What does a "Cheat Day" mean to you?

ChitownFoodie
ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
Do you eat more calories? Do you eat unhealthy foods? Do you not workout? A combination?!?

My cheat day means I will still try and stay close to 1200 net calories but I will eat unhealthy foods. Today I am having a jibarito, 747 calories. For those who dont know what that is....its a sandwich that contains meat, tomato, lettuce, garlic and mayo...but instead of bread holding it together, its two slices of deep fried plantains. I am still going to workout, but I don't think I will be able to recover from that sandwich.
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Replies

  • lloydmel
    lloydmel Posts: 259 Member
    That's pretty much what I do too... I stay within my calories but I eat something I really want... like a big hamburger from mcdonald's or Wendy's ... baha... but that means no snacks and smaller other meals... but sometimes eating a hamburger and fries is totally worth eating less the rest of the day :)
  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
    I don't do cheat days because it's too hard for me to get back on the wagon once I jump off. Sometimes I will have a little bit of something just to satisfy the cravings....it's all about moderation for me =)
  • kkruse08
    kkruse08 Posts: 22 Member
    cheat day is total junk food, but then i notice that i pay for it the next day or two. So cheat days are getting less and less for me.
  • Msaip
    Msaip Posts: 482 Member
    It used to mean i ate whatever i wanted in whatever amount i chose. Id snack all day not drink enough water and not workout.....now i feel like crap the necxt morning. Now a cheat day means ill a little of what i want but make sure i dont go over calorie goal...drink as much water as i can and still maybe get a work out in. Almost def though i still throw in abs.
  • Yup, I pretty much do the same thing. Tomorrow I'm going to have some guacamole with rice chips, a fudge bar, and who knows what else... but I stay within my calories and work off anything extra!
  • cccathyyy
    cccathyyy Posts: 207 Member
    I dont do cheat days, I occasionally have a cheat meal or cheat snack.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    I don't call it a cheat day. It is a day where I don't finish my log because I know I'm over in calories. If it's a day I also got in a good workout I don't worry about it and move on to the next day.
  • allegram
    allegram Posts: 117
    "Cheat Day" to me means that you're cheating yourself out of your hard work, which is why I don't employ them.
  • poustotah
    poustotah Posts: 1,121 Member
    I don't do a whole day to cheat - I have a meal. If there's something I'm REALLY craving then once a week, I'll go have it. I don't limit myself other than to not stuff myself until I need to be rolled out to the car. I've noticed that my cheat meals have just about disappeared though. I just don't crave crap like I used to.
  • ChaseAlder
    ChaseAlder Posts: 804 Member
    On my cheat day (Sunday) I log all my calories like normal and I stay around my calorie limit. I don't sweat it if I go over, but I don't expect to stay under. If I exercise, great. If not, oh well. I just take a day off from planning everything bite I take and just enjoy my food, then log it when I'm finished.
  • Pretty much the same thing it means to you. I don't ever have a day where I just say "Screw it" and completely eat absolutely whatever I want. There are still some meals i just won't eat anymore, ever again. My favorite meal is the chicken pasta at Ruby Tuesdays and that dish is like 1400 calories. Even halfing it would just make two high calorie meals I'd feel obligated to eat two days in a row. So my cheat days are reasonable treats. That's what I'd call them. I sacrifice the numbers some, but I can't go too nuts, or I'd feel too guilty.
  • jkleman79
    jkleman79 Posts: 706 Member
    A cheat what? Nah not me. I love my good food to much. Have so many great foods I have found that taste amazing and recipes that I feel like everyday is a cheat day for me. If you are tired of "healthy" food then you might need to broaden your horizons and look for something more appealing. Just a thought not a slam...its hard to say stuff nice by text. ha! I have some great recipes if you want them message me.

    K see ya! =0)
  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
    "Cheat Day" to me means that you're cheating yourself out of your hard work, which is why I don't employ them.

    That's a great way to think about it!
  • lloydrt
    lloydrt Posts: 1,121 Member
    takes me 6 days to get back where I was before I cheated.....for me, its just not worth trying to lose"LOST" pounds...........Again, it could be my metabolism, but Im just getting back to normal from Easter......whew, glad there are no more holidays,

    I drank some wine and made some unwise choices, but I HAD to have the wine.......family came over and thats what helped me cope, lol.......
  • Sasha_Bear
    Sasha_Bear Posts: 625 Member
    I don't do cheat days either, I may sometimes have a dessert, or some chips or something.
  • JenCM
    JenCM Posts: 195
    I don't do "cheat days" because it implies too much guilt and failure. I think for me personally, losing weight is about the food not being my best friend anymore, but not being my enemy and feeling bad for eating it either - Cheat implies you're doing something wrong and it's not "wrong" to have a piece of pie or a slice of pizza once in a while - what's wrong is when you have it every meal or you do like I used to and eat a WHOLE medium pizza - to me a lot of weight loss is changing your attitude and relationship with food. I do have "special" days where I have something I really want if I've been thinking about it for more than a few days....like going to my fave mexican place and having a few chips and salsa, chicken fajitas with the tortillas and a bit of homemade flan! I just try to do this on those days - Still workout, even if it's just for 10 minutes on the elliptical. I make sure whatever I eat that's not what I usually do, that I have veggies with it or a salad before. And then I just enjoy it! I think also my days when I eat off my normal foods, I'm more picky about what I eat. Like, if I'm going to eat something special...I want it to be something I love! Not just eating junk for the sake of it!
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I've definitely had some cheat snacks and meals (but when I do the meals I keep them super small), but not cheat days. I know I'll mess it up!
  • For me a "cheat day" is a big no-no.
  • sweetsarahj
    sweetsarahj Posts: 701 Member
    I don't plan cheat days since once in awhile I just simply fall off the wagon by eating too many calories, neglecting to log all my food, or eating Doritos.... omg, how much I love Zesty Doritos--- just ridiculous. I'm really trying to be better about logging and staying in my calories, since I have been slacking of big time over the past 2 months and have basically stopped losing. :sad:
  • It means I eat whatever I want, but I still try to have the healthiest version. Like I will go to starbucks but instead of a venti white mocha with whip, I get a tall, no-fat, no whip. I still work out but it's the one day where I allow myself to feel guilt free if I go over my calorie limits. I never ever go over my calorie limit any other day, so it's nice to have a day where I can go out with my friends or family for a meal I normally will shy away from.
  • crysmiss86
    crysmiss86 Posts: 67 Member
    one word: Doritos
  • StaceyL76
    StaceyL76 Posts: 711 Member
    Cheat day or as I would rather call it a Free day, not so negative is a planned day to eat whatever you want. Those that eat clean 6 days a week and have a free/cheat day can eat whatever they desire.. that is what I know it as.

