What does a "Cheat Day" mean to you?

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  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
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    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.

    I don't ever either. Today maybe my cheat day, but aside from dinner, I am eating healthy and clean the rest of the day.
  • funfitfoodie
    funfitfoodie Posts: 630 Member
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    I'm pretty much the same! I'm pretty strict with my diet for 6 days then have different foods on cheat day but try and stay under 1500 calories (I'm on 1270 the other 6 days). I don't tend to exercise at the weekend anyway (Sunday is cheat day) because I try to run Monday, Wednesday, Friday then spinning on Tuesday and kettlebell and abs on Thursday.

    Also if I have an event I know about like a friends birthday I'll move my cheat day for that week!
  • ahanson6
    ahanson6 Posts: 102
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    I intended my treat day to be a day when I could have whatever food I had really been craving all week, but slowly it's become a treat meal, and I still try to make it as healthy as possible while keeping it a satisfying treat. The longer I monitor my eating the more I seem to make healthier decisions even on my treat days. I always log everything, and I work out just like a normal day if not more. I always end up going over on my calories, but it's never by a devastating amount. It's nice to have one day a week where I feel like I don't have to plan every single thing.
  • Beachbride07
    Beachbride07 Posts: 49 Member
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    I work hard (most days) to be able to eat what I want. I'm a pretty healthy eater most of the time, so when I need to satisfy a craving, I do. But I make sure that I am still under my calorie goal (or very close to it) for the day. If I have to, I go for a quick walk at the end of the day to burn a few more calories so I don't feel guilty about it.
  • funfitfoodie
    funfitfoodie Posts: 630 Member
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    "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!

    They work well for me as a "skinny fat" girl because they get my metabolism working! It's not about a binge I'm still healthy-ish but I'm super-healthy the other 6 days. And if I want chocolate I'll have some!

    I've had a tough week this week so I'm super excited for cheat day this Sunday!
  • kcphilly
    kcphilly Posts: 71
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    I like to call them "free days" instead of cheat cause I don't feel I'm don't anything wrong. Usually a free day for me happens when I know I'll be going out to eat, where I have whatever I feel like and don't worry that my one meal is more than half my daily calorie limit. I order the pasta and have dessert. I still log it all the best I can, which can be hard if that involves going to the bar some of those mixed drinks are hard to log, especially trying to remember what I had the next morning :)

    But these days are usually planned ahead of time...so I "bank" some calories during the week for it. That way I'm still pretty close to my weekly deficit.
  • yes_i_can
    yes_i_can Posts: 419
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    My cheat day doesn't involve food... I let myself have a few cocktails! (But, I'm also even more strick about food and increase my water on those days)
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
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    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)

    I don't take it as a slam. I should probably state that I don't have cheat days. I have one cheat meal in a month. My question was merely to gauge what was other's defnition. I am a fairly disciplined person, and have always been fit. I was just curious.
  • daddyratty
    daddyratty Posts: 305 Member
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    I go bonkers on a cheat day. I can easily net 4000-5000 calories, and it's totally fine. There's physiological backing for this, too. It's actually good for your body to get a huge dose of stuff it's not used to. Your metabolism, that's probably used to getting 1200-2000 calories a day, all of a sudden panics at having to burn a bunch more calories. That upstarted metabolism stays in effect for several days afterward, when you're back to your normal calorie level.

    Note that this might not be good for everyone, but I've found it to work very well. I was over last Saturday, and didn't even bother tracking Sunday. I pretty much ate all day. Nuts, dried fruit, greasy chips, cake, huge meals, etc. If I had to guess I would say at least 5000 calories. Yet at my Thursday morning weigh-in, I'd still lost 2 pounds.
  • lobster888
    lobster888 Posts: 861 Member
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    I kinda agree with clarkchittyp - my cheat /free day is a holiday or special event where I try to stick to my routine but don't sweat it if I go over or don't exercise that day. Easter was an example ...I had a nice breakfast - but eat a little too much sweets..and only got in a short walk.I eat healthy and stay within my calories most days so that those days don't hurt me. But I don't have a planned cheat day every week .. it just happen when it happens. I will be attended a Derby day party and Mothers day is the next day so I know that those days will kinda be cheat days!! But I still make healthy choices and just try not to over do it.
  • Legs_McGee
    Legs_McGee Posts: 845 Member
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    I like to call them "free days" instead of cheat cause I don't feel I'm don't anything wrong. .


    I like this. Sundays are usually my FREE days - I generally work out six days a week with a long run on Saturdays...Sundays are days with little exercise (although I sometimes go on a hike with a friend or take the Vampire Slayer for a long walk), McDonalds for breakfast, and a whole lotta chocolate all the live long day....
  • jllipson
    jllipson Posts: 646
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    My cheat day is when I go out to eat and get something totally off the wall on calories. I also don't worry about "working it off". Sometimes I do exercise, but out of want to get fit, not out of need to burn the extras. Most of the time I end up still being within calorie limits, even when I try to cheat...
  • Mkleder
    Mkleder Posts: 289
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    My idea of a "cheat" day is where I deal with a craving or a holiday meal. I always:

    * Stay within my target net calories
    * Do my regular work out
    * Put in extra effort on my workout the days before, during, and after the cheat day to make up for the indulgence

    I also adjust my intake on other days that week so that my weekly calorie intake and burn even out to normal.

    Within those guidelines, I eat what I want.
  • JMCade
    JMCade Posts: 389 Member
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    cheat day is CHOCOLATE!!!!!! don't do it very often, but that if my weakness.
  • Simplymeah
    Simplymeah Posts: 3 Member
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    To me a cheat day is when i workout extra hard so i can eat that cheesecake, or eat my 1200 cal but don't work out. took me awhile but i realized i can not do both.
  • sdirbder
    sdirbder Posts: 159 Member
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    My cheat days I dont count on here but I watch my portions.
  • cdbjr2000
    cdbjr2000 Posts: 63 Member
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    I dont have a regular cheat day but if its a holiday or a party or a football game I just enjoy..
  • doobabe
    doobabe Posts: 436 Member
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    Cheat Day for me means..........

    Whatever I can cram down my throat in a 24 hour period- is consumed. lol Seriously though, I generally dont like unhealthy foods and I am a vegetarian so I am usually still in the neighborhood of my calorie goal anyway. I usually still work out- I just dont log anything (food or exercise). I generally use these days to eat with my family with no worries (or label reading).

    And, these days are typically Sunday for me- Yes every week and I like it that way.
  • Akaratel
    Akaratel Posts: 137 Member
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    I guess my cheat day is the days i crave ice cream and feed that craving. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I have a weakness for ice cream.. But then I beat myself up and start doing crazy things to burn calories before bedtime.. I guess I suck at cheating... I will never ever give up my ice cream though! Do not ask me to please!
  • bmontgomery87
    bmontgomery87 Posts: 1,260 Member
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    I was doing one cheat day a week for a while there. I dont go way overboard, but I would eat what I wanted.

    Now I'd rather just have a mini cheat every now and then. Usually I can work my day out to where I can have a bowl of ice cream or a couple beers, and still stay within my dailiy goals.

    But occasionally I'll have a "Cheat day" and just eat crappy foods and drink a little more beer than i should. Usually regret it after.I'm learning the best strategy is making foods fit into your macros for the day, so you can have something you want, while still hitting your goals.

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