Cheat days!

anxioushero
anxioushero Posts: 61 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
What do you define as a cheat day? What do you like to have on a cheat day? How often do you have them?
(Hello by the way! Add me if you want, I'm 5'2 and 137lbs currently)
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Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited June 2015
    I've been here almost three years and I still can't figure out what a cheat day or meal is. To me, it's just an indicator that a lot of people have really *kitten* relationships with food.
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
    Do not really agree with a cheat day. Now a cheat meal. Maybe.
  • anxioushero
    anxioushero Posts: 61 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I've been here almost three years and I still can't figure out what a cheat day or meal is. To me, it's just an indicator that a lot of people have really *kitten* relationships with food.

    People DEFINITELY do - if you're trying to radically change your lifestyle it's understandable to not want to go cold turkey though. This is why I'm asking what people view as a cheat day! Because for me that is drinking I suppose, and I "save up" for it throughout the week.
  • Stressedby8
    Stressedby8 Posts: 53 Member
    I have cheat "meals" every weekend! I look forward to it. I follow weight watchers together with MFP and WW allows for an extra 49 points a week. I use these to have a few coctails on the weekend together with a nice meal out.

    It is all doable. I just make sure I get in an extra long walk/run or exercise.

    This is a life style for me now so I don't want to feel deprived.
  • Marilyn0924
    Marilyn0924 Posts: 797 Member
    For me, a cheat meal once every week or two...will always involve wine, and maybe dessert if I have enough calories. It doesn't have to be decadent. I stay within my maintenance calories for that day and usually do a little extra something physical to offset.
  • blossomingbutterfly
    blossomingbutterfly Posts: 743 Member
    I don't do cheat meals or days. I eat what I want and make it fit into my calorie goals. Every so often, I eat at maintenance for a week or so to give myself a break from a constant deficit though. That tends to help with weight loss as well.

    But some people love cheat meals/days/weeks/whatever, but some don't. I don't.
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
    A cheat day is when I go to a motel and......oops.... sorry wrong cheat thread :wink:

    Seriously though. I don't classify anything (food related) as "cheating" or "bad" and I know if I gave myself permission to have a regular day where I ate whatever I felt like I would probably wipe out my deficit for the week in that one day. (I can eat a lot) Then I would be cross with myself, so not worth it, for me anyway.
  • MitsuShai
    MitsuShai Posts: 151 Member
    I have a few "cheat days" which for me is treating myself to candy, brownies, cookies, or something that's unhealthy. However, I still stay under my calories. It's just a break from eating healthy foods all the time for me like usually I eat fruit for a snack well on my cheat day I might eat some brownies instead lol

    The reason I do this is because yeah being fit and healthy is my goal but I don't want to deprive myself of foods I love. It's my life and I want to live :wink:
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    "Cheat Days" were created by the people who invented very restrictive exclusion diets as a way to help people stay on those plans. The problem is many people would overindulge on those days and slow down or erase their progress, or see the "damage" next day and give up.

    Eating is central to many social activities, and it doesn't do you good to be a hermit because you're "on a diet". You have a lot of options to handle eating out, family occasions, etc. You can eat to your maintenance level, some people "bank" calories over a few days so they stay in a deficit for the week, or you can have some indulgence log it and move forward. It just comes down to what works with your goals.
  • anxioushero
    anxioushero Posts: 61 Member
    manderson27 wrote: »
    A cheat day is when I go to a motel and......oops.... sorry wrong cheat thread :wink:

