cheat day? whats that?

LittleMissJamie
LittleMissJamie Posts: 7 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
HI all,

So I just finished trading tips and what works for me with one of my friends that has been working successfully to lose weight for the last 10 months (He's lost nearly 60 lbs!). He's swearing by the importance of having a cheat day, one day of the week when you eat whatever you like and forget the calorie counting. I considered it but the only thing that I was craving this morning was Red Berry Special K, not exactly cheating. I was just wondering whether any of you have a "cheat day" and why and how you work it into your healthy living (I've stricken the D word from my vocabulary lol).

Thanks. Happy Saturday!
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Replies

  • Hype
    Hype Posts: 349
    Bump
  • lindseydodd408
    lindseydodd408 Posts: 11 Member
    I don't have a cheat day, but twice or three times a week I'll have a cheat meal or snack... but I try to earn it first in the gym so I still don't go over my cals.
  • rodneyderrick
    rodneyderrick Posts: 483 Member
    Yeah. Saturday is my cheat day, but I don't get crazy with it either. I still count my calories, but I don't fret if I go over my calorie count slightly.
  • Tracenspace
    Tracenspace Posts: 53 Member
    I'm interested in the replies to this too!
  • DiamondRubyMom
    DiamondRubyMom Posts: 147 Member
    I have a cheat meal once or twice a week. If I go the whole day I'll blow it too much but one meal gives me the freedom to stick to it the rest of the week.
  • bigmamma3
    bigmamma3 Posts: 134
    I've wanted to ask this too
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    I dont have a cheat day if I want something I just account for it on my calories ...if its something with outrageous caloric count i split it in half....
  • denitraross
    denitraross Posts: 325 Member
    Here is my thoughts on cheat days...once a week is way to often, you will have defeated the purpose of eating good all week to do it that often....once a month is plenty....however, count the calories and log them so u can track it. Also work out great the day of and the next day to balance it off..
  • chic_mama_25
    chic_mama_25 Posts: 90
    I don't have a cheat day as then I allow myself to slip back into bad habits and it become like a cheat week lol.

    If I have a massive workout (900 cals) then I let myself have something luxurious like wine or cake (or a big bit of CHEEESE ), cos I DESERVE it! But I try to stay healthy 95% of the time.

    Like, for example, I can't really imagine ever eating french fries again. The idea actually grosses me out a bit.
  • LittleMissJamie
    LittleMissJamie Posts: 7 Member
    I don't have a cheat day, but twice or three times a week I'll have a cheat meal or snack... but I try to earn it first in the gym so I still don't go over my cals.

    Yea, I was thinking this would be a better option. A whole day would probably be the beginning of a downward spiral for me lol.
  • funfitfoodie
    funfitfoodie Posts: 630 Member
    I have a cheat day every Sunday because a) It gets my metabolism working harder again and b) I can save up all the cravings for the week and get to have them on Sunday - if you can't banish the cravings at least get them in a controlled manner. If I ate what I craved when I craved it I would probably have at least 1 "cheat food" everyday. I would rather have one "bad day" then a bad food everyday - that said my "bad day" is completely guilt free because of point (a) lol!

    I hope this makes sense?

    Idk - cheat days work well for me :)

    Tomorrow I'm satisfying my chips and gravy craving - so excited!

    EDIT: just to add a "cheat day" is not the same as a binge! I don't sit in bed with family sized bar of chocolate after family sized bar of chocolate. Its very important not to go overboard!
  • healthekate
    healthekate Posts: 22 Member
    It's a really good idea to have a responsible cheat day once a week to avoid a plateau. It's sort of the same concept of calorie cycling; it keeps your body from entering starvation mode, and it keeps the body guessing. It's really important that you only eat healthy foods, though. No McD splurges! Keep your sodium levels down, and keep it balanced, but eat more calories than you normally would. Good luck!
  • theresea37
    theresea37 Posts: 5
    I've been thinking about this too this week. I haven't purposefully had a cheat day, but I've gone out to lunch or dinner a few times on weekends and gone over, but still tracked them. This week, I was looking at reports and noticed that I've had my biggest weight loss weeks following those Saturday or Sunday "cheat" meals, so I'm thinking there's something to it.
  • mkennedym
    mkennedym Posts: 253 Member
    cheat days shouldn't be used by people unless they have a history of success. if you are just starting to lose weight, leave the cheat day for something you do 6 months or 12 months down the road when you already have lost 20 or 40 lbs.

    also, if you have a history of losing focus/motivation then you should definitely not have cheat days.

    basically: cheat days are for closers.
  • funfitfoodie
    funfitfoodie Posts: 630 Member
    It's a really good idea to have a responsible cheat day once a week to avoid a plateau.

