Cheat day/ meal?

Sweet_Pea4
Sweet_Pea4 Posts: 447 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Just wondering your thoughts on this?

Do you have a cheat day/ or just a cheat meal a week?
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Replies

  • herculean1982
    herculean1982 Posts: 29 Member
    I always have, but am finding lately it's interfering with loss so might have to stop. The rest of the week being good, I'm playing catchup all the time :cry:
  • Mycophilia
    Mycophilia Posts: 1,225 Member
    No, because if I want something I find a way to make it work within my calorie limit.
  • icck
    icck Posts: 197 Member
    edited April 2015
    No here too - I make it fit into my calories for the day, and by no means do I miss out. If I want something I'll have it, and either be careful the rest of the day or work it off later on.
  • nickyevans
    nickyevans Posts: 216 Member
    Yes I do, either a Friday or a Saturday night my husband makes home made pizzas. The rest of the week I stick to healthy eating.
  • slikorify
    slikorify Posts: 130 Member
    I don't plan any cheat meals / days since I know I usually end up going over my calories around once a week anyway if I go out for a meal or drinks or order in food with my housemates etc. I always let myself do stuff like that as long as it isn't too often since being really strict doesn't really work for me
  • fleurk126
    fleurk126 Posts: 43 Member
    Definitely! I would go insane otherwise. It's always the weekend for me. Either Saturday or Sunday and even if I go slightly over the other day during the week, I don't worry too much because I'm consistently under during the week.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    nickyevans wrote: »
    Yes I do, either a Friday or a Saturday night my husband makes home made pizzas. The rest of the week I stick to healthy eating.

    Just out of curiosity.

    Do you class this as a cheat because it takes you over your calorie or macro goals, or is it because you class pizza as a cheat?
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    No. You cannot cheat on food.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited April 2015
    nickyevans wrote: »
    Yes I do, either a Friday or a Saturday night my husband makes home made pizzas. The rest of the week I stick to healthy eating.

    Is homemade pizza unhealthy?
    What does your husband put in the pizza?

    Or is it best not to ask? :wink:
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    Cheating as in you don't log it is not a good idea. It is quite common for people to stall their weight loss by not logging a meal or day and not realizing they ate enough to completely eliminate their deficit.

    Cheating as in you are going to eat over goal, well thats up to you. Log it so you know how it effected your deficit and have accurate expectations for your weight loss. You will have to decide what is or is not worth it to you.

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  • fleurk126
    fleurk126 Posts: 43 Member
    4legsRbetterthan2 wrote: »
    Cheating as in you don't log it is not a good idea. It is quite common for people to stall their weight loss by not logging a meal or day and not realizing they ate enough to completely eliminate their deficit.

    Cheating as in you are going to eat over goal, well thats up to you. Log it so you know how it effected your deficit and have accurate expectations for your weight loss. You will have to decide what is or is not worth it to you.

    Yes, by cheating at weekends I mean that I do still log my "sins" knowing it will slow my weight loss, but giving my sanity a chance too otherwise I'll just end up craving >:)
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    Mycophilia wrote: »
    No, because if I want something I find a way to make it work within my calorie limit.

    +1

    Absolutely!

    Also, I don't want to sabotage the progress I'm making.

    If I want something above and beyond my usual calorie limit ... I exercise for it.



  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    Never, I strive to always stay within my goals. I cannot fathom why someone would purposefully cheat on themselves.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    nickyevans wrote: »
    Yes I do, either a Friday or a Saturday night my husband makes home made pizzas. The rest of the week I stick to healthy eating.

    Homemade pizza is super healthy!!! And OP, I eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I just stay within my calorie limit.

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  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    randomtai wrote: »
    No. You cannot cheat on food.

    Truth
  • Kathrynha77
    Kathrynha77 Posts: 103 Member
    I don't plan in cheat meals or treats, because I do it when I need it or for something special, but try not to let it happen more than once a week.

    I try to eat cleanish and low carb most of the time, so a cheat for me could be something like homemade pizza. I do try to log it though, although it's not always that accurate.

