Do you guys believe in cheat day?!

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alexacb92
alexacb92 Posts: 9 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've come to realize after a few years of TRYING to diet that I would eat very healthy during the week and then on Saturdays particularly I would "cheat". However that one day of cheating turns out to be one weekend of cheating and then all the progress I've made that week goes down the toilet! :/ I think I rather not have a cheat day, but then I don't know if it's recommended when you're dieting.

Sometimes I can't help it, like today. Today is mother's day and I'm taking my mom and sisters out to eat. My fear is eating something I shouldn't and ruining my diet! Next week is my mom's birthday which means more unhealthy food and cake will be thrown my way.

I wonder if I just don't have any of it at all if it would be easier on me. Then having to deal with the consequences of eating a unhealthy meal.
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Replies

  • alexacb92
    alexacb92 Posts: 9 Member
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    Also, if you guys are for having a cheat day how often would you do it?!
  • suruda
    suruda Posts: 1,233 Member
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    You have to do what is going to work for your life...I would enjoy a meal out, but add in an extra walk or activity to counteract some of those extra calories. I also have done both things when having a sweet thrown at me (like cake)...sometimes I enjoy it all, log it and then do what I have to do the rest of the day to make up for it. Other days I can totally resist OR just have a bite. You can make them all work for you and there are a lot of days between today and your Mom's birthday...those can all be perfect days!
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    I do a weekly average of my calories... So sometimes on the weekend I allow myself a, "cheat day," where I can go over my suggested calories for the day as long as it fits into my weekly average.
  • ChelsMorrell89
    ChelsMorrell89 Posts: 11 Member
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    Nope! I do flexible dieting/IIFYM so I never have to cheat, I just fit it in if I want it. I also do one refeed day a week which is similar to a cheat meal I guess but it still fits certain macros. It helps me with my energy at the gym and I always train legs or a lagging body part on my refeed day! Works wonders when you're always in a calorie defecit.
  • CoffeeNBooze
    CoffeeNBooze Posts: 966 Member
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    Well for me there are always unexpected surprises with food. One of the challenges is just making it work into your day. Count as accurately as you can, and still enjoy the foods you want to have. It gets easier over time, just keep doing your best. There's no reason to deprive yourself of the foods you REALLY want to have during the week, unless you have some kind of medical condition. Exercising can help give you extra calories to work with in your day. I don't do cheat days, but if I want a "cheat" meal (something I know that will put me over my calories and can't/don't want to avoid it) then I do it once a week.
  • Lefty1290
    Lefty1290 Posts: 551 Member
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    When I first started losing weight, I thought of them as "cheat days," but now I know that I'm not "cheating" on anything. I just eat less healthy and I'm more lax about it on Sundays. I also don't work out on Sunday, but that's just me. I just had McDonald's for lunch and I have a m&m ice cream cookie sandwich waiting for me some time today. I don't usually have a whole "day" of eating crap, just a meal. I probably won't eat another meal today since I ate so much for lunch. I still log everything every day.
  • MissBoo2015
    MissBoo2015 Posts: 18 Member
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    If I meet up with friends and we eat out then that's my 'cheat' meal thing and I'll make sure to eat light later/earlier. I don't think restriction should be placed on a certain type of food. Like with birthday cake, have a small slice of cake it wont destroy all you hard work, one meal didn't make anyone overweight, the same way one workout doesn't make you fit and healthy. For me, a lot of it is going in there with a mind frame of making conscious decisions. If you know there's gonna be a buffet of food, make conscious choices of what goes on your plate - and how many plates you have. If you don't have any, you may end up overeating later on from restriction.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    No, I eat what I want within my calorie goals. Works well for me.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    I believe that some days, I'll be eating more. I also believe that they will slow down my weight loss or make me gain, so I try to eat what I want within my calories as much as possible. But I let myself enjoy the special days when I really want to (the last one was my birthday).
  • moltobella
    moltobella Posts: 37 Member
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    I have a cheat day every 2 weeks but it never comes out to more than 2000 calories so its not THAT much of a cheat.
  • HadassahsMomma
    HadassahsMomma Posts: 23 Member
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    As long as it doesn't turn into a cheat marathon then go to town.
  • Michael5482
    Michael5482 Posts: 26 Member
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    alexacb92 wrote: »
    I've come to realize after a few years of TRYING to diet that I would eat very healthy during the week and then on Saturdays particularly I would "cheat". However that one day of cheating turns out to be one weekend of cheating and then all the progress I've made that week goes down the toilet! :/ I think I rather not have a cheat day, but then I don't know if it's recommended when you're dieting.

    Sometimes I can't help it, like today. Today is mother's day and I'm taking my mom and sisters out to eat. My fear is eating something I shouldn't and ruining my diet! Next week is my mom's birthday which means more unhealthy food and cake will be thrown my way.

    I wonder if I just don't have any of it at all if it would be easier on me. Then having to deal with the consequences of eating a unhealthy meal.

    I have a cheat meal every 5 days including a pudding rather than a cheat day
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
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    Not really into the "cheat" concept.

    I burn an average of 3,500 - 4,800 calories a week running. On a 10km+ day I might burn 1,000 and I find it difficult to eat them all back. It I wanted to go out for a big steak dinner I might go for a run first and earn it, not cheat it.

    Earning not cheating is win, win, win.
  • franklinator70
    franklinator70 Posts: 6 Member
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    Can't think of things as cheat days. Nevative terms. Focus on eating clean and when out think moderation or choose something healthy and flavorful. Just do not go nuts with it. Even if you have a bad day. Just move on and get back on track. It gets easier as you go eating clean.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    No. I eat within my goals. I do shave off 100 calories on some of my non workout days so I can eat more on Saturday.
  • MollyBradford
    MollyBradford Posts: 14 Member
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    I don't consider myself to "cheat" and, honestly, I hate that term. Food should never make you feel guilty. If I want a treat, I fit it in my macros. If there is a special occasion, such as a birthday, I focus on enjoying myself. Building a good relationship with food is so important. I feel like if you allow yourself smaller treats often that fit your macros, you are less likely to full on binge when you don't track.
  • Peloton73
    Peloton73 Posts: 148 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I stopped putting a prize on food. I gave up cheat days because why should I reward myself for doing something that I should be doing anyways? There are occasions where I say "screw it" and eat a little more but that's just part of life and I move on.
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited May 2015
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    alexacb92 wrote: »
    I've come to realize after a few years of TRYING to diet that I would eat very healthy during the week and then on Saturdays particularly I would "cheat". However that one day of cheating turns out to be one weekend of cheating and then all the progress I've made that week goes down the toilet! :/ I think I rather not have a cheat day, but then I don't know if it's recommended when you're dieting.

    Sometimes I can't help it, like today. Today is mother's day and I'm taking my mom and sisters out to eat. My fear is eating something I shouldn't and ruining my diet! Next week is my mom's birthday which means more unhealthy food and cake will be thrown my way.

    I wonder if I just don't have any of it at all if it would be easier on me. Then having to deal with the consequences of eating a unhealthy meal.

    For the weight loss phase I did alternate day intermittent fasting, which means I alternated between maintenance calorie days and then very low calorie days. Every other day I ate pretty much as I pleased and there was never any need for 'cheat' days-I only 'dieted' every other day. Loved this method and it made things pretty easy for me :) I lost at a steady pace and never had any plateaus.
  • Kelamb10
    Kelamb10 Posts: 26 Member
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    NO!!! Enough said

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