Cheat Day

fighter662
fighter662 Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
Do any of you guys have a cheat day? Is it worth it? I am wondering because I am doing so well on my diet and my goals that I do not want to throw it all away for a burger with friends. In put and thoughts???

Replies

  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    I don't cheat; I fit everything I want in moderation. You should be able to go out and have a burger every now and then without feeling like you're throwing away your progress. Just make it fit into your weekly deficit.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    I wanted cheat days when I had set my calorie goal too low.
  • soontobeslim2015
    soontobeslim2015 Posts: 45
    I dont have a cheat day but I do not deprive myself I just track everything make better choices and stay in my calorie limit so far 21 days and 18.4 pounds lost :)
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    My day will turn into a "cheat" day if I have icecream or whatever after dinner, which ALWAYS puts me over. I wish I could incorporate these things into my daily deficit, but 500-700 calories are hard to omit for a bowl of icecream :\ so I just avoid it all together.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    If you want a burger and fries, work it into your calories. Demonizing foods so that you feel like you're "cheating" doesn't make sense to me. You can eat the things you love in moderation.
  • mfp2014mfp
    mfp2014mfp Posts: 689 Member
    God yes of course you should! Everything in moderation all the time is just about as boring as it gets, life is meant for living, going out with your friends and not concerning yourself too much is a great joy in life! I hate the term cheat day, one day every now and then in the course of a life time wont ruin anything, it should improve it.
  • WatchJoshLift
    WatchJoshLift Posts: 520 Member
    I have a cheat life. I eat all I want, when I want.
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    fighter662 wrote: »
    Do any of you guys have a cheat day? Is it worth it? I am wondering because I am doing so well on my diet and my goals that I do not want to throw it all away for a burger with friends. In put and thoughts???

    So you've consistently had a deficit? As in, you're several hundred calories under this week?

    What is the absolute worst thing that happens if you go out with your friends? You consume an extra several hundred calories?

    Your worst case scenario is that you cancel this week's work out. This is unlikely unless you have a very tiny deficit or you absolutely lose your mind at the restaurant.

    Go. You're allowed to have a life outside of your goals.
  • fighter662
    fighter662 Posts: 6
    I did the math and I have plenty of calories in my deficit. Plus I was going to run tomorrow and do some weight training.
  • STUPID_GOPHER
    STUPID_GOPHER Posts: 37 Member
    better to do a cheat meal, than a cheat day :)
  • pinkprincess1952
    pinkprincess1952 Posts: 194 Member
    My trainer gives us a cheat meal every 21 days because you need it to kick your motabolism up after it gets used to your new way of eating...
  • bainsworth1a
    bainsworth1a Posts: 313 Member
    I agree I do not have a cheat day. but I track everything I eat good and bad to the best of my ability and try not to go too far over the line. I found if I deprive myself too much I trigger a binge and that is really bad. I also found that even though it is more expensive I buy single serving packages of some things like chips and eat one small bag instead of a big bag.
    good luck whatever you decide
  • Becky_LaBelle
    Becky_LaBelle Posts: 28 Member
    I try to follow an 80/20 rule. 80% of the time I eat healthy and I give myself some wiggle room. If I feel like that's too much I try to really restrict the bad foods for at least 21 days or so then I have to have a cheat meal. With this method I'm able to still indulge in whatever suits me and when I do cheat I gain a little water and always end up lighter. But you have to see what works for you.
  • bakingforlife
    bakingforlife Posts: 132 Member
    i eat what i want with moderation ,but i also exercise just makes,me feel better about icecream or what ever it is .
  • mzbek24
    mzbek24 Posts: 436 Member
    I found it slowed down my weight loss a bit, so I don't bother... I just add in regular treats as a part of a balanced diet. There's nothing I really cut out.
  • arussell134
    arussell134 Posts: 463 Member
    I actually wrote about this on my blog. I'm not sure if this is OK to post here - not selling anything, so we'll give it a go. (But I understand if it gets pulled.)

    http://thecouponproject.com/losing-weight-on-a-budget-why-i-dont-do-cheat-days-and-what-i-do-instead/
  • jpaulie
    jpaulie Posts: 917 Member
    Run_Fit wrote: »
    I have a cheat life. I eat all I want, when I want.

    :|
  • uask4itdave
    uask4itdave Posts: 5 Member
    I don't schedule a cheat day. But when I do go WAY over my calories for the day...I consider it my cheat day. I work harder my next workout, and I make sure to stick closer to my calories allotment for the next few days. No harm, no foal if one Saturday you have a smothered burrito for lunch, then see a movie where you polish off a tub of popcorn & a soda. Just don't do it everyday.
  • determined24girl
    determined24girl Posts: 382 Member
    I don't like cheat days... they turn in to cheat weeks and so on. Then I have to start all over again... again. I do much better if I'm strict with my calories every day. But that doesn't mean i don't indulge every now and again. I just make sure I save some calories for it.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    pinkprincess1952 wrote: »
    My trainer gives us a cheat meal every 21 days because you need it to kick your motabolism up after it gets used to your new way of eating...

    Broscience...there's no need to "kick your metabolism up". Unless you're dead, or have thyroid or medical problems, your metabolism is working just fine.
  • ruggedshutter
    ruggedshutter Posts: 389 Member
    I try to fit all food that I plan to eat for the day in my daily limits. I set my goal at 1.5lb/wk so I have a buffer for if I want something over my goal. I know that I have 200-300 calories to work with before I encroach on the 1lb/wk which is my actual goal.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    edited February 2015
    It's all about weekly deficit. I do eat less some days so I can eat more other days, but I don't consider that cheating. If you don't make up for them the other days, they will slow down your weight loss.
  • jporter1183
    jporter1183 Posts: 43 Member
    I definitely do not do a cheat day, that sounds like a recipe for disaster and to undo all the hard work from the other 6 days in the week. But I am a British chocoholic, so each day I fit a chocolate bar into my calorie intake. If I want Indian for dinner one night, I'll have it. If I want a bagel on Sunday's, I'll have it. But I just make sure my other meals are healthy and as close to my calorie goal as possible, and if one meal sets me over one day, so what. It's a long road, I won't deprive myself of something I love. But for me as you can see it's more of a cheat meal every so often, it would never be a cheat day.
  • Atrocity108
    Atrocity108 Posts: 328 Member
    I cheat every Sunday. My mind needs the rest from the constant counting. Besides, I need to enjoy my fatty and sugary snacks.

    Such as this morning I had a cappuccino. It was tasty and I regret nothing!

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