norm though, but worth mentioning for some maybe similar to me
  • dyiaane
    dyiaane Posts: 271 Member
    I like having one day that I'm not too strict. So usually Friday or Saturday is my cheat day. Then I just work out hard the next day.
  • jmijaressf
    jmijaressf Posts: 215
    Me too. I eat in moderation as well. If I end up over-doing it with the calories one day and I can't work out to make up for it, I make sure that the rest of the week that I'm as disciplined as possible with the foods I eat.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    There are a lot of people who insist that when you are using a caloric deficit diet, like MFP uses, that it is useful to occasionally go over your budget (not a blowout, but a bit over), because your metabolism gets worked up with the extra fuel and it helps "stoke the fires," so to speak. It's worth some research.
  • chubswonky
    chubswonky Posts: 195
    i'm in your school of thought. i don't have cheat days, and i don't have diet days either. i eat what i want in moderation, and do my best not to go over my calories. i dig this because i feel like i can keep at this forever - i'm not sacraficing anything and i'm not depriving myself - i'm just making smart choices and actually thinking about what i put in my belly!

    That's how I feel...unfortunately, having struggled with my weight for entire life, I don't really think I have a choice but to keep track of what I'm eating for the rest of my life. Once I hit my goal, I will get able to eat a few more calories per day and may not be as strict but I don't think I have a choice
  • hyde1977
    hyde1977 Posts: 476 Member
    I am using this an opportunity to change my relationship with food....one cheat day leads to another....if you want to eat something....EAT IT....just track it....We are not perfect everyday.....you need to still enjoy things....

    My thoughts are like yours....

    Find what works for you...but I find that if I want something I eat it....and I know that its okay....
  • funauntsherry
    funauntsherry Posts: 41 Member
    i don't have cheat days, but weekends are a bit dodgy. I always count everything and i try to get enough exercise to "earn" some wiggle room ;)
  • lorisowers
    lorisowers Posts: 64
    I pretty much have what I want everyday. I just eat smaller portions. I do feel like maybe a day of not worrying to much is alright once a week or for special days.
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
    i am not dieting.
    i am eating the way i now intend to live for the rest of my life.. and i fully expect to have hamburgers and choc cake, on occasion, *L* i just fit it all into my daily plan now... cheating implies something that cannot be maintained for life (imho *S*)
  • cmnkyrun16
    cmnkyrun16 Posts: 10
    Personally, I tend not to buy my achilles heels so they're just not in the house for when I feel like "cheating." I kind of follow the idea that if I want it that bad, I'll walk the three miles to the groccery store to get it. so then it's not cheating. It's motivation. ;)
  • chubswonky
    chubswonky Posts: 195
    i don't have cheat days, but weekends are a bit dodgy. I always count everything and i try to get enough exercise to "earn" some wiggle room ;)

    Weekends are definitely tough for me, too! I'm only a few months in and have been really stressed yesterday. I think I need to find my groove! I have a hard time not going too crazy with food.
  • monoxidechick
    monoxidechick Posts: 339
    I dont have regular cheat days scheduled, but I do allow myself to go over for some occasions. I may have some drinks at a concert, some extra food when out with friends, or just a day where I watched the amounts but ate at a putluck or something where it is really hard to log every item. I log these days if it is easy but if it is many things that I would be guessing at anyway, I just end the day knowing I was over and will do better tomorrow. I do not allow this to happen often and its my system to know that I am making smart choices 95% of the time, but a girl just has to go out and have fun also.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,321 Member
    I also have struggled with my weight all my life, but those high calorie days, and sometimes more as I have done weeks in the last year where I didn't count calories super carefully, help keep you losing weight. I have never had a plateau in a year of weight loss. I don't usually go completely crazy, but do have times where I eat substantial amounts over my calorie budget. The key is don't do it a lot, and get right back at your careful eating the next day.
  • haldeman5
    haldeman5 Posts: 121 Member
    I am the same way...no cheat days for me. I eat healthy but I also figure out ways to get my cravings in my diet in a healthy way. I also eat in moderation and it has worked great for me. If I know there is day where I may eat a few more calories I just work out that day to make up for the calories:-) Good Luck! Only you know what is best for your body:-)
  • chubswonky
    chubswonky Posts: 195
    i am not dieting.
    i am eating the way i now intend to live for the rest of my life.. and i fully expect to have hamburgers and choc cake, on occasion, *L* i just fit it all into my daily plan now... cheating implies something that cannot be maintained for life (imho *S*)

    That's how I feel, too. I'm going to have to keep up this routine for a lonnnnnnnng time- it just has to be my way of life and i don't ever want to feel like I'm doing something I'm not supposed to when I'm enjoying food!
  • lil_missfit
    lil_missfit Posts: 565 Member
    I have a small piece of chocolate everyday after dinner (30-50 cals) I also have one cheat "meal" per week (not a cheat day), which is really something not that terrible but high in sodium maybe:)) That's it....however....I will say it took me a while to get here....I use to do cheat days but would spend the whole week making up for it.....so I quit the cheat day thing. If you think about it, on a cheat day, you could eat well over 3500 calories of food EASY depending on what you eat. Is it worth gaining a whole pound back.....or carry tons of water from the sodium intake. Plus you may even feel miserable (mentally and physically). Allowing myself something "naughty" at the end of the day like a 45 cal mini reese cup is enough for me:)) I have really adjusted and become satisfied with just that:))
  • hikingmonk
    hikingmonk Posts: 134 Member
    I agree with the others who have said not to look at it too much like a diet. While generally speaking you probably shouldn't be tossing down tons of pizza and cupcakes, you also shouldn't forbid eating them from time to time. Just eat smaller portions, log the calories, and move on to the next meal.

    Certainly we have to push ourselves a bit in order to lose weight, but giving yourself the freedom to eat anything, in moderation, while logging the calories is a very liberating and powerful experience. I'm certain it's one reason I didn't succeed in the past.
    My 'cheat' days turned to all out binge fests, which led to completely falling off the wagon for weeks on end.

    No more cheat days for me, but no more super restrictive diets either.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I eat things I love every day, and just make it fit.

    There's some times when the calorie count just doesn't matter to me, like holidays or parties. I know that one day isn't going to ruin everything I've done, so I just enjoy myself and don't stress about it.

    I'm in the homestretch, too, with under 10 pounds to go. I'm in no big rush to get there. I've always said, "It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle," but my lifestyle is changing to involve more food. I've upped my calories to only lose a half pound a week, so I have more wiggle room. I try to stay under on sodium, over on fiber, and around 100 on protein, but after that... I will gladly enjoy a cookie or two. :happy:
  • KTGator
    KTGator Posts: 78
    On weekends, I typically won't count my calories -- I just found that if I do, I get to obsessed with my calorie counting overall. But, I still try to make healthy choices - I don't decide that, since I'm not counting calories, I can go out and get myself some fast food or anything. I just don't obsess over the numbers those days.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I have mishaps of eating things I should not eat from time to time, but I do not even want to consider allowing myself to go crazy for a day, that'll just turn into two days and so on right back to old habits :)
  • damcool
    damcool Posts: 97 Member
    I do both. Almost every day I have a little something at the end, whether it be a couple of pieces of dark chocolate or some popcorn and I just work it into my calories. My cheat day is either Saturday or Sunday. However, I usually feel too guilty to go way over my calories. I basically eat my maintenance weight on my cheat day. So, I'm still keeping myself in check, but raising the calories I can eat for that day. It's absolutely worked for me. I've not slipped up once since I started this journey last June. Everyone's different, though, and I say just stick with what works for you!
  • chubswonky
    chubswonky Posts: 195
    I do both. Almost every day I have a little something at the end, whether it be a couple of pieces of dark chocolate or some popcorn and I just work it into my calories. My cheat day is either Saturday or Sunday. However, I usually feel too guilty to go way over my calories. I basically eat my maintenance weight on my cheat day. So, I'm still keeping myself in check, but raising the calories I can eat for that day. It's absolutely worked for me. I've not slipped up once since I started this journey last June. Everyone's different, though, and I say just stick with what works for you!

    That's a good idea- to eat within your BMR/maintenance calories!
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
    I, personally, hate the concept of "cheat" days/meals. Why plan a day every week (or month - whatever) where you just splurge on whatever you want. Why not go about life eating healthy in general. And if a day or meal or event or just a strong craving comes along (as it will) where you want to eat something extra, you just do it, in moderation, and then make up for those extra calories by exercising/moving more to work it off?? I just don't understand the concept of planning for it on a regular basis. Like "every Friday night I have a cheat meal." I know that some people swear by it, and if it works for you (general you), okay. But for me.... it would just not work. I would think of that day all week long - I would obsess over it and think of all the things that I'm depriving myself of all week just waiting to get to that day/meal so I can cram everything I've been craving, thinking, obsessing, avoiding, and dreaming about into my mouth. Ok - perhaps I'm over-dramatizing the whole thing, but I guess I just don't understand it. Definitely not for me. My motto, however, is always to each their own - if it works them, who am I to say anything about it!! I'll just do what works for me :-)
  • jenalderman
    jenalderman Posts: 411 Member
    Ok...for what it's worth..... here's where I am with it. You can't cheat on life and, for me, this is a true LIFEstyle change. That being said, I just know that my husband and I have "date night" every Friday night. I find myself being more strict through the day on Friday and making better choices both in restaurant selection and food selection. I do NOT add a dark cloud on my perfect weekly night with my darn near perfect hubby :heart: by stressing too much about the meal. I've found overall that I can eat something totally yummy that night and still hit pretty close to goal. Occassionally I bounce a half pound but typically that is more on sodium than fat or calories. It is usally gone within 48 hours. I get to keep one practice from my old life that I felt was worthwhile but try my best to work it into my new habits. All said and done, the scale is stilling moving in the right direction.
  • chubswonky
    chubswonky Posts: 195
    Ok...for what it's worth..... here's where I am with it. You can't cheat on life and, for me, this is a true LIFEstyle change. That being said, I just know that my husband and I have "date night" every Friday night. I find myself being more strict through the day on Friday and making better choices both in restaurant selection and food selection. I do NOT add a dark cloud on my perfect weekly night with my darn near perfect hubby :heart: by stressing too much about the meal. I've found overall that I can eat something totally yummy that night and still hit pretty close to goal. Occassionally I bounce a half pound but typically that is more on sodium than fat or calories. It is usally gone within 48 hours. I get to keep one practice from my old life that I felt was worthwhile but try my best to work it into my new habits. All said and done, the scale is stilling moving in the right direction.

    I like the way you think! I go out to dinner with friends A LOT and I find that if I look at the menu ahead of time, I can plan my day accordingly and always leave satisfied! :)
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I totally get what it means to have an "oops" day, but I don't understand the point of "cheat" days. I've never had an emotional thing with food so I guess I don't have an understanding of what people mean. Is it that people need to feel the thrill of doing something naughty? I guess maybe that's human nature - like breaking the rules when Mom isn't looking sort of thing. Some people may need that in their lives. For me, consistency and moderation are more important - maybe I'm boring? I eat what I want when I want, but I just make sure it's a reasonable amount. Now that MFP has taught me what proper proportions are, as well as figuring out how exercise and diet work together, I think eating healthy is pretty easy and fun. If I want to eat a big bowl of pasta (my favorite) I have to make sure I eat something lighter for the rest of the day or exercise sufficiently to earn that pasta. No cheating is necessary. If you want a chocolate cake day - don't cheat to get it. Just plan the rest of your day accordingly. I've gone over at times, but not by several hundreds or even thousands of calories (as I sometimes see on the posts) and it certainly isn't intentional. Those are times that I reflect on what went wrong and how I can do it better next time. No need to beat yourself up about it. Cheating implies that you are purposely doing bad things with food. I guess I just don't understand why anyone would purposely sabotage themselves. I think that if once in a great while you accidentally screw up for a day it's ok, maybe even good for a metabolism jump start, but to purposely plan for frequent binges is pretty counterproductive...:noway:
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