Do people still do cheat days?

smugleafx
smugleafx Posts: 5 Member
edited November 11 in Food and Nutrition
Are people still doing Cheat days here or are they doing that iifym stuff?
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Replies

  • cruzj10
    cruzj10 Posts: 6 Member
    Iifym well I do that
  • LazyNightOwl
    LazyNightOwl Posts: 166 Member
    I do the iifym stuff
  • Walter__
    Walter__ Posts: 518 Member
    I do IIFYM and cheat days. Cheat days to me are about not having to log anything at all and not having any calorie limits.

    Have to limit it though. One cheat day might set you back a whole week so I only do it after a big milestone. Usually either every 5lbs or 1month.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    No cheat days here. Once in a while (once a month?) I eat at maintenance though.
  • its_annabelle
    its_annabelle Posts: 15 Member
    I don't really do cheat days... I can't remember the last day I ate anywhere close to maintenance. But if it works for you, you should do it. Sometimes, cheating is just how it works for some people.
  • jacqui248
    jacqui248 Posts: 19
    what is IIFYM?
  • Can_CK
    Can_CK Posts: 3
    I think cheat days ruin your struggle during the whole week. You need to effort so many days to make up a cheat day. It's pretty much likely to realize that you are at your starting point at the end of a month.
  • kramrn77
    kramrn77 Posts: 375 Member
    jacqui248 wrote: »
    what is IIFYM?

    Ditto
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    IIFYM = If it fits your macros
  • kramrn77
    kramrn77 Posts: 375 Member
    Ahhhhhhhhhh!
    Ok, now I don't feel so stupid!
  • JacobRichmond
    JacobRichmond Posts: 2
    edited February 2015
    I try not to do cheat days, because I tend to fall back to bad habits for a couple days if I cheat for even a day. It just makes me crave things that I worked so hard to forget about. Cheat days can be really helpful for some people, but it can really put back others.

    IF you can maintain the same healthy habits without feeling like you need a break from it every now and then, then just stick to it.

    If you need cheat days, then make sure you don't go too overboard, and make sure it's only limited to that one day. Falling back can happen to anyone at any time, but it's best to avoid it.

    To each their own.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    I go through phases of being 'good' all week and then having a treat day. I don't go crazy, just have some homemade cake, or ice-cream or something. Then sometimes I do iifym. I've not been feeling 100% the past couple of weeks, combination of having a cold/cough, and sleep deprivation due to a teething baby, so it's been more iifym as I haven't been able to resist a small treat now and again. It's rare I go over my calories, and I don't eat exercise calories back. There are a few times in a year where I don't log at all...birthday, Xmas, wedding anniversary.
  • nam985
    nam985 Posts: 140 Member
    edited February 2015
    For me a cheat day doesn't really work, I don't want to throw away all the hard work I've done throughout the week. What I have been doing is allowing myself a little indulgence once a week (eg. The 2oz of bourbon I had after dinner on Saturday) that still keeps me within 100-200 kcal of my daily target (I tend to be under my net weekly goal by at least 1000 kcal so I have some leeway) and once a month going out for a nice treat meal where I order whatever I want.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    edited February 2015
    Typically during PMS, but because I'm just so HUNGRY. And I typically make up for it the next week at least.

    Otherwise, sure, once in a while for special occasions. I haven't had cheat days lately though, more the PMS kind, or the 'oops I binged again' kind.
  • MustLoveCats21
    MustLoveCats21 Posts: 137
    I eat way to many sweet treats. Now I'm trying to form a habit of only having a sweet treat once on a Sunday every week. I guess you can call that a cheat day, although it's more of a cheat meal.
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
    I don't have cheat days. I have random "no log" days. I've been here for 55 days and I've had 2 so far. 9lbs down. Still going strong. Even my "tight" pants are about to start falling down.
  • fleurk126
    fleurk126 Posts: 43 Member
    You guys are all so good!! o:) I'm new to MFP but I guess you could say that I used to (?) have cheat weekends! i.e. I tend to eat healthily during the week and then relax at weekends.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited February 2015
    What's a cheat day? I never call it that (since I'm not cheating), but sure I decide it's okay to go over my calories on occasion.

