Are cheat days bad for your diet?

EWJLang wrote: »

PAV8888 wrote: »

spzjlb wrote: »

In my opinion, if long term weight loss - and then maintaining that goal weight - is your objective, then it is just not going to work if you cheat and pretend that you are just relaxing. It is a lifestyle. We should try to be relaxed all the time, but fit it all into our limits.

^^
This.

I am here because I want to permanently and sustainably change my relationship with food and exercise.

I don't expect to always stay within my self imposed calorie budget. And I don't feel particularly guilty when I, occasionally, do not--though I do feel pissed off it the food quality wasn't worth it!

But to deliberately decide that "there is no calorie budget today"? "I'll do whatever", because it is an "official cheat day"?

How would that help me to permanently and sustainably learn not to operate like I used to when I would eat four dinner plates during Sunday brunch and have trouble walking out of the restaurant?

Yeah, this. "Cheat" implies that there is some kind of way to get a "day off" from your physiology, and that you are "on a diet" and can't wait to be "done."

This some more. I want this "diet" to become a permanent way of life so i eat what i want but within my calorie limit and occasionally (not to a schedule) have days or meals when my calories go crazy. I still log everything because i find it interesting but i feel that this is a more realistically sustainable way to approach healthier eating.
I would add the general rule that if you find something that works for you then do it. Everyone's body and mind is different so will respond differently to different stategies.

I have a cheat day every now and then. As a matter of fact, week before last, I had two. One was intentional--I was hungry, I wanted what I wanted and wasn't going to substitute. So I ate it--several times, LOL! The other time, I was at a restaurant I had never been to, with limited choices for eating what I needed. In either instance I didn't worry about it; I made sure I did a little extra exercise the next couple of days.

angelexperiment wrote: »

I have a free day scheduled into my eating plan. I eat things I may not have during the week like a 1/2 cup ice cream or white bread but I stick to one portion. I am allowed 2100 on this day. This severely cut down on my binging or cheating and its nice. I don't go crazy but I do have to log it to keep control bc I am not ready for a no calories counting day yet.

Oh and it has helped in my weight loss as well bc my calories are cycled.

Hey you guys looking for moral support I'm really trying to lose weight I'm down 10lbs looking forward to gym time every chance I get!!

SergeantSausage wrote: »

Machka9 wrote: »

I am trying to lose weight, and therefore I do not plan to take cheat days or meals. I'm on a mission.

However, of course, if I exercise more, I can eat more. I will often eat up to about half my calories back.

And I don't eliminate foods or restrict myself to salad or anything.

For example, about a month ago, I ate half a small cheesecake ... and that was OK because I had exercised more than enough to cover it.

That's not cheating ... that's strategic planning.


And I figure that when I get down to a certain weight, I will increase my calories a little bit to slow the weight loss, and may be able to include more yummy food if I want.

This guy gets it.

Thanks ... and it's 'girl'.

A cheat day means I can hang out with my kids and we can eat something treat-y together without me enforcing my diet on them. Also, I do try to keep it a 'clean'-ish treat, like homemade French fries or homemade pizza.

But yeah, as said, make it a treat meal rather than a treat day.

Funny this topic popped up on the featured topic on my feed, because I am ready to leave for a cheat meal. My kids are talking me out for my birthday tonight. (10 days late, but it is the first time they have a day off at the same time. They are both nurses, and work crazy shifts)

Historically, for ME, cheat days actually help my weight loss. When I go into weight loss mode, with lots of exercise, my net calories gets very low. When I bounce up in the calories once or twice a month, it seems to jolt my body back into weight loss mode after a plateau.

Again, this works for ME, it may not for everyone. Now, I am leaving to meet the kids and enjoy a totally guilt free evening of eating whatever the hell I want.

Have a great night everyone.

On the topic of leptin levels, the term "refeed" is preferred over "cheat." You aren't cheating, you're actually tricking your body by using a refeed day. The basic premise is that your body wants to keep its fat reserves and once you start a weight loss regime, your body will try to put a halt on the process by slowing down the metabolism and increasing the overall uptake of calories you consume. So even if you're going at the exercise and diet hardcore, your body's chemistry will still be trying to work against you.