    AHAHA

  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    Ugh I just had the first, "cheat day," in over 2 months (one of my very good friends died during the night then my sweet dog unexpectantly died the next morning) and it just was not worth it. It's over a week later and I am now finally back to the weight I was.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    For me, a cheat day or meal is eating whatever I want in the amounts I want. Basically saying eff you to weight loss.
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  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
    edited June 2015
    0 ) You're only cheating yourself
    B ) If you feel the need to have to cheat, you're doin' it wrong. Way wrong. Right?
  • DylanThomas2
    DylanThomas2 Posts: 78 Member
    For me a cheat day is when I stay in bed and dont workout instead I eat a gallon of ice cream washing it down with a jar of gravy then I sit in a running shower and cry until the water gets so cold I am shivering. To cheer myself up I order two medium pizzas and eat them both while watching mash reruns and contemplating how klinger was able to get a girl and I cant even get my dog to give me a kiss after I rub peanut butter all over my hand.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    I never have a cheat day or meal. Yes, there are days when I overeat (some with knowledge ahead of time like holidays and some where I just overate) but I refuse to get into the mindset where some food is good and some food is cheating. I am learning how to live my life with food and thinking that I am doing something bad by eating is non-productive.
  • anxioushero
    anxioushero Posts: 61 Member
    Asher_Ethan wrote: »
    Ugh I just had the first, "cheat day," in over 2 months (one of my very good friends died during the night then my sweet dog unexpectantly died the next morning) and it just was not worth it. It's over a week later and I am now finally back to the weight I was.

    I'm so sorry to hear that, sending good luck and love dude, hope you're okay xx
  • anxioushero
    anxioushero Posts: 61 Member
    SergeantSausage wrote: »
    0 ) You're only cheating yourself
    B ) If you feel the need to have to cheat, you're doin' it wrong. Way wrong. Right?

    You have a point!
  • anxioushero
    anxioushero Posts: 61 Member
    DylanThomas2 wrote: »
    For me a cheat day is when I stay in bed and dont workout instead I eat a gallon of ice cream washing it down with a jar of gravy then I sit in a running shower and cry until the water gets so cold I am shivering. To cheer myself up I order two medium pizzas and eat them both while watching mash reruns and contemplating how klinger was able to get a girl and I cant even get my dog to give me a kiss after I rub peanut butter all over my hand.

    So strange to hear we have exactly the same schedule!
  • kndev
    kndev Posts: 23 Member
    edited June 2015
    extremelygrumpycat wrote: »
    I don't do cheat meals or days. I eat what I want and make it fit into my calorie goals. Every so often, I eat at maintenance for a week or so to give myself a break from a constant deficit though. That tends to help with weight loss as well.

    But some people love cheat meals/days/weeks/whatever, but some don't. I don't.

    I like your logic in regards to giving your body a break with a maintenance week. How often do you do a maintenance week?

  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
    Honestly the word cheat gets everyone here in a tissy. They think if you use the word that you just gorge yourself with 10 pizzas, 20 beers and 2 cakes. They think it classifies food as good and bad. I on the other hand don't let the word define how I feel about anything. It is a word. I have a cheat day every week which for me has rules and I still log all of it. I try to end my week in the green which I succeed 9 times out of 10. I still weigh and measure everything but, instead of 4 ozs of pasta with 1 tbsp of parmesan cheese. It is like 8 oz and 7 tbsp of parmesan cheese. I am not doing my diet wrong because I have averaged over a lb a week loss since February 8th. I think some ppl can't handle cheat days because they can't control themselves. They let words define what foods they can and can not eat. You do what you can do for yourself.
  • AuburnL
    AuburnL Posts: 13 Member
    About once a month I go on long hike (10+ miles), and those days always end with a really indulgent meal that includes a few beers, lots of carbs and my very own unshared dessert :smile: . I look forward to it immensely. I log it all and don't really think of it as a "cheat" since it fits my lifestyle but it does feel indulgent and well earned and since my average days don't feel that way, that's always nice. I also have the occasional random days where I eat over goal or over maintenance. Sometimes planned, sometimes not, to accommodate parties or special events or just cause I feel like it.

    I also find the occasional few days eating at maintenance is really important for me psychologically. That's what I tend to aim for whenever I'm traveling and it's challenging to stick to a deficit on the road. It's what lets me know I can do this forever and it's going to be manageable.
  • blossomingbutterfly
    blossomingbutterfly Posts: 743 Member
    kndev wrote: »
    extremelygrumpycat wrote: »
    I don't do cheat meals or days. I eat what I want and make it fit into my calorie goals. Every so often, I eat at maintenance for a week or so to give myself a break from a constant deficit though. That tends to help with weight loss as well.

