Allowing Cheat Days

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UnikittyRocks
UnikittyRocks Posts: 30 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone who is having success at losing steadily allow themselves a cheat day or 2? I'm less than a week old at this and can see a huge fail in store for me if I am not able to have one or two days to enjoy. Meaning I can have a bagel and a Dunkin Donuts latte AND wine in the evening.
I appreciate the advice for this newbie!
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Replies

  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
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    I hate the whole "cheat" idea. Aren't you trying to learn better habits? Learn to eat what you enjoy in moderation and fit it into your day on a regular basis. You'll be much better off in the long run.
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
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    I don't, and I DO enjoy what I'm eating. :) I have gotten away from the "overstuffed" mentality where I want it all in one day. I eat within my calorie allotment and am happy when I can put back the box or carton or whatever with more left over for the rest of the week.
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
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    I don't have cheat days and do not look at losing weight like that. I have what I want and make sure I am in a calorie deficit at the end of the day. I look at this as portion control. Working for me so far.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    You can work those things into a regular day, that way you don't feel the need to "cheat"
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Nope

    If I want a donut I'll eat one and log it within my weekly defecit

    Food isn't cheating, food is just food and you need to balance it to your calorie allowance
  • prettygirlstorm1
    prettygirlstorm1 Posts: 722 Member
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    If I had a cheat day it would turn into a cheat week, month and I would never be on track. I love all the foods that are not "healthy". I work the "non healthy" foods into my daily goals. I refuse to give up anything. If I overeat then I work out a little harder or I start fresh the next day. All of this goes out the window when I have PMS. LOL
  • k8blujay2
    k8blujay2 Posts: 4,941 Member
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    I don't do cheat days either... it work it into my day.... whether I'm following If It Fits Your Macro's or just the plain calorie deficit.
  • sherbear702
    sherbear702 Posts: 649 Member
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    Quick answer to your question, yes. You can have a cheat day and still lose weight. Just be sure to track everything, even if you go 1,000 calories over your daily limit. I also agree with @SuggaD, you should be trying to learn better habits, so limit it to one "cheat" day if you must. Just know that if every day becomes a cheat day you'll end up gaining instead of losing.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    No, I don't cheat. If I know I want something, I pre-log my day to make it fit.

    "Cheating" implies (for me) that I'm doing something wrong, and I don't like that feeling associated with food.
  • makelemonade14
    makelemonade14 Posts: 46 Member
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    I'm learning to make good choices most of the time so I can afford a less nutritional choice occasionally. If I think of it as a cheat, then there's guilt attached. I'm working hard at separating food from my emotions.

    Last Friday I had a burger and fries for dinner on a date night with hubby. I ate slowly, and stopped when I was full. Knowing that was coming, I made healthier choices in the days leading up. Sunday we got a last minute invite to pizza at grandmas. I ate the chicken/veggies pizza instead of the pepperoni, and have eaten quality so far this week. I'm finding it's more about balance than cheating.
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
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    I do something similar as others have mentioned, I stick to a "weekly allotment" of calories and this allows me days where I splurge but another day might be very low, or I exercise to make up for it.
    In the past I have also tried a "3 treats" per week, so I can spread them out, plan and enjoy without guilt.
  • radiosilents
    radiosilents Posts: 223 Member
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    SuggaD wrote: »
    I hate the whole "cheat" idea. Aren't you trying to learn better habits? Learn to eat what you enjoy in moderation and fit it into your day on a regular basis. You'll be much better off in the long run.

    Totally this. I wish folks would get past the pairing of the idea of "cheating" with food and eating. Fit it into your day when you are able! I eat and drink all kinds of stuff. Have a look at my diary if you wish – I've lost over 70 pounds doing so. Good luck!

  • UnikittyRocks
    UnikittyRocks Posts: 30 Member
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    vada44 wrote: »
    If I had a cheat day it would turn into a cheat week, month and I would never be on track. I love all the foods that are not "healthy". I work the "non healthy" foods into my daily goals. I refuse to give up anything. If I overeat then I work out a little harder or I start fresh the next day. All of this goes out the window when I have PMS. LOL

    Funny! Thanks Vada44 for understanding and not judging!

