Cheat Day

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  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    haggs88 wrote: »
    What are everyone's thoughts on a cheat day once a week? I know you should have one at least one a week...

    Nope!

    Undoing most of what I strove to achieve all week long is counterproductive for me. If I want something calorically-laden, I simply work it into my allotments for that day. A "cheat" day only cheats yourself. :)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    haggs88 wrote: »
    I know you should have one at least one a week so you don't go insane from the "by the book dieting"

    Who says?
    Nope. Cheating implies one is doing something wrong. I'm not. If I want something extra, that I haven't earned through exercise, I eat it, log it and move on.
  • allyphoe
    allyphoe Posts: 618 Member
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    If sticking to your target deficit for more than 6 days in a row makes you "go insane," you might consider a more sustainable deficit.

    Some days I am extra hungry. When I am, I eat more.
  • haggs88
    haggs88 Posts: 37 Member
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    So, after all your feedback that is much appreciated I've come to the consensus that I'm going to eliminate the "cheat day".. If there's something in particular that I'd like to eat I'll fit it in by exercising more or recalculating my calories to accommodate.

    Thanks again!
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    Now you got it! :)
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    And on the days when I do go over, I just log it honestly and move on...
  • Harleyb87
    Harleyb87 Posts: 279 Member
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    my formula is 7 days very strong and then a cheat day gives me something to look forward to and it make it easier to stay on my diet
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    BeckaFrieri wrote: »
    my formula is 7 days very strong and then a cheat day gives me something to look forward to and it make it easier to stay on my diet

    If you need to have a cheat day to "look forward to," you may want to rethink what you're doing. Deprivation dieting/bingeing doesn't usually work long-term.
  • sazziek
    sazziek Posts: 57 Member
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    As long as your not having McDonalds for breakfast, Taco Bell for lunch, and Wendy's for Dinner, I think you are ok. lol. I think eating healthy two out of the three meals is a great way to stay motivated, reward yourself AND not feel so guilty about "cheating'. Good idea =)
  • Harleyb87
    Harleyb87 Posts: 279 Member
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    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    BeckaFrieri wrote: »
    my formula is 7 days very strong and then a cheat day gives me something to look forward to and it make it easier to stay on my diet

    If you need to have a cheat day to "look forward to," you may want to rethink what you're doing. Deprivation dieting/bingeing doesn't usually work long-term.

    Actually its worked for me for years I stay extremely healthy for 7 days and I look forward to a cheat meal at the end of the week theres nothing wrong with it. I dont starve myself ever. I lost over 220 pounds and kept it off for over 5 years. I did go through some hard times and during that time gained some weight but I wasnt following a diet at all. Thats why I am on the path of losing weight again but there is nothing wrong with looking forward to a cheat meal.

  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
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    A cheat meal is different than a cheat day. You originally said you have a cheat day. ;)
  • noaddedsugarx
    noaddedsugarx Posts: 169 Member
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    Cheat days are the reason I've bounced up and down between the same 4lbs for months! I really struggle on the weekends.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    It's all up to YOU. Either you want to lose weight or you don't.
  • patrikc333
    patrikc333 Posts: 436 Member
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    I struggle to understand what a "cheat meal" is and why people who go out for a meal sometimes consider it as a cheat meal. deprivation is what will make people unhappy and going back to the old bad habits, not certainly going to a restaurant and eat even a 2000 calories meal, providing it fits in their day cal allowance of course.
  • caramariew1
    caramariew1 Posts: 9 Member
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    I do a "cheat day" as a reward for losing a set amount of weight. Currently I do one as a reward for 5lbs lost. Nothing too crazy, but I let myself eat somewhere that I wouldn't normally and splurge a little.
  • Harleyb87
    Harleyb87 Posts: 279 Member
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    patrikc333 wrote: »
    I struggle to understand what a "cheat meal" is and why people who go out for a meal sometimes consider it as a cheat meal. deprivation is what will make people unhappy and going back to the old bad habits, not certainly going to a restaurant and eat even a 2000 calories meal, providing it fits in their day cal allowance of course.

    I don't deprive myself I just eat really healthy and have one cheat meal after 7 days
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    edited May 2015
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    patrikc333 wrote: »
    I struggle to understand what a "cheat meal" is and why people who go out for a meal sometimes consider it as a cheat meal. deprivation is what will make people unhappy and going back to the old bad habits, not certainly going to a restaurant and eat even a 2000 calories meal, providing it fits in their day cal allowance of course.

    This is so wrong. There is no such thing as a cheat meal. There is such a thing as overeating and gaining back the weight you struggled so hard to lose.
  • haggs88
    haggs88 Posts: 37 Member
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    haha! I did mean cheat MEAL not cheat day!! Huge difference... Cut me some slack I wrote this article at 3am est..
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    haggs88 wrote: »
    haha! I did mean cheat MEAL not cheat day!! Huge difference... Cut me some slack I wrote this article at 3am est..

    Don't do even cheat meals. Work it into your daily/weekly caloric intake. Eat the food you enjoy except for hot dogs. They are forbidden. Worse than canned Vienna sausage.
  • Harleyb87
    Harleyb87 Posts: 279 Member
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    haggs88 wrote: »
    haha! I did mean cheat MEAL not cheat day!! Huge difference... Cut me some slack I wrote this article at 3am est..

    People shouldn't be afraid of having something you enjoy. Its not saying go on a all day binge and eat 40000 calories just a meal you enjoy without having to feel guilty to reward yourself for staying on a consistent healthy diet.

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