    But some people love cheat meals/days/weeks/whatever, but some don't. I don't.

    I like your logic in regards to giving your body a break with a maintenance week. How often do you do a maintenance week?

    I tend to about every 3 months or so. Some of my friends on here do it every 2 months, some every 6 months, some never. Personally I find that about every 3 months works for me. :)
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  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    anxioushero wrote: »
    What do you define as a cheat day? What do you like to have on a cheat day? How often do you have them?
    (Hello by the way! Add me if you want, I'm 5'2 and 137lbs currently)

    Cheat day, eh? That's like asking someone to define God or what their favourite colour is.

    Everyone will have a different answer for you.

    Personally I don't like the idea of cheat days. Especially planned ones. Seems like your setting your self up for failure, mess up one day *poof* it's a cheat day. Also aren't cheat days like a warning sign that your being to restrictive?

    Everyone should have days where you just can't stay under your calories. Weddings, birthdays, Christmas etc they are my cheat days. Special occasions. Doesn't mean I eat and drink enough to put my weight loss back 4 weeks but I'm not going to stress going over by a bit or a lot.

    I define cheat days as going over your allocated calories but either staying below maintenance or at least eating back no more than a few days deficits.

    Some people have cheat days where they remain under their calories, what are they cheating here? Macros?
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    ForeverSunshine09 wrote: »
    Honestly the word cheat gets everyone here in a tissy. They think if you use the word that you just gorge yourself with 10 pizzas, 20 beers and 2 cakes. They think it classifies food as good and bad. I on the other hand don't let the word define how I feel about anything. It is a word. I have a cheat day every week which for me has rules and I still log all of it. I try to end my week in the green which I succeed 9 times out of 10. I still weigh and measure everything but, instead of 4 ozs of pasta with 1 tbsp of parmesan cheese. It is like 8 oz and 7 tbsp of parmesan cheese. I am not doing my diet wrong because I have averaged over a lb a week loss since February 8th. I think some ppl can't handle cheat days because they can't control themselves. They let words define what foods they can and can not eat. You do what you can do for yourself.

    At what point did you cheat though? Your saying over the week you are under your calories right? In the green?

    On the day you eat that big bowl of pasta are you over your calories?

    Seems to me you aren't having cheat days because you are eating less during the week to balance out the end of the week pasta. Your just more a weekly logger rather than daily.

    I'm not trying to be confrontational, just curious at your definition of cheat.

  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
    I don't do cheat days. At some point, I'll be in maintenance and in maintenance you have to make up for cheat days.
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
    It's purely semantics, but I call mine a treat meal. It's not a 'cheat' cos I barely exceed maintenance (don't eat much during the day), and bank calories throughout the week for it. But having my Friday night cheat/treat meal and drinks is very important for me to make this a truly sustainable lifestyle change. Doesn't mean I don't get other, little, treats throughout the week (hello chocolate and wine), but this one meal is my real weekly reward - especially when we get the kids to sleep and relax while catching up on our favourite shows or a movie.

    I've always needed something to look forward to, and I've always liked saving the best bit of something til last. I automatically, unconsciously, divide my meals up and eat from least to most favourite food. Broccoli first. Roast potatoes last. So I save the best, most indulgent, meal til the end of the week. (I'm losing just fine, btw)

    Ymmv, obv.

  • melzy824
    melzy824 Posts: 45 Member
    I think a cheat meal or snack every so often is okay but not a cheat day. You can blow your whole week in 1 day if you let it get out of hand. Don't deprive yourself of anything. I am trying not to eat anything bad until it is a habbit to eat healthy and then I will let a few things in when I feel like I can handle it :)
  • rachelbouc
    rachelbouc Posts: 65 Member
    I'm also on the no cheat day bandwagon. If I accommodate treats into my daily calories and don't restrict myself from any food or social events involving food (portion control is key for me in that situation) there is no reason for me to cheat. Regarding social events I usually eat at maintenance or below. If I can I go for a walk or a bike ride to help offset the calories. It works. After three weeks of parties I was able to lose each week; although, some weeks not as significant as others.
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