Having a "cheat day"

I believe that the word "cheat" sets up a negative relationship with food. There's no "cheating." There's only deciding to stay within your calorie goal or not. Many people find that it is easier for them to stay within their calorie goals consistently if they allow themselves one meal or one day every week or two to eat anything they want. Others simply wait until they have the opportunity for something they feel is worth going over, like a special dinner or celebration. Others find that if they allow themselves to go over once, it's difficult to stop, or they go overboard and wipe out their deficit for the week.

Do whichever makes it easier for you to stay on track and keep your sanity.

When I was in the thick of my heavy weight loss, I preferred to budget my calories so that I could have a day when I treated myself. I always logged it and I stayed within my weekly calorie budget but that was the day when I would splurge a bit. Prior to this I had poor impulse control with baked goods and sweets and bread/pasta. So going several months with just having them on one day a week worked well for me. After a certain point I had kind of retrained myself and was able to add them back so that I have them throughout the week in reasonable portions.

I have an off-plan day every week. Now off-plan, when I started this journey, meant I could eat whatever I wanted. The first two times I did this I had the worst stomach ache/upset EVER, so I toned it down to "you can enjoy one meal of non-plan type foods, meaning I could eat processed or sweet foods. This worked for about the first 2-3 weekends, but I still had a really angry tummy. So now, for the last two weeks, I've made it where I allow myself to eat 3 meals a day instead of the regular 5, but I find that I don't really WANT to go beyond my normal calorie limits. On average, instead of 1500 calories I end up eating around 1800, but I feel really full and think that even this is something I won't sustain, I end up eating on plan out of habit. It's personal I guess. For me, knowing I COULD cheat one day or one meal made the week easier to get thru in the beginning, but now that I haven't really enjoyed those "cheats" I don't really look forward to them or need them to get me thru. So, like some others have said, it's really about how you're eating issues work. If it makes you feel like you have some refuge, then incorporate a cheat meal/day... you might surprise yourself and find you don't really need it.

I have something some people would consider "unhealthy" every day. I don't consider anything unhealthy if my overall diet is filled with nutrients and I'm hitting my macros. I would rather fit in cookies and chocolate daily, then have an unlogged, over indulgent cheat day every week. Even on my high day, everything is logged. I need the data so I can tell whats going on if I'm losing/gaining/maintaining.

Barbs2222 wrote: »

That's everyday for me. I just try to stay within the calories.

haha same here...chocolate everyday, pizza for breakfast today....

As a chocoholic I always allow myself a small portion in my daily calorie allowance (at the mo its 1 creme egg and thank you cadburys from cutting out the dairy milk chocolate saving me cals each day) as a treat. Probably once a week I have an indulgence day, I still track my cals but dont stress if I go over my theory being it balances in the long run. If I know I'm going to go way over (like my sisters wedding day) I try to do a longer run first thing in the morning and then just enjoy the treats.
I dont think 'cheat'days are an issue so long as its not everyday. Think of it as a treat not a cheat, a pat on the back for doing so well.

I eat all the things I love in moderation almost every day. I do understand the appeal of a meal set aside for indulging for those that find it hard to eat just one serving of something though. To each his own.