    Introducing a cheat day is how I got off my plateau - I just haven't updated my ticker for about 2 weeks!
  • FTIM2015
    FTIM2015 Posts: 460 Member
    I'm having a cheat meal tonight as the BF is taking me out as he's been working away. Worked out and saved over 700 cals yesterday and have over 650 left today.

    Going to do some walking before we go out to make sure I earn a few more, and then stick tight to my allowance the rest of the week.
  • Egger29
    Egger29 Posts: 14,741 Member
    Isn't "Cheat" anything rather Backwards thinking? Think about it....if you do all this hard work to reach goals...why contradict those efforts with a "reward" that's the same as taking Two Steps Backwards??

    Yes...three steps forward...two steps back....will get you to the goal...but is that ideal??

    It's OK to have an off day every once in a while, and you don't have to give up things you love to meet your goals...you just need to be concious of your choices.

    This comes from having a healthy and active lifestyle as a natural part of your life, that allows for you to enjoy these things from time to time...In Moderation.

    It's the concept that you're "Cheating", alluding to feeling guilty or not, is where the thinking is backwards...since if you're concious of your choices in your entire lifestyle, you needn't feel like you're cheating or guitly about anything you choose in your diet.
  • mkennedym
    mkennedym Posts: 253 Member
    btw: people who think starvation mode happens to anyone who uses a calorie restrictive diet. that isn't true. starvation mode takes severe calorie restriction for months before it begins to mess with your metabolism. in fact, despite "starvation mode" kicking in for the subjects of the minnesota starvation experiment, basically the subjects went from losing like 3 lbs a week to 2.6 lbs per week. it wasn't a huge drop (this is obviously relative, since the subjects were losing more than 3 lbs per week, but you understand with what i mean).
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    Well. I've actually been changing this recently.....

    I don't normally have cheat days -- only once in a great while. Well, the last time I had one? I logged everything and it honestly wasn't that much of a "cheat". So, I decided that instead of doing cheat days - if I want something, I will just eat it. Log it and keep going.

    I do always give in to my cravings though otherwise you'll just eat a bunch of other stuff trying to quench the craving you're having. No use eating 300 calories of stuff you don't want when eating 150 calories of what you do want would solve the problem. :)
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    btw: people who think starvation mode happens to anyone who uses a calorie restrictive diet. that isn't true. starvation mode takes severe calorie restriction for months before it begins to mess with your metabolism. in fact, despite "starvation mode" kicking in for the subjects of the minnesota starvation experiment, basically the subjects went from losing like 3 lbs a week to 2.6 lbs per week. it wasn't a huge drop (this is obviously relative, since the subjects were losing more than 3 lbs per week, but you understand with what i mean).

    I think this is different for everyone. When I don't eat enough, my body freaks out on me. I've learned a lot about my own body in the last year or so. I know what it likes/doesn't like and having its food intake restricted ticks it off - and does it very quickly. So, I think every single person is different and responds differently to calorie restriction. Just like everything - you can't generalize how long it'll take for this or that to happen. We're all different.
  • momontherun92
    momontherun92 Posts: 16
    Benefits of a cheat day: If you know you can indulge in whatever foods you want one day of the week (or less often if you choose), it helps you resist that temptation on the other days. Totally avoiding the foods you love & crave can lead to major overindulgence at some point. Better to have a controlled cheat day than to just go beserk. I have even taken that brownie, or cookie, or whatever and put it in the freezer to wait for my cheat day. I have also noticed that the longer I am into my healthy eating routine, the worse the bad foods make me feel when I eat them, and the less I crave them. Instead of lots of sugar, fats and carbs, my cheat days tend to be much healthier, but still yummy foods. My philosopy....life is too short to not enjoy a dinner out, or some yummy dessert. It's a matter of staying in control, making better choices, and continuing to work hard at it. It's a lifestyle change, not a "diet".

