Cheat Day

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  • cazbit
    cazbit Posts: 122 Member
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    HoundstoothMFP wrote: »
    These discussions always go around in circles....but for ME I don't call them "cheat" meals, but any meal I don't prepare for myself is off-routine and I'm trying not to have them very often unless needed, i.e. meeting, social gathering.

    Oh I like that term "off routine"
  • shaunte92
    shaunte92 Posts: 127 Member
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    BeckaFrieri wrote: »
    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.

    Girl, I completely agree with you. I take the same approach. However, this isn't s an argument you're going to win on MFP. People take the term "cheat day" and get philosophical with. There is literally no difference in eating what you consider a "healthy" diet of 1500 calories a day and then choosing one day to fit in an additional 1000 calories for pizza and a beer OR someone eating around 1650 calories every single day and "fitting something into their diet". Your essentially saving some calories for a splurge. You'd both be just as successful.
  • Harleyb87
    Harleyb87 Posts: 279 Member
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    shaunte92 wrote: »
    BeckaFrieri wrote: »
    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.

    Girl, I completely agree with you. I take the same approach. However, this isn't s an argument you're going to win on MFP. People take the term "cheat day" and get philosophical with. There is literally no difference in eating what you consider a "healthy" diet of 1500 calories a day and then choosing one day to fit in an additional 1000 calories for pizza and a beer OR someone eating around 1650 calories every single day and "fitting something into their diet". Your essentially saving some calories for a splurge. You'd both be just as successful.

    Absolutely! Its all about your monthly calorie intake your body doesnt know the difference between eating a bit less than eating a bit more the next day its just about the total amount your taking in daily, weekly, monthly
  • ChaseAlder
    ChaseAlder Posts: 804 Member
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    I used to do a cheat day or cheat meal once a week. Then I found that it would often turn into two or three or four days. So instead, I took a day off from logging and told myself I could have whatever I wanted, but I typically stuck to my usual foods. Having a day off during which I didn't have to log every bite was a nice break and I felt renewed the next day, but not disgusting or out of control.
  • BlueSkyShoal
    BlueSkyShoal Posts: 325 Member
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    I do cheat days, not once a week but whenever they happen to happen. (Probably an average of once every two weeks.) I'm not a great one for logging food to begin with, I usually just estimate (I know, not recommended, but I do lose weight consistently so it works for me), but on cheat days I just throw caution to the wind and eat whatever I want. No estimating calories. No restrictions.

    Usually I have gained some weight the next day, but lose it within two days and continue going down.

    Sometimes I lose weight right after a cheat day, which doesn't make sense to me but hey, I'll take it. ;)
  • ruggedshutter
    ruggedshutter Posts: 389 Member
    edited May 2015
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    BeckaFrieri wrote: »
    ruggedshutter wrote: »
    I don't believe in cheat days. If your calorie reduction is so severe that you need a cheat day to feel satisfied then it's too much. Reevaluate your goals and find a good calorie deficit that leaves you feeling satisfied at the end of each day.

    So your telling me you never want something like pizza or pasta here and there?

    Oh course I do but I also fit them in my calorie goal. My point was that if you feel that you must have an "all you can eat" meal then you are restricting yourself too much the other days. I will occasionally go over my goal but that's usually on a special occasion and I have only came close to my maintenance calories once or twice in 5 months.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 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 so you don't go insane from the "by the book dieting" but I always feel guilty when I splurge on my cheat day.

    For the record on my cheat day I follow my diet for breakfast and lunch and dinner is when I would typically eat what I want.

    What are your thoughts?


    I don't even understand the concept of cheat days or cheat meals and I am not insane....:o).
    I am living a sustainable lifestyle that includes a wide variety of nutritious and healthy ( and on occasion less healthy) food , which makes a cheat meal/day not necessary. I eat nothing I don't like. Needing " cheat " food to me means that the rest of the time you are eating foods you actually don't want/like and that is bad for sustainable weight loss.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,912 Member
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    Yay for sustainability!
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
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    Stop dieting and then you won't need a cheat day. Adjust your attitude and outlook and eat the things you like every day in moderation and learn a new way of living. Dieting sucks. Cheating sucks too.

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