    I also make an effort to meet my macros and don't permanently eliminate foods.
  • joolsmd
    joolsmd Posts: 375 Member
    I found out at the weekend that I can't even do a cheat meal without the scales going up so a cheat day would be disaster for me. Its a shame but it seems the only way I can lose weight is to rigorously log everything and eat below my set calories, so no cheats for me! :\
  • Revonue
    Revonue Posts: 135 Member
    I do, every once in a while. Usually I remain on track to lose when I am supposed to, knock on wood. I am trying to get them spaced out further and further, just a personal goal.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    I try to even out my week, of eat at a deficit the next week.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    edited February 2015
    Added- I do overeat sometimes, and I could care less about calories on my birthday or Xmas.
  • ashleycde
    ashleycde Posts: 622 Member
    Some people will have "cheat" days by eating below their daily allowance every day (say, by 100 or 200 calories) and then indulging in those calories on only one day of the week (i.e.: 600 or 1200 calories over) so really they're still remaining in their deficit for the week, and it really isn't cheating at all.

    Personally, I find it easier to just stick to my goals. If I drink, I may go over, but I move on and don't sweat it, maybe work out a little harder the next day if anything.
  • tracie_minus100
    tracie_minus100 Posts: 465 Member
    Not anymore.
    I used to. But then the cheat day would turn into the cheat weekend, and it was totally undoing all the hard work I had done during the week. It's a slippery slope, at least for me.
    Now if I have an event (birthday party, something like that) I will allow myself to eat what I want for that meal. I'll log it and move on. Those are the only "cheats" I do now...though I don't really consider them to be cheating. Just life.
  • xMrBunglex
    xMrBunglex Posts: 1,121 Member
    I fit my macros 99.9% of the time. I do have a "cheat meal" once a week (pizza, white bread, dessert, etc.) but I make sure I'm on point by the end of the day.

    "Cheat Days" turn into "off the rail weeks".
  • KHaverstick
    KHaverstick Posts: 308 Member
    I periodically take days of from logging, more as a mental break than as an opportunity to go crazy. This past weekend was an example. I didn't go overboard, but I just didn't log everything. It's a nice break every once in a while. I've done it throughout my weight loss experience, and it has never had a negative impact.
  • fleurk126
    fleurk126 Posts: 43 Member
    KHaverstick wrote: »
    I periodically take days of from logging, more as a mental break than as an opportunity to go crazy. This past weekend was an example. I didn't go overboard, but I just didn't log everything. It's a nice break every once in a while. I've done it throughout my weight loss experience, and it has never had a negative impact.

    That's encouraging - I think it would go crazy if I tried to log EVERYTHING ALL the time. Thanks
  • Icandoityayme
    Icandoityayme Posts: 312 Member
    I don't have any set cheat days but if I happen to go out and we decide to eat out somewhere, I enjoy myself without going crazy on things. Exercise gets rid of most things on my macros and lots of water gets rid of the sodium in a day or two. It all ends up working itself out.
  • questionfear
    questionfear Posts: 527 Member
    pinklotus_56 wrote: »
    Not anymore.
    I used to. But then the cheat day would turn into the cheat weekend, and it was totally undoing all the hard work I had done during the week. It's a slippery slope, at least for me.
    Now if I have an event (birthday party, something like that) I will allow myself to eat what I want for that meal. I'll log it and move on. Those are the only "cheats" I do now...though I don't really consider them to be cheating. Just life.

    Exactly. I try not to go crazy, but life happens, and since most of the time meals or temptations like that don't come out of nowhere, I just try to plan around them.
  • alicaramik2
    alicaramik2 Posts: 71 Member
    I occasionally have something that may not be the best choice nutritionally, but I try to stay within my calorie goal. For example, last night I was craving an apple empanada from Taco Bell. I checked my calories and had plenty left for the day, so I treated myself to one. A couple of weeks ago, I went out for breakfast with my sister in law. I had a pretty big meal, so I just kept it very light the rest of the day. I think that has been the biggest difference in my weight loss efforts this time. Before, I'd label some foods as "bad" or "cheats" and tell myself that they were off limits. That only made me crave them more. I think just about any food can be ok, as long as you don't go crazy with it.
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