    Having said all of this, I must confess that I sort of keep track of cheat day calories, just because I don't want to go overboard and undo all of my hard exercise and work for the past week. And sometimes I only slack off for a meal or two, not a whole day.
  • mkennedym
    mkennedym Posts: 253 Member
    btw: people who think starvation mode happens to anyone who uses a calorie restrictive diet. that isn't true. starvation mode takes severe calorie restriction for months before it begins to mess with your metabolism. in fact, despite "starvation mode" kicking in for the subjects of the minnesota starvation experiment, basically the subjects went from losing like 3 lbs a week to 2.6 lbs per week. it wasn't a huge drop (this is obviously relative, since the subjects were losing more than 3 lbs per week, but you understand with what i mean).

    I think this is different for everyone. When I don't eat enough, my body freaks out on me. I've learned a lot about my own body in the last year or so. I know what it likes/doesn't like and having its food intake restricted ticks it off - and does it very quickly. So, I think every single person is different and responds differently to calorie restriction. Just like everything - you can't generalize how long it'll take for this or that to happen. We're all different.

    i'm going by what the scientific evidence suggests, not by what people think will or should happen. scientific studies are a lot more reliable than non scientific opinions by random people especially on "starvation mode" and what causes it.
  • emsibun
    emsibun Posts: 208
    I'm having a cheat day today :) and no exercise whatsoever. It keeps me motivated. I've lost 7 pounds since joining MFP but lost 4 stone in total since August (over 50 pounds). I'm losing the last 15 pounds at the moment and weightloss is slow, and that's why I started calorie counting, as I hadn't been up til now. I had a great week this week - loads of exercise. I didn't eat all my exercise calories back, but enough to stay full and happy, but I have been looking forward to my 'saturday off' for a few days.

    I can tell when it's time to take some time out so I do. :laugh:

    And yes, in response to the person who said that cheat days are for closers, yup, that's me!
  • rschmmidt
    rschmmidt Posts: 296
    It's really important that you only eat healthy foods, though. No McD splurges! Keep your sodium levels down, and keep it balanced, but eat more calories than you normally would.

    This is the one thing people forget to mention! The concept of a cheat day means go ahead and up your calories in a healthy way, not binge on treats. Someone forgot to tell me that when I started here and I couldn't quite figure out what I was doing wrong :)

    You have to figure out what works for you. I don't use a cheat day. That would send me into a downward spiral and also make me feel like I was depriving myself on the other days. There are enough unplanned food surprises that pop up in everyday life - and when that happens, I can choose to enjoy it and then I consider it my cheat treat. Then I won't do it again until a week or so goes by. You can also up the exercise to account for it.

    I think this lifestyle is about not depriving yourself or scheduling yourself. It's about managing your options.
    Good luck!
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    btw: people who think starvation mode happens to anyone who uses a calorie restrictive diet. that isn't true. starvation mode takes severe calorie restriction for months before it begins to mess with your metabolism. in fact, despite "starvation mode" kicking in for the subjects of the minnesota starvation experiment, basically the subjects went from losing like 3 lbs a week to 2.6 lbs per week. it wasn't a huge drop (this is obviously relative, since the subjects were losing more than 3 lbs per week, but you understand with what i mean).

    I think this is different for everyone. When I don't eat enough, my body freaks out on me. I've learned a lot about my own body in the last year or so. I know what it likes/doesn't like and having its food intake restricted ticks it off - and does it very quickly. So, I think every single person is different and responds differently to calorie restriction. Just like everything - you can't generalize how long it'll take for this or that to happen. We're all different.

    i'm going by what the scientific evidence suggests, not by what people think will or should happen. scientific studies are a lot more reliable than non scientific opinions by random people especially on "starvation mode" and what causes it.

    Well. Scientific studies told me a month ago that salt is bad for me. Avoid it at all costs! Blah blah blah and now studies are telling me that cutting salt can raise my risk of heart disease.