    I did mention I'm new at this right?! Tracking everything to fit into 1200 cal is hard right now but hopefully in another week it will be liked second nature. At least I'm gong that workouts add a bunch of calories back in!
  • Th3Ph03n1x
    Th3Ph03n1x Posts: 275 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I'm going to fly in the face of what everyone here says. I aim to meet certain macros and by the time I do that there's very little room to eat (for lack of a better term) junk. Maybe I have 200 cals left after meeting my macros if I'm lucky usually between 100 and 200 somewhere.

    If I could meet my macros with 300 or 400 cals left then I might do things different but so far I haven't managed it.

    I have a cheat day of sorts. I still log and I eat as normal except one meal. I've only done it once so far the first week. I have a rule no more than one time a week preferably less. I often have some calories left over on my regular days (50 or so) so I don't think it will kill me.

    Also I don't eat until I'm stuffed on these days. the only thing I eat to that point is lean protein and it doesn't take much of that to fill me up.

    ETA That week I had the cheat meal I still lost 2 lbs.
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
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    When losing, I try to stick to my deficit during the week (including treats like wine and chocolate, but in small portions), and on the weekends I'll eat around maintenance. The weight loss may be slower, but I don't feel deprived. Not to mention a higher calorie intake on Saturday makes for a better Sunday run...
  • occultllama
    occultllama Posts: 31 Member
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    When I first started I would have the odd treat but as I've gone on those foods have just become unappetizing. Why would you want a whole day dedicated to unhealthiness anyway, it will only set your weight loss back and take longer to reach your goals.
  • Hope2BFit81
    Hope2BFit81 Posts: 77 Member
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    I can see maybe having a cheat item, but a whole day? Two even? When you need to be at a deficit of 3500 in 1 week, that could completely blow what you've already worked so hard for.
  • UnikittyRocks
    UnikittyRocks Posts: 30 Member
    edited January 2015
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    makelemonade14 wrote: »
    I'm learning to make good choices most of the time so I can afford a less nutritional choice occasionally. If I think of it as a cheat, then there's guilt attached. I'm working hard at separating food from my emotions.

    Last Friday I had a burger and fries for dinner on a date night with hubby. I ate slowly, and stopped when I was full. Knowing that was coming, I made healthier choices in the days leading up. Sunday we got a last minute invite to pizza at grandmas. I ate the chicken/veggies pizza instead of the pepperoni, and have eaten quality so far this week. I'm finding it's more about balance than cheating.
    amysj303 wrote: »
    I do something similar as others have mentioned, I stick to a "weekly allotment" of calories and this allows me days where I splurge but another day might be very low, or I exercise to make up for it.
    In the past I have also tried a "3 treats" per week, so I can spread them out, plan and enjoy without guilt.

    I like the idea of pre-planning my splurge days. I didn't know about the weekly deficit thing so I will look into that- thanks!
  • BodyByButter
    BodyByButter Posts: 563 Member
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    I honestly don't see the point. I'm eating at a 500 calorie a day deficit. If I had a cheat day each week I could literally undo the good done on several of the other days in the week.

    Friday night is my husband's birthday, and I have been planning to eat a little more decadently then, but I have been budgeting calories each day this week for that. That's really my only version of it. The goal is to still eat at a deficit for the week.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    UnikittyRocks wrote: »
    vada44 wrote: »
    If I had a cheat day it would turn into a cheat week, month and I would never be on track. I love all the foods that are not "healthy". I work the "non healthy" foods into my daily goals. I refuse to give up anything. If I overeat then I work out a little harder or I start fresh the next day. All of this goes out the window when I have PMS. LOL

    Funny! Thanks Vada44 for understanding and not judging!

    I did mention I'm new at this right?! Tracking everything to fit into 1200 cal is hard right now but hopefully in another week it will be liked second nature. At least I'm gong that workouts add a bunch of calories back in!

    No one is judging you. If you want to allow yourself cheat days - knock yourself out. People are explaining why they don't. I think it's really important to learn how to include foods you love on a day to day basis, so you don't feel unmotivated or deprived. Those feelings make it that much harder to succeed.

    Why are you only eating 1200 calories though?

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