    A cheat always has to be earnt/paid back though, whether that's being extra good with what I eat other days, or doing more exercise.
  • mcibty
    mcibty Posts: 1,252 Member
    I don't think cheat days/meals exist if you make it fit. I eat junk food all the time. Make it work.
  • Nathanmmx
    Nathanmmx Posts: 43 Member
    For a while there I was having one cheat meal a week then it started turning into 3 times a week then for a while there every day. I think depending on how many calories you save the rest of the week giving yourself and metabolism a spike is not necessarily a bad thing as long as you can be disciplined the other 6 days.
  • Ash1988Holland
    Ash1988Holland Posts: 8 Member
    Yes, cos being on a continuously strict calorie deficit can slow the metabolism completely and cause a plateau in fat loss, im a bodybuilder in training and i schedule a cheat meal once a week where i can enjoy my favorite foods (ie) Burgers and chips always my fav with a bowl of ice-cream and choc sauce, being on a diet for prolonged periods can cause stress to the body, and will cause it to kick into survival mode and hang onto fat stores. and c'mon people we are only human and have cravings, if you strict dieter during the week and train and workout hard, why not give yourself a reward, it will only keep you going in the long run.
  • AwesomeSauceTN
    AwesomeSauceTN Posts: 27 Member
    My cheat is always a full day of debauchery. My favorite way to go crazy is Nashville Hot Chicken at a meat & 3 (southerns know whats up) with a carb fiesta and sweet tea. And lots of beer. Breakfast includes pastries from the local mexican bakery. On my off day, I don't try to make it fit within my caloric limit. I don't feel guilty. I enjoy every minute and when its over - I just go back to the plan. All this bad behavior actually seems to help my weight loss.
  • amitkatz0
    amitkatz0 Posts: 61 Member
    I go over my calorie limit rarely just to let off some stream, but I always make sure the weekly average is at or below my goal. I don't have a set day because that's way too robot for me.
  • elet27
    elet27 Posts: 8
    Yes, I do have my cheat day but I make sure that I eat in moderation. I have some recipes that I'm trying out, http://www.nourishweightlossandwellness.com/recipes/
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    I try not to limit myself on what I want to eat, if I want chocolate, I'll eat a serving size of chocolate. It keeps me from going crazy and binging. I'm not going to say things didn't get crazy at Food Truck Friday the other week, but hey I had fun, and I accepted the consequences of my actions.
  • TiffanyR71
    TiffanyR71 Posts: 217 Member
    I find that a "cheat" meal and especially day throws me off my game- it turns into a cheat weekend or week... Yikes - then it gets hard for me to get back on track. That's just me, though- everyone is different... Instead, I try to work in foods that taste really good, but still fit into my calorie requirements for the day. I like a nice piece of grilled steak or scallops with some veggies and a glass of wine on the weekend! I'll just get a great workout in earlier & have a lighter lunch... Feel satisfied & happy to have stayed on track.
    That said, do what works for you, and enjoy!
  • rhonderoo
    rhonderoo Posts: 145 Member
    I try to make it within my calorie goal, even if I have work harder that day. If I don't or I imbibe too much, I just log it and move on. Tomorrow is another day, and letting it get me down only hurts my overall goal.
  • kellygillisjohnson
    kellygillisjohnson Posts: 1
    I have a cheat day once a week. I have not noticed it hindering my weight loss. I had a personal trainer tell me that a cheat day is a good way to reward the hard work you do the rest of the time...it also gives me something to look forward to!
  • Altagracia220
    Altagracia220 Posts: 876 Member
    edited April 2015
    Certainly not a cheat day. One can easily consume all the calories avoided all week to lose weight. A cheat meal? In a sense yes. It's not a regular thing, but when my friends invite me to go out to have drinks and bar food or I visit family and they feed me whatever, I'll consider that my cheat meal. I don't plan one for every week, I just enjoy myself when I am out with friends/family. This occurs maybe once or twice a month. And if i don't go out, I don't have the 'cheat meal'.
  • RoToQ
    RoToQ Posts: 93 Member
    edited April 2015
    Mycophilia wrote: »
    No, because if I want something I find a way to make it work within my calorie limit.

    This. I'm actually hitting goals much better since I've become a bit more relaxed about my eating. I can't explain why. I still stick to my calorie goals (and macros), but quite roughly, and eat healthily MOST of the time (4 out of every 5 meals) but I have pizza, chippy food, indian takeaway etc several times a week and it doesn't throw me off.

    Of course small concessions have to be made. I no longer get a 16" pizza to myself, but I never NEEDED one that size anyway, I'm just greedy haha. Instead I get a 10" and it fills me, and I don't get a carb coma after.

    The result? No late night binges, going OTT, feeling shame and guilt etc. Just happy, healthy, and hitting my targets.

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