A refeed day, iirc going above your normal caloric intake by 25%, will trick your body into thinking, "Hey! The lunatic has seen reason and is beefing up again. I can stop this starvation mode." Leptin levels return to normal and metabolism comes out of starvation mode. You can then hit the training regime again and feed off the "non-starvation-mode" metabolism.

All that being said, I've read that everybody's leptin sensitivity is different. Some people respond well to this technique, others don't. If you find yourself on plateau after plateau and you're doing your diet and exercise right, you might want to try the refeed to see if you get that metabolic bump.

A refeed day doesn't mean driving to the nearest fast food joint and camping out all day sampling the whole menu. You still have to eat responsibly, but an increase in protein and fat can help.

This is what I have read from various sources and it works for me. I use a refeed day every 7-10 days or so and maintain a smooth weight loss profile when I do. If I stick to my calorie targets every day for a month, I will plateau. So it's basically getting to know your body well enough to know what works for you.

I guess everything I've read and success I've experienced with the technique is wrong.

I did make an omission mistake about the protein/fat though. I meant to write an increase in carbs and a overall decrease in protein and fat can help.

When you say "over time," is there anything more specific? Does that mean a week, a month... a year? I have observed hard plataeus on my own journey through weight loss and have managed to figure out how to tweak my diet to respond to and actually avoid that plateau. I've also read that a refeed can be effective if it "lasts" for 12-48 hours.

I agree, it isn't just one factor. Which is why it is important for people to understand how their bodies respond. There are a number of reports of the technique working for many people, myself included, so I'm finding that the facts you're sharing and the ones I've found from anecdotal evidence and journal articles are not quite matching up. If nothing else, it has inspired me to read more research papers on the issue. Thank you for sharing your information.

SnuggleSmacks wrote: »

But regardless, "cheat" is a terrible word to use, as it denotes something bad and sneaky and promotes an unhealthy relationship with food.

I agree.

The thing is ... what I've been eating while I've been losing weight here has been delicious and mostly satisfying (OK, I'm craving entire loaves of bread, but setting that aside ...). Low cal food doesn't have to be bland and boring. I just put away an immense bowl of spiced red lentil soup mixed with chow mein soft noodles for lunch. It was delicious, spicy, and filling ... and all up was just over 300 calories, which about normal for my lunches.

This whole idea of cheat meals leads me to believe that people are eating the most boring things imaginable and can't wait to break free and have something tasty. Why not incorporate tasty food in your normal every-day diet?

Pu_239 wrote: »

FoodFitnessTravel wrote: »

As a collage student, i tend to drink every weekend-not a glass or two of wine but more like four-five cocktails or so. Don't judge, you all know what it's like lol.
It is at least 1000 calories that i don't need, and they don't bring me any nutrients, they are downright bad for me. But it's life and i have a lot of fun.
Usually on saturdays i have cheat days. Never ever set me back where i would eat pizza, chocolate, although i still have treats every day just within my calories. Actually it always pushes my weight loss a little as i'm always lighter on Monday than on Friday morning haha.

Go ahead, enjoy life, think of this as a long term lifestyle. You're gonna drink and eat yummy meals, as long as you are healthy most of the time, it's all good It's not a race, getting fit is a long process that's never going to finish if you're serious about it. Even when you get to your GW you won't be like "good now i can eat all i want and lay on couch all day" It's even harder to control yourself when you're maintaining.

My point was, go ahead.

When i drink i just mix some vodka with some crystal light. A lot fewer calories.

there you go or vodka, water and mio

I'm planning on having a "treat" on Easter. I'm eating approximately 200 calories less each day this week, which will give me an extra 1200 calories to play with on Sunday and still hit my overall weekly goal. Macros may be a bit wonky, but, oh well. There's no way I'm missing out on my sister- in- law's prime rib and apple pie.