Should I have a "cheat day"?

Options
2

Replies

  • bschneider5
    bschneider5 Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    cindyangotti wrote: »
    Don't cheat. Just plan it and log it. If you go over your calorie goal work it off with cardio exercise.

    What she said.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
    Options
    dzhuff wrote: »
    I'm new to dieting. Is a cheat day a good way to not be so strict on yourself, or is it undermining the whole process?

    No one can tell you what you " should " do. Only you can decide what you want to do and how you live with the consequences of your decisions. Having a cheat day or not is one of those decisions.


  • DennisBeck1
    DennisBeck1 Posts: 3
    Options
    In moderation, maybe a meal. But you eventually have to work it off. In time, when your metabolism kicks in, then a cheat day is okay so long as you stick to the exercise and drink a little extra water the next day to flush out what you can. Truly depends on what you do to work it off. I know guys that run 8 to 10 miles a day and eat what ever they want when ever they want. If you don't do that, then use moderation and caution.
  • slucki01
    slucki01 Posts: 284 Member
    Options
    gothchiq wrote: »
    I would say don't do it. It's easy to wipe out your entire calorie deficit for the week by overindulging for a day. Not worth it.

    I agree. I occasionally will have a meal that is a little over the top, but I don't have planned cheat days.
  • itschanelle
    itschanelle Posts: 86 Member
    Options
    dzhuff wrote: »
    I'm new to dieting. Is a cheat day a good way to not be so strict on yourself, or is it undermining the whole process?

    I personally think cheat days are a terrible idea. I have gained and lost the same 30 pounds for a decade now (I'm almost 30) and it's because I fell into that diet mentality. Once you hit maintenance and are accustomed to cheat days you'll continue to do it only it will start packing on the pounds. It's much better to incorporate the foods you love day to day, even if that means eating at a smaller deficit and losing slower so you can. Stop thinking of this whole thing as a diet. It'll keep you on track and you won't feel deprived and like you're dieting. Or, like someone else mentioned, exercise a crap load so you can eat a crap load cheat free. I went on a 12 mile hike with a 2200 foot elevation gain yesterday and my fitbit gave me 1500 calories on top of my regular calories. We went to Cheesecake Factory when we got home, no cheats neccesary. I still logged everything and paid attention so I didn't gorge myself.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,060 Member
    Options
    chanellecherington wrote: »
    I went on a 12 mile hike with a 2200 foot elevation gain yesterday and my fitbit gave me 1500 calories on top of my regular calories. We went to Cheesecake Factory when we got home, no cheats neccesary. I still logged everything and paid attention so I didn't gorge myself.

    That's exactly how I do it. :)

    Speaking of cheesecake, on my birthday, I went for a long bicycle ride, racked up the calories burned ... and then ate half a chocolate cheesecake ... a small one, but about 1000 calories IIRC. 1000 calories of cheesecake was less than what I burned cycling that day, so it was all good. :)
  • pattywedge
    pattywedge Posts: 39 Member
    Options
    I have been using MFP for a month now and I don't feel like I need a cheat day. I can eat anything as long as I fit it into my calories. It is Awesome!
  • pattywedge
    pattywedge Posts: 39 Member
    Options
    Ooh Ya I do that also if I want to eat something and really need the extra calories I get more exercise :)
  • pinksky91
    pinksky91 Posts: 23 Member
    Options
    Dependinf on what you had in mind for a cheat day you could always figure your caleries for that meal and subtract a few caleries thruout thr week that way you dont go over the limit for thr week
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
    Options
    I don't "cheat," I eat what fits in my calories. When I'm cutting I tend to do 6 days in a deficit and one day at maintenance. I log what I eat on maintenance day, but I enjoy my burger and fried green beans and craft beer. I think the important part is continuing to be aware of what you're eating vs. what you're burning and making conscious decisions about your consumption. It's a lot better to plan for eating a 1000 calorie slice of cheesecake than to eat it and realize later that you were WAY over your calorie limit.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    Options
    I have chocolate most days. I don't throw it all on a day, though it sometimes turns out the way--especially in the spring when there are so many awards luncheons and banquets on campus.
  • akgeenaminto
    akgeenaminto Posts: 113 Member
    Options
    I say no. Just log life and some days will be better than others but be honest. Yes some days we eat the *kitten* that got us fat but we don't live that way anymore.
  • anschwartz9242
    anschwartz9242 Posts: 7 Member
    Options
    dzhuff wrote: »
    I'm new to dieting. Is a cheat day a good way to not be so strict on yourself, or is it undermining the whole process?

    I find that if I cheat, I lose a day of getting to my goal. Maybe 2 days, or even 3, if my weight goes up. And I feel guilty. And I dread getting on the scale the next morning. And I lose sleep over it. Sugar free candy works for me.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,060 Member
    Options
    crystalflame wrote: »
    I think the important part is continuing to be aware of what you're eating vs. what you're burning and making conscious decisions about your consumption. It's a lot better to plan for eating a 1000 calorie slice of cheesecake than to eat it and realize later that you were WAY over your calorie limit.

    Absolutely! And I had planned that cheesecake weeks in advance. :smiley:

  • thenewkayla
    thenewkayla Posts: 313 Member
    Options
    bschneider5 wrote: »
    cindyangotti wrote: »
    Don't cheat. Just plan it and log it. If you go over your calorie goal work it off with cardio exercise.

    What she said.[/quote
    on Thursdays I go buffalo wild wings after work.. i have onion rings wings and beer!
    But like she said I fit it in my calories...so that's my cheat meal ... but it's not really a cheat meal cuz it still fits..i think if I had cheat day I d feel gross..
  • ereck44
    ereck44 Posts: 1,170 Member
    Options
    Yeah, if you are starting out, don't do it Cheating is how you got here. Maybe a couple of months down the road, try a cheat meal, but not if you are starting. Jmho.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Options
    I say NO

    If you need to cheat you're setting up a 'deprivation model' in your mind

    Work your diet (as in food plan) across the week so that you can eat the things you love

    don't cheat - just make room for what you want

    then you have less deprivation and less need for willpower and habits form quicker
  • DearestWinter
    DearestWinter Posts: 595 Member
    Options
    I never have a real cheat day where I go over maintenance. I work treats I want into my calorie allowance. (Today it was frozen yogurt.)

    On occasion (once or twice a month) I'll eat to maintenance (but never over) for one reason or another. It just stalls the effort but doesn't negate my previous work.
  • Kalici
    Kalici Posts: 685 Member
    Options
    I have cheat days, but I think what I term a cheat day and what a lot of other people do are very different. I am a five feet tall woman with medical problems that make it difficult to lose weight so I have to be very exact with my calories. Every two weeks I have a cheat day that I have banked my calories for. I plan out those meals, I really look forward to them and I log them, but I am still under calorie goal and maintaining a deficit.
  • ColtonMiller56
    ColtonMiller56 Posts: 6 Member
    Options
    It's what you do consistently that counts. One cheat meal or even a cheat day won't matter if you stick to your diet the rest of the week. I personally have cheat day once a week where I eat whatever I want all day and I've lost 10 pounds in a month. When you diet strictly for a long time your metabolism slows down because it thinks your in a famine. When you have a day that you go in a caloric surplus your basically telling your body it's not starving and it releases leptin( the fat burning hormone). Therefore your metabolism speeds back up so when you go on a diet, you lose weight quicker.

Categories