    There's a study out there for and against everything. I'd much rather hear from real people than a bunch of scientists.
  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
    Nope I never have a 'cheat day' I think that 'cheat' implies that it is something negative. For me this is not a diet, it is a lifestyle change! I haven't changed anything that I'm not willing to stick to for the rest of my life. I don't think that it is realistic to think that I will never go out to dinner, eat a piece of cake or go out and have a few drinks again. I try to make good choices most of the time, but I also eat what I want. If I really want something I will have it, I'll just probably have less of it. I also work out a little extra if I know that I am going to be going somewhere where I know I'll probably go over my goal, but if I go over from time to time it doesn't bother me. Since this is a lifestyle change there is no 'cheating' it's just life! I personally go for 'everything in moderation' rather than limiting what I eat.
  • allanaaron
    allanaaron Posts: 43 Member
    This is such a dangerous topic. there are real reasons most people who lose weight gain it back. In reading all the posts a few things are clear. You can treat yourself to an indulgence without cheating. It's not a matter of dieting it's a point of owning what you eat. You want a slice of pie... eat it. Count it. Own it. And there are choices within that. For at home buy a pie made with little or no sugar. Eat it slowly and enjoy. You don't HAVE TO add ice cream and whipped cream. You have th option of planning for a night out by working out a little harder. In other words don't cheat, earn it. It might be better to have the pie at the restaurant. the calorie count might be higher but you'll only have one serving. I buy lo cal desserts. I OVER indulge them. Not a great idea, does not lead to eating healthier, but it's part of my process as I slowly wean off them to more fruits. If you;re a NORMIE who has ten to thirty pounds to lose you can probably pull off anything, but if you;re a compulsive overeater who has more than thirty pounds to lose you might be playing with fire doing a cheat day. I must have had plenty 6,000 calorie days on my way to 365, I love the idea of an indulgent meal that I own, earn and count. Good luck and what a great discussion. Oh yeah, today I lost another pound to hit 299.
  • natskedat
    natskedat Posts: 570 Member
    I recently decided to omit logging on Saturday and Sunday. I trust that I'll maintain a very healthy diet, and I trust my choices on weekends, but I needed a break from logging. I need to eat a piece of birthday cake without knowing how many calories are in it! I've found that the number makes me feel guilty, and I don't want to live like that!

    So, I try to adhere to my 90-10 rule. I eat really healthfully 90% of the time, and then don't feel guilty with a red velvet cupcake, or two, ice cream, or a Sapporo at sushi. I have not doubt that I will work out, and I know one day, or one meal, is not going to ruin my body. Healthful living is a learned lifestyle.

    Living means enjoying life. I enjoy life guiltlessly. Trusting your food choices comes with learning the difference between healthful and unhealthful.

    I absolutely believe in a cheat day. Everybody needs to live. However, after a while, you might find that the foods you eat on your cheat day aren't worth how you feel the next day. This is part of the learning curve of adopting a healthful lifestyle. For instance, feeling like crap after indulging on two red velvet cupcakes is TOTALLY worth the water retention and general gross feeling the next morning. McDonald's vanilla shake is not worth it. I'll do the cupcakes, but I won't touch the shake. However, an In 'N' Out vanilla shake is a totally different story.

    OK, clearly I have a sweet tooth.

    My point is that living healthfully means living to enjoy life, not deny yourself life's pleasures. Like onion rings. Make one or two cheat days, or one or two cheat meals. Not every meal. Not every day. My sister and I ask ourselves, "Is this worth it?" Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. If it isn't, it's pretty easy to walk away, and I feel better about that choice. I'd feel unhappy if I couldn't eat my cupcake. I'm fine if I never eat another potato chip.

    It's a challenging concept, especially to those who are fighting addictions and eat emotionally. Good luck to all.
  • goteamwilson
    goteamwilson Posts: 9 Member
    I also have a cheat meal once a week. Alot of the experts say you HAVE to reward yourself or it will be hard to keep going on a stricter diet. What got me to gain weight was eating out alot and getting things that tasted so so good, but were not really healthy for me. When I started my diet, I didn't want to think that I could NEVER have those things again, so now I can have them as a treat and not a daily thing. I don't keep track of the calories so that it is truly a "guilt free" meal. I usually have it pretty soon after my weigh in so that I have the rest of the week to make up for it in time for the next weigh in.
  • funfitfoodie
    funfitfoodie Posts: 630 Member
    Benefits of a cheat day: If you know you can indulge in whatever foods you want one day of the week (or less often if you choose), it helps you resist that temptation on the other days. Totally avoiding the foods you love & crave can lead to major overindulgence at some point. Better to have a controlled cheat day than to just go beserk.

    This is what I was trying to get at lol!

    I also call my cheat day 'free day' because that's less negative! :)
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