    I agree with moderation and being reasonable. I don't need an entire day.. sometimes I just like to have a bit of chocolate or a piece of pizza or something like that.. Me personally, to plan an entire day of free eating, it is like I am saying all or nothing and I try to stay away from that type of thinking. I have been down that road before and it didn't lead me to a good place.

    Everyone is different and has a choice to do what works for them. The free/cheat day works brilliantly for many, and we have to do what works for us.
  • craftylatvian
    craftylatvian Posts: 599 Member
    Do you eat more calories? Do you eat unhealthy foods? Do you not workout? A combination?!?

    My cheat day means I will still try and stay close to 1200 net calories but I will eat unhealthy foods. Today I am having a jibarito, 747 calories. For those who dont know what that is....its a sandwich that contains meat, tomato, lettuce, garlic and mayo...but instead of bread holding it together, its two slices of deep fried plantains. I am still going to workout, but I don't think I will be able to recover from that sandwich.

    Oh my that sandwich sounds naughtily-good!!!!

    My cheat day is usually a cheat meal. Tonight it is pizza, but with ham & pineapple, no greasy pepperoni or sausage. I try and stay "good" for the day until I have my cheat meal.
  • A cheat day to me is a day of no planning, counting and usually on a holiday, like Easter when sharing with relatives. :flowerforyou:
  • mkcalvert
    mkcalvert Posts: 219 Member
    I don't do cheat days because it's too hard for me to get back on the wagon once I jump off. Sometimes I will have a little bit of something just to satisfy the cravings....it's all about moderation for me =)

    I totally feel the same way!! I just allow my self a candy bar or something one day, instead of "whole days" I have a cheat snack or dinner or whatever..
  • I guess its not really a cheat day, Saturdays I do long bike rides 4-5 hours and burn a ton of calories so I eat pretty much all day afterwards. But I still dont consume all of my exercise calories.
  • TheBraveryLover
    TheBraveryLover Posts: 1,217 Member
    It means I can go over my calories with little guilt. Besides one bad day, I mainly stay under my calorie goal 6 days a week. So when Friday or Saturday hits, I'm fine eating some pizza and drinking a couple glasses of vodka since I've been so controlled with the way I eat prior. This plan is automatic now and I love it. I don't crave as much bad things during the week and if I do I easily can wait until the weekend hits. I never used to be like that before. Also, I plan ahead what my cheat food will be and what's the most I'll eat of it.

    Half of my cheat days I don't go over on calories (though I'll sometimes force myself to in order to hike up my metabolism); I just eat much less during the day before I go out that night. Therefore even on my "bad" day of the week, I'm still losing. Love it! :-D
  • luppic8
    luppic8 Posts: 580 Member
    To me it means I can indulge a little ( but still stay close to my calorie goals) so that I don't get sick of the usual food restrictions

    I will still exercise, but perhaps not as hard as I usually do. I refuse to ruin what I have accomplished so far just to eat unhealthy.

    I also don't want to beat myself up over eating something horrible for me and then feeling depressed for doing it! When I indulge I will have a litte ice cream instead of the low fat frozen yogurt I have been eating...
  • katyrose221
    katyrose221 Posts: 69 Member
    I never plan a cheat day. But sometimes they just happen (usually when I have a date with my hubby or a night out with friends). However, I ALWAYS track my calories, even on those days. I don't usually feel the need for one, but if I go over my calories, I am okay with it, if it is once a week or less. Lately, since switching to low-Carb, I find it really hard to go over my cals (I just can't seem to eat that much in veggies and meat)...but I do tend to go over my self-imposed carb level.

    It is sort of one of those things though, that once you realize how may cals are in a milkshake, it is hard to justify it (especially after thinking about what you are eating every day, all day, and recording it), it starts to feel like it really isn't worth it to overindulge in high cal foods. Over time feeling the urge for things like that has drastically dwindled.

    Still I love to eat!
  • dietfree2012
    dietfree2012 Posts: 801 Member
    ok, so yeah, CHEAT DAYS!!! uhhh...so in order for me to not feel guilty..i do them only when i have to...when i get that feeling of i just want fried foods and candy!! what i do is eat all junk all day all my cravings but stay withing my 1400 calorie limit...since im on jillian 30ds i still workout. this way i know the day did nothing for me health wise but i know no weight was gained....once you start this weight loss journey its hard to just say screw it and mess up all your hard work....have a